Embrace the Darkness

Even though Dante was the main character in When Darkness Comes, Viper is the one who stood out in that book for me. Ms. Ivy made my day when his story was next in the Guardians of Eternity Series. If you were like me and needed your fix of Viper, this book will do it for you. From the time that Viper buys Shay from the auction house till the end where they are fighting the evil that is pursuing her, this book kept me enthralled the whole time. The only thing I wished that Ms. Ivy did not include in this book were the two Egyptian vamps we met in Dante's book. If you don't remember them, go back and read the first book. They were droolicious. Nothing is better than a good book.

This is an enchanting addition to Alexandra Ivy's first book WHEN DARKNESS COMES. I hadn't read #1 when I picked up EMBRACE THE DARKNESS. So, I had no clue why the terrifying but sexy Viper was in the club of despicable trolls on the night the half-Shalott demon female Shay was sold by auction. Shalott demons are virtually extinct on Earth having been hunted by vampires for their blood which can heal a vampires' mortal wounds and has the lovely side effect of being highly erotic. Also, Shalott demons are the best asassins of the Underworld. Shay has never been fully trained, having been kept as a slave for most of her life. She's been caged and kept in rags, forced to hunt for vermin to survive. But the night Viper walks back into her life, she is going to be sold to someone new and possibly more deadly than any of her former masters. Viper, the head of the Chicago vampire Clan is known to be deadly but his heart was stolen by Shay long months before in EMBRACE THE DARKNESS when she saved his life. Shay, of course, as no idea that Viper loves her. She is terrified of vampires because one of them killed her demon father. Viper ends up buying Shay for a ridiculous amount of money but before he can get her out of the auction house someone else tries to buy her. Viper says no..and almost dies when someone else attacks trying to steal Shay from Viper. Viper finally gets Shay home to his remote estate outside of Chicago. But his lovemaking plans are put on hold indefinitely due to Shay's fear of becoming Vipers midnight snack. When that doesn't happen, she is fed, shown to a real bedroom, and given her own clothes. Shay is reluctant to believe this is all for her. Poor Viper, his love for Shay is deep and true but he can barely romance Shay due to all the people trying to keep them apart. As it is, Viper and Shay eventually find another despite all the distractions including a jealous pint-sized gargoyle. The love story is magically handled, and the reader totally buys into it. The introduction of Styx, the Aztec vampire and subject of the next Guardians of Eternity installment is exciting. Styx sounds yummy enough to keep him in bed with crackers. I am eagerly awaiting the release in May '08. I agree with the prior reviews, these novels should be read in order.

Viper--the Vampire in this was delicious, sexy and absolutely perfect. I love the interaction between the hero and heroine, the suspense in the story, the constant action and equal balance between romance and adventure. I thought "When Darkness Comes" was spectatcular---but Embrace the Darkness was totally engrossing....and it has made me hungry for Styx's story that is to follow ......

Alexandra Ivy has released the second installment of her Guardians of Eternity series called EMBRACE THE DARKNESS. Readers will once again meet Viper, the head of the Chicago vampire clan and Shay, a cursed half breed Shalott whose very life lies in the palm of Viper's hand. Viper has not gotten to where he is today being weak. As the vampire leader in Chicago, the deadly Viper commands great respect from his clan. When he sees the lovely Shay displayed on the slave auction block, he purchases her for his own. He refuses to assess the reasons why he desires her so strongly. Yes, she saved his life. Yes, she is beautiful. Yes, he wants her in his bed. But while he acknowledges his tremendous want, he refuses to admit his yearning need. Once the purchase papers are signed and Shay is officially his, Viper begins a thorough seduction, wanting Shay as a willing participant in his bed. Shay is half-human and half-Shalott. As the last known living member of her kind, her blood is ambrosia to vampires. Cursed and controlled since she was a child, Shay is dismayed to find herself up for auction once more. Evor, a repulsive and evil troll, holds her bound to her curse. Becoming the property of Viper at the auction makes Shay distrustful of his motives. She believes he means to drain her of her sought after blood. Though Viper treats her with respect and care, Shay remains suspicious - because why Viper really wants her is a mystery. Viper and Shay exist in tentative harmony. Before Viper can convince Shay of his feelings, he is forced to defend his beautiful Shalott because someone more powerful than Viper wants her as well. Someone willing to kill to get her. I sat and consumed EMBRACE THE DARKNESS in one sitting. I fell in love with Viper in WHEN DARKNESS COMES and was thrilled to learn that he had his own story. Viper was totally bewitching to me. His sense of honor is different than most of the vampires I have read about, creating in me an instant fascination. Then, add in his complete respect and longing for Shay and I could have swooned. Shay's prickly yet vulnerable characterization makes her a worthy heroine to Viper. She saved his life in the first Guardians of Eternity installment and I found myself intrigued with her slavery and curse. Fighting the evil that was trying to surround Shay, Viper and she made a great team. I hope that readers will become as enchanted with EMBRACE THE DARKNESS as I am. Since EMRACE THE DARKNESS is the second in the series, I would recommend reading WHEN DARKNESS COMES first. I didn't want to miss any of the action and was better able to understand the back story for having read the first book. I am also ecstatic to announce that the third of the series, DARKNESS EVERLASTING, Styx's story, will release in May. It goes without saying that I am a Guardian of Eternity fangirl for life!

Embrace the Darkness is a passionate romance that takes up the story several weeks after the end of When Darkness Comes (Guardians of Eternity, Book 1). If you remember nothing else from the previous book, you will remember Viper. Vampire clan leader, Viper was the bored and beautiful fallen angel surrounded by hedonistic decadence, who in aiding Dante and Abby, came into contact with the beautiful demon Shay who saved Viper's life. This brief encounter marked them both and they are both haunted by dreams of the other Unable to forget Shay, Viper has searched for her and finding her for sale at a demon auction he knows he must possess her. Shay the last living Shalott demon, a race of assasins whose blood is powerful aphrodisiac and a prized delicacy to vampires, is enraged to have been purchased by Viper. Some thanks for saving his life. She figures that Viper's just out for a tasty snack and she's not thrilled to be on the menu. But blood is not what Viper wants from Shay, he wants her in his bed so that he can free himself from the obsession she inspires. Viper surprises Shay, he treats her reverently and is willing to use his immortal patience to gain her willing surrender. Shay has been a slave for years. She is surprised to be treated with kindness and finds herself unable to resist this magnetic and sensual vamp. And as Shay finally surrenders to the passion that Viper stirs within her, Viper finds that instead of purging his obsession, bedding Shay only strengthens his need for her. He finds himself even more addicted to her and not just in bed. He loves holding her and even just watching her sleep. But even as the relationship develops between Shay and Viper, a powerful evil seeks Shay for her magical blood. Viper is willing to suffer torture and even to sacrifice his race and his own immortal existence to keep Shay safe, but it looks like that may not be enough. And should he fail, Shay will be sacrificed so that evil may flourish. But in the final climatic battle it will takes everyone's skills and then some to beat the bad guy and save Shay and Viper. Author Alexander Ivy has really hit her stride with Embrace the Darkness. Though it was difficult to work into the summary here, she did a great job of fleshing out Shay and Viper - who can relate to what Shay suffered as a slave more than you would imagine from the power he holds now. For a romance focused book, Ivy managed a surprising amount of substance in the background plot and the final battle was actually well done and not just some easy toss off. In addition to taking advantage of characters Dante and Abby who return from the previous book, Ivy has again created several wonderful supporting characters. There is Levitt a height and courage challenged gargoyle whose fierce loyalty to Shay ends up allowing him to rise up past his limitations to make him a powerful ally. And then there is Styx, second in command of the Ravyns, a group that has brought the vampires