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Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin�

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both�

38 Chapters
Epilogue

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Vlad Tepesh: Aka Dracula, Vladislav Basarab Dracul, The Impaler. Master Vampire and Leila's boyfriend. Former Prince of Wallachia with pyro kinetic powers and can fly. He has a lean face with stubble somewhere between a five o'clock shadow and a beard, long espresso-colored hair and coppery green eyes. Born in 1431 and made a vampire in 1462, he looks to be a well-built, muscular man in his thirties. Cat's friend but he and Bones do not get along very well. Able to read minds and control fire.
Leila Dalton Dracul: Aka Fantastic Frankie. Human with psychic and electric powers and Vlad's wife. She was electrocuted when she was 13 and now carries electric currents in her body, which she can release through her right hand. She's 25-years old, 5'6" with long, straight black hair and ice blue eyes. She has a scar that runs from her temple to her right hand.
Maximus: Aka Rossal de Payne. Vampire and Vlad's former second-in-command, born in the year 1088. Expelled from Vlad's line for lying and betrayal.
Mencheres: One of the oldest vampires still in society. Old, wise and reserved. Ian's sire. Bone's grand-sire. Co-ruler with Bones of their combined lines. Married to Kira. Extremely powerful.
Kira Graceling: Mencheres' wife, he made her into a vampire when a member of the council ruled she had to die. Training to be an Enforcer
Martin (Marty): Aka Mighty Marty. Vampire and Leila's best friend and carnival partner. He's 4'1" and stoutly muscled with chestnut-colored eyes, bushy black hair, thick sideburns and wrinkles. He's 138-years old.
Gretchen Dalton: Leila's sister, who's 5'4" with straight, shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes.
Hugh Dalton: Leila's father.
Mihaly Szilagyi: Vlad's enemy. Pretended to be dead for 300 years.
Harold: Szilagyi's torturer.
Mircea: Necromancer.
Samir: Vlad's head of security.
Dorian: One of Vlad's guards.
Alexandru: One of Vlad's guards.
Petre: One of Vlad's guards.
Christian: One of Vlad's guards.
Catherine (Cat) Crawfield Russell: AKA Red Reaper, half-breed, turned full vampire, by Bones (her husband). She has red hair and medium gray eyes. She can only drink undead blood and she can temporarily absorb the donor’s special abilities.
Bones: "Crispin Phillip Arthur Russell III" - He is a master vampire, Cat's husband and is 200+ years old. He is also co-ruler of Mencheres' line. He has short dark curls and dark brown eyes. He can hear others thoughts, fly and has telekinetic abilities. Was a male prostitute in England while still human and is a bastard son of a prostitute from 18-century London.
Marie Laveau: Ghoul Queen.
Jacques: Ghoul. Marie's guard.
Darryl Meadows: Death row inmate.
Fabian du Brac: Ghost. Cat's friend
Shrapnel: Vampire and Vlad's former third-in-command. He's bald and brawny with obsidian eyes. He's in the dungeon for trying to kill Leila and betraying Vlad to Szilagyi.
Cynthiana: Vampire and Vlad's former lover who was with him for 30 years. She's about 300 years old and strikingly attractive with her walnut-colored hair and dark topaz eyes. She's 5'4", curvy at about 120 lbs. and speaks with a lilting accent. She's in the dungeon for using Shrapnel to help betray Vlad.
Clara Dracul: Vlad's first wife who died when she jumped off the roof of their home.
Ilona Dracul: Vlad's second wife.
Radu Dracul: Vlad's younger brother who who was held captive along with Vlad when they were children.
(hide spoiler)]

Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
Ilona's lover was Radu, Vlad's brother. Mircea is their son. (hide spoiler)]

We will begin reading this on/after July 15.

Looking forward to it.

I'm starting this now.

Started this morning. These books always start with the action so quickly :0)

I'm only a couple of chapters in because I paused to finish listening to the Connelly book.

No problem. I might actually be ahead of you now. I'm on chapter 7 :0)

Lol! Very.

I'm up to chapter 14 - there was one chapter than almost did something unforgivable that might have resulted in a DNF but thankfully this travesty was avoided, lol!

I just learned of Maximus' duplicity. Grrr...though I gotta say I wasn't surprised.

I thought that Vlad was a bit too hasty in trusting him again

Chapter 12 was ROUGH!!!!!

Jonetta wrote: "Chapter 12 was ROUGH!!!!!"

I know! I wasn't really worried it was going to go all wrong :0(

I was. Frost is really wreaking havoc with Leila.

FYI, Mencheres....*sigh* *swoon*

I'm almost done (Chapter 37). Where are you?

I'm done!

Been painting all day - I'm up to chapter 26 - Vlad and Leila are about to see Majestic in New Orleans.

Finished the book and loved it!
I'd forgotten just how much I love Vlad and his quips about impaling people, lol!

I really liked the way the story ended and the lead in to the next one. Looking forward to it.

You know, I really liked seeing how badass Vlad is. We know he is but Frost showed it very descriptively this time. And his sardonic nature is surprisingly appealing.

I was repelled by all that happened to Leia. Szilagyi was just diabolical.

Jonetta wrote: "You know, I really liked seeing how badass Vlad is. We know he is but Frost showed it very descriptively this time. And his sardonic nature is surprisingly appealing."

Me too. I also liked how his powers seemed to grow and develop in this book because he was finally beginning to accept his emotions and let them out rather than holding them in.

Jonetta wrote: "I was repelled by all that happened to Leia. Szilagyi was just diabolical."

Yes. He was so evil. I'm really glad he got his just desserts here.

All I can say is that if (view spoiler)[Leila had really been raped by Maximus, this would probably have been a DNF for me. This trope is an absolute no no for me! (hide spoiler)]

Maximus - (view spoiler)[I was worried for a while that he had turned against Vlad (before the "rape" scene) but am glad that he hadn't and that its suggested he and Vlad will make amends eventually. I really like his character despite his flaws (or maybe because of them). (hide spoiler)]

Vlad - (view spoiler)[ His whole hearted acceptance of Leila and his love and concern for her when he thought she had been raped were wonderful. He's a keeper! (hide spoiler)]

Lauren wrote: "Yes. He was so evil. I'm really glad he got his just desserts here. All I can say is that if [spoilers..."

This is now open for spoiler discussion....

When I thought she was going to be raped, I paused for a minute and wondered whether I could read this. As it was, it was bad enough.

I was really, really disappointed when I thought Maximus had betrayed Vlad and Leila. I really liked him and was just put out when he first showed himself with Szilagvi.

Vlad really grew emotionally in this story. Being able to outwardly profess his feelings for Leila was a big step and then accepting that she could be more of a partner than someone he had to protect. I loved how he used her in the meeting with Marie. It was dangerous and brilliant.

The section with Marie was excellent. It highlighted how much Vlad had grown from the man who felt he had to limit Leila's power, ostensibly for her own protection, to the man who had confidence in her abilities and knew she could handle herself with the remnants without even needing to tell her about it.

Another aspect of the story that struck me was Leila's relationship with her father. Hugh Dalton is such a jackass! He doesn't deserve Leila. Marty is more of a true father to her.

Hugh was a jackass before she became a vampire so I guess we shouldn't expect much more from him. I wonder how he'll be now that his leg is healed.

That scene with Marie was masterfully written, full of political intrigue with two formidable adversaries outwitting each other. Marie is no slouch so this was a big coup. As much as I don't like Marie, I'm in awe of her.

I was really caught off guard to learn Mircea's identity! Vlad's rarely this surprised so I didn't feel so bad:)

Jonetta wrote: "As much as I don't like Marie, I'm in awe of her."

I actually like her a lot. She's tough and merciless but honest and fair. She's the kind of person who would stab you face to face rather than in the back, lol!

Jonetta wrote: "I was really caught off guard to learn Mircea's identity! Vlad's rarely this surprised so I didn't feel so bad:)"

I was surprised too! Now I'll be comparing him to the similar character in Karen Chances Cassandra Palmer series, lol!

I really wish I'd continued that series. I liked the first book.

Speaking of Mircea, it was fascinating to learn more about Vlad's first marriages. What did you think about his decision to not pursue whether she committed suicide or was pushed by Szilagyi?

Jonetta wrote: "I really wish I'd continued that series. I liked the first book."

The problem is that Cynthia Holloway does the audio narration and she's so awful. I listened to the first 3 and now I'm going to start the spin-off series (they intertwine) and thankfully, its got a different narrator.

Jonetta wrote: "What did you think about his decision to not pursue whether she committed suicide or was pushed by Szilagyi? i?"

I thought it was a good decision. He's made peace with it and moved on with Leila. Pursuing it would mean she still had a hold on him and it would undermine his relationship with Leila.

Lauren wrote: "The problem is that Cynthia Holloway does the audio narration and she's so awful...."

Oh, no. How does this woman keep getting hired.

Lauren wrote: "I thought it was a good decision. He's made peace with it and moved..."

I felt similarly. By the time he got to her grave, he realized he was at peace. It was wonderful that Leis was included in that process.

Jonetta wrote: "Oh, no. How does this woman keep getting hired"

I really don't get it. Although I know that some people love her. No idea why - her accents are terrible and her intonation sucks!

What did you think of Gretchen and Samir?

I'm convinced these two will be a couple in the next book. He was hilarious.

Jonetta wrote: "I'm convinced these two will be a couple in the next book. He was hilarious."

I know. I loved their bickering.