Another winner from Kresley Cole came out on Halloween. No Rest for the Wicked
In book one we were introduced to a world filled with horde vampires (who suck the soul from their victims), forebearer vampires (never drink directly from the source), lychae (werewolves), and Valkyries. We also met a Valkyrie tormented by her past and cursed to not feel any emotion. The second novel takes off with the cursed Valkyrie meeting a man who makes her feel again.
Kaderin the Cold showed mercy to a young vampire only to be betrayed as he sought out her sisters and killed them. She becomes a vampire hunter. This Valkyrie feels nothing and hasn't for centuries until she meets Sebastian Wroth. Suddenly emotions are lighting up the sky all around her as she feels passion, jealousy, fear, and many other emotions denied to her in the past.
Sebastian has faced the ultimate betrayal. Three hundred years ago his brothers returned home from the Russian war changed. Ignoring Sebastian's pleas to let him die, the brothers changed him into a creature of the night. Sebastian is basically depressed and ready to die. This changes when he meets his bride, Kaderin.
Now his heart is beating again. His blood is flowing and he will let nothing take that away from him, not even the one who granted him a second chance at life.
In an attempt to win his Bride he becomes a participant in the Hie (similar to the Amazing Race) a competition with a prize so great that only the most vicious will win. Oh, did I mention that Kaderin is competing too? That she has won the Hie the last five times it was offered?
I loved this book and can't wait for the next installment of this series to go for sale. I love it when drama is allowed time to work itself out and not be brushed under the rug as a side thought. The physical pull Sebastian and Kaderin feel toward each other doesn't over ride centuries of distrust. The effect of being emotionless and watching a person have no feeling is pursued and made this book worth every penny I spent.
Scooper