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Given the events of the previous book in this series, I was delighted that this volume was focused on Zarek, who had caused so much trouble. This book pairs him with Astrid, a judge sent from Olympus to evaluate Zarek and deliver justice for his crimes. Because this is a romance, they quickly become attracted to each other and I enjoyed the idea of the two of them trapped in a house together during an Alaskan blizzard. Both Zarek and Astrid are jaded and traumatized by their pasts, and it was good to read about them helping each other come to terms and build a relationship. An enjoyable read in a series I'll definitely be continuing. ( )

def the best thus far. ( )

At last.....another Dark-Hunter book that I could really sink my teeth into (pun intended;-)). I had greatly enjoyed the first book of the series, Fantasy Lover, but the stories in between that book and Dance with the Devil had left me feeling underwhelmed and less than satisfied. As I suspected it might, Dance with the Devil gave me a meatier tale with two well-developed characters that I could totally root for and who were very relatable, as well as getting back to some stronger relationship building. Even though the story took place within a matter of days, much like the previous books, the connection between Zarek and Astrid was more palpable and consequently more believable to me, because they actually spent large swaths of time virtually alone together, during which they were able to communicate on a fairly deep level. Their communication wasn't always of a direct nature, since Zarek was bound by the Dark-Hunter code which forbade him from telling anyone about who or what he was. Still, I thought that the author used a very creative solution for getting around that by having Astrid join Zarek in his dreams, where she was able to see the things he dreamed about (nightmares really), and they could talk about some things that he wouldn't be able to discuss when he was awake. It also provided the opportunity for Astrid to give Zarek some much-needed love and kindness in a “safe” environment, as well as a couple more steamy love scenes than would have been possible otherwise. I also liked how, in the dreams, Astrid gifted Zarek with a few small childhood pleasures that he had been harshly denied in his human life. I just think that the hero and heroine being together and interacting in more than just a sexual way for a large part of the book really helped to solidify their burgeoning love for one another.

Zarek definitely earned a place at the top of my most tortured heroes list. I've seen other readers liken him to Zsadist from J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and after reading this book, I would have to agree that it is an apt comparison. Zarek's torment was somewhat different from Zsadist's, but no less inhumane and cruel. What was truly heartbreaking to me about it was when I discovered through a bit of research that some Roman slaves really were treated that badly. Sherrilyn Kenyon certainly did her homework on that one. Even in the last book, Night Embrace, I could tell that there was a lot of depth lurking beneath the surface of Zarek's gruff exterior and harsh words, and he certainly didn't disappoint me in this story. Inside, he has a sensitive, compassionate heart and especially around Astrid, he is extremely tender and gentle. He was strong enough to live through 2000 years of loneliness, torture and betrayal, but no matter how brutally he was treated, his tormentors were never quite able to kill that part of him that longed to love and be loved. He just buried it very deeply inside, where I'm not sure even he realized it still existed, making it a challenge for Astrid to find and unlock it. The only thing about Zarek which I would have liked to know that wasn't told, is exactly how he became a Dark-Hunter and what his act of vengeance was. Typically, it seems that the Dark-Hunters were warriors in their human life, but Zarek was a lowly slave. This left me wondering why Artemis decided to grant him immortality, but this part of his backstory was never explored. Otherwise, Zarek was a wonderful character who has become one of my favorite heroes.

I knew after reading about Zarek in Night Embrace that he would need a strong, patient heroine to help him overcome his past, and in my opinion, Ms. Kenyon wrote the perfect mate for him. Astrid is very intuitive and understanding of Zarek, instinctively knowing that he isn't the bad person everyone thinks him to be. I loved that she never took his barbs and sarcasm personally, but realized it was just part of the armor he used to protect that most fragile piece of himself, his heart. This was wonderful, because it meant that there were no silly misunderstandings between them. She also exhibited some bravery in staying by Zarek's side to keep him from being killed by the gods, even though by doing so, she was endangering her own life. Additionally, she showed determination by not giving up on finding out the truth about what happened to Zarek's village, which nearly everyone thought he was responsible for decimating 900 years ago. Overall, she was just a warm, kind, gentle and loving heroine who was exactly the kind of woman Zarek needed in his life.

Dance with the Devil had a fairly broad secondary character palette. Acheron and Artemis returned from previous books, and readers get to know Ash even better. Ash played a strong role in this book, and the depth that was added to his character made him all the more lovable, but still an enigma that leaves me wondering exactly who and what he is. Acheron's little demon companion, Simi, is introduced in this book, and she is mostly cute and endearing, although I will admit that she talks a little too much for my taste. She is a child-like creature who has stream of consciousness dialog, basically no filter between her brain and her mouth, but her heart is definitely in the right place. There are a number of other new characters who were introduced in Dance with the Devil as well including Jess aka Sundown who is Zarek's friend and the first cowboy Dark-Hunter; Sasha, Astrid's Katagari (Were-Hunter) wolf companion; Syra, the first female Dark-Hunter to grace the series; Spawn, the first Apollite Dark-Hunter, and M'Adoc, a Dream-Hunter. There was also a brief mention of D'Alerian, another Dream-Hunter who appeared in Night Pleasures, and several assorted squires. Some of these characters were quite intriguing, but unfortunately, I'm not aware of any of them appearing in their own books as of yet.

While I did enjoy Dance with the Devil a lot, especially when compared with some of the previous books in the series, it wasn't absolutely perfect for me. The author seems to have a habit of throwing supernatural powers into the story for the sake of convenience, and Dance with the Devil unfortunately was no exception. It just wasn't as pronounced in this book as in past ones which made it more palatable. I was also able to take it a little bit better because there were no human characters who were being afforded these powers either. Ms. Kenyon also seems to enjoy creating lots of new characters, as is evidenced above, which usually means new mythology as well, but again unlike previous books, she managed to weave most of these elements in without bringing the story to a screeching halt to do it, which I greatly appreciated. The last thing that was a little bothersome to me was the ending. There was certainly some excitement in the climax, but things just seemed to peter out a little too quickly. Maybe it was because the bad guy wasn't quite as bad as he seemed, so I didn't get the satisfaction of his comeuppance. Also, the final romantic scenes between Zarek and Astrid, while quite happy, seemed to be a little lacking and I felt they needed a bit more zing to them. Overall though, my complaints are pretty minor and didn't detract much from my overall enjoyment of the novel. Dance with the Devil still managed to earn a place on my keeper shelf and has definitely reinvigorated my interest in the Dark-Hunter series which I now look forward to continuing in the future. There are currently 25 novels and short stories (#26 is due to be released in August) in the Dark-Hunter series with Dance with the Devil being the sixth. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website.

A Dark-Hunter Christmas – This is a short 16-page bonus novella that can be found in the back of Dance with the Devil, but I'm not sure if it is in every edition. The story is that of Gallagher, a relatively young Dark-Hunter (only about 100 years), who was newly introduced for this tale. Readers will get to see yet another side of Acheron and Simi that adds a bit more depth to their characters, and also get a brief visit with a bunch of the Were-Hunters from Sanctuary as well as Tabitha (Seize the Night). I don't know if Gallagher will play a part in any future Dark-Hunter stories or if he might someday get his own, but I felt like I got to know him well enough to think that he would make a good hero. Overall, this was just a quick, heartwarming holiday-themed read that emphasizes the importance of family and how people don't necessarily have to be related by blood to consider themselves family. For some reason this novella is no longer listed in the recommended reading order for the Dark-Hunter series on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website. I know of one other story that disappeared from the chronology which is now included in another full-length novel, so I'm not sure if that's what happened to this story as well or not. Rating: ****1/2 ( )

Zarek of Moesia has never had an easy day in his life. He was the child of a slave and the Roman Senator Gaius Magnus. His mother gave him to a slave to kill when he was first born but the slave took pity on him and gave him to his father but his father used him as a whipping boy for his legitimate children. Any time one of them did something wrong, Zarek would be whipped. They disfigured him so badly that one leg was shorter than the other and he was almost blind. His father finally paid a slaver to take him. The slaver used him to clean out the cesspits because he was so disfigured no one wanted to be around him.

When he was killed, he became a Dark-Hunter. Acheron took away his disfigurement and scars and made him whole again. That was over two thousand years ago. Nine hundred years ago he was banished to Alaska for doing something terrible. He only remembers bits and pieces, the village he protected on fire, people of all ages dead and an old crone dying and telling him he did this to them.
In Alaska, he lived alone for nine hundred years. Unable to go out in daylight when the summer sometimes had no night, he was stuck in his cabin starving and in winter, freezing.

Because of his life, Zarek has a bad attitude. He is the epitome of antisocial. He hates everyone and doesn’t hesitate to show it. Recently, he was granted a short reprieve from Alaska to help out in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. He ended up in a lot of trouble thanks to some trouble-making gods who were up to no good. Now, the goddess Artemis wants him dead. She has unleashed Thanatos to kill him but when Acheron finds out, he makes a deal with her to call off Thanatos until Zarek is judged by the goddess Themis. Themis chooses her daughter, Astrid, to judge Zarek. She’s given two weeks to judge Zarek. If it takes less time then she can come home early. Artemis is happy because in all of history Astrid has never found anyone innocent. Acheron trusts Astrid to do the right things.

On the flight back home, he overheard the Squire, Mike, piloting the helicopter talking over the radio. He didn’t think Zarek could hear him since Zarek was in the back with thick steel separating them. Zarek already knew that the god Dionysius had paid Mike to lighten the windows and let the sun shine in on Zarek so he could burn up and die. The helicopter came equipped with windows that darkened to keep out the sun. He could hear another Squire asking Mike if he did it and Mike said that he decided not to because the Blood Rite Squires were going to kill him. He said, “Don’t worry. I’m going to dump him out and leave him for the others to track down, then get my butt out of Alaska faster than you can say ‘Rumpelstiltskin’” I assume Blood Rite Squires kill rogue Dark-Hunters.

When they land, Mike and Zarek get out. Zarek gets on his snowmobile and says, “Mike.” And when Mike looks, he says, “Rumpelstiltskin” then throws a grenade under the helicopter, and races off leaving Mike throwing a fit over Zarek ruining a twenty-three million dollar Sikorsky helicopter

When Zarek rides his snowmobile into town to get a new generator for his cabin, he gets a big surprise…well, not too big of a surprise. He knew the Squires would try to kill him but he didn’t expect the Daimon on steroids nor that his friend, Jess aka Sundown, someone he met in the Dark-Hunter chat rooms online and the only other Dark-Hunter who would speak to him, would be there along with the Squires. He saw the Squires who all shot at him and he saw Sundown and then a Daimon started beating on him. This Daimon was unlike any other he had ever seen. He said his name was Thanatos, meaning ‘death’, and Artemis sent him after him. Someone shot him in the back with a shotgun and he thinks it was Sundown. He thinks Artemis lifted the ban where if a Dark-Hunter hurts another Dark-Hunter, they feel the exact pain and have the same damage. Meanwhile, Thanatos is practically killing Zarek.

He runs and finally loses everyone but he is so exhausted and beat up that he collapses in the snow by a cabin. He wakes up four days later in a comfortable bed and a warm home. He has been rescued by a beautiful tall blind woman and her pet wolf.

Astrid chooses to be blind while judging anyone because eyes can be deceiving. She has a Were-Hunter wolf named Sasha who she can touch when she wants to see through his eyes if necessary. She finds Zarek in the snow outside her cabin and brought him in and tended his wounds. He’s slept for four days so she only has ten days to judge him.

Although Astrid rescued Zarek, his antisocial ways and his suspiciousness can’t be helped. He is super rude and snarly towards her and the wolf…well, the wolf deserves it since he is always growling at Zarek but Astrid is nothing but kind and patient to him so she doesn’t deserve it. All Zarek wants to do is leave so that whatever is after him doesn’t hurt her or the wolf and because he is just an asshole who likes to be alone. But Astrid has made sure a blizzard is outside so that he can’t leave.

To understand him more, Astrid calls in M’Adoc, an Oneroi Dream-Hunter, who gives her some sleeping potions so she can enter Zarek’s dreams. In the dreams, she finds out a lot about his past and it ain’t pretty. His dreams are of his past and all nightmares so she puts herself in the dreams so he can have a good dream. They end up having sex in one of the dreams.

Meanwhile, Jess learns that Thanatos is a Daimon with superpowers. Artemis created Thanatos from a Daimon. She made him to kill Dark-Hunters, thinking she could control him. He’s supercharged and can walk in daylight. He can also summon Apollites and Daimons to come to him from hundreds of miles all around. He’s like a beacon and none can resist coming to him. Two other Dark-Hunters, Bjorn and Syra, have found their way to Alaska because they were following large groups of Daimons who were traveling to Alaska.

Jess isn’t there to hurt Zarek. He’s there to help him and he suspects one of the Squires named Otto is there for the same reason. He and the other two Dark-Hunters follow the Squires to Zarek’s cabin. While they are there, Thanatos shows up and stabs Bjorn with a strange-looking golden knife where his Dark-Hunter brand is and Bjorn disintegrates. Then another Dark-Hunter named Spawn shows up and helps everyone get away. Spawn is almost more hated than Zarek because he was an Apollite in his human life.

Jess wakes Zarek and Astrid up and tells them about Thanatos and that he is on his way to kill them. Thanatos wants to kill Astrid because 900 years ago, Zarek supposedly killed Thanatos’ wife and he wants to take away something that Zarek loves. Now, Zarek has to find a way to save Astrid from Thanatos who cannot be killed by anyone except for Acheron.

Even though I had read this story before, I did not remember anything about Thanatos. It is weird what my mind chooses to remember from the stories I read. I remembered the love story between Astrid and Zarek but just the basics. The strangest thing is that Zarek is one of my favorite characters from the series so I would have thought that I would remember more but I didn’t.

This book was yummy all the way! It is definitely the best so far in the series. I am glad I re-read it.

www.paranormalromanceslut.com
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Este livro é sobre o Zerek e Astrid. Depois do Zerek ter cometido os erros do livro anterior foi mandado para longe dos humanos e Artémis decidiu que não queria um Dark-Hunter tão desobediente e pouco contolável e decide que está na hora de o matar. No entanto, a Astrid pede que lhe deêm mais uma hipotese e que ela seja a pessoa a julgar a sua sentença.

Para mim, foi o melhor livro até agora. O destino do Zerek não foi nada fácil e foi mesmo interessante a descascar os momentos dolorosos da vida dele para chegar onde ele está. ( )

great book! ( )

Dance with the Devil
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Zarek has been isolated for so long he doesn't know how to play nice with others and many view him as insane. Astrid is the justice nymph assigned to pass judgment on him, but she is actually the only one who sees past his dark façade to his underlying need for truth and love.

Review:
A fantastic read!
Zarek is the epitome of the tortured hero and is my favorite Dark Hunter so far. His tragic childhood and traumatic life experience are so sad and heart-wrenching that I found myself crying all over my Kindle – I really hope the thing is waterproof. One aspect of Zarek’s characterization that I do find troubling is the implication that he is borderline inhuman due to the cruelty to which he has been subjected. However, the descriptions of his actions clearly indicate that he has an abundance of humanity even more so than many of those around him. Astrid is also a particularly likeable heroine and I loved that fact that she is able to "see" beyond Zarek’s surface antagonism to the soft and caring heart beneath. Their relationship is steamy and sensual but also sweet and touching.

The secondary characters are also engaging, particularly Sasha, whose spiteful banter with Zarek is simply hilarious, and Simi, who is one of the most adorable character’s I’ve ever encountered. Her comments about Artemis are just to die for!

As in the previous installments, the romance takes center stage but the side story involving Thanatos’s desire for revenge and Acheron’s need to protect Zarek even from himself are engaging and provide a good backdrop to the romance. I am slowly working my way through the books but the more I read about Acheron and his love/hate relationship with Artemis, the more excited I am about getting to his book.

The story is well-written and the dialogue is excellent. The dream sequences are cleverly incorporated into the main plot, which is often one of the most difficult things to do but is accomplished quite successfully here. I never found myself questioning my suspension of disbelief.

In sum, Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series is exceedingly entertaining and Dance with the Devil is a prime example. Although the books do not really need to be read in order, I do recommend it so as not to miss out on the early appearances of characters who feature in later installments. ( )

Morire è cosa da tutti. E' vivere che è difficile

Bello il nuovo capitolo della saga Dark Hunter. Bello ed affascinante anche se, onestamente, sotto molti aspetti è stato come vivere in una sorta di deja vu... Solo a me Zarek è sembrato inquietantemente simile a Zsadist (Saga Confraternita del Pugnale Nero)?
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Zarek has had more than his fair share of hard knocks in his life, putting it mildly. Being born to a Roman slave, fathered by Roman royalty, Zarek never belonged, but he always knew his place...as a slave. Zarek went through things that no human being should have to endure and has a shell of armor around himself so thick that no one will ever be able to penetrate it. At least that's what he thinks. After nine hundred years living in the Alaskan wilderness, Zarek sets off to New Orleans only to return to Alaska knowing that he'll either die before he gets there, or die in the biting cold that he's gotten so used to. At least that's what he thinks...

Excellent paranormal romance. But skip the short story at the end; it's nothing special. ( )

Again, another book that I really liked but which doesn't warrant any higher than a 3 star rating because of the quality.

I think, in this instance, Zarek was a little bit too tortured. And the thing with the circumstances under which he was banished, and the one about the circumstances under which Artemis made him a Dark-Hunter are riddled with plot holes which really affected the quality of the story.

Kenyon is disappointingly inconsistent. Sometimes her pacing is spot on and then other times the plot and pacing go off on one and it's jarring. It's a shame. So much potential for these books - but despite the faults, they're still extremely entertaining reads.

By the way, has anyone else picked up the parallels between this series and the Black Dagger Brotherhood Collection series? They share a lot of similarities ... ( )

Zarek broke my heart. The things he has lived through. Thank goodness he now has Astrid and she understand him and loves him. He so deserves it. Also the twists and turns in this one are killer! 4.5 Stars ( )

Got to say - I really love Zerak. He's just so tortured and lost and self depriving... :) ( )

Previously when I've read this book I hated Zarek. He was so different in his book than he was in his own I could never reconcile his badass reputation with his whiny emo thoughts.

I had a much better reaction this time around, however. Zarek's emo-ness still annoys me, but not as much as it did previously. I understood more why he acted the way he did, though I still think he whined a bit too much.

I really liked Astrid. She was a good batch for Zarek. I never did quite buy that she was numb from all feelings, though. ( )

Zarek is a Dark hunter – who has been alone for 2,000 years. And as a human before that he only wished he was alone rather than ciosntantly abused and tortured as a slave of cruel Roman masters. Living in Alaska for the last 600 years has been hard and lonely and only further hardened him and made him crueller

Until, in the last book, he went to New Orleans and apparently screwed up. One time too many for Artemis who is tired of him as a liability (and she’s looking for an excuse) who dispatches Thanatos to have him annihilated once and for all. Except Acheron, the Dark Hunter leader, believes Zarek is redeemable, that there is still hope for him. Striking a deal with Artemis, Astrid, daughter of Themis and immortal judge who has never found a man innocent is sent to decide whether Zarek is guilty or innocent.

Unfortunately, when Atremis calls Thanatos back, he doesn’t want to heel. Instead he returns to his people, the daimons as their chosen one, the Day Slayer. And what does he want to slay? Why, the Dark Hunters of course. And being a nearly invincible killing machine, that’s somewhat of a problem
Even more of a problem is the fact that Acheron, who is most definitely an invincible killing machine, is currently stuck in Artemis’ temple and unable to return to Earth and swat Thanatos down like the petty annoyance he is.

What should be a simple judging ends up being a desperate fight for survival against a force that has raised armies and killed cities before

I think the Dark Hunters are badly in need of some therapists. I get that they’ve had tragic pasts (all of them) but after 2,000 years? Time to move on guys. And yes, that “all of them” is relevant. Because of the way Artemis works (approaching people who have been horrendously betrayed to induct them into service in return for a last act of revenge) the Dark Hunters are almost guaranteed to have a horrendous, traumatic past. And, as I’ve mentioned before, the sheer prevalence of traumatic pasts in the genre – and the series – makes it really hard for me to appropriately engage their hurt and pain because it’s so over done.

Read More ( )

I'm a sucker for scarred men, inside and out. This was set away from the New Orleans crew so none of the previous characters other than Ashe. The landscape is bleak but so has been Zarek's life. Still the story caught me and keep me reading.

The only part that I didn't like was that Astrid, the Goddess sent to judge Zarek, has never judge anyone not guilty. I find that pretty hard to believe. ?She has never been given a case were the defendant is found not guilty of the crime? or is it that they are always guilty of something? That just never made sense to me for the time period of millennia. Was she always giving the cases that were obviously with guilty defendants? Never, ever was one of them innocent of the crime? Well that was my only qualm and I got over it for the story. ( )

Still an interesting series. Each story seems to be moving the plot forward. ( )

ereader ebook

it's totally official! I love this series. It's a little bit like another series by the same author, but I truly like the mythology a lot better here. The fluff is really fluffy, but there are times when fluff is just what I need ;) ( )

I loved this book, and adored the whole story of Zarek's life! ( )

Zarek is a Dark Hunter, who has commited some terrible act in the past -about 1000 years ago- and was punished in exile in Alaska during all this time. Every other Dark-Hunter avoids him and is forbidden to talk with him. He's consider insane and dangerous and his creator, goddess Artemis, demands his execution. Acheron, leader of the Dark Hunters, steps in and asks for a judge to decide whether Zarek should live or die: the judge is to be Astrid, daughter of Thetis.Zarek, is the epitome of a tortured hero; I have never so far read about a more tortured one. Zarek was a lowly Roman slave during his mortal life. He was beaten and whipped to such great extent as to render him a cripple and hideously scarred; no wonder he can't believe he's actually handsome now. In all his 2000 years' life, he has never had a single person show him tenderness or kindness. Not allowed to talk to other dark hunters, living in Alaska's wilderness inside a small cabin for 22 out of 24 hours every summer, he's always been alone. No wonder his sanity is in question.This book is about Zarek; Astrid is a good heroine, meaning she's not bad or TSTL; but there's not much oomph in her. Astrid is a nymph. She has never judged someone innocent before and the only time she considered doing so, he ended up trying to kill her. She has been disappointed by everyone and lost her trust to people, as well as her joy in life. When Zarek arrives in her cabin, his crude behavior and few but harsh comments seem to point to his evil nature. But a few unexpected shows of kindness in his part, throw her off balance. And she decides to find out more about him in the only place he cannot hide: his dreams. And what she sees shocks her. How can a man stand so much, for so many years, and still be sane? Astrid is tempted to show him some tenderness and love, but her past experience as well as Zarek's gruff behavior won't make that easy. So, the question remains: is Zarek worth saving or not? But it turns out that she doesn't have much time to figure it out, since the executioner is already on the loose searching for Zarek and everyone who might have helped him.The first 2/3 of the book were mostly emotional. We learn about Zarek's past, see his relationship with Astrid evolve and their starting to care for each other. Being trapped in a remore cabin, makes that more believable than it otherwise would be. Zarek has a tendency to melodrama (lines like "I have always been alone" appear in his mind at least in every second page), but seeing what he's been through I didn't really mind it. The last third is pure action. Astrid and Zarek try to defeat Thanatos (=Death) and run for their lifes, while other dark hunters along with Acheron get involved in the fight. All in all, this book greatly reminded me of a Hollywood blockbuster:) It could never claim any artistic prize in the Cannes festival, but people will run to see it anyway! It's purpose is to entertain and it achieves its goal spectacularly. Cheesy lines, especially during the fights, overdone melodrama and grand, poetic but unrealistic declarations of love, remove any artistic/literary merit but the tight, fast paced plot, interesting characters and ominous atmosphere guarantee enjoyment. And enjoy it I did, and probably will again. It's a guilty pleasure, much like Shwarcheneger's or Die Hard movies: you know it's silly and has some ridiculous scenes, yet you end up loving it anyway. But it made me realize one thing: I don't really care for Kenyon's style enough to read every book of the series. I will have to pick my way through them carefully, because it seems it's the plot that captured me, rather than her writing. Any suggestions on where to go next are welcome!Note: In Greek Parthenopi is a female only name, and the 'Parthena' part means 'Virgin'. So Parthenopaeus, is not exactly a name for a super masculine hero for me. It actually ruins my vision of Acheron:( ( )

Can I give it a sixth star... *checking*... Nope, not possible!
I think I love this so much because it's Zarek, the badass who never speaks unless he's questioning your intellect with a snarky comment. I am in love with his sarcasm and his... Well, everything. Astrid finally finds a way to bring out his civil side (even if it's only for her). We get a look into his past and his reasoning more than we get hers and I just felt heartbroken for him. ( )

I absolutely adored this story. I loved Zarek's perspective. It was really nice to understand him better and understand why he is the way he is. I wish that we knew more about him before this book, though. I find myself wanting to know more.I am absolutely loving this series and can not wait to keep reading. I finish one book, then move right on. I'm loving the cross over between the different types of immortals. ( )

These books really are a guilty pleasure, and this one (the 4th I've read) is my favourite so far. Definitely need to download the next! ( )

It's ironic to me that my favorite Dark-Hunter book was about Valerius, and my second favorite should be about his brother, Zarek. All the hunters are emotionally scarred (they became hunters because of a great betrayal), but Zarek is almost feral. Even other Dark-Hunters fear him because he's so unpredictable and vicious. Only Acheron can see past all that. So, when the gods decide Zarek must die because he is too dangerous, Ash demands he be judged first. Astrid, a justice nymph, is sent to determine if he is worthy to live. His life, and ultimately his heart, is in her hands.

I loved this entry to the series. When Astrid comes to Zarek, she is blind - as justice must be. He is harsh and brutal is coversation, but takes tender care of her never-the-less. These two made a dynamic couple, and the story was fast-paced with a lot of action. I didn't think another book could top this until I got to Seize the Night. Still, this cemented my commitment to the entire series. Highly recommended. ( )