Samantha is half human, half demon and a member of the
paranormal police department. In the past, she has been
instrumental in releasing Tain, an Immortal, from the prison
of a demon. He was held and tortured for 700 years. At
times, the anguish and madness that helped him survive
overwhelm him and he is reluctant to pursue his attraction
to a woman who is part demon .
Tain is investigating the deaths of vampire prostitutes who
have been rejected by their families. He is in a nightclub
where Samantha is working a sting operation when a rival
family comes in and starts a fight. Thanks to Tain,
Samantha isn't hurt but the police case against the club
owner for drug trafficking is tainted.
Tain will ask Samantha to help him discover what is
happening. They will discover a conspiracy that will lead
to an relationship and more. As they come up against one of
the largest families of demons, Samantha will learn more
about her heritage and what being part demon means.
Ms. Ashley has done a fabulous job of combining the everyday
with the fantasy and built an intriguing world where the
humans live side by side with all the creatures of the dark.
The only thing keeping the balance is a set of Immortals
who must work with both sides to see that chaos isn't created.
Not having read the previous books, I felt this one stood
alone very well. There was enough explanation of past
relationships to keep confusion to a minimum and not drag
the story down. The story kept me enthralled. Ms. Ashley's
ability to cross genres is a sign of a very gifted writer.
As Samantha Taylor investigates the abduction of young
demon women in gritty Los Angeles, she encounters Tain,
the Immortal she hasn't seen since his enslavement to a
powerful demon the year before. Now Tain needs Samantha's
help, and Samantha wonders if she can hide the fact that
she's in love with him while they work together. Tain
spent years being tortured by a demon--the last thing
he'll want is a half-demon woman longing for him . . . or
so she thinks. Haunted by his past, Tain seeks peace by
healing others, but he's never been able to get the dark-
eyed Samantha Taylor out of his mind.