"But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of
Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then
we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of." -
Lord Byron
Secret Agent Vampire, Daphne "Daphy"" Urban is back,
engaged in another mission to save the world from a drug
that does more than take the mind on a freaked out
emotional roller coaster ride. The government's newest
crime-fighting secret section, Team Darkwing, is called
into play as the lethally exclusive drug, Susto, is being
doled out to the masses as the next best thing to life.
Together with her fellow vampires (Benny -- a sexy southern
belle, Cormac -- a Broadway boy, Bubba Lee -- a good old boy
with an intellect higher than most smart guys) Daphy goes
undercover in New York City's nightlife to get the job
done.
However, Daphy has a few problems of her own. First there's
Darius, her vampire-hunter lover, whom she turned and can't
seem to get over the fact he's not human anymore. Saving
his life may only be accomplished at the breaking of her
heart. Then there's rich party-boy St. Julien Fitzmaurice,
whose charm is as deep as he is up to his neck in the
nefarious underworld trafficking. How can she dwell in the
depths of despair over Daruis when being with him seems so
right? Lastly, there's Mar-Mar, the defacto behind-the-
scenes leader of the whole Darkwing project, who 500-year-
old Daphy still finds it hard to cut the apron strings
from, no matter how hard she saws. After all, how can one
get away from your own mother? Can Daphne, the fashion
plate vamp forced into double-O (negative and positive)
spyhood save the day, or will she risk it all for her
heart, which feels all too human?
bSavannah Russe gives us a vampire nightclub thriller
with her latest penning of Daphne and company.
This second book in The Darkwing Chronicles wobbles a
little on its own, but manages to walk at a satisfying pace
when read after the first book in the series, BEYOND THE
PALE. Even though there's a lot of brooding vampires who
could give Angel a run for his money, and the fact that the
ending seemed a bit rushed and wanting, it's still an
engaging, light read. Daphne's reminiscences about Lord
Byron are even more satisfying this time around, making it
both intriguing and quixotic. If you want something light
to sink into with enough adrenaline to keep you dancing,
romancing and spying the night away, this book is for you.
There's a lethal new recreational drug out on the party
circuit. To stop its spread, Team Darkwing must immerse
themselves in New York City's nightlife, where they
discover ties between the drug's revenue and the country's
most powerful dynasty. To infiltrate the family, Daphne
flirts with its weakest link, a party boy whom she'd love
to sink her teeth into. But even as their dalliance leads
her deeper into the case, Daphne can't stop thinking about
Darius, the darkly sexy human she claimed with a passionate
bite. He's the bad boy she knows she must forget-if she
doesn't, she'll be risking not only the mission but her own
heart.