After a successful exhibit of her newest photographs, Gabrielle Maxwell reluctantly accepts an invitation from friends to go clubbing. At the club, Gabrielle becomes aware of a man watching her from across the room. Tall, dark and handsome doesn't even begin to describe the sexy stranger, but something about the club makes Gabrielle uneasy. As soon as she can, without offending her friends, she excuses herself and leaves alone.

Outside the club, Gabrielle stumbles upon a horrific scene. A young man is attacked and brutally murdered and Gabrielle is the only witness. Stunned, and more from reflex than anything, Gabrielle snaps photos of the scene and runs. Unbeknownst to Gabrielle, there's another witness to the murder. Lucan Thorne, a vampire and Breed warrior, is watching as Rogue vampires kill and feed from their hapless victim. Lucan dispatches the vampire thugs quickly and quietly and then sets out after the human woman who witnessed the attack. To protect his kind from discovery and persecution, Lucan needs to take whatever measures necessary to be sure she doesn't talk. Gabrielle makes it to a police station and does tell her story, but no one believes her. And no one but Gabrielle can see the images she took of the killing. Not the cops, not her friends, not anyone. Dismissed as crazy, Gabrielle is sent home. Alone.

Lucan tracks and follows the woman. Even though her story isn't given any credence, he still needs to be sure she isn't a threat to his people. Lucan is instantly attracted to Gabrielle and plans on seducing her, but his plans change when he discovers she's a Breedmate -- a human woman with blood properties and the rare DNA compatible with the Breeds. As a veritable goddess to his kind, Lucan knows it's his bound duty to protect Gabrielle from the Rogues, who will track her as easily as he did. Even though his focus should be on the Rogues, Lucan can't help but be seduced by Gabrielle. Soon he finds himself not only protecting her from the Rogues, but from himself. For Gabrielle has awakened something Lucan thought long-buried deep inside him. Even though he struggles against it, Lucan is falling for this lovely, lonely woman.

KISS OF MIDNIGHT is a promising start to a new warrior vampire series. The hero and heroine are both strong characters -- tortured, brooding and alone. Lara Adrian (who previously wrote medieval romance under the name Tina St. John) does some interesting world building in this dark fantasy with several new twists. Sexy, smart and compelling, KISS OF MIDNIGHT has it all -- and it works!