Brenda Joyce starts a new series of books based on a group of men who have been given special powers to live long lives and travel time to combat the presence of evil in the world. They are the Masters of Time.

Claire Camden has lost her mother and a cousin to pleasure killings. She has taken every precaution against evil. She is proficient in the use of guns and knows multiple forms of self-defense. That doesn't help when her bookstore is invaded by a woman who is able to pin her against a wall while not touching Claire. Claire awakens from the attack to find two men fighting with broadswords in her store while sirens blare.

Malcolm of Dunroch is a new Master. During a fight with evil, he was fatally wounded. In his weakened state,he accidently killed a woman by draining her life force. When he realizes the danger that Claire is in, he takes her back to his time to protect her from the evil that is pursuing her.

Even though he is drawn to Claire, Malcolm is afraid that he will kill her as well so he tries to stay away from her. Claire and Malcom will work together to defeat the evil. Claire will learn more about her heritage than she has ever expected.

Ms. Joyce has written some powerful characters with an interesting plotline. Malcolm was definitely a product of his time. His "do what I say" attitude fits right in with the medieval Scotland. Claire is a strong-willed heroine who is also a product of her time and her experience. I got a little annoyed with her about halfway through the book when she kept promising to obey Malcolm and then immediately breaking her promise. Some of her actions bordered on TSTL since she was ill-equipped to deal with the powers of the Masters and their enemies.

The premise of the book is intriguing and it will be interesting to see where Ms. Joyce goes with the concept. There is a high level of eroticism in this book since it is tied in with the powers of the Masters.