Paladin warriors are entrusted with the responsibility of keeping the world of mankind safe from the world of the Others. In order to do so, they are granted the ability to die, only to be brought back again and again to fight another day. However, each time they die, so does a bit of their humanity, until the only choice left is to kill them for good, before they can unleash their destruction.

Blake Trahern is a Paladin warrior walking a fine line with his humanity. He wants nothing more than to disappear and die on his own terms. When an old friend is murdered, Blake takes it upon himself to protect his daughter. It's been twelve years since Blake saw Brenna Nichols. He walked away from her once and he vows to do it again, just as soon as he's finished ensuring her life is safe, even if it means giving his own.

Brenna can't believe the boy her father had taken in years ago was back in her life, more of a man than she ever imagined. Even more unbelievable are the things he tells her about her father. Things her father kept from her. No matter what he tells her though, or how far fetched, nothing can quench the desire Brenna's always felt for Blake. As things heat up between them, so does Blake's investigation. He discovers he's on the trail of a traitor among the Paladin's. Going after the traitor means putting Brenna in the middle of danger. All it will take is one final battle for Blake to lose what's left of his humanity, destroying everything, including the woman he loves.

DARK DEFENDER is the second book in Alexis Morgan's thrilling Paladin's of Darkness series. Ms. Morgan opens up a whole new world that'll keep you captivated. Blake's struggle with his love for Brenna and his battle to hold onto his humanity will keep you glued to the pages. As a first time reader of this series, I had no problems picking up this book and getting caught up in the mystery of the series. The underlined mystery of the blue stones has me intrigued and I can't wait for the next addition to this series to learn more about them. For something fresh and new, definitely pick this book up the next time you're at the book store.