ETERNAL HUNTER is Book one in Cynthia Eden's Night Watch series. This story takes place in a world in which there are paranormal creatures, but only a select, trusted few know they exist. Assistant DA Erin Jerome is a wolf shifter with some psychic ability and Night Watch bounty hunter Jude Donovan is a white tiger shifter.
Erin and Jude are thrown together because Erin has a shifter stalker and needs Jude's help. For me, the focus of ETERNAL HUNGER is on the relationship between Jude and Erin, as well as Erin's struggle to come to grips with who and what she is. Erin has so many negative things associated with being a shifter. Her stalker is a shifter so she doesn't really want to have that connection. She also feels abandoned by her wolf shifter mother and her pack for not being able to totally shift into the form of a wolf, thereby not being good enough. I liked that Jude liked Erin's strength and let her know how good that is, even though she can't fully shift.
In spite of the beast within him, I love how Jude always treats Erin with respect. I also really liked that he never pulled the "overprotective patronizing male" card and made her stay behind when he went out into dangerous situations. He didn't like her being in the path of danger, but never tried to prevent her from joining him. The romance between the two is extremely explosive made for some very hot scenes.
The stalker storyline adds interest to the story and the element of suspense is very strong throughout ETERNAL HUNTER. The hidden identity of the stalker kept me guessing. Jude's fellow bounty hunters at Night Watch, Dee and Zane are interesting and I look forward to reading their stories. The clues to their pasts that Cynthia Eden threw in this story are tantalizing tidbits. The resolution to this story is very satisfying. I can't wait to read the other books in this series!
βWanna answer my question?β His voice was deep, rumbling.
Goosebumps rose on her bare arms. And it was too damn warm
for her to have a chill from the weather.
βAnd just what question was that?β She titled her head to
the right.
βWho are you?β A pause. βWhat are you?β
She let her eyebrows furrow. Sheβd fooled Other before, she
could do it again. βIβm really not sure I understand. I
told you, Iβm Assistant District Attorneyββ
βYou donβt smell human.β
Her breath left on a gasp. No, he hadnβt just saidβ
He stepped toward her, a fast move that brought their
bodies too close. Jude leaned in, lowering his head over
the curve of her throat. And inhaled.
βStop!β She shoved him, hard, and watched with no small
satisfaction as he stumbled back. Oh, yeah, big guy, Iβm
much, much stronger than I appear. He wasnβt the first one
to learn that little lesson.
She almost bared her teeth at him. Almost.
After all, she wasnβt an animal. No matter what the
whispers back home said.
βI donβt know just what you think you were doing,β she
snapped, glaring at him as she narrowed her eyes. βBut
youβd better watch what you do and what you say around me.β
Was the guy crazy? You donβt smell human. He couldnβt say
things like that.
The words were too dangerous.
She reached into her purse. Dug out her card. βCall my
office. My assistant will take care of any paperwork youβve
got.β
He stared at her a moment longer. Then, slowly, his tanned
fingers rose. Long fingers, callused. Strong. He took the
card, and his fingertips brushed over her hand.
Erin didnβt flinch and she was extremely proud of that fact.
βGood work, Donovan.β After giving him that grudging token
of appreciation, she nodded and began to march back toward
her car.
Sheβd taken all of five steps when she heard his whistle.
Long, loud, and very appreciative.
Erin stilled.
I really donβt need this shit.
βIβve got your scent.β Hard words. Scary words. Because she
knew what they meant.
If Jude Donovan truly was a shifter, and every instinct she
had screamed that he was, then having her scent, well, it
meant he had her. Heβd be able to follow her, to find her,
almost anywhere.
A shifter. What were the odds sheβd stumble onto him?
One of the little perks in the Other worldβthe world full
of supernaturals and nightmares, the world that, rather
unfortunately, was her lifeβwas that like recognized like.
Demons, because, yeah, those conniving bastards were real,
could βseeβ others of their breed. They could look right
past the magic glamour and peer into the darkness inside.
Witches felt the power pull from their brethren.
And shifters, well, they could smell each otherβa distinct
scent. One that carried the wisp of power and the scent of
the beast.
Jude Donovan smelled of power. Of wild, strong man. Of
savagery. No denying that scent.
As for the beastβ¦she didnβt need the marks on Bobbyβs face
to know Donovan had claws.
Erin began to walk again. One determined step after another.
And even when she climbed into her car, she could feel his
eyes on her. Watching and seeing too much.
Oh, damn.
Now, sheβd have to be extra careful to stay on her guard
and not let the hunter discover the secrets she kept so
carefully hidden.
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