This is a 2 story book. The first story titled Run from Twilight is about a cop, a bartender, a serial killer and vampires. This is an interesting take on what makes a vampire a vampire. I guess I haven’t read many “vampire” stories, but I liked the idea in this one that only individuals with
an antigen in their blood called belladonna can become a vampire by having another vampire share their blood. The main male character, Michael Gray was a cop during the Capone era and “dies” a hero after saving a child from being killed in the cross-fire between 2 rival mobs. A woman, at the hospital, is there as Michael is declared dead. She briefly explains about herself and gives him the choice of life or death. He chooses life, and becomes a vampire. Next, Michael is in the present day and trying to inconspicuously watch over Mary Mc Lean, a bar tender in a Maine nightclub that caters to those who are “charmed” by the gothic and vampire lore. The bar is called the Crypt. Michael has been using his “cop” skills and discovered that a serial killer is targeting humans with the belladonna antigen in their blood. Mary is such an individual. Michael can’t tell Mary the whole truth about him, because he fears it would send her running away from him in horror and into certain death. Mary and Michael have a strong attraction to each other causing Mary not to trust her own instincts where Michael is concerned. She wants to believe him, but it takes her some time to figure out if he’s really there to protect her or if he is the real danger….
In the second story, Twilight Vows we meet Donovan O’Roark and Rachel Sullivan in a small Irish village. Rachel has been abroad in the U.S. studying for the past few years and has just returned home to the village that raised her after her parents died in an accident. Rachel had grown up with the tales of Dante’s castle and the evil vampires that lived there. Dante’s castle was just outside the village, through the woods. Rachel had always been more curious than frightened of the tales she’d been told. That curiosity is what led her to her major in college. She came back to the village to do her thesis on the castle and its lore, for her doctorate degree. When a “stranger” goes walking by the tavern, where Rachel works and lives, on the eve of her return, she steps outside and invites him in. The villagers are always wary of strangers and Rachel decides to regales the stranger with the tale of Dante’s castle and the “monstrous” inhabitants. Rachel asks the stranger his name and he tells her it’s Donovan O’Roark. Everyone knows the castle is in the O’Roark family now and make the assumption that he is a relative of the O’Roark family that used to live in the village. Longing to learn more about Donovan, Rachel decides to follow him after he leaves the tavern. Rachel’s curiosity can get her into a lot of trouble and maybe lead her to answers she does not want to know….
Trice
Harlequin Member for years! I love to read!
