Yessssss!!!! Another great read! First time author for me and definitely will not be the last. This the story of Athan, the Blood Guard and Tendra (love the name, by the way) the Sanguivita and their adventure. I enjoyed the word building and the different way that these, vampires from the Gregorie clan, lived. Filled with action, light banter, (especially Zen, I hope he gets a book too ;) suspense, betrayal, and love, Tendra and Athan are tasked to do their duty. During the time that Athan is supposed to deliver Tendra to his brother Idris, truths are revealed and a love stronger than duty prevails. Great read! 4 stars!

This was a fun book to read. This book starts out with Tendra, a human girl, returning to her job at a bar shortly after her mother passed away. Tendra has always been on the move with her mother, never staying in one place too long. And she's a fighter. She knows how to defend herself and fight back, if necessary. One night, she meets Athan, a too-serious vampire who declares himself her protector and says that her blood is what could save all humanity.

As much as I enjoyed the book, there's two parts to this story that I want to touch on - the characterization and the plot. The first meeting between Tendra and Athan is a bit sketchy, but as the story goes on, we get to know the type of person Athan is. Their first meeting...well, Athan kind of drugs her and kidnaps her? It's not the best of introductions. Athan handled the entire situation very poorly. But Athan is completely not prepared for the kind of woman Tendra is and never expected her to fight back. Which, I get that this still sounds bad for Athan, but things are explained a bit more about the relationship between vampires, humans, and the expectations from both parties going forward. Athan never really does anything against Tendra's will, but she is still expected to follow him to marry his brother and to provide said brother her blood. First intro to Athan is not great, but the story does get better.

So, plot. Tendra posses the cure to save humanity, and the oldest brother of the royal family (in this case, Athan's older brother, Idris) is to drink from her blood and gain powers that will save the humans from the bad vampire clans who would rather not live in harmony with humans. Save the cheerleader, save the world? There's assassins after Tendra, and to be quite truthful, the line kind of blurs for me why the characters insist on walking everywhere. Even after two days of walking and hiding out, it's like they never progressed at one point.

I'm reading this from an ARC, so things may change in the final version, but I'm kind of iffy on Tendra's character at the end. She's such a fighter the entire book, but then a scene happens near the end where she seems to...no longer fight? I think Tendra is a badass for the most part, but I also find her difficult to fully connect with at times. She goes from never having any human connection to being completely accepting that she's got to be a blood bank and bride to a complete stranger in order to save humanity, just because a guy claims it was all prophecy. I think this book does take a bit of suspended belief to read (I mean, naturally, this is a book with vampires). Blood Guard helps set up the world and the war that's coming between the vampire clans in future books. And I look forward to reading them!!

I really liked the introduction of the secondary characters - Zeb and Wyatt, especially. I hope we see more of them in the future! One of the highlight characters in this book is Brax, Tendra's mysterious cat with a sixth sense. Brax seems adorable and I wouldn't mind seeing Brax just wreck havoc on characters in future books, if for even no reason than a just because. It does look like the setup for the next book is with Idris? The two brothers, Idris and Athan, are big softies. Athan's dangerous when he's fighting, but deep down, he's a real sweetheart. It kind of boggles the mind that the vampires know so little about the human world when they live in parallel with them, but I liked Athan's utter lack of human knowledge and Tendra's shock at what all Athan doesn't know.

Tendra and Athan have unbelievable chemistry together and I loved reading how they gradually came together. I look forward to reading Blood Veil and everything else Megan has in store for this series!

***4.5 Stars***

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"You didn't hesitate."

"Because I didn't have to. I trust you."


This book was SO DAMN GOOD!! It gave me so many things I absolutely love:

FANTASTIC Heroine - Oh yes, folks! Be prepared to fall in love with Tendra! A delicate flower needing rescue she is not! She's badass, and straight-forward, and a warrior against bullshit. She didn't let her vulnerabilities turn into weakness, but used it to fuel her...to motivate her, and to give her the strength she needed to deal with what her future would be. Oh...and she was also hilarious as hell!

"Because I'll tell you right now, I will fight you to my dying breath and then come back from the dead and haunt you until I convince you to cut your own dick off."


Protective, Badass Hero - Oh Athan, Athan! [insert dreamy sigh] I just loved him. He was so loyal to his clan, protective of Tenda, and just a caring soul. He treated Tendra with respect and care. She wasn't an object or just his duty, but a person with feelings, with fears, and with a future she didn't choose.

Addicting Plot - This book is so hard to put down. There's a constant momentum pulling you forward while reading...which translates to damn near perfect pacing. Never a dull moment and not a single scene feels like filler. The world building is on the lighter side, so there isn't an information dump you have to wade through in order for the story to feel like it's finally starting (that's sometimes a drawback for me when I read PNR).

Swoony Romance - Tendra is meant for Idris, Athan's brother, but in their journey to the Gregorie compound a deep bond is formed between the two that's impossible to ignore.

"Telling myself over and over again that protecting her was my job, and that was why she felt so right. That was why she fit me so well. I was born to protect her.

That was it. Protect. Protect. Protect.

Not touch. Not love. Certainly not that.

Never that.

I closed my eyes and focused on all my training, all I was taught.

But nothing had prepared me for Tendra Parrish."


The tension between Tendra and Athan just keeps building as the story unfolds. It's clear the two belong together, but the prophecy looms over their head. Lives are at stake...both for humans and vampires. But are Athan and Tendra just fighting the inevitable?

"I swallowed, wondering how the hell I was going to deal with my future, when the man I could see myself with was the man I wasn't meant to have."


"Tendra. How will I ever let you go? Tell me I'm strong enough to do it."


Blood Guard is such a fantastic start to what looks to be a suspenseful, sexy, and interesting PNR series. And Tendra goes on my list as one of my favorite heroines EVER. Seriously...she's damn awesome!

I can't wait to see where Megan Erickson goes with this series. The setup for the next book sounds like it's gonna be a bumpy ride....enemies to lovers. I'm soooo ready for Book 2!!

Tall, dark and brooding meets short, sassy and sarcastic!

This book had the WOW factor I crave, and I loved that it was not like every other Vamp novel out there. Ten and Athan's story had a unique and very creative twist to it. The plot was very faced past and full of action, pulse-pounding drama and neck-biting suspense. There were elements of both classic and modern romance. The sexual tension was a slow burn, building in increments with a look here and a touch there. And, when they got down to the getting down, the chemistry was explosive, and the intimacy was scorching hot! It's a wonder they didn't burn themselves right up! I was a big fan of the way that Athan gently, but confidently, guided Tendra into acceptance of her destiny and the way that Ten, in return, helped Athan to find his humanity.

There were some surprises and turns, that I didn't see coming, that kept me devouring the pages as quickly as possible to find out what happened next. Near the end, though, I slowed down, because I just did not want to see this book end.

Athan is my new Vampy book boyfriend! I am SO ready for Blood Veil, the next one in the series!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this story from NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

DNF @36%, so I won't be rating this one. I hate not finishing this book, because I follow the author on Facebook and love her. But this is just not for me. And I really do feel like it's a case of 'it's not you; it's me.' PNR is very hit or miss for me, but if you're a fan of the genre in general, I think you might like this one.

Tendra’s mom passed away in car wreck in recent years, leaving Ten all alone in Mission. Something in Ten tells her it’s time to move on, just like she and her mom moved so many times growing up. But that night, Ten’s whole world turns upside down.

Athan is a vampire and Ten’s blood guard. Tendra is the Sanguivita of the Gregorie vampire clan. Her mother knew all about it and was supposed to tell Ten, but was killed before she had the chance. Now Athan will escort Ten to live as his brother’s mate.

Blood Guard is the solid start to a unique paranormal romance series. I enjoyed the mythology which has some original components; however, it is traditional in ways that helped fill in any gaps. Some of the hallmark paranormal elements such as a prophesy and meant-to-be love gave the story a familiar feel.

Unknown to Ten before the night she meets Athan, there are vampires living among the humans, and it is prophesied that she will bring the Gregorie clan much power, which they will use to protect humankind. Tendra and Athan share a forbidden attraction, and being on the run together only heightens the sexual chemistry. She is destined for his brother, the future king, and immediately, she is compelled to fulfill her roll. But that attraction… it gets to be too much, and the pair fall into a dangerous liaison. Funny how prophesies tend to have a way of working out, even when a huge wrench or two is tossed into the mix.

While overall I enjoyed the story, I did have to make a big leap of faith with how things go down. I felt Ten was compliant without justification. She just goes along with Athan never really questioning anything. And I didn’t buy how easily she integrates herself into the vampire culture. She just accepts her duty like suddenly she belongs and it’s her life. It is all too easy. I think the second book will be strong because won’t have to world build as much.

Blood Guard is enjoyable, even with my small issues, and I look forward to checking out what happens next in this new paranormal romance series.

My Rating: B- Liked It, but I had a few small issues

Intense fast read. Fun and exciting just wanted this book and story line e to be longer.

I've enjoyed Erickson's collaborations with Santino Hassell for their strong character development, so when I saw this first book in Erickson's paranormal series on Netgalley, I grabbed it. Unfortunately, character is not the focus here; instead we have a pretty dull vampire story, with a heroine prone to whining and huffing and making silly, endangering decisions from which she must be rescued by her "Blood Guard," a vampire trained to retrieve the destined human "Sanguivita" and bring her home to his clan. Lots of insta-lust, not much credible world-building, and a hero who keeps telling us (and the heroine) how brave she is, despite all evidence to the contrary makes for a disappointing paranormal read.

4.5 "Zero to Sixty" Stars

So what is it about Blood Guard that makes me give it a 4.5* you say?
(A Gif that says 'Because I liked it')

Also, I liked Ten alot. She was a great Heroine as she adapted very well to everything, but still had moments of losing it. She didn't automatically just blindly acquiesce. She fought him @ 1st, then asked questions, had meltdowns, but then she got w/ the program.

Ya'll know I usually fall for My Hero, & Blood Guard was no exception. <b>Oh, Athan! How. Bad.
(a Gif that says 'I Wanna Do Bad Things To You'.)
Athan was that Hero that @ 1st was aloof then once he met his destiny was so caring with her. He was the Swoon Hero & Vampire. Ya'll know Mama Lurves her Vampires!!!
Not only are they Hot As Hell, now certainly they Bite & Suck (nothing wrong with that IMHO,
(Gif that says "But we F*ck like Champions"

There all other things going on in the book besides them getting a Love Connection. There is danger around every corner, they are having to hide & try to travel on foot to get to the safety of the Gregorie Castle. There is some suspense & of course the Bad guys...
(GIF that says F*cking Traitor")

But there is also a Vampire Club called "Bite". With "The Greeting Room" & "The Feeding Room" & "The Gathering Room"
There were Great side characters. For you pet lovers like me there was a Kitty name Brex, who really turned out to be a life saver. I can't wait for the next book. Hopefully it will be w/ Idris & Celia! 😍 That should be good.

I graciously received a free copy for this ARC of this book & would like to thank NetGalley & the publisher. I voluntarily chose to post a review of my Honest Opinion of this book with No Influence or Interference from any company of person.

Blood Guard is the first book in Megan Erickson’s Mission Series and I really enjoyed it! I’ve always loved the paranormal genre, vampires being one of my favorites. Megan Erickson is also one of my auto-buy authors, so I was very much looking forward to reading this new series. I love that she writes in multiple genres; contemporary, M/M and paranormal!

I really liked both of the main characters. Tendra was a kick-ass heroine and I loved her personality. Athan was so protective of Tendra and she gets to him like no other human or vampire ever has. They are drawn to each other right from the beginning. But Tendra is promised to his brother, the future king. She is destined to be the queen of the clan. As they journey together to Athan’s family compound and try and fight off the bad vampires, it gets harder and harder for them to deny what’s between them. Will Athan be able to let her go when they reach the compound?

A storyline that I was into from the very beginning and a few surprises, Blood Guard is a great start to Megan’s new series. Definitely looking forward to the next book!

*I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

You know when you're looking for a new series and see a blurb that sticks out? Yeah, this is even better than that. Of course I was drawn in to this book by reading the blurb, but I knew I'd be hooked after reading less than 20% of this book. It's THAT good.

Tendra, aka Ten, is human. She's lived a some what normal life. That is until she's kidnapped and told about her heritage. One that she had no idea about. One that after listening and remembering her past, actually sounds real despite the fact that she's dealing with vampires. Now that she's been told her TRUE purpose, what's next? Abandon her race, or actually

Tendra, aka Ten, is human. She's lived a some what normal life until she was forced to learn about her heritage. Does she ignore the signs or follow her fate? What if her fate was based on a prophecy she didn't want to come true? Yep, this just got very difficult.

Athan is a royal vampire. A vampire who's been sworn to fulfil his duty. Delivery the one human who will help save/change everything. But what happens when things don't go the way they're supposed to? When feelings get in the way? When death is eminent?

This is the perfect start to this series. It was extremely well written. I was drawn in to the story, characters and potential future from the very beginning. I thought that the chemistry between Athan and Tendra was perfect. The give and pull. The anticipation. It was all perfectly exposed and drawn out for us to enjoy. And now? Now I'm super excited to read the next one. Because I just KNOW that Idris' story won't disappoint.

reviewed by Christina

3.5 Stars

Just a precaution: Don't read blurb of the second book if you don't wish for any spoiler prior to finish reading this book. Although, you might guess what it is anyway as you read Blood Guard.

I have only read Megan Erickson's YA MM books before and I quite like her writing style. This book is way different from what I've read from her before, but in no way it is less captivating!

Blood Guard is the first book her new "Mission" series, an AU paranormal tale about vampire covens war set in the city of Mission, America. Athan, one of the Gregorie clan's prince, is charged with guarding Tendra, a Sanguivita whose blood is vital to the future Gregorie King, in their war against the Valarians. On their way to Gregorie compound, they find that Valarians enroll ruthless assassins - the Quellen - hunting for them. Running for their life from Mission's underground and through nearby woodland to the compound, Athan and Tendra beset by ambushes left and right, even from the most unlikely source. And they only have each other to trust.

I'm quite taken with Athan and Tendra, both are strong and resilient type. One of the appeal for me is Athan's gradual change in his outlook of human, while at the same time Tendra learn about vampire-related stuff. Then there's the pull between them that's there from their first encounter, but they don't immediately act on it. Worry not, they have their time to heat up the pages, yet - fortunately for me - not overly much, and not for lack of momentum!

As the first entry to the series, this novel throws in necessary tidbits as the story goes. It is told alternately from both MCs' POVs and complimenting each other's accounts; shaping clearer past and world building. That saying, I do feel - with the story focusing on Athan and Tendra - it doesn't offer much account on the side characters. Which is rather unfortunate, as I think they can add interesting grip to the story, given the chance. Not that it'll stop me from looking forward to the next installment of the series! This series certainly gives interesting take on the vampire world and their long-lived feud and war.


Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A good guy vamp who can get a little bad for his lady!

I absolutely loved this firecracker of a paranormal! Megan Erickson starts her new vampire Mission series with Blood Guard. It delivers a thrilling plot, a smart, “take-no-prisoners” cat, and all the delicious banter and hot vampire lovin’ I could have hoped for.

Tendra lost her mother not long ago, and she plans on moving out of Mission City. There’s nothing holding her back. That is, until she’s kidnapped by a giant, muscled man claiming to be a vampire. Oh, and letting Tendra know she’s part of this prophesy to save humankind. She only needs to become personal blood bank to his brother.

No pressure, right?

Talk about genius pacing! The story trundles along at hyper speed, and it took everything I had to keep up as I anxiously flipped through the pages. Tendra is the perfect mix of sweet but saucy. Her whole life flips 180 degrees in minutes and she’s got to put her trust and faith in a man she doesn’t know but who she is insanely attracted to.

I mean, ya’ll. The chemistry between them could light up the whole of NYC alone.

And then there’s Athan. Wonderfully kind but undeniably alpha. He’s Tendra’s protector and it takes all of his considerable will power not to touch her. There is just no time to catch your breath as enemies chase after Tendra and Athan; as Tendra’s figuring out her new reality; as the scent of blood and attraction blooms hot and heavy between these two.

This book was everything I hoped for and more. I can’t wait to see what happens next, and I’m praying and hoping that Zeb gets a book soon (ZOMG!). Any paranormal lover—especially of the vampire variety—will find something to enjoy in this delightfully engaging tale.

5 Blood-Pumping Stars!

4.5 stars- Really good start to a new series

Blood Guard is the first in Miss Erickson’s new vampiric Mission series. As I’ve seen in her other paranormal titles, this author does an outstanding job building intricate worlds I find mesmerizing. There are a few species/types of vampires and paranormal creatures within this world, but I found the explanations thorough enough to keep track of them as they reappeared throughout the book.

I thought the overall premise of the plot was really interesting and it definitely kept me hooked, wondering what would happen next. The action scenes were fast-paced and exciting, and the general pace of the book was pretty brisk. While the faster paced plot echoed the intensity of the fight and chase scenes, that also meant the romance was a bit of a whirlwind. Though it wasn’t quite insta-love between Tendra and Athan, feelings evolved rather quickly in Blood Guard. This is really the only element of the book that didn’t quite work for me. Although there clearly was a connection immediately between the hero and heroine, which isn't all that uncommon in paranormal romances, I would have liked to see it develop slower so I had the opportunity to become a bit more invested in the characters and their romance. Regardless, I did like Tendra and Athan. I always enjoy strong, independent heroines like Ten and I appreciated how well they balanced each other.

Overall, I enjoyed the romance, main characters, and was intrigued by the secondary characters of Blood Guard. The continuing plotline of two vampire clans facing off against each other and the potential impact on the unsuspecting human world grabbed my attention and assured I’ll be tuning in for the second book in Miss Erickson’s Mission series. If you’re a fan of paranormal or vampire books, Blood Guard is certainly worth checking out.

A new author for me, but I love my PNR and the blurb had me rubbing my hands together with glee, it sounded just up my street and I couldn't wait to give it a go!!

Tendra works nights bartending, has not got much going for her except for her cat Brex, having just lost her mum, who was her only family. But her whole world changes as she is kidnapped and told that vampires exist and she is part of their legend, their 'Sanguivita', which basically means she is supposed to provide her blood (which is supposed to be special) to feed their King. Her kidnapper, Athan, goes on to prove vampires exist as he is one himself! He is in fact the brother to the King, and it was been his foretold destiny to take Tendra back to his brother.

Things don't quite go to plan, in this world there are good and bad vampires - good being Athan and his clan who get permission to drink the blood of humans, and then there are the bad ones who just kill for the blood. Things get very dicey as the bad ones start to show up to stop Athan and Tendra from getting back to the King.

This was a great story!! I loved the author's take on this vampire world and the characters and world she created. I was taken in after reading the first few pages, I just loved it!!

Tendra is fab, very bad ass and sassy!! She has a lot to cope with and a lot to take in, but doesn't mess about and just gets on with it, and takes no prisoners either!! Athan is hawt!!! Very alpha and protective of Tendra with a very caring side. Their attraction to each other was undeniable, but Tendra is meant for Athan's brother not him!!

A fab read, well written and very entertaining set in a new type of world, I loved every minute and can't wait to read more from this series!!

Tendra Parrish has recently lost her mother. They had always moved about a lot, and now she feels it's time to move on again. She only has her cat to worry about now.
Vampire Athen Gregorie has been trained for just one job his whole life. That is to protect the future queen, and take her to his brother who will be king.
There is a vampire war brewing and Tendra is right at the heart of it. Can our brave kick ass heroine survive long enough to help her king save humanity?
Will our honorable, duty bound hero survive long enough to deliver her to her destiny.
The cat is also very handy to have around.
This is a very good start to what I'm sure will be a great series. It's sexy has lots of really scary fights and a marvellous story line. I hope the secondary characters are all going to get their own books. Zeb especially looks like fun.
I look forward to reading lots more of them.

So i really liked this one. Great start to a new Megan Erickson series. A pretty great read and a fast one too! I read Megan's free prequel short, Bite The Hand That Bleeds, before this and was pumped to start on Blood Guard and it didnt disappoint.

I was riveted from the start and intrigued by this world. Also Tendra and Athan were scorching together phew! that scene in the tunnels helloooo, *fans self*

I have to say i want to know what kind of cat Brex is exactly. He's clearly supernatural in nature. Tellll me the thiiiing Megan lol. No but seriously, i really had fun reading this one. And the build up for book two, towards the end there, yehhh im gonna need Idris' book right now please and thanks! As i anticipate alll sorts of tension there with his love interest for reasoooons.

A quick, fun, steamy read.

4 stars

An ARC has been kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I don’t know what was in the book but I read it in nearly one sitting. Maybe Megan Erickson sprinkled some somnus to captivate the reader?

This is one of these stories where everything works really well together to give you a great time. The characters, the pace, the plot with some unexpected twists, the side characters (I particularly love the feline one)…

Tendra is a feisty and strong heroine. She’s been on the run since she was a child and her mother just died some weeks ago. She has to work hard as a waitress to pay the bills and feed her cat Brex. Tendra is not one missy you want to mess up with. She’s been trained to protect herself by her mother and is the “MacGyver” of fights as even a stiletto can become a deadly tool.
That’s a good trick to know ladies: high heels can save your life! One more reason to go on a shoe shopping spree.

She feels like moving again and has just decided to leave the town of Maddison when she is “kidnapped” by a huge and intimidating stranger.
Imagine the guy: six foot seven, black eyes, pale skin, abs rippling and shoulders too wide not to cross doors sideway. Yes you’ve just met Athan.
Athan is a vampire warrior and the king’s youngest son of Gregories clan.

You see in this world there are good vampires: The Gregories, bad vampires the Valarians and very, very bad vampire the Quellens who are just plain killers to hire and weird looking.

The Valarian’s grand plan is to enslave the human race while the Gregories want to maintain a truce, stay hidden and feed only from willing humans. To defeat the Valerians they need to up their game thanks to a specially bred human: the Sanguivita. The Sanguivita is meant to feed Idris Athan’s brother and future king granting him extraordinary powers and strength.

And who is the Sanguivita? Of course none other than Tendra.

Now how would you react if a very intimidating man kidnapped you and explained you’ve been created to feed a vampire and your duty was to save the human race?

Well I would freak out and call the police. Or ask for him to be put in the psych ward. Or if I realized it was all true I would maybe do my duty but very, very reluctantly. And I would need compensation. Lots and lots of compensation!

But not Tendra. After the initial shock she accepts her fate and wants to do what is right for the humans.
OK she will need Athan’s support. He is her blood guard after all. And her badass of a cat with a “bad guy” detector to survive the journey

Megan Erickson portrayed a fantastic heroine. She was real, strong, smart, opinionated, caring and had no shame in her sexuality. When the time come expect very hawt sex scenes! Vampires are sex driven and humans they feed from need their release so…. Just buy some spare set of panties maybe.
I really loved her sass!
When someone tells her cat weighs enough for three cats she tells to quit fat-shaming him because he is just “big-boned”.
And when she learned of the Valarians were a rival vampire clan her thoughts was “Oh great, so this was like Goodfellas but with fangs”. Ha! She made me smile so often 

I’m gushing about Tendra but Athan was a great hero. Alpha (I love that kind of heroes), excellent fighter, easy on the eye, determined to do his duty but not afraid to listen to Tendra’s opinion. For one big badass vampire raised not to feel anything and respect humans but not especially care for them he did a 180° turn!

Cherry on top: if the plot is not overtly complicated you still have some run and hide to keep it interesting and several twists that will change the whole plan. What happened to Athan was so unexpected I was “Holy sh@t”!

If you are looking for a story easy to read filled with handsome vampires, sustained by strong characters with a prophecy to fulfill as background this book would be a great choice!

I was impressed with this story. It was suspenseful with just the right amount of romance and steaminess.

Another new paranormal series from Erickson, this time with vampires? HELL YES! I was excited when I heard about Blood Guard (and that cover! Simple but perfect.). I was not at all disappointed and my only complaint is that I want the rest of this series NOW.


The only thing that made sense in my life anymore was her. I'd expected her life to change. I hadn't known mine would.


Tendra (Ten) has never stayed in one place for very long. Growing up, she and her mother were constantly moving, sometimes mere months after the last move, and never after longer than a year or two At the time, she never thought much of it --- just figured her mother was a free-spirit type. And as a kid, you rarely question what your parents do since you grow up with that as the “normal” anyway. It’s not until now, when Tendra’s in her twenties and her mother has recently passed, that suddenly Tendra is pushed into a world that she never imagined was real – and it so easily explains why her mother constantly had them on the move all those years: they were running. From vampire assassins.



Yes, you heard that right. Vampire. Assassins.



Tendra finds out, after being capture by Athan, a vampire himself (though one from the good clan of vampires) that she’s the prophesized Sanguivita, a human whose blood is meant to be the most powerful – powerful enough to strengthen and somehow change the king of his vampire clan. Athan is the younger son of the king, and was raised with one mission in life: to find and protect Tendra and bring her back to his brother, Idris, the heir to the throne.


"I will die protecting you, and I'm fucking hard to kill. Understand?"
A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Yes, I understand."


Athan’s clan may be the good vampires, but they’re not the only vampires running around. And the other vampires will do anything to get rid of Tendra and ensure that the prophecy does not come to pass. If those vampire clans get their way, they’d enslave all humans and take over the world. The only way, the only chance, Athan and the rest have of stopping this is through Ten’s blood. Literally.



So we’ve got some interesting worldbuilding here. There’s some things about the vampire world here that are common enough (they can’t be in sunlight; they’re faster, stronger, and able to heal themselves, etc.) but there are some other things that Erickson does that are new. For example, these vampires put out a . . . well, drug, for lack of a better word, that allows them to calm humans before biting them; without using this, a bite will change the human (or dhampir, for that matter). Too much of the drug will, obviously, cause harm to the human. And before you ask – yes, this can be misused by some vampires – the evil clans in particular – but for Athan and his clan, they do not use this to force a human; feeding is done through consent only. By the way, this mist/drug thing is also used to open ports, though I’m a bit more unclear on how that works, it was just one of those things that you have to accept that it’s A Thing in this paranormal world.



Beyond the worldbuilding, there’s also the lovely, delicious conflict between these two. Athan’s job, his entire purpose from the time he was a mere child, is to protect and deliver Ten to his brother, where she will then become the queen of his clan. Basically, she’s off limits, not meant for him. But there’s no denying their budding attraction, and even though he’s determined not to touch the woman intended for his brother, intended to save his clan and basically the entire world by extension, when shit goes down later on, there’s only one choice. And it’s not following the path that they’ve each been assigned from birth. Secrets and betrayal will come out, and Athan and Ten will have to fight to stay together – and to stay alive.



Oh, but I loved this story. Like I said, great conflict, an interesting new world, plus Erickson’s writing. Add to that some good secondary characters, a special cat, and some sexy times, and I’m hooked! It’s a fairly straightforward paranormal, in that this takes place over only a few weeks’ time, total, and doesn’t do a bunch of worldbuilding info dump on us, instead focusing more on the characters and plot moving forward. It’s not a terribly long book, but it’s just the right length for this particular story and didn’t leave me wanting, really. Well, except for wanting to know everyone else’s stories, of course, but that’s a good thing, not a bad. This is a category length, and I think you have to keep that in mind; yes, there could have been more things explained, even more worldbuilding to set things up, etc., but I was pretty happy with what we got here despite that.



The short time frame means that, yes, these two fall for one another really quickly, and it’s technically insta-love, but at the same time it’s a slow burn between them. They didn’t just jump into bed, or even into declarations of love, and I rather enjoyed watching the progression – all while in the middle of running for their lives (and Erickson building this world, of course).



The sexytimes though? Oh, yes. Those were . . . those were hot. Not terrible long scenes, and not many of them, but I didn’t care because what we got was still A+ dirty:


“That’s it. Ride my hand, Tendra.” He plunged his fingers in and out of me, the obscene wet sounds only turning me on more. His voice was harsh, guttural, telling me he was as affected as me. “If I had more time, if you were mine, I’d be on my knees between your legs right now, my face buried in you. Fuck!” he rasped out, his hips rotating as his giant erection pressed between us. “I’d eat you so good, Tendra. You’d come so hard, you’d black out. Then when you came to, I’d fuck you for hours, till you were addicted to me and my tongue and my cock.”


By the way, that promise? Yeah, he brings it up again towards the end of the book. And while she doesn't actually black out, it's damn close. 😏



I loved that Ten didn’t take any shit, was a bit snarky and pushy. I loved that Athan, though he had a job to do (take her back, protect her at all costs) didn’t come in swinging his dick like a caveman; he explained things to her, he asked her questions, he didn’t just force her around – even though yeah, doing it that way might have made their journey quicker and easier all around. I appreciate a non-asshole protective alpha hero; gimme more of those, please!



Also, I loved that Erickson showed us diversity, even in such a short look at this world. Ten’s friend is black and queer (her partner is a woman). And then while Ten and Athan were walking through one of the vampire club rooms – basically a giant, tempting orgy going on – there’s various couples and groups in the room, and they’re not all het couples. Was I surprised by any of this? No, because I know Erickson and she’s always been great about not white-and-het washing her romances. But it made me happy, anyway, because in the scheme of the overall publishing problem, it’s another (very) small step in the right direction and I always appreciate that.



Also, just FYI – that orgy scene I mentioned? Yeah, I was disappointed when Ten and Athan walked out of that room. I wanted to see more, damn it! #myinnervoyerisshowingandidontcare


“So, that was a little intense back there.”
Athan frowned at me, then his face relaxed. “Ah, the Greeting Room.”
“The Greeting Room?” I asked. “Goddamn, if that’s what you vampires call ‘greetings’ then I’d like to see an actual, ‘hey let’s fuck.’”
He swiped a card in front of a door at the end of the hallway and waited until the green light illuminated on the pad. “Well, then, we’ll have to keep you out of the Feeding Room.”


Based on the tease in the epilogue, it sounds like the set up for the next book will be Idris and the daughter (dhampir) of the enemy. If so, I’m 100000% here for that conflict and cannot wait! And also, I just need more books in this world, period. Gimme all the stories, Erickson, please and thank you! #greedyreaderforever



4 1/2 STARS!