The tales begin with La Paloma Blanca featuring Don Rafael Perez and Ethan Templeton during the mid 1800's in a ménage-a-trois with two sisters after their father's dinner party.

In the next story Sweet Punishment in order to avoid her brothers abuse, Catherine Moynihan, agrees to spy for her family. When she is caught eavesdropping on a meeting by Don Rafael and Ethan they give Catherine choice between being punished by them for one month or returned to her brothers. Catherine chooses Don Rafael and Ethan, and her "punishment" begins.

The tales move ahead in time to the roaring '20's with Champagne Cocktail. Years later the girlfriend of a former speakeasy owner tells a bartender about her life and the time when Ethan Templeton took a job working as a tough in the Austin, Texas speakeasy.

The Great Chicken Roost during the Great Depression, single, unwed mother, Annie, takes a job as a "border" at Miss Jessie's place in a small Texas town. When Annie has a run in with the towns corrupt mayor, Jean-Marie St. Just claims she with him for the evening and shows her a whole world of sensuality beyond Miss Jessie's strict rules of 15 minutes - missionary position only.

In The Storm Cellar Elizabeth Smith tries to distract her granddaughter Mary from her fears for her husband, who has been reported Missing In Action in Vietnam. Elizabeth relates the story of a tornado that occurred when she was twenty-five. Recently widowed by the Galveston Hurricane, Elizabeth takes shelter in her storm cellar with a sexy stranger, Don Rafael, who provides comfort from the storm and for her grieving heart.

Pepermint Candy features an erotic study session for American History and Jean-Marie wearing a peppermint pink dress, in order to visit a young college student at her boarding house in the 1950's.

For his Thirtieth Birthday a college professor is given a certificate by his wife, Carol, good for one fantasy of his choice. His fantasy is to see another man make love to his wife. The Professor would like a John Travolta in Urban Cowboy type and Carol wants a Frank Langella in Dracula. They drive from roadhouse to roadhouse looking for just the right cowboy until they meet Ethan, who agrees on the one condition that he gets to bite both of them.

The Morning After a Halloween party three friends discuss their separate experiences at the party with Don Rafael, Ethan, and Jean-Marie.

In Spotlight, Brynda has recently moved to Austin, when she spots Don Rafael at an amateur night performing solo with guitar. Overcome with lust and having been introduced to him earlier at work, Brynda decides to complement him after he is finished. When they wind up the last two in the club, and Don Rafael takes everything she is willing to offer.

Bourbon with a Splash and Traffic Stop feature Ethan Templeton and Stephanie Amanda Darling, a Texas Highway Patrol officer who was recently was accepted as a Texas Ranger. To celebrate her new promotion, in Bourbon with a Splash Stephanie requests a weekend with Ethan, in which she agrees to follow all his rules. In Traffic Stop Stephanie reminisces about her first meeting with Ethan when she pulls him over for a routine speeding violation.

In the final tale, Apex Predator, veterinarian, Grania O'Malley, begins her new job at a raptor center in Texas. One evening while studying an owl, Grania witnesses Don Rafael not only having sex with a young, blond-haired woman but also taking her blood. Grania is soon consumed with a new desire to learn more about this sensual predator.

Ms. Whiteside does an excellent job of giving each woman a unique voice. The tales are both hot and erotic but they will often leave you wanting more details or explanations. While you get a glimpse of Don Rafael Perez, Ethan Templeton, and Jean-Marie St. Just through the stories, for the most part their personalities remain a mystery. There is no explanation of how these men became vampires or of any rules for their Vampire world. These are sensual and steamy tales although I would have preferred more development and knowledge of the characters and fewer stories. All in all these are creative tales that will leave you in anticipation for further adventures of these vampires.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Larenda Twigg
January 26, 2004