Germaine did not know that Claire was Marguerite's daughter. When Claire finds them embracing in the hospital, she orders Germaine to stay away from her mother. Harry, who thinks of himself as Claire's fiancée, and Robert, Claire's brother, also order him to leave. We soon learn that Robert is dying of AIDS. Marguerite tells Claire that Germaine is the man she told her about years ago, the love of her life--and a vampire. He has been helping her for years with her disease. Marguerite wants Germaine and Claire to be together. She believes they will need one another when she is gone.

Claire and Germaine are oil and water at first. Germaine is strong willed and arrogant, Claire is strong willed and stubborn. They both are apt to jump to conclusions. After Marguerite's death, they gradually overcome their antipathy to one another. Claire doesn't understand why he did not change her mother. When it becomes obvious Robert is dying rapidly, she wants Germaine to turn him into a vampire. Of course he refuses, but he does give Robert some of his blood to help delay the illness, and almost dies doing so Harry grows distraught because he can see Claire and Germaine are falling in love. There is nothing he can do about it.

Claire is drawn into Germaine's circle of vampire friends. There are long-standing quarrels among these people. Victor believes vampires have the right to change anyone they wish into a vampire. Marcus, Germaine's dear friend, alls in love with Claire. Phillipa, a female vampire is always getting into trouble with the group, and being punished. The group has very strict rules they enforce, and their own punishments they inflict. Claire believes their rules are outmoded and severe, and is not shy about giving her opinion. Germaine has been their leader for many years, and his growing love for Claire makes him vulnerable to his enemies. With the help of his friends, he tries to protect Claire. With her disregard of and lack of understanding of all these new-to-her rules, she is difficult to protect. When a woman that Germaine has rejected enters the picture and manages to get herself turned into a vampire by Germaine's enemy, everything goes from bad to terrible. Robert is murdered, and Germaine is set up as the murderer. Claire takes it upon herself to find the killer.

At first I did not like either Germaine or Claire. Undead or not, I thought he was too cruel to live, and I thought Claire a spoiled twit. But it pulled me in, and I was soon under its spell. Ms. Blake's world of vampires is complex and fascinating. And very erotic. Each of the individual characters in her book has a distinct personality. Not all the characters are likable, but then not all humans are likable either. Claire grows, and her courage in her relationship with the powerful Germaine and the vampires around him changes them all. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who love vampire fiction. Anne Rice had better watch out. There is a new Master in town.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Judy Cook
August 29, 2003