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No Rest For The Wicked

Kresley Cole

Published 2006              350 pages

Synopsis

Kaderin is one of the toughest Valkyrie warriors in existence.  Her powerful fighting skills are legendary amongst both the Valkyrie and other creatures of the Lore but it is her complete lack of emotion that earned her the nickname of Kaderin the Cold Hearted.

Vampire hunting is Kaderin’s favourite pastime and it has been so for the last thousand years, ever since her two blood sisters were brutally slain by a vampire that Kaderin herself had mercifully spared in battle earlier.  The pain of losing her sisters and the guilt that she felt over their deaths was almost too much to bear, so when she lost all her emotions it seemed like a mercy.

When Kaderin is called to a remote castle in Russia to slay the vampire who lives there she doesn’t expect there to be any complications, vampire slaying is something that she has had a lot of practice at.  When she finds the vampire that she has come to kill sitting quietly with his head in his hands waiting for her to kill him, it should have made the job easier but for some reason she can not bring herself to kill him.  Even worse she starts to feel emotions again.

Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire against his will.  He never wanted to be a vampire and, tired of his lonely existence, he plans to let Kaderin kill him without putting up a struggle.  When he sees her, he is filled with desire for her and as his start starts to beat he realises that Kaderin is his Bride (his fated mate for eternity.)

Kaderin runs from her feelings and throws herself into winning the Hie, a race/treasure hunt for mystical beings that only happens once every 250 years, but it is not so easy to be rid of Sebastian.  He follows her and enters the race with her and starts to slowly win her around.  The prize for winning the Hie is something that would allow Kaderin to be reunited with her sisters but if that happens, she will never know Sebastian.  How will she - how can she - choose between them?

The Review

This is the second book in the Immortals After Dark Series by romance author Kresley Cole.  It is the story of Sebastian Worth (brother of Nikolai Wroth from “The Warlord Wants Forever”) and Kaderin (aunt of Emmaline from “A Hunger Like No Other”.) 

This book works well enough as a stand alone story but I think you would perhaps get more enjoyment from the novel and understand some of the supporting characters (Bowen!) motives more if you had read “A Hunger Like No Other” first. 

Most of the action in this book centres on the Hie, which keeps the plot fast paced and adds much interest as Kaderin and Sebastian fight various mythical monsters and their competitors for the prize.

There are two kinds of vampire in this book.  The Horde are a classically evil vampire, they are insane with blood lust which happens after they drink too many people to death.  They are hated by the Forbearers who are at war with them.  Sebastian is a Forbearer, a vampire who doesn’t drink blood from humans, although he hasn’t joined his brother Nikolai in the Forbearers’ fight against the Horde vampires.

Kaderin has the opinion that all vampires are evil and untrustworthy and that if a vampire hasn’t turned evil and insane with bloodlust it’s just a matter of time before it happens.  Although the physical relationship between Sebastian and Kaderin progresses quickly, Sebastian has a battle on his hands to win her trust and love.

No Rest For The Wicked has romantic conflict, passionate sex and quirky characters served up with a topping of action packed mystical treasure hunting - a combination that is bound to make this novel a winner with paranormal romance fans everywhere.

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