‘Blood in the Sand’ is one of those rare sequels that offers not only more surprises than the first book, but deepens the story to a new level in terms of the external conflict, the relationship between the main characters, and does all of it while setting up an overarching story arch connecting all the books that certainly has me curious. The layer of mystery around Redford’s werewolf heritage only deepens as he begins to experience the effects of Filtairn’s manipulations, there is more details about vampires in this world (and the picture isn’t pretty!), and the number of shooting scenes and explosions definitely increases. Jed and Redford fascinated me even more than before with their trying to balance the deep love they feel for each other with absolute inexperience of how to behave in a relationship. It lead to some funny situations, some worrying on my part if they’ll get it right, and an overall roller-coaster like emotional up and down that had me reeling and quite certain that I won’t forget this story any time soon!

While I liked Jed in book one, still torn between bafflement about how any one man can be so conceited about his abilities yet totally capable, I learned to love him in this second volume. He does try so hard to protect Redford, but he also begins to see the man has real value to him as a business partner. I loved the joking about their expense accounts and Redford now “doing the books” of Jed’s mercenary business. I also adored Jed’s ability to be incredibly protective yet letting Redford do his part, then being there for the physical (very hot) and emotional cleanup. The guy is simply amazing, and even if he doesn’t listen for sh*t when people try to tell him how to kill a vampire, he somehow muddles through and manages to get stuff done. With the usual explosions and bloodshed, but that is just part of who he is. And anyway, as he would tell you, it’s the bad guys who suffer, so that’s okay.

Redford has been through a lot: his grandmother cruelly isolating him from the world, making him feel less than human, the disgusting and forced experimentation Filtairn inflicted on him, and the increasingly loud voice of his wolf inside him, wanting out and demanding certain things happen in a certain way. On the other hand, Redford has the curiosity of ten men, and this childlike innocence when he sees and experiences new things. Their trip to Egypt, vampires or not, offers ample opportunity for him to explore all the places he’d previously only read about. And as his love for Jed deepens, his self-confidence in being helpful grows, even if he still isn’t quite sure what to do with the “woolfy” side of himself that is in such stark contradiction to the rest of his very civilized nature.

David, the vampire, and stuffy professor Victor Rathborne, who also isn’t quite as human as he looks, have their own set of problems. I like how their relationship was woven into the story with out detracting from the primary one between Jed and Redford. While there is no love between them, the heat they generate is considerable and the danger they are both in had me turning the pages.

If you like action/adventures of the supernatural kind, if you enjoy solving mysteries and finding the guilty party in a set of horrific kidnappings, and if you want to know how Jed and Redford are doing now that they are a “real couple”, then you should read this novel. It had me totally fascinated and looking forward to the next sequel. I am very grateful it’s already been written!


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

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