What a great chapter! Everything I was afraid would happen – did. The danger to Stride and Zero increased, there were even a few new threats, Stride’s son continues to develop at an alarming rate and the ‘bad guys’ withdraw – only to develop new nefarious plans, I am sure. But the one big relief was that Stride and Zero start facing things together. Didn’t mean things got easier, they are still a long way from safe, but there was the first glimmer of hope for a solution to Stride’s dilemma. Hopeless romantic that I am, the fact they are working together made me happy. Now all we need is a happy ending – God knows how AJ and DJ will pull it off, but I sure hope they do.

Zero becomes a lot more assertive in this chapter, and I think that may be part of the solution. Zero will certainly need to be strong if he wants to become a true supporter and partner for Stride. I like that Stride’s son trusts Zero; with a kid’s sure instincts he shows his father who is really important. And it certainly isn’t the stupid sex shifter demon wife Stride was forced to take. I loved how Zero triumphs over her; the verbal sparring is a delight.

Stride is still self-confident, but he is beginning to show signs of being able to bend and accept that Zero is a lot more important to him than he has previously been willing to admit – even to himself. The fact that he now has a son to take care of, and that he discovers Zero is pretty much the only other person he can trust to keep Akakios safe, may have something to do with it. Once Stride has made the decision of how to proceed so he can get out of the deal with the underworld he has made (a solution which made me laugh out loud, by the way!), he goes after it full tilt.

If you like epic stories with nothing less than the fight of good against evil at stake, if you like that story to come with a paranormal flair and some humorous side comments, and if growing love and very hot sex between two vampires is your thing, I am sure you will like this installment of Stride and Zero’s story as much as I did.




NOTE: This book was provided by Total-E-Bound for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online. ( )