Dark Bites-Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dark Bites Sherrilyn Kenyon St. Martin’s, Jan 21 2014, $25.99 ISBN 9780312376864 This wonderful eleven short story (plus “Redemption,” an extract from the novel Guardian) collection showcases the talent of Sherrilyn Kenyon to provide passionate exciting tales mostly in romantic fantasy, but also includes a twisting High Noon western romance (see “Santa Wears Spurs”). All the engaging entries were published between 2000 and 2006 in different anthologies or venues with an overarching premise of a chance for redemption through love or avenging justice. In 12,252 BC, the warrior Aricles is sworn to protect the cold Goddess of Justice Bathymaas, but offers her much more in the “House of the Rising Son.” In “Phantom Lover” Erin McDaniels suffers from horrendous nightmares as V'Aidan challenges the serpent Krysti'Ana and makes love to her afterward only in her dreams. At the Atlanta based Dragon.com gala, were-panther Pandora the virgin in heat seeks the help of Acheron as she is frightened having left her pack for the first time, but instead encounters enemy were-panther Dante as the "Stroke of Midnight" arrives. Immortal soulmates for five centuries, in Chicago Velkan the Dark-Hunter and his wife Esperatta realize that a fifteenth century Romanian foe has come to kill them in “Until Death Do We Part.” Katagarian Fury, vowing to keep his clan safe, seeks the adversary who assaulted a werewolf in New Orleans; while vowing to keep her people safe Arcadian Angelia hunts the raging werewolf that threatens them under the “Shadow of the Moon." Harriet Klausner