Nightshade by Michelle Rowen (Nightshade #1)
Urban Fantasy
February 1, 2011
Paperback, 352 Pages
Berkley

Reviewed by Mandi

Jillian Conrad had no idea that running out for coffee would change her life forever. On the way back up to her office, she is held hostage with a man holding a syringe. During the standoff between this scientist and a gunman, she gets injected with a serum – which turns out to be the last vial of a poison created to kill vampires. Jill is human – but the man holding the gun, that kills the scientist and kidnaps her, is a half-vampire.

Declan Reyes is a dhampyr, and needs that poison (Nightshade) that is now inside Jill. His father and a group of people who have come together to stop rogue vampires wants the formula to kill the king vampire, Matthias. Declan is determined to deliver Jill to his father at any cost. Declan is the group’s assassin, and he has the scars to show it. Wearing an eye patch, with scars covering most of his body, Jill describes him as a “tough bastard.” He takes a serum every three hours that keeps his vampire side at bay, but it also causes him to be an unfeeling soldier.

Jill’s scent now that she has been injected with Nightshade makes vampires go into a frenzy. She becomes more than just a pawn in this vampire war. Betrayals and secrets start to come to the surface, and Declan must come to grips with a new side of himself.

Nightshade is the first book in Michelle Rowen’s new urban fantasy series. This is the first I have read by her and I am super impressed. The world isn’t that unique – vampires are really evil, and Declan and his crew lead the hunt to keep humans safe. What really drives this story is Declan and Jill. Declan is this very quiet, intense killer who has no time for anything else in his life. But he also takes a serum every three hours which keeps emotions out of his life – and his vampire tendencies. But when events happen, and he is unable to get to the serum, all of a sudden he feels. And he lusts. Something he has never done before.

“I don’t want to drink your blood, Jill,” he said, his attention on the road ahead of us again. “ I want to tear off your clothes and bury my cock deep inside of you while you scream my name. There’s a big difference.”

Physically, he is not handsome – but Jill comes to learn that under the scars and eyepatch is a very gentle warrior. He hasn’t been given a lot of choices in his life, and Jill is there to rally for him and she believes that he can have a different path.

Jill herself at first is a little much to take – constantly asking questions but at the same time, her fear and mistrust of Declan makes sense.  Once Declan goes off his daily serum, the lust between them builds up and it is very hot. Jill also has a nice sarcastic edge to her that keeps it light even in her darkest times.

So there I was, hurtling down the highway in a stolen pickup truck toward a secret anti-vampire research town with a scarred, dangerous dhampyr on the very edge of his self-control holding my hand, comforting me about a failed suicide attempt once upon a time, and proclaiming that he wanted to screw my poisoned brains out.

It was like a fucking fairy tale.

The pacing is great with lots of action and some nice twists. I really enjoyed Matthias, the vampire king and his eventual role in everything that plays out.

Nightshade is a great start to a new urban fantasy series.

Rating: B+

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