Thea Harrison - Kinked

The sixth book in the Elder Races series, published November 5, 2013.
Genre: paranormal romance
Cover: My book is the small cover, though I do like this red one too.




Two opponents must confront the cause of their obsessive fury in the latest Novel of the Elder Races…

As a harpy, Sentinel Aryal is accustomed to dealing with hate, but Sentinel Quentin Caeravorn manages to inspire in her a burning ire unlike anything she's ever known. Aryal believes the new Sentinel to be a criminal, and vows to take him out as soon as the opportunity arises. But the harpy's incessant wrath has pushed Quentin to the limit, and forces him to make a deadly vow of his own.
To put an end to the conflict, Dragos, Lord of the Wyr, sends them on a reconnaissance mission to the Elven land of Numenlaur. Forced to work together, Aryal and Quentin's mutual antagonism escalates. Each fight draws forth more passion—culminating in an explosively sexual confrontation. But when their quest reveals real danger, Aryal and Quentin must resolve their differences in ways beyond the physical, before the entire Wyr is threatened.


I have been a fan of Aryal since the first book, and I was very happy that this latest book is about her. Aryal is a harpy, born at the beginning of time itself, so she has seen and done it all. She is fiercely loyal and protective of those she loves, and those she hates, don’t live long.
Now a man she has been investigating for over a year, has made it to the Sentinels and she has to work with him. But Aryal still suspects him of being a criminal, someone not to be trusted, even if she could never find any evidence.

Quentin dislikes Aryal as well, for hounding him like no one ever has done before. When trying to help and protect his friend Pia last year, he turned both Dragos and Pia over to Urian, the Dark Fae King who wanted to kill them. How his good intentions turned so bad was mindboggling to Quentin and he still feels guilty. If Aryal ever finds out what he did, he will be toast. He has gone completely legal since then, and how he has won the Sentinel games. He likes his new job, and has just begun to respect Dragos instead of just despising him for his power. It would all be great, if not for Aryal. And now she has been spying on him while he was having sex? It is just too much, he will kill her for that. And when Aryal happily accepts his challenge when he finally finds her in Cuelebre Tower, all their reservations are gone, and they are blind to their surroundings. Until Dragos himself puts a hard handed (and footed) end to their fight, will still cradling his newborn son Liam in his arms.

He gives them an assignment and an ultimatum. They are both Sentinels now, he needs their strengths in his team, and they will have to learn how to work together and put a stop to their mutual hatred and distrust. Or else. They are to go to Numenlaur, the ancient Elfen land, and find out what is happening there, and stop any potential looters.

Quentin and Aryal are not happy with their assignment, and both are plotting to kill the other in an accidental kind of way. How will they ever get through the long flight and drive to the Portal to Numenlaur? Let alone camp and work together? As soon as they are in Prague, and have stocked up on necessities and food, Aryal finds a quiet industrial space where they can have their fight. Finally, and uninterrupted. Their fight is brutal, and Quentin has to acknowledge Aryal the winner, for now. But suddenly there is some sexual tension between them. Ever since she saw him naked, Aryal has been interested in Quentin, but as her enemy, she would never give in to that. But now, hate sex suddenly sounds great, and especially if she can get him to give up control to her. They are both very dominant, can they really do it? Give up control?

But there is not much time to play together, they have a job to do, and it gets more dangerous when the guards that should be at the Portal, are nowhere in sight. What has happened to them? Quentin is especially worried, as one of the young elven women assigned, is related to him. As a harpy, Aryal flies ahead, scouting the area and searching for the missing elves. They do grow a grudgingly mutual respect, Quentin has admired Aryal in the Sentinal games, she is a great and ruthless fighter, and even though she is certainly not feminine in the modern sense of the word, she is all female. She is direct and ruthless and doesn’t play games.
And Aryal really admires his catlike grace and beautiful body.

And when he finally comes clean to her, and admits that he has been smuggling goods for years, she just laughs it away. He is just a petty thief, and has never been a danger to the Wyr. Why didn’t he just tell her before?

And then danger finds them, and Aryal gets severely injured. Quentin will have to save her, and the lost and found Elves.


I really enjoyed this book a lot. Especially because I was already a big fan of Aryal, and I do love her take no prisoners attitude. She is strong, and knows herself and is not shy or hesitant. She is just a great heroine. And I came to like Quentin as well, as he was the big stranger to me. I did not really remember him from the first book, other then as Pia’s friend and the owner of the bar she was working. He is strong too; a good fighter, but he did not really know what was missing in his life, where he was searching for. Becoming a Sentinel was a good change for him. Together they were explosive, but they had the others back when it counted and they did work together.

I liked their romance, from hate to mates, and the action part of the book was very well done too. Yes, I cried for Aryal and was very happy with the ending. I am now even more anxious to read the upcoming novella, Dragos takes a holiday.

10 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian