As the Civil War rages among mortal men, Cin Craven is locked in an epic battle of her own - fighting the renegade vampires whose unquenchable appetites she knows all too well. At her side are the immortal warriors of The Righteous - among them her husband, her lover, her soul-mate Michael. With a passion bordering on possession, Cin's love for Michael knows no bounds. But when a ruthless plantation owner kidnaps Cin's cousin the most terrifying battle of all awaits. Cin is drawn to the irresistible lure of dark magic to stop their enemies, while Michael staunchly opposes it - putting their love and loyalty to the ultimate test.
While in France, Cin is summoned home by a powerful summoning spell, just as she summoned Michael all those 44 years ago. Her cousin has been abducted from her own bedroom, and strangely enough, an ancient Greek Urn with her. Cin promises her aunt she will bring Claire home, as soon as possible. But getting into Savannah, while the Cil War is raging in America, is not an easy task. Especially when you are a vampire and cannot travel in daylight.
When Cin and Michael finally locate Claire, they are surprised and relieved she is alright, and has not been harmed in the least by her abductor. But Adrian won't release Claire before she gives him the Urn he is after, which she refuses. He throws Cin and Michael of his island, with the treath of burning them if he finds them on his land again. As he has his own witch, he is not afraid of Cin's powers in the least. But they are not easily defeated, and Cin just buys his island and plantation out from under him. With the help of some southern soldiers, she then evicts Adrian from the island, wondering why his wife won't leave with him. But Evangeline has been murdered two years ago, and al Cin sees, is a ghost. A ghost with a very big mouth.
When they are alone with Claire at last, a very strange story enfolds. It happens that the Urn is the prison of the wargod Ares, and as Claire is its keeper, she is the only one who can summon him out of the Urn. Only one time a day, and only for a short period of time. She has fallen in love with Ares, and is pregnant with his child. So no, she won't give up the Urn. And she doesn't really want to go back home, a place she has never really belonged, being "strange".
And Cin has to figure out what to do with the plantation, and more important, with the slaves that live on it and are also her possession. She is horrified with that idea and wants to free them, but that is against the law in that time and place. And what are those people supposed to do? They have no education, no place to live, no way to make a living for themselves, even if she takes them to the North. So she makes some very progressive plans for the plantation, after all, she has more than enough money to spend.
But Adrian doesn't give up, and he comes back for the Urn. He poisons Claire, and takes of with Ares in his possession. Cin and Michael have to chase him for days. Adrian wants Ares to help the South win the war, and make him a war hero in the process.
Also, the dark magic inside of Cin comes to life on the island. She is drawn to Pandora, a mighty voodoo queen, and Adrians daughter. And Pandora finally teaches Cin that the dark magic is also a part of herself, and she has to stop being afraid of it, to learn how to work it. Even though Michael is afraid of it, and wants her not to, finally Cin masters the dark magic inside herself.
And in the end, she won't be able to bring Claire back home to Scotland with her. Claire ends up on Mount Olympus as Ares' wife, and the mother of his child. But then Morrigan pays them a visit ...
Lets just say, I am glad there will be more books in this great series. I just hope the wait won't be too long.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten