- Title: Lothaire (Immortals After Dark)
- Classification: Adult Fiction
- Genre: Paranormal Romance
- Hardcover: 506 pages
- Publisher: Gallery Books (January 10, 2012)
- ISBN-10: 1439136823
- ISBN-13: 978-1439136829
- Author's Website: http://kresleycole.com/
"What must you do when you are grown, my prince?"
"Avenge the treachery against us. I will destroy Stefanovich and take his throne."
They say hate is something that is learned. Lothaire learned to hate humans and his father at an early age. Ivana, Lothaire's mother, saw humans as "diseased animals" and as "livestock". It was a human female who displaced Ivana as his father's favored mistress. It was because of his father's human mistress that Stefanovich threw Lothaire and his mother out of the Horde kingdom. Abandoned and left to their own devices, it had been humans who hunted, raped, and killed his mother. Ivana's final act was to sacrifice herself so that Lothaire might live and exact his vengeance on all those that had betrayed them and take his "rightful" seat as King to the Horde.
"When they capture me, the need to protect me will rise up within you. You must ignore it and remain here. Ignore your instincts and rely on cold reason. As I failed to do so with Stefanovich. As I failed to do a thousand times. Vow this!"..."A vow to the Lore that you will not leave this spot until the mortals are gone."..."I will do whatever is takes to protect you." They met gazes. "Lothaire, anything that was worthy in me began with you."
For hundreds of years Lothaire has plotted to fulfill his vow to exact vengeance on those that had betrayed him and his mother all those years ago. He is called 'The Enemy of Old" and all those in the Lore know and fear him. When the possibility arose that a human might be his fated Bride, he thought fate could not be so cruel. When he returned years later to find his alleged "Bride", a Bride an Oracle had helped him find years earlier, possessed by Saroya, the "Soul Reaper", "the goddess of death and blood, the Vampire Hordes's ancient deity," it all finally made sense or did it?
Elizabeth Peirce (aka Ellie) sure hopes Lothaire is wrong about Saroya, because if he isn't, her soul will be cast out of her body and all her offspring would be raised by Lothaire and his Bride. *shudder* By Lothaire's own estimates she has only days, perhaps weeks until he will find the "Ring of Sums, a tailsman of great power--a wish giver." Lothaire is going to use that ring to cast Elizabeth out of her own body, so that Saroya can take soul possession of it, and then use it to turn Saroya into a vampire. The questions on Elizabeth's mind are what can she do to put a wedge between Lothaire and Saroya, and what can she do to convince him she is his true Bride even if she isn't? They do say that while hate can be learned it can be unlearned, but with the type of time constraints Elizabeth is working with will it even be possible? Plus, she's dealing with a arrogant and conceited immortal who declares, "I'd seek a noon-day sun if I were paired with one such as you."
This book was a little different from the other books in the Immortals After Dark series. Usually they are lighthearted and funny and this one was a bit darker. I'm guessing Kresley decided to take a risk and mix things up a bit and I'm glad she did. I totally disliked Lothaire for about three quarters of the book. At one point I started to wonder if Kresley was not going to make Elizabeth into a 'doormat' type of female that would just forgive and forget at the drop of a hat. Thankfully, she didn't. That was when I let out a sigh of relief and really started enjoying the book.
Lothaire and Elizabeth are about as different as day and night-- a very apt description since she's a sun loving gal and he's a night living Vamp. Lothaire has the blood of royalty running through his veins while Ellie is a hillbilly nobody who runs around barefoot most of the time. Elizabeth has a loving family while Lothaire, with the exception of his mother, was deserted by his. While Ellie is modest and a down to earth type of person, Lothaire thinks a little too highly of himself, not that he doesn't have reason too, and looks down at everyone else. While Ellie tends to quickly make friends, Lothaire has only a few and he'd be the last one to admit that that is what they are. That said, there is a chemistry between them that neither really wants. While each tries to fight it, time after time they keep finding themselves unable to resist the other. I liked how bit by bit Ellie chisels away at the hard shell Lothaire's erected around himself and at the prejudiced he holds. She uses anything she can find to her advantage including playing on any insecurities she picks up on that Lothaire has and instills doubts in his mind about Saroya. Only someone smart and cunning could manage to make the pig headed vamp see reality, and teach him a thing or two about relationships. As the book progresses, we come to know Ellie as a strong individual who is always underestimated. In her own words, "I'm the sucker punch that you never saw coming."
Some (but not all) of my favorite quotes, lines, moments:
- “First of all, I'm not narcissistic." When she opened her lips to argue, he said, "I know Narkissos of Thespiae -- while we might share traits, I came first, so he's Lothairistic, not the other way around.” (Side note: Yep, he's that old)
- "Have you ever discarded someone and then regretted it?"
"Never."
"But you will with me." She ran her forearm over her eyes. "I could make you happy, Lothaire. You're going to realize what you had too late."
- “Lothaire is very much alive.”
“You swear?”
"Often. Though not as much as foul-mouthed Regin. I try not to in front of Bertil.” She petted the bat.
- 'Elizabeth,
With my compliments.
You will never get your claws into another one of mine.
Rot in hell,
L.
Nïx clasped her hands over her chest, sighing, “He gave you his heart. That’s so romantic. So much better than a candy heart. Those get stuck in the fangs, you know."'
- "Little mortal, you've changed everything."
Also, I liked how at one point, Kresley brought things full circle regarding Lothaire's feelings for Ellie with this moment:
'Before Ivana had gone to meet her death, Lothaire had asked her, "How can you do this?" At last he understood her answer.
Because anything that is worthy in me began with Elizabeth.'
Overall, an enjoyable read that makes me think we will be seeing Furie, the lost Valkyrie Queen who was chained many years ago to the bottom of the ocean, soon. *crosses my fingers* Can you imagine? Plus, I've always maintained that Nix isn't nucking futs as many believe, but crazy like a fox. Yes, she has her quirks and moments, but I think this book shows that even if it doesn't always seem like it, she has plans. Also, who wouldn't occasionally go a tad bit nuts with the weight of the world, or at least the world of the Lore, on their shoulders? I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, there is no doubt this one gets a SHOWER rating - a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning - make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol FYI, if this isn't rated as erotic, it probably should be.
Order of the series:
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