Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian

          Midnight Breed #10

          I had two vampire books going at the same time – this being one of them. It was interesting to compare and contrast. This book’s vampires lived in America and were fairly modern in attitude and activity. The other book’s vamps were more old-world types living far from modern society. I liked the way Adrian’s vampires kind of hid in plain sight.  I also liked the family groups and clan rituals. These were creatures that were easy for me to understand because they are a lot like us. Even the bad guys are attempting to take over the known universe through political means, just like humans do. 

          This is the tenth book in the Midnight Breed series, but the first I’ve read. I liked it well enough, and am curious enough about the other characters I met to have added the first book in the series, Kiss of Midnight, to my to-be-read list.

          This is Chase’s story and his love interest is Tavia. Chase is a very old vampire, but like so many old ones, his savage nature is rising to the fore without a proper mate. A highly skilled enforcer of Breed justice, he is traveling the edge of sanity, hanging on by his fingernails.

          And then, across a crowded room (cue the strains of Some Enchanted Evening) he sees Tavia. He is on a mission to assassinate a powerful hungry vamp posing as a regular businessman. In reality, Dragos is planning on taking over the Earth and turning the entire human race into slaves and food. Chase feels it is his duty to take out Dragos before his evil plans can come to fruition. But Dragos didn’t get to where he is without being quite wily. Chase’s assassination attempt fails, but he encounters Tavia, a senator’s aide, and the woman he is destined to spend eternity with.

          Tavia and Chase and the rest of the Breed warriors join forces to thwart Dragos’ evil plans. And the end of the book is pretty bloody. But the good guys win in the end. And, surprisingly, the vampires of Earth become recognized and no longer need to skulk in the shadows.

          I wonder if the reading public’s fascination with vampire books has to do with the age old belief in a one true love, prince charming, soul mate, in combination with the idea of getting to live forever with them. It is a pretty intoxicating combo, isn’t it?