Lucas (Vampires in America #6) , D B Reynolds

Another good book in the Vampires In America series. Looking forward to the next book now.

- Review by Kazza K

 

Lucas takes up where Betrayed: A Raphael and Cyn Novella left off; on the hunt for Alfonso Heintz, the vampire who ordered a hit on Raphael; Lucas's Sire. I give points to Lucas for his none-too-swift and fairly gruesome dispatch of Heintz. I do so love a strong vampire, and Lucas is that. He is remiscent of Raphael, but, of course, no-one beats Raphael in my books.

Lucas spends his time between his favourite spot, his ranch in South Dakota, with his horses, and his condo in Minneapolis. He is the Vampire Lord of the Plains Territory, and Klemens, a neighbouring, scumbag, Vampire Lord, wants to declare war on Lucas and piss Raphael off at the same time. Ambitious Klemens, and very stupid; let's be honest.

Kathryn Hunter is an FBI Special Agent attached to Quantico. Her boss is stuck in a 1950's mindset of the fairer-sex-belong-elsewhere, but she lives for her job. Daniel, her brother, and well known photographer, has been reported missing by his agent. Initially Kathryn feels it's not an issue, Daniel drops off the grid sometimes, but never for a week plus. Kathryn has been like a mother to Daniel and they are very tight. Kathryn takes leave to find her brother and uses her FBI status to nose around parts of South Dakota, such as The Badlands, where Daniel has been seen on several occasions.

An FBI agent is mentioned as waiting to meet with Lucas in Betrayed. That FBI agent, we learn in Lucas, is Kathryn Hunter. It has come to her attention that two witnesses have seen Daniel leave a local blood house with a vampire named Alex, so Lucas, as the local vampire leader, is on her radar. Lucas resents human authority, like the police and even moreso the FBI, but it's lust at first sight when he meets 6', blonde, and buttoned down Kathryn Hunter. Likewise Kathryn can't help but feel the heat for the rather luscious Lucas. Lucas is not unlike Raphael in suggestively saying Kathryn's name and playing sexy little games with the uptight Kathryn. Lucas may be very powerful but he is less intense than Raphael and has a laidback, sexy, charismatic way about him. I'd like to see more of him but I'm not sure how that would work.

Meanwhile you know Daniel has been drugged and is being held somewhere as a captive and that he's alive as snippets of his initial confusion and then dismay are occasionally mentioned throughout the book.

On the negative side -

The sex was okay just not terribly inventive overall. The first couple of times, absolutely, then it got a bit humdrum. I mean Lucas is a very thoughtful guy, but I'll be honest I'd be unimpressed with the lack of different positions and oral if it were my lust-filled relationship. It was - on the wall, legs around waist, bite, on the bed, legs wrapped around waist, bite,  up against the shower wall, legs wrapped around waist, bite. No blowjobs. I'm a big girl, I like big girl sex .

Kathryn had the potential to be on par with Cynthia, but it wasn't fully realised. She was a bit of a generic romance heroine with a Glock and a sniper rifle. Believe me it sounds more exciting than it really was. She was married to the job, can't say she loves the guy she does.....I'm all for independence, but independence with communication works better for me. I'll be honest and say I expected a bit more than she delivered.

On the positive side -

Lucas is utterly charming, and with more exposure throughout other books he really could be very exciting. However, Kathryn would need to loosen up a bit. There's also potential for a spin-off in his territory as his 2IC, Nick, was interesting in his own right, and there is trouble brewing in the territories with a miffed vampire. I could just see it being quite interesting. As a character Lucas has much going for him.

The story was interesting, between the vampire war and the romantic components of the book. I didn't actually know who had kidnapped Daniel; not that a lot of the book was really devoted to that side of things. I did, however, like how another vampire, Kurt, searched for him, and how it ended, too.

It was a romantic book, which I enjoyed, and I loved the way Lucas would use 'Katie Mine' as an endearment, amongst other little bits and pieces of Gaelic.

It was quite a well paced book with enough going on to make me want to turn those pages.

We, very, briefly get to meet Aden who is the next vampire-off-the-rank. Hmm, he sounds quite the independent thinker and candidate for some trouble, in the best sense of the word.

Overall -

This is my personal gripe, as I adore Raphael and Cyn, but I had really hoped for Raphael and Cyn here and felt disappointed that they weren't. I know it's not their book but, at the end of Betrayed, I thought their little 'difference' may have been covered here, however, it was not to be. My desire, no fault of the author.

All in all I must say that Lucas is another good installment in the Vampires In America series, which definitely keeps me happy and looking forward to more. VIA is a strong paranormal series and if you haven't read it I'd recommend putting it on your must read list.