Shadow's Passion: The Shadow Warder Series: Prequel Novella

From the Publisher: Exiled by her people after an accidental death, Celeste’s power is so unstable the elegant Shadow healer is considered a deadly menace. Fifty years of isolation have left her a little lonely. And more than a little bored. When a nearby family falls victim to demon infection, she decides to go hunting. But without backup, it won’t be long before the demons are hunting her.

A dangerous assassin, Gabe has better things to do than save a Shadow from her own reckless behavior. Like find the demon who killed his brother. Sure, the Shadow is gorgeous, alluring, and she needs his help. But he can’t afford to get distracted. Everything changes the second he spies his brother’s killer among the demons after Celeste. Now, nothing will tear him from her side.

Gabe is dangerous and secretive. He’s also a skilled fighter and sexy as hell. Celeste knows better than to team up with a Warder, but she’s not sure she cares. It’s been a long dry spell since her exile. Neither of them expects their fling to turn into something more. But when Gabe’s past catches up with him, he learns that his brother’s murder was just the beginning. A new evil is rising, and its sights are set on Celeste. Now Gabe has to make a choice: revenge or love?

My Review: Celeste is a woman who is strong in her own right. After a tragic accident, which she blames herself for, she was sent away from the safety of her people and has taken up living in a house on a mountain with her closest neighbors miles away. She is a Shadow. She has the ability to heal people but she is also hunting the demons called Vorati's that have taken over a nearby family. They feed on fear, pain, anger, etc. and use the human as a host. So she goes hunting.

Little does she know that she is outnumbered. She finds herself in the middle of about five demons and is obviously outnumbered. She knows she won't win this fight until Gabe comes to her rescue. He is a Warder. He hunts demons as well and has been watching the fight play out. He couldn't help but come out of his hiding place to give the Shadow a hand. Just when they thought the fight was over, Gabe gets shot in the shoulder. Lucky for him, Celeste is a healer. She stops the bleeding but once she touches him, they both feel something. Neither one of them knows what to think of it since they really aren't supposed to be in contact with each other. It's against their "laws" and they could both get in serious trouble if either of their kind see them together.

They don't trust each other but know they have to rely on the other for help in getting rid of these demons. She invites Gabe to stay with her at her house while they figure out how to kill the enemy. Little do they both know that they will be drawn to one another and form a connection that is stronger and goes much deeper than physical attraction. But does it come at a cost? Will they defeat the Vorati demons or lose one another in the process? You have to get the book to find out!

I will say it took me a chapter or two to really get into the book. It was a little too wordy/descriptive in the beginning but I stuck with it (I give a book three chapters to catch my attention) and am glad I did! The passion/sexual tension between Celeste and Gabe is great. And their connection to each other is what makes you want to keep reading. Well, that and the fact that you want to find out what happens next with the Vorati :) This will really whet your appetite for what is to come. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the rest of the series! Click here to purchase on Amazon!

                                                                   ****4 Stars!