Review: Wilder’s Mate (Bloodhounds #1) by Moira Rogers

 

Wilder Harding is a bloodhound, created by the Guild to hunt down and kill vampires on America’s frontier. His enhanced abilities come with a high price: on the full moon, he becomes capable of savagery beyond telling, while the new moon brings a sexual hunger that borders on madness.

Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is just another assignment, though one with an added complication—keeping his hands off the man’s pretty young apprentice, who insists on tagging along.

At odds with polite society, Satira’s only constant has been the aging weapons inventor who treats her like a daughter. She isn’t going to trust Wilder with Nathaniel’s life, not when the Guild might decide the old man isn’t worth saving. Besides, if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that brains are more important than brawn.

As the search stretches far longer than Wilder planned, he finds himself fighting against time. If Satira is still at his side when the new moon comes, nothing will stop him from claiming her. Worse, she seems all too willing. If their passion unlocks the beast inside, no one will be safe. Not even the man they’re fighting to save.

Warning: This book contains a crude, gun-slinging, vampire-hunting hero who howls at the full moon and a smart, stubborn heroine who invents mad-scientist weapons. Also included: wild frontier adventures, brothels, danger, betrayal and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.

My Review:

Before I start my review, Fellow Readers,
please be warned this is a:

 

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W E L CO M E

A Quick Introduction to the Bloodhounds Series

Welcome to the world of the Bloodhounds – a time reminiscent of the Old West mixed with science, alchemy, and magic. Vampires run rampant in these times and the only salvation of the populace is a secretive organization called the Guild.

To counteract the vampires and their minions called ghouls (former humans who cannot be saved) the Guild has created Bloodhounds. Usually they are men, who being near death, are given a second chance at life and changed into creatures who shift into large wolves. The Bloodhounds have extra strength, agility, elevated body temperature, and heightened senses, but their power has drawbacks, too. Once every full moon, their animal side takes over and they can cause massive destruction. Plus, they are plagued with an insatiable sexual hunger that drives them to a near state of insanity.

During this full moon, you’ll usually find Bloodhounds holed up in the nearest brothel quenching their sexual desires to soothe their beast. Some have settled down and taken mates, but in these dangerous times when living to an old age is unheard of, it’s not wise for Bloodhounds to do this, as they are truly devoted to their mates and without them, they will die.

Women are powerless to resist them as they are bigger, stronger, and downright sexier than anyone else around. And when you’re around one, you can’t think straight or focus on anything because there’s only one thing on your mind. *fans self* So what do you say? Do you have what it takes to take on a Bloodhound? Read on and find out!

In Wilder’s Mate, we meet Satira, a female who dresses like a man and who is an assistant to Nathaniel, an inventor for the Guild. Nathaniel has been kidnapped and the Guild sends Wilder (a Bloodhound) to retrieve him.

Much to Wilder’s surprise, Satira is a take-charge girl and tells him she’s coming along to rescue her boss. After all, who better than her to use all the devices she and Nathaniel have invented to fight off vampire hordes?

Wilder reluctantly agrees, and decides to use her as bait to lure out the vampire who has taken Nathaniel. On a pit stop in a nearby brothel, tomboy Satira gets transformed into a beauty Wilder can’t resist.

We also meet Archer, another Bloodhound who works for the Guild and is undercover. But his actions are more than questionable, and he has Satira and Wilder wondering if he is a friend or foe.

Before long, Satira’s rescue mission gets put on the backburner as the Bloodhound in her sights consumes her thoughts and nights in the most sinful of ways.

But with the new moon approaching them, will Satira be enough to appease Wilder’s beast, or will he sate his desires elsewhere? And what of Nathaniel – will Satira ever find him or is he just another casualty in the vampire war? Do yourself a favor and pick up Wilder’s Mate today! :)

The blanket gaped open as she scrambled onto the bed, revealing that the damn flimsy nightgown Juliet had packed for her was transparent all over. She shivered and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

Wilder shook his head. “That scrap of nothing isn’t warm enough.”

Satira choked on a laugh, a little hysterical but genuine. “I know. If it gets much colder tonight you’ll have to kick me out of your bed to keep me from cuddling as close as I can.” The laughter was better than the way she’d looked at him before, hesitant and wary and almost ashamed of her fear.

“If you put your cold feet on me, I’ll scream like a little girl.” Icy toes poked at his leg, and he laughed and shoved her away.

She squirmed right back, and this time he got an entire foot pressed against his knee. Her breathless laughter cut short on a little moan of pleasure. “You’re so warm.”

“Won’t be for long.” He affected a growl, one he ruined by laughing again. “Jesus, woman. What were you doing, hanging your legs out the window?”

Satira huffed, but it didn’t stop her from tucking her other foot against his shin. “My feet get cold.”

“You’re a walking icebox.”

She echoed his words back, laced with drowsy contentment. “Won’t be for long.”

Quick as a rattlesnake bite, his protective shell of humor faded, leaving him in bed with a sleepy, scantily clad woman whose body made his knees weak. “Then it’ll be my turn to freeze.”

One small hand crept back across the covers until her fingers brushed his. “I’d keep you warm.”

His balls ached. “Better watch what you promise, sweetheart. I’m not a noble man, no matter what you think.”

Satira twisted until she faced him, eyes wide but unafraid. “It’s been eleven months since a man took me to bed. I don’t want noble.”

His first thought was to turn her over his knee and spank her. That led directly to his second thought, a mental image of her bent over in front of him, her pale ass red from his hand, her cunt glistening and wet. “Satira.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and went still, her slightly ragged breaths and too-quick heartbeat the only sounds for long moments. Then she breathed out a tiny sigh. “You make me feel like such a fool, throwing myself at a man who doesn’t want to have me. Over and over again, and I’m supposed to be intelligent.”

He urged one of the thin straps of the nightgown from her shoulder. “You worry too much.”

“I know.” With her eyes still shut she missed his mouth the first time, her open-mouthed kiss landing on his cheek.

His cock jerked like she’d licked him, and he turned his head far enough to meet her second kiss head-on, opening his mouth under hers. He swallowed her tiny little moan, and for a moment she seemed shy. Her tongue darted along his lower lip, then returned to stroke deeper, teasing against his.

He moved before he realized it, rolling them both and pinning her to the bed. “I’m not a boy. You know that, right?”

A short, jerky nod, and she wet her lips. “You’re not just a man, either. I know that too.”

No fear, and he trembled at the thought of being able to let go. Really let go. “No, not a man, either.”

She craned her head up and kissed his chin, then the corner of his lips. “I will enjoy your attentions. Even if you wish to bind me, or order me to my knees, or take me across yours.”

“Shh.” Right now, there was only one thing he wanted to do.

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