Review: Deal With The Devil by Evangeline Anderson

Luz Velez is a shapeshifter who can't shift. Every time she tries to summon her inner wolf, she has a massive panic attack. Worse, her anxiety extends to the rest of her life. At twenty-seven, she's still a virgin because attempting to have sex sends her into lockdown mode.

She's miserable and stuck-until Jude Jacobson comes along.Tall, blond and dangerous, Jude is the most feared vampire in town and the minute he sees her, he wants Luz. Vampires and shapeshifters don't date but he makes her an offer she can't refuse-a blood exchange that will help her control her panic attacks and give her the life she's always wanted.

Luz is desperate-she takes Jude up on his offer. But she doesn't expect to fall for the darkly seductive vampire-or to be plunged into danger when her past comes calling. When Jude's own dark secret comes to light, she begins to question her deal with the devil and wonder if she and Jude can make it...or if they'll die trying.

Reader Advisory: Though the author handles Luz's past trauma sensitively, some readers, particularly those with a history of sexual abuse, may find this story disturbing.

My Review:

Luz Velez is a werewolf, but she can’t transform on the full moon  because she is plagued with anxiety from a traumatizing event of abuse which still affects her years after it occurred. Just when all hope seems lost, Luz meets Jude Jacobson, a vampire who makes her an offer she just can’t refuse.

Jude offers to cure Luz of her anxiety, allowing her to shift, in exchange for letting him drink her blood. Knowing she has no other alternative, Luz takes Jude up on his offer and it’s not long before Luz begins to feel something other than gratitude towards Jude.

But things won’t be easy for Jude and Luz as a relationship between a werewolf and a vampire is taboo. Also, there is much opposition to them being together coming mainly from Luz’ brother (who has a secret of his own) and from  Luz’ family who already have another wolf in mind for their daughter.

Can Luz and Jude make what they fell for each other work or will outside forces split them apart? And what of Luz’s anxiety – has Jude really cured her, or is Luz just too damaged for anyone to help her?

 

At the other end of the dimly lit room was a long, low brown leather couch in front of a stone fireplace. Somewhat to my surprise, I saw there was a small fire flickering there—it was the source of most of the light in the room. My first thought was that it was way too hot this time of year for a fire, even a small one. But then I realized that it really wasn’t. Jude must have turned the AC way down because the room was a very comfortable temperature inside.

“Please.” He gestured to the couch and waited until I sat down before he settled himself beside me. I could feel the heat of the fire against my knees and bare lower legs and had a moment to wish that I’d worn pants instead of a skirt. But then I would have
had to take them off completely when he bit me whereas with the skirt, I could just push it up.

Just thinking about having him down between my thighs with my skirt pushed up to my waist made me nervous. I took a few deep breaths, trying to relax. It’s business. This is just business, I reminded myself sternly. He just wants to taste your blood. There’s nothing even remotely erotic about it.

Yeah, right. That line of thought went flying right out the window when I looked up and met Jude’s eyes in the firelight. They were half lidded with lust and he was gazing at me with an intensity that made me blush and look away.

I cleared my throat nervously. “Um…now what?” I said, trying not to sound as flustered as I felt. Yeah, I’m one tough cookie but I had very little experience when it came to this kind of thing. And none of the experience I’d had was good.

“Now, this,” Jude murmured. Leaning down he cupped my face in his hands and pressed a gentle, barely there kiss to my lips. It felt so good and I was so hungry for physical contact that I might have let him go on. Except this was supposed to be a business deal—not a make-out session. Or so I tried to tell myself.

“Wait a minute.” I pulled back from him before he had a chance to kiss me again. “What…why are you kissing me?”

He caught my gaze with his. “Firstly because I want to. And secondly, because I’m trying to get you warmed up, so to speak. Taking blood is a great deal like sex. You wouldn’t want to make love without a little foreplay first, would you?”

“I wouldn’t know, remember?” I crossed my arms over my breasts protectively.

“Look, I thought you said this didn’t have to be sexual.”

Jude’s eyes flashed. “We can treat it in a clinical manner if you like but I’m afraid there will still be some elements that may remind you of sex.”

“What elements? You’re just going to bite me—end of story.” I lifted my chin and frowned at him.

“But that’s not the end of the story. Think about it, Luz.” His voice was soft and deep. “You will be spreading your legs for me—opening yourself. And I…I will be penetrating you.” His eyes flickered down to where I had my hands clenched together
in my lap and I knew he was thinking about my thighs. My inner thighs. I had another mental image of his mouth on me there, licking, sucking…biting.

God, I was getting hot and wet all over again, thinking these forbidden thoughts and listening to his deep, soft voice describing what we were going to do. What was wrong with me? I can’t give in to this feeling, I told myself firmly. I can’t.I took a deep breath.

“Look, let’s just get down to it, shall we?” I said as briskly as I could. “You wanted to drink my blood—okay, so drink some. I don’t have all night.”

Jude shook his head. “A pity. I could spend all night, every night admiring and exploring your lovely body. Very well.” He slid off the couch and suddenly he was on his knees in front of me.  “Spread your legs for me, Luz.”

Those words spoken in his deep, sensual voice made me shiver as I did what he said. Goose bumps jumped out all over my skin, despite the heat of the fire. But this was what I had come here for and I was determined to go through with it.

That was until Jude pushed up my skirt and asked me to remove my underwear. They were black lacy boy shorts that covered me completely and I had thought myself very smart for wearing them. There was no way he would be able to catch even a glimpse of my pussy with those in the way, which was a very good thing since I didn’t want him to know how aroused he was making me. Right now I was so hot and wet and nervous that I could barely concentrate on what he was saying. So I had to ask him to repeat himself twice before I understood his request.

“I’m sorry?” I said, looking at him blankly.

“I said I need these to come off.” Jude tugged at the stretchy lace material of the shorts. “They’re in the way.”

“How?” I demanded, looking down at my legs in the firelight. I mean—you have plenty of thigh to work with there. How are my…my underwear in the way?”

“I prefer to bite at the inguinal crease—the place where your thigh meets your body. It’s easier to find a blood vessel there.”

I looked at him suspiciously. “You sure you’re not just making that up so you can get me out of my underwear?”

“I promise you, Luz, that I will treat this as a business deal and not take advantage of you,” he said dryly. “Unless, of course, you wish me to do more than bite you?” He raised an eyebrow at me questioningly.

“No, no,” I said hastily, feeling my cheeks heat. “I just…it’s embarrassing, that’s all. I don’t…I’m not used to having a man down there.”

“Of course not.” He ran one large hand over my thigh slowly. “But I have promised not to take what isn’t offered, remember?”

“How can I trust you?” I demanded.

He shrugged. “Have I betrayed your trust so far? Don’t you think I could simply take what I wanted instead of arguing with you if I was so inclined?”

Fear sent an icy finger down my spine. “I suppose.”

“But I won’t.” Jude’s voice was suddenly softer. “I may be many things, Luz, but I am no rapist.”

“All right.” I don’t know why but for some reason I believed him. He might be a vampire but he had behaved like a gentleman so far.

“Just keep telling yourself this is only a business deal. The sooner we exchange blood, the sooner you can go.” Jude’s voice was almost bored but his eyes were strangely intent.

Since it was either trust him or lose my chance at controlling my panic through his blood, I decided to do what he asked. Despite my pounding heart I nodded. “Fine, I’ll take them off.”

Standing from my half-reclined position, I reached under my skirt. Hooking my thumbs in the sides of the stretchy black lace, I pushed the boy shorts down to my ankles. There was a little problem getting them over the black strappy heels I’d worn with my outfit but Jude assisted me without a word and soon I was completely bare
under my flirty skirt.

“Good.” He looked up at me intently. “Now I can reach you.”

“Yeah, just great,” I mumbled. Feeling incredibly self-conscious, I sat back on the couch and slid back into position on the slippery leather. I couldn’t believe I was actually doing this, couldn’t believe I was going to spread my legs and let him… I couldn’t think about it anymore. I closed my eyes tightly. “All right, I’m ready.”

“Relax.” He lifted my skirt and then his large, warm hands stroked over my knees, parting them gently.

I clenched my hands into fists as I felt him move between my legs, his broad shoulders spreading my thighs much wider than I would have liked. I wondered if he could see how aroused I was, how wet I’d become and I winced in shame. He was a vampire—as a self-respecting were there was no way I should have allowed myself to get turned-on by him. And yet, the feel of his hands on my body, his soft, deep voice as he murmured to me to relax and let myself be open to him, the warm, spicy scent of his skin with its faint trace of expensive cologne—it was all adding up to be the most sensuous experience of my life.

Rating: 3.5 Kisses