Review: Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #12) by Kresley Cole

ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD
Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER.
Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.
CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED
Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

My Review:

Lothaire, Kresley Cole’s (KC) twelfth installment of the Immortal After Dark Series is just PERFECT! Now I finally see why everyone was gushing and going crazy about it on the Blogverse  

The first plus is, this not a catch-up book, but it lets us in on Lothaire’s tragic backstory and his need to avenge his mother who was killed when he was very young.

We are also introduced to two new characters: Saroya the Soul Reaper, and Ellie Pierce, a country girl who hosts Saroya’s evil spirit in her. Saroya was a death goddess, and while her sister, a life goddess, brought life to the world, Saroya only brought death and chaos. When Lothaire is told the location of his Bride, he chances upon Ellie, who is possessed by Saroya at the time, killing several humans.

Lothaire is caught speechless – a being more evil and fouler than him would have been a tall order to fill and he is instantly drawn to Saroya’s evil ways, hoping she will be the one who will help him ascend into being the new ruler of the Vampire Horde. Ellie – who is just a human – well he couldn’t bother with her, though. What a shame Ellie houses the woman he’s willing to risk everything for.

Oh! By the way – remember the Vampire Horde? They were left without a leader since book 2 when Demestriu was killed. Ring any bells? The Horde have – we guess- just been hanging about waiting for someone to take the reins and Lothaire knows he’s just the one to do it.

Anyhoo, Lothaire concocts a plan with Saroya to rip Ellie’s soul from her body, leaving only Saroya’s soul intact so the evil goddess can once again roam the earth as she pleases. To thank him for doing this, Saroya promises to do everything Lothaire wants AFTER he is successful.

Lothaire agrees, but things aren’t so easy as they sound. Ellie refuses to give up her body without a fight – especially to an evil being like Saroya who has ruined her life. She’ll do anything – and anyone – to keep that from happening. Lothaire really has no clue what our girl is willing to do to stay alive. *fans self*

Pretty soon, Lothaire starts doing the unimaginable – actually preferring Ellie’s presence to that of  unbearable Saroya who won’t put out, not even a little bit. LOL

Can Ellie do the impossible? Can she defeat a death goddess while making  Lothaire forget his vengeance and fall in love with her? And what about her feelings for Lothaire? Is she just trying to survive or does she, too, feel love for the Enemy of Old?

Also making an appearance in this book is Hag, the witch which was rescued in book 7 – wait ‘till you see what she looks like now. And our favorite all-around good guy, Thad, who just melts your heart with how good “buds” he is with Mr. Lothaire. LOL I just love seeing these two together.

I am so OBSESSED with Lothaire and this is definitely my most favorite book I’ve read all year. Just loved it! Can he please be given his own series? *begs*  

 

That’s it! I’m all caught up! Woot! And just in time. KC has now revealed the cover and synopsis of her next book in the Immortals After Dark series: MacRieve. It’s due to be published on July 2, 2013. Mark your calendar!

 

 

 

 

Ellie shot awake with a frantic inhalation.

Each time she rose was like fighting her way along a black, soundless tunnel only to break through with a rush of momentum. Now she jerked her head around, finding herself in a dim room atop the softest sheets she’d ever imagined. Not in prison— Memories of the afternoon returned like a crashing wave.

Lothaire’s hot mouth against her neck. His fangs raking over her skin for blood. His tongue snaking to the drops.

She shivered. He’d tasted her blood. Oh, my Lord, vampires exist.

A demon possession hadn’t been such a jump for a girl from Appalachia, home of serpent handlers, speaking in tongues, and the fabled Mothman. But the idea of a blood-drinking vampire had sent her entire world askew. And if that was true, then she had no reason not to believe Saroya was a deity.

Ellie threw her arm over her face, groaning in misery, “Oh, God.”

“I am not the god you’re referring to,” Lothaire intoned from a murky corner. “Although to you, I might as well be.”

She shot upright in the bed, squinting into the dark. His red eyes glowed from the shadows like embers. “You!” Her nightmare continued. Fitting, since it was now night outside. The curtains were drawn back and a chill breeze blew between opened French doors. A skyline sparkled in the distance.

Another day of lost time. But she supposed all time was borrowed
now. Then she assessed her body. No blood?

She was dressed in a nearly indecent silk gown, with bracelets and rings adorning her. Long red nails tipped her fingers. No skin embedded beneath them? Saroya always left her with horrific scenes. So where were the corpses? “Did Saroya . . . did she kill while I was unconscious?”

“No.”

Ellie exhaled with relief.

“My Bride was too fatigued, so we called it an early night.” Since Ellie had seen him last, he’d washed himself clean of blood and changed to a black button-down and dark slacks. “But there’s always tomorrow.”

“If your aim is to make me miserable, just consider this mission accomplished.” She always woke from her blackouts exhausted and famished. Even if she wasn’t covered with blood, she felt grimy and used-up. “So what’d I miss?” She slapped her palm to her forehead. “Oh, yeah, last I remember, you’re a vampire.”

“I am.”

He was regarding her differently. But why? How could she study a person when she was offstage for half of their interactions? She couldn’t get a handle on his mood either. He didn’t seem furious or crazy any longer—just held himself with utter stillness.

Like a predator. She swallowed. “Did you drink more of my blood while I was out?”

In a snide tone, he said, “Somehow I restrained myself.”

Relief made her brave, and she snapped, “Be sarcastic all you want to, mister, but you were tonguing my vein like a son of a bitch before I kicked toes-up.”

“And you were loving it. Moaning and rubbing against me.”

She gazed away in embarrassment. Because what he said was true. The pleasure she’d felt had been bewildering. . . .

“You truly remember nothing of the rest of the afternoon?”

She shook her head curtly.

“How maddening, to have no control over your body. If you hate this so much, then why rise at all?”

“Because this is my body.” She thumped her nearly bared chest, and the bangles at her wrists clanged. “Mine!”

“Incorrect. I’ve staked my claim on it. And soon you’ll relinquish it to another female.”

He was going to cast out her soul! Ellie recalled how defeated she’d felt when he’d threatened her mother and brother—until she’d realized she still had one play left. If she could get to a phone, she could make sure her family was hidden. Then there’d be no leverage for the vampire. Ellie could take herself out—and Saroya with her.

This raccoon ain’t treed just yet. . . .

“If you were ready to die over this, then why did you not recede and allow her to rule you?” he asked. “You would have simply slept inside your physical form, with no more pain, no fear. There would have been no need for me to rid it of your soul.”

“I was ready to die to take out a murderer who kills good men. Not to give her a free by-your-leave.” She added the last absently, feeling as if something wasn’t right about her body.

“Don’t continue to fight me, Elizabeth. Anyone who crosses swords with me loses. It’s merely fact.”

“Huh?” Something was definitely amiss downstairs.

With increasing irritation, he said, “Crossing swords. You losing . . .”

“Yeah, well, maybe that’s because you’ve never met anyone like me. I’m more stubborn than anyone you’ve ever encountered.”

“A ridiculous statement, from an ignorant girl. I’m thousands of years old. I’ve encountered millions.”

“Thousands? That’s ancient!” she cried. “So bloodsuckers are immortal?”

“I’ll give you a moment to wrap your puny mind around that.”

“Mighty considerate of you. But no matter. I’m still more mule-headed than anyone. I can out-stubborn a mountain. It’s just my nature.” Dang it, why did she feel so weird between her legs?

Lothaire opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. “I have to use the restroom.”

He exhaled in irritation and pointed toward a hall. “Through there.”

Ellie rose from the bed, wincing at her pedicured but sore feet. A pair of stilettos lay at angles on the floor.

Heels, Saroya? That’s just cruel. Growing up, Ellie had gone barefoot a good seven months out of every year. In prison, they’d given her flip-flops. Shoes were foreign, heels torturous.

Down a lengthy hallway, she spied the bathroom. The inside was spacious. A marble floor gleamed, counters to match. Plush towels too pretty to use hung from a heated rack. When she turned to examine herself in the wall-to-wall mirror, she gasped at her reflection.

The black gown she wore was the finest silk, but it dipped down until her navel was visible. Her breasts were all but spilling out; the thin fabric clearly outlined what little of them was covered.

Being exposed like this might have embarrassed her, but prison—and communal showering—had drilled out any inkling of modesty she’d once possessed. She had a stylish new haircut and a manicure and pedicure, but layers of makeup covered her face.

Her lips were bright red, her eyes done up with flashy shadow. She looked like a porn-star version of herself. Makeup also concealed the scratch the vampire had given her. She scrutinized her neck and chest for more bites, but found none. So he’d told the truth. Considering the way he’d licked that stream of blood earlier, she’d thought for sure he’d bite Saroya and finish the job. So why had he refrained?

Had Saroya given Lothaire her virginity instead? For all that Saroya had loved to murder males, she’d never enjoyed one! Ellie pulled up the gown’s hem, and nearly screamed. Saroya had waxed her—completely.

“What the fuck?” Bald as a cue ball. “Who does this?” Her face heated.

The bareness was so blatantly sexual. Surely Lothaire had deflowered her today. She sat on the toilet, matter-of-factly feeling herself, gently probing inside. No soreness. Her virginity was intact.

So there’d been no sex and no biting? Did vampires even have sex? She recalled when he’d licked her blood. Her eyes went wide. “Oh!” He’d had an erection, had ground it against her back.

Perhaps psycho Saroya had denied him. If she was indeed a goddess, then maybe she thought sex beneath her. So why the waxing?

Ellie emptied her bladder, washed her hands, then headed back to the millennia-old immortal waiting for her. The bedroom was now lit. Recessed fixtures cast a muted glow.

Once her eyes adjusted, his face drew her attention, and she did a stutter step. The first night she’d seen him, she’d been too petrified to register much about his looks, other than: red-eyed demon!

Then earlier today, he’d been covered in blood. Now?

Dear God, he’s . . . fine.

Rating: 5 Kisses