Read Our Lips! Book Review Blog: 4 Kiss Review: Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #3) by Larissa Ione

They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...
LETHAL RIDER

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.
Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

My Review:

In the previous book, which was like I said a conglomeration of several characters' storylines, one of the prevalent ones was about Thanatos (Than) and Regan.

Previously, Regan - an Aegis warrior - was led to believe through deception from Pestilence that the way to stop the Apocalypse was by having Than's son. In reality, it was long believed that breaking Than's virginity was what really broke the seal.

A lot of intrigue mixed with drugged wine made sexxytimes with Than and Regan happen and with Wraith's powers, Regan found herself instantly pregnant. There was a non-consensual aspect to how these two got together as Than wanted Regan to stop, because he was afraid of his seal breaking. But Regan - who has a power of controlling souls - inadvertently released her power when she was beyond the brink of excitement and held Than in place. Not knowing she was binding him from moving, she took his inaction - though he kept repeating to her to stop - as a foreplay of sorts.

Since she was also under the effects of the drugged wine, there is also an aspect of a grey area - perhaps - to give Regan the shadow of a doubt. So, when reality sinks in, Regan is inconsolable. She can't believe what she did to Than and she's devastated and depressed for months. This is especially so, because after her limited time with Than, she starts to fall for him, and she thought he was starting to care for her, too. But after what happened, she knows she can basically kiss anything they might have had goodbye.

No clearer evidence of this can be seen in Than - who is so out of his mind and filled with rage after finding out what Regan and the Aegis did to him, that Limos and Ares have to immobilize him for months, hoping he'll calm down after his child is born.

So Than endures almost 8 mos of immobilization and watching Jersey Shore, until his unborn son's distress signal rouses him from his coma state. He appears to Regan, who's been with the Aegis in hiding - but somehow some Daywalking vampires have attacked her and are threatening her life.

Than is shocked after he deals with the threat against Regan to find out she's carrying his child. He takes her to his home, hell bent on revenge or sex - he can't decide which to do first.

Pestilence is still in the background, and it's finally revealed that he can be stopped. With the first cry of his newborn, Than has to pierce Pestilence's heart and end him. If Than fails to do this, their next opportunity to end Pestilence will come around with Halley's Comet - years in the future. With no time to waste, it's imperative to secure Regan and his child for the sake of the world. But with every demon coming for them, how will he keep them safe? And what's going to happen with Regan?

Will Than be able to fulfill the fantasy he's dreamt about for countless ages? Will he ever live in happiness with a wife and a family by his side? Or was Regan just after him for one thing only? Is there a future for them?

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Lethal Rider was definitely all about Than and Regan. It was definitely a strong storyline as it was overtaking the previous book which was supposed to be about Arik and Limos. But it was clear, Than & Regan's story was going to be a force to reckon with.

There were several plots going on in the background, but they all tied into Than or Regan. Than is revealed to be the father of the vampires (Daywalkers) but somehow since his species wasn't sanctioned, a story was made up that it was actually an angel who sired the species. If the truth is ever found out, the Daywalkers would be obliterated. So Than keeps them with him.

But the Daywalkers have had enough of Than and want their freedom as many of them didn't want to be turned into vampires in the first place. So when Pestilence offers them a chance, they align with Than's evil brother and the intrigue takes hold.

Another plot dealt with Hades and Azagoth - strong demons who've appeared in the series before, but in this book they come to center stage - also helping Than & Regan (and Reaver).

Then there's Reaver and his side story with Harvester and Gethel - the previous Guardian Angel who was relieved of her guarding duty of the Horsemen when Reaver got his wings back. There's a lot of torture and mystery going on here and it's a challenge keeping up who's on what side! LOL

Then there's the Aegis organization which is up in shambles. There's a faction of them who don't agree with Ky and how he's been allying with demons. They want to go back to a time when it was all about killing demons, not making friends with them. So, the outcome of that civil war is also a large part of the plot.

Plus, a lot of the characters from the Demonica series come around: Idess, Wraith, E, Gem, and Shade to name a few. But they only make small cameos, so I don't see how this can truly be labeled a continuation of the Demonica series. The only insight we get there is a few paragraphs of a conversation between Ky and Gem. Otherwise, the story is still all about Than & Regan and the Horsemen's impending Apocalypse.

I'm definitely not looking forward to the next book which is about Reseph. He's done way too much as Pestilence and there's no going back for me with that character. I just can't sweep it aside and get into his story of redemption. Yea, I'll probably skim that one. :(

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