You had me at “Hello.”  Not often does a book grip me the way Blood of the Demon did. I have to admit that I was apprehensive when I read the summary. This genre really isn’t my cup of tea. But just 3 pages in, I knew this was a different story. I read this story in 3 hours, not even stopping to cook dinner; I ordered pizza… apologies to my family. When I read the Acknowledgements at the end of the book, I laughed out loud when Ms. Lario apologized to her family for ordering so many pizzas when she was writing this story.

This story is about Keegan and his three brothers who were born half-demon due to Mammon’s (their father) sadistic nature to create powerful beings by mating with creatures of other races; faeries, dragon shifters, etc. Now Mammon needs the help of the only heir to an ancient Egyptian king in order to raise an undead army and take over Earth. The Council has sent the brothers to stop Mammon and bring him back to their world before he can find the Book of the Dead. If they fail in their mission, they must kill the heir before Mammon completes the spell.  What Keegan doesn’t count on is falling in love with the heir.

Brynn knows that she has powers that have protected her throughout her life, but she can’t possibly fathom what she is about to discover about herself and the world she thinks she knows.  Brynn is able to subdue people with her touch and see memories by holding objects people have touched. An unnaturally beautiful man walks into her art gallery and introduces himself to her. She’s immediately drawn to him and lets her guard down long enough for him to knock her unconscious and take her to a strange apartment. Now she has to trust that this man who has just kidnapped her is actually trying to save her life.

The visual imagery was amazing in this story. I could picture everything that was described in vivid detail. I was taken from the elegant high rise apartment in the Upper Eastside of New York City, to the rowdy debauchery of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and then on to the blissful tranquility of a secluded island in the Florida Keys. I felt like I’d taken a road trip of my own when I was done. And the fiery passion between Brynn and Keegan is certainly other-worldly. Their lovemaking session in the Keys was something that I’ll never forget… just wish I could somehow replicate it!

This was the first in a series and I can not wait to get my hands on book two, Mark of the Sylph, due out next month.