Dark Bites

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

ISBN# 9780312376864 

Author’s Website:  https://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

This is a compilation of short stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  Most of them revolve around the Dark-Hunter world.  I’m not usually a fan of short stories because it’s hard to get immersed in a story, when they are so short.  I was impressed with these as they felt like full-length stories.  A few even felt too long.  Please see my below break down of each individual story.

3 Stars

House of the Rising Son

Hunter Legends, Book # 25.5

Aricles was content to live his simple life as a lowly farmer.  The same as his father lived, and his grandfather before that.  However, his twin, Galen, had bigger dreams.  He wanted to be a glorious warrior taking fame, spoils, and women, where he could get them.

When the goddess, Bathymaas, came to recruit Aricles for her group of warriors, he turned her down.  He told her that he didn’t want to go to war.  However, she convinced him to join her cause to keep the scales of justice balanced.  And, Galen was more than eager to join the fight.

Bathymaas’s Ēperon was a formidable force and was able to fight the Chthonians back.

Bathymaas was a goddess that had no emotions, it’s what made her impartial and able to be a fair goddess of justice.  However, after spending time with Aricles, she started to feel emotions and even fell in love with her champion.

And, the gods could not allow that.  They had to strike the couple down where it would hurt the most; at their precious and vulnerable hearts.

This took a bit for me to get into, as I have forgotten a lot about the stories surrounding these characters.  Plus, the dreaded date titles instead of numbered chapters is always an annoyance for me.  However, once I started to remember, I was able to truly enjoy this couple.

I found Bathymaas and Aricles had a sweet innocent romance.  You couldn’t help, but route for them.  I do wish I had read this right before Styxx though.  I think I would have appreciated them even more.  

And, Apollo was up to his usual villainous ways.  It truly makes me wonder how he is portrayed in other series.  Does he always come off so evil, or only in Kenyon’s world?

I did appreciate getting a glimpse of Set.  I’ve always enjoyed him, for whatever reason.  He needs his own book.

I thought this was a pretty good story for a novella.  It makes me want to re-read Styxx, but that book is just too long for that kind of undertaking right now.  Plus, a lot of it was hard to read the first time.

4 Stars

Phantom Lover

Dream-Hunter, Book #0.5

Erin McDaniels is being plagued by horrific nightmares where monsters are fighting over her.  She’s afraid to sleep, and is running herself ragged.

Then during one of her nightmares, she imagines a champion coming to save her, and one appears.  V’Aidan fights off the monsters and whisks her away to a safe place where they make love.  It is a forbidden act for his kind, but rules are made to be broken.  However, he quickly realizes that Erin has changed him in some way.  He’s addicted to her and will endure any punishment to keep invading her dreams.  But what will he do when his actions put Erin in danger?

I thought I had read this one before, but I had not.  I’m not a big fan of the Dream-hunters, but I actually enjoyed this story.  

V’Aidan was a nice mix of bad boy breaking all the rules and sweet lover that would do anything to protect his female.  I truly enjoyed him and loved their very brief epilogue, where we got a glimpse of their future.  

“And it was then she realized that even out of the darkest nightmare, something good could come. It had taken strength and courage, but in the end, it had been worth the battle.”

4 Stars

Winter Born

Were-Hunter, Book #1.5

Were-Panther, Pandora, has come to Atlanta’s Dragon*Con looking for help.  All the winter born women in her pack are kidnapped when they become of age by a horrible Katagaria pack.  They are then used for the pack’s pleasure and kept as sex slaves.  She has come to Atlanta, in hopes of finding Acheron to see if he can return her to her pack and time.

However, she has gone into heat, and there are four panther males at the convention.  Ones that her panther would be more than happy to satisfy herself with even though it would no doubt cost her her freedom.

Dante Pontis and his three brothers are at Dragon*Con to scout out bands to perform at Dante’s club.  However, they all smell that there is a female panther in heat.  Dante has no desire to take a mate and wants nothing to do with the female.  Unfortunately, fate has different plans for him.

I always love were and changeling stories, so it’s not a surprise that I enjoyed this one.  Kenyon always adds an extra layer to her were stories with the two sects of weres, Katagaria (animals that can change to human form) and Arcadian (humans that can change to animal form).

Pandora is terrified of Katagaria panthers because of the horrible pack she’s running from.  So, of course fate would mate her to one.  However, Dante is nothing like the Katagaria panthers she’s ever known.  And, he will stop at nothing to protect her and make her feel safe.  

I enjoyed Dante.  He has some scars of his past as well.  And, he may not have wanted a mate, but once she’s his he will do anything for her.  He would rather hurt himself than cause her pain or clip her wings.

I honestly would have been happy to read a full-length novel on this couple and now desperately want to see books of other panthers in Dante’s pack!

2 Stars

A Dark-Hunter Christmas

Hunter Legends, Book #3.6

Jamie Gallagher was born into poverty.  He found his way out living the life of a gangster.  His mother didn’t approve and turned her back on him.  That was okay Gallagher didn’t need anyone and he still found ways to support his family.

He later met and married his beautiful wife, Rosalie.  He was on his way to meet her to welcome their son into the world when the cops surrounded him.  He surrendered only to be shot in the head.  He took his vengeance and became a dark-hunter.  However, he could no longer be around his wife and child.

Now seventy years later he runs into his geat-granddaughter, shortly after his wife passed away, and he is filled with the sadness that comes from missing the ones he loves.

This story was so incredibly sad.  I thought Gallagher would get some kind of happiness at the end, but he really didn’t.  He found that he is part of a bigger family now.  It doesn’t really feel like it compares to the family he lost though.

3 Stars

Until Death We Do Part

Hunter Legends, Book #12.5

Esperetta is the beloved daughter of Dracula.  Until she married his bitterest enemy, Velkan.  The two families have fought forever and this union was not going to change that.

Velkan had a plan; he gave Retta a potion that made her appear dead.  He thought if her father thought she was dead he’d leave her alone, while he surrendered to him.  He never expected Dracula to stab her in the heart.  Velkan later killed him, which caused his newly resurrected wife to flee.

500 years later, she’s back in Romania.  Velkan’s enemies want to kill her to get to him.  He hates her now after so many years alone, but he may be the only one that can save her.

I found this story interesting, a Romeo and Juliet type of tale.   I really wanted to like Velkan.  However, even though this was a short story, I felt like it kind of dragged.  I found myself a bit bored with it.

2 Stars

A Hard Day’s Night Searcher

Hunter’s Legends, Book #10.2

Dark-Hunter Rafael Santiago’s squire, Jeff, has just had his first story published.  The problem is that it has divulged several Dark-Hunter secrets.  Jeff doesn’t see any problem with what he wrote, despite any arguments that Rafael has.

Another squire, Celena, is angry with the story and comes over to take Jeff to the council.  Rafael knows that Jeff messed up, but he’s just a kid so he helps him go hide.  In the meantime, he makes a deal with Celena.  She will come stay with him for the week and if she breaks a rule, then she can’t take Jeff.  However, if she doesn’t break a rule he will surrender Jeff to her.  

Rafael has always been attracted to Celena, but she quickly starts driving him nuts, changing up his entire life.  However, when Rafael’s life is in danger, she is willing to sacrifice everything to come to his aide.

I felt this is one of those stories that being short, really did it an injustice.  It’s impossible to believe how quickly Rafael goes from being annoyed with Celena to wanting to put his life in her hands and spend the rest of eternity together.

3 Stars

Shadow of the Moon

Hunter Legends, Book #15.5

Were-Hunter, Book #3.5

Some of the Arcadian Were-Hunters have created a weapon to be used on their Katagaria counterparts.  When hit with it, it forces the were to stay in their base form … permanently.  It causes them to lose all their magick and psychic abilities.  For the Katagaria, they can no longer communicate with their pack or even their mate and children.  

When Fury encounters a were this had been used on, he recognizes one of the scents immediately.  His childhood best friend, Angelia.  She tried to kill him once she found out he was a filthy Katagaria.

Dare and Angelia come to Sanctuary and Dare tries to use the weapon on Fury, his brother.  Fury is able to dodge it, but all three are immediately banned from Sanctuary.  As, he’s leaving, Fury is attacked and kidnapped by Dare and taken to his Jackal ally and tortured for information.  Information, he’s not willing to give them.  Angelia, unable to see them hurt him any longer, helps Fury escape.  However, he turns the tables on her and takes her home with him, to Vane’s house.

While there Angelia goes into heat and discovers that the Katagaria are not the monsters she thought they were.  And, she falls in love with Fury all over again.

However, Fury isn’t the only one that found her scent on the were that the weapon had been used on.  Now, she has his angry pack mates vying for her death.  And, the man she betrayed, in the past, may be the only one that can save her now.

I always love the wolf Were-Hunters.  Vane and Fang have always topped my list of favorites.  And, Fury is their brother, who I’ve grown to love too.  So, of course, I wanted to love this story.  However, I found it a little too similar (at least as far as the romance went) to the story Winter Born, which was earlier in this book.  If I hadn’t read these two stories so close together, I’m sure this one would have been rated a bit higher.  It was still decent, but felt a bit like wash, rinse, and repeat in the romance department.  I also felt like Fury deserved a full-length book and he was cheated once again.

3 Stars

Fear the Darkness

Hunter Legends, Book #13.5

Dark-Hunters, Book #10.5

It’s been two years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.  And, Nick has finally made it back to survey the damage that is still present in his beloved city.  However, going back to New Orleans also means going back to his home, he shared with his mother.  The house is full of all the memories, including those of finding her dead.

Nick is still angry that Ash did nothing to help.  He had the power to bring her back, but he didn’t.  And, now Nick is some weird Dark-Hunter Daimon hybrid.  He’s forced to feed off Stryker and Satara to stay alive.  And, it gives them a way to keep him leashed.  However, they have their own agenda and Satara doesn’t care what lies she must tell or who she has to hurt to get to her goals.

This wasn’t a full story.  It was nice seeing Nick again.  I’ve liked him much better in his anger then I ever did when he was happy.  I’m just that messed up, I suppose.  This just gives us a glimpse of the game that Satara is playing, but there is no resolution to anything.

3 Stars

Where Angels Fear to Tread

Hunter Legends, Book #0.6

Hellchasers, Book #0.5

Zeke hates his life, working in customer service and getting yelled at all the time.  And, having no real life outside of work.  He wishes for something different.  And, then he gets a call that a relative he didn’t even know he had has passed and left everything to him.

While going through the guys stuff, he picks up a strange coin that seems to call to him.  And it changes his life.  He has been chosen to keep the natural order of good vs evil and to fight demons.  And, there is no way to turn down this new job offer.

This was another story that wasn’t a full story, it was just a few scenes.  It did seem interesting, but there really wasn’t much story there.

2 Stars

Love Bytes

Sam has a crush on her boss, Adrian.  He’s a computer whiz and everyone is always needing him to fix something.  He is completely color blind and his sister plays mean tricks on him by messing up his clothes so people laugh at him.  After the latest instance, he asks Sam to help him go shopping for new clothes.  She ends up giving him a makeover that lets everyone see how hot he is.

Adrian has had a huge crush on Sam as well, and both are tip-toeing around making the first move.  And, when they finally do, sparks fly.

Sam sees how much Adrian’s family takes him for granted, and she wants to be the one person to do something for him.  But could a misunderstanding destroy their new romance?

There were parts of this I liked.  However, somehow this short story really dragged out.  I think it could have been shortened a bit.  Although I realize it’s a hard line to walk between too short and dragging.

3 Stars

Santa Wears Spurs

Catherine’s husband abandoned her five years ago.  She has never forgotten him.  She moved towns and started a boardinghouse and orphanage.  She never expected Michael to walk back in on Christmas Eve.  They had a Firey night of passion, but what happens now?

Michael never wanted to leave Catherine, but if he didn’t his brother would have hurt her.  He never expected to run into her again.  His brother told him he robbed the orphanage though and Michael had to return the money.

Michael and Pete are outlaws, always living from one alias to the next, always on the move.  His wife deserves so much better.  However, Pete will never let him go.

This was definitely different from all the other short stories in the book.  It had a country western flair to it.  And, it had the feel of a Christmas miracle.  Although I do, find it a bit unlikely Catherine would take him back in so easily.

2 Stars

Redemption

Dark-Hunter, Book #20.5

Dream-Hunter, Book #5.5

Were-Hunter, Book #6.5

Hunter Legacy, Book #23.5

A quick scene of Seth and Lydia getting married.  It’s been a long time since I read The Guardian, so I’m sure it would have been more enjoyable right after reading the book.