Dark Hunger, by Sara Reinke

Second in the Brethren series, Dark Hunger begins just a few days after the events narrated in Dark Thirst, and follows primarily Rene Morin, a half human, half vampire ex-cop, and Tessa Davenant, a full vampire who also happens to be about four months pregnant. Also present are Brandon, Tessa’s twin, and Lina Jones, his human cop-on-the-run lover who is also Rene’s ex-partner.

As I mentioned in my review of Dark Thirst, in this world the vampires are not the heroic rescuers of the innocent of so many recent paranormal romances. While our intrepid foursome is the good guys, the rest of them are indeed eeeeeeeeeeebol—particularly Tessa and Brandon’s grandfather.

A caveat: while the series is marketed by the publisher as paranormal romance, I would personally consider it more an urban fantasy series with very strong romance elements.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

The Deepest Hunger.
Tessa Noble is a vampire who will do anything to reach the safety of her brother in New Orleans-even if it means traveling with her nemesis, Rene Morin. A ruthless, brooding, yet startlingly sexy vampire, Rene seems to take pleasure in finding fault with Tessa’s every move. As they travel, Rene feeds along the way, while Tessa struggles to resist the impulse to nourish herself.
Feeds The Darkest Needs.
Once in the storm-ravaged city of his birth, Rene’s defenses begin to unravel, and Tessa is drawn to his more vulnerable side. Starving and spent with need, Tessa finally allows herself to feed off of Rene’s own body, deepening the sensual attraction they share. Yet neither can afford to succumb to this desire. For Tessa and Rene are being followed-and a single misstep will put them at the mercy of forces more dark and powerful than even they can fight. If they are caught, the ecstasy of their newfound love will be matched only by the agony of its loss.

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Dark Thirst, by Sara Reinke

First book in the Brethren series by Ms Reinke, this is a very dark novel—vampires as a species ARE very much the villains here. It feels to me more like an urban fantasy than a romance, not because there is no romantic relationship—there definitely is a romance between the two main characters—but because there are questions raised by the world building that aren’t answered in this book.

Here’s the blurb:

Dark Secrets

When Brandon Noble and Angelina Jones first met, he was an awkward teenager harboring a crush on his tutor’s sister. Five years later, Angelina is a streetwise cop who’s sure she’s seen it all, until Brandon comes back into her life—lean, handsome, possessing a strange, powerful allure… and a terrifying secret.

Dark Desires

Brandon is one of the Brethren, an ancient clan of ruthless vampires. Like other Brethren families, the Nobles have accumulated great wealth and prestige, never marrying outside their kin, never leaving the isolated Kentucky farmlands where they live, undetected, among their prey. Horrified by his birthright, Brandon shunned the ritual of the first kill, earning the Brethren’s lasting wrath. But the exhilarating passion he and Angelina share rouses the primitive impulses he has tried so hard to deny. And even if Brandon can protect Angelina from his enemies, can he save her from his own dark thirst?

The prologue sets the tone of the story. Brandon has tried to escape the cult-like compound where the Brethren live, by applying to a specialized college. Brandon was born healthy but was attacked during a robbery, which left him deaf and mute. Because of his physical imperfections, he has been despised and abused by most of his family and the other Brethren since the attack, and when his Grandfather discovers Brandon’s plan to escape, he is beaten and both his hands broken—leaving him completely isolated and helpless for months.

The novel itself starts a bit over a year later, after Brandon’s hands have healed and he has finally escaped. He reaches out to the only outsider who ever helped him and lived, his erstwhile tutor in sign language, Jackson Jones. Only Jackson is out of town and his sister Angelina is taking care of his prized plants. Just a few hours after these two meet again, Brandon’s past, and his nature, catch up with him. Thus starts a race against time and family, which will lead both Lina and Brandon to discover things they couldn’t have imagined. (more…)