Meet a savage hunter from the darkest jungles and the beautiful prey he’ll never let escape in this sensual Carpathian novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.Rafael De La Cruz has spent centuries hunting vampires with his brothers, and with each passing year his capacity to feel emotions has grown weaker and weaker until finally there’s barely even a memory left—until … even a memory left—until only sheer willpower keeps him from turning into the very abomination he hunts. But it’ll take more than will to keep him away from the woman who is meant to be his and his alone…
For five years, rancher Colby Jansen has been the sole protector of her younger half-siblings, and with fierce determination and work she has kept her family together and the ranch operational. Now, the De La Cruz brothers are threatening that stability. They claim that her siblings belong with their father’s family, not with her. Colby vows to fight them—especially the cold and arrogant Rafael De La Cruz. But Rafael is after more than her family—he wants Colby, and will not let anything stand between them. After ages of loneliness, the raw desire to possess her overwhelms his very soul, driving him to claim her as his lifemate.
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All her dark series are wonderful..the would make a great miniseries .I’ve read all
A great paranormal romance series
In the twelfth book of the Dark/Carpathian series, Colby Jansen is desperately trying to keep her ranch up and running, but she’s in serious debt and dangerous “accidents” are happening on her property. After the death of her mother and stepfather, she’s raising her younger half-brother and half-sister the best she can, but then her stepfather’s brothers and the brothers’ wealthy employers arrive to take her siblings away.
Rafael De La Cruz knows Colby is his lifemate at first sight, but he doesn’t care about her hopes or feelings. To him, she is his property and the only thing that will save him from eternal damnation, from turning into a vampire. He literarily needs her, so he takes her. He manipulates her mind, seduces her, and begins her conversion—all without her knowledge or consent. Even though he feels remorse for his actions—after realizing she feels violated—he’s still shocked that she doesn’t want him.
Rafael and Colby are very stubborn characters who usually refuse to compromise, especially Rafael. He’s harsh, cold, and demanding, but he does care for Colby and wants her to be safe and healthy. Her happiness, however, takes second place to her safety, so they were often at odds.
Colby is insanely attracted to him. Though she felt torn about what to do, she usually submitted to him but kept their relationship sexual. She fought him and their budding romance every step of the way, which became annoying after a while.
Nicolas, Rafael’s brother, is just as arrogant and frustrating. I didn’t like him much in this book, but I know that he’s calmed down and is a better man in his own book, Dark Curse.
Natalya, a rare Carpathian female, is kickass and awesome! I love the history of the Dragonseekers. Her and Colby’s family line is one of strongest in the series, and one of the most controversial.
This isn’t my favorite Carpathian book by far, but it’s special to me because it’s the first one I read years ago when I first discovered this series (back when I was in my very early 20s). I know a lot of readers abhor this book, and I understand why, but Rafael’s intense control issue does make sense for the character. He’s not in control of his dark side, so it’s obvious problems will arise. If Ms. Feehan wrote him like most of the previous heroes, then she’ll just be recycling the same old character. Rafael is something new.
The writing style is the same as usual, but I’ve grown accustomed to it.
3 Stars
The only thing is her recent books have gotten expensive, so I may have to quit buying them.
Not as good as some of the others in the series but still pretty entertaining. A story about one of Carpathians who settled in Brazil and headstrong American rancher. Male character is sometimes little unlikable but in the end all is well.
*WARNING* contains explicit adult sexual content and violence
Rafael De La Cruz is an old Carpathian. Rafael knows that it won’t be long before the darkness takes over, but he will be a hunter until then. Rafael was asked to go to a ranch to get some children for the family who watches over their interests, but it was not a simple retrieval.
Colby is the oldest and has been taking care of the ranch, her brother, and her sister since her parents died. Now her ranch hand gets murdered, things are getting stolen, buildings are catching on fire, she has to figure out how to make a big mortgage payment, and a group strangers show saying they taking her brother and sister to Brazil because they are their “family”. No way!
I have always liked Christine Feehan books. This one is not a favorite, because I do NOT like the female lead character. The Colby character is just childish, selfish, irritating and probably some other less flattering verbs. I ‘ve many of these Carpathian novels and I like that they don’t need to be read in order. The cover of this doesn’t not the description of Rafael either, the guys could have at least had black hair. I did read the whole book, but if I can’t like a lead character, it makes the story less enjoyable.
I really liked this story. The characters were interesting, well developed and relatable. I had problems with a couple of aspects of the story, but overall I liked it.
Rafael De La Cruz is a Carpathian hunter and has spent several lifetimes hunting vampires with his brothers in Brazil. Every year he grows closer to becoming a monster like the ones that he hunts. Rafael has to find his lifemate but until then he has to depend on his willpower and the support of his brothers. When he finds his lifemate, he isn’t prepared for everything she makes him feel which makes him even more dangerous.
Colby Jansen has been running her family’s ranch for 5 years and raising her younger siblings. She is determined to keep her family together and the ranch running regardless of what anyone else thinks. When the De La Cruz brothers show up trying to take her brother and sister away to be with their father’s family, Colby is determined to fight them and get them to go home. Unfortunately, Rafael has discovered that Colby is his lifemate and won’t leave without her, but first, he has to claim her.
Rafael was a major chauvinist and made me want to smack him sooooo many times! He couldn’t seem to see things from Colby’s point of view until it was too late. Colby forgave him for his actions a lot easier than I think that I could. I did love their happy ever after. I recommend reading or listening to this book. I own a paperback copy of this book and I listened to it through Audible Escape.
Love this series! You will not be disappointed.
Rafael De La Cruz is almost at the end of his life ……
He has lived for centuries, fighting both the vampire and the ever growing darkness inside him. With his brothers help and their honour, they continue to live and fight for their prince and the Carpathian people.
Whilst feeding he feels the demon inside him urging him on, to feed, to drain the body he’s feeding from dry, to take a life, and to feel if only briefly……
Colby Jensen is holding her sanity together by a thread, her half brother and sister are being fought over, her step father’s family want the siblings to come and live with them in Brazil. Colby isn’t having any of it. Their father had been disowned for loving and having children with someone they didn’t approve of, but now he’s gone, they want her siblings, Colby isn’t having any of it, if her step fathers family want her brother and sister, then they are going to have to fight her for them, but they have money and connections, Colby has nothing. And now hearing the family have their employer helping them, Colby is afraid she will lose them and the Ranch……
Standing on a cliff overlooking the ranch his employees are coming to visit, Rafael knows his time is limited, refusing to drain the woman, he wants to go home, here nothing is familiar, he misses Brazil, but he promised his older brother that he would go and sort out the issue with this “Jensen” woman, he would get the children that he had come for, then go home.
He spots a rider on horseback, the voice carries up to him, stunned he sees the horse and rider in colour !!!! It’s her ….. his lifemate.
Colby had anticipated meeting the De La Cruz family, what she hadn’t banked on was meeting them whilst being thrown from a horse !!!!
The De La Cruz brothers (all five of them) are centuries old, they remember carpathian women being meek and mild, in a time where they would stay at home, looking after the children. So meeting his lifemate in this time came as a huge shock to Rafael, Colby wasn’t meek, not was she mild. She’s a very strong willed individual.
At first I didn’t like Rafael (he’s still not one of my favourite characters) but you have to read past the fact he seems to be a bully (demanding Colby give up her life and move to Brazil, to alter her whole way of thinking) they are from a time when women were home makers. But they do want to protect their women (even though most of the women in these books are more than capable of looking after themselves) they keep the Carpathian hunter from turning into a vampire, the women are the light, keeping the darkness at bay.
So …… we have a few big battles. We have many battles of will between Rafael and Colby, we do have a few light moments and we also meet a hunter that’s been in a few previous books ( Vikirnoff)
Christine Feehan’s book always deliver a punch! Even though this is part of a series through the Male lead , it’s a stand alone read it and You’ll want to read all the others.
So the first time I read this book way back in 2012 I hated Rafael. I remember thinking what a jerk he was and how I wanted to punch him in the throat. I have reread this series 4 times so far but I always skipped this book after the first time I read it, because I hated the hero so much. I am glad I didn’t skip it this time because I liked it better this time around. Like a total change of heart. That almost never happens for me. I actually liked Rafael this time, don’t get me wrong he still did some things I wanted to punch him for, but I had a total 180 on my feelings for him. It was like night and day!
I am very shocked at how much I really liked Rafael this time around. I actually felt bad for him, and at times thought Colby was being a witch to him. Like a total 180! I know I already said that but I’m just so surprised I like him so much! I guess it helps that I have read books with way bigger jerk heroes since the first time I picked this book up. I found Rafael dominate, brooding, and lonely. He came on strong and wanted to control everything but he did soften and tried to make Colby happy.
Colby I still liked although she annoyed me more this time around. Colby was strong willed, brave, very independent, but at times wishy washy. It was the ” I want him but I don’t want to want him”, “I have to fight my feelings for him”, ” I don’t want this, you can have my body but not my heart” crap that drove me crazy. I felt sorry for the pain she caused Rafael. He just wanted her to love him, accept him. She would make love to him be nice to him then push him away. It got to the point where I as I was reading I was yelling at my kindle for her to knock it off!