Eternal Kiss of Darkness - Takdir Sang Vampir

Night Huntress World #2

by Jeaniene Frost

Kira Graceling, seorang detektif swasta, secara tidak sengaja melihat seorang pria yang dikeroyok dalam perjalanan pulangnya. Tanpa pikir panjang, Kira langsung mencoba menolong pria itu, namun akhirnya justru dirinya yang terluka parah dan nyaris mati kehabisan darah.

Mencheres, sang mega-master vampir, yang merasa tidak punya lagi alasan untuk hidup, mencoba bunuh diri dengan membiarkan sejumlah ghoul membunuhnya. Namun, ia membatalkan niatnya itu untuk menyelamatkan Kira yang mencoba menolongnya. Ketika akan menghipnotis Kira supaya gadis itu melupakan semuanya, kekuatannya ternyata tidak mempan terhadap Kira, dan ia terpaksa menahan Kira di rumahnya untuk sementara waktu. Kebersamaan mereka membuat mereka saling mengenal dan saling tertarik. Tapi mereka berasal dari ras yang berbeda dan tidak mungkin bersatu. Belum lagi Mencheres masih yakin kematian akan segera menjemputnya, jadi tidak ada gunanya menjalin hubungan tanpa masa depan. Kira sendiri masih trauma akibat pernikahannya yang berakhir dengan tragedi.

Tapi, kenapa Mencheres diam-diam mengikuti Kira dan tidak bisa berhenti memikirkan Kira? Dan kenapa Kira nekat mencari Mencheres setelah mereka memutuskan untuk berpisah? Saat fitnah kejam dari musuh masa lalu membuat nyawa Mencheres terancam, mereka bertemu lagi, dan perasaan di antara mereka semakin kuat. Mampukah mereka mengatasi perbedaan besar di antara mereka untuk bisa bersatu di tengah ancaman musuh lama Mencheres dan kegelapan yang semakin dekat?

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Adult

448 pages, Paperback

First published July 27, 2010

About the author

Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Broken Destiny series, the Night Rebel series, and an upcoming new Romantasy series. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to twenty-three different countries. Jeaniene lives in Maryland with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies with her husband, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

For information on Jeaniene's books, book trailers, free reading, contests, creature mythology, and more, please visit: www.jeanienefrost.com

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Darkness Stars

*Spoilers*

"I love your scent," he almost growled. "I love it even more now that it's all over my body."-Mencheres

First read 2/26/2014
Reread 11/24/2015
Re reread 11/22/2019
Reread 4/20/21
Reread 4/27/2022

"Dead or not, you must be bored with women telling you how you look like the hottest, most exotic wet dream they've ever had. No wonder the thought of you, grapes, and some scented massage oils crossed my mind - and if you drop that towel again, I'm going to need a cold shower."-Kira



"Before this, you might have won our war without a battle from me," he said, again in their long-dead dialect. "But now, I will not go quietly into my grave. Instead, by the blood of Cain, I will drag you down to yours." -Mencheres

I have loved Mencheres since the first time I read about him in The Night Huntress Series. So no surprise that I loved his book! I loved Mencheres so much that I was worried that I would think no one was good enough for my sweet Mencheres, but I loved Kira too.

"This isn't what you feel. It's your new senses," he said, his voice dropping to almost a growl. "They make you feel things that might not be real - " "I felt this for you before," Kira cut him off, need roughening her tone. "Even when you held me captive, but especially after you let me go. Don't tell me what I'm feeling isn't real, and don't even pretend that you don't want me, too."- Mencheres and Kira

My Mencheres:



"I am Master of a large line of vampires and humans, and yes, I often do people's thinking for them. Moreover, I have betrayed almost everyone I've loved, including participating in my wife's murder and withholding important information from my co-ruler. My other sins are too numerous to list, and I have certain death looming in my future, so as soon as you are able to control your condition, Kira, you would do well to forget me."-Mencheres

What this book is about

Mencheres is tired of this world and he feels guilty for the roll he played in his wife's murder. So when his life-long old enemy Radje, starts after him again to gain his powers, he plans to kill himself. Mencheres is going to make it look like he was murdered so he doesn't sadden those close to him. With him dead Radje can't use the ones he cares for against him, to get what he wants. So when Mencheres comes across 5 ghouls looking for a fight to the death, he acts like he has no real power and was going to let them kill him. Then some beautiful human comes on the scene holding a gun trying to protect him and he knows he has no choice but to save her and himself. Kira, the human that he saved, is a mystery to him. She makes him feel again. Not only is she brave and beautiful, but he can't use vampire mind control on her or read her mind. When Radje finds out how much Kira means to Mencheres, will Mencheres be able to keep Kira safe or will his enemy finally get what he wants?

"Bubbles. On a scale of one to ten, a bubble bath has to rank a zero as far as things I'd expect an older-than-dirt, bad-ass vampire to indulge in. The only thing that would surprise me more was if you pulled out a rubber ducky." He fought another, stronger twitch of his lips. "Bath toys are reserved only for the oldest, most lethal vampires. I have a full century to age and another thousand men to kill before I reach that hallowed landmark."-Kira and Mencheres

My Kira:



"I was separated from my wife for over nine centuries and forbidden by law from lying with anyone else. After her death, no one tempted me enough . . . until you." A noise of astonishment escaped her as Kira drew back to look at him. "You haven't had sex in over nine hundred years?" She swallowed. "If you're trying to say you want to take things slow, wait until we get to know each other better - " -He laughed, pulling her down into the tub with him. "No. I'm warning you that I will show you no mercy."Mencheres and Kira

In At Grave's End , when I read about Mencheres's evil wife Petra, how she tries to hurt and kill Mencheres and everyone he loves. Then he has to help kill her and feels so bad about it because he still loves her. My heart broke for him. So I was doing a happy dance that he got his HEA. Mencheres is a super powerful vampire on steroids, but he doesn't let that power go to his head. He has honor, integrity, and a good heart. Oh yeah and he is smokin' hot that always helps!!! Kira was the perfect woman for him. She wanted him for him, not for his power, riches, or fame, but just because he was him. Kira was brave, smart, and loyal. Kira was honest about her feelings and she was very protective of Mencheres. I loved that. He was so powerful, but she stuck up for him, putting people in there place a few times! When Kira and Mencheres get together damn! Mencheres can really work it.

"Take me. Don't wait," she got out in a ragged voice once he freed her lips to trail his devastating mouth down her neck. His fingers found her depths in the next moment, making her cry out at the sizzle of sensation. He stroked her far more slowly than she did him, her faster rhythm wringing deep, throaty groans out of Mencheres that spiked her lust. "You are not ready yet. I would hurt you," he rasped. She felt his need as if it were a living thing trying to claw its way out of him. The intensity, the overwhelming force of his desire fueled her impatience. Yes, that was how she felt. Like she'd die if he wasn't inside her right now. "Wanting you hurts even more," Kira choked.-Kira and Mencheres



"For all your experience, I'm guessing this is one thing you're not very familiar with, so let me help you out," she murmured. "For starters, it doesn't require weeks or months to know what you feel is love. For another, this is something that even with all your power, you can't control. You don't have to echo my feelings, Mencheres, but you can't talk me out of them, either. I love you." Her smile was wry. "Deal with it." -Kira

I was glad that Bones and Mencheres made up in this book. Vlad was in this book a lot which of course I loved because I love Vlad. The plot was great, went at a nice steady pace, but there was a good build up of Kira and Mencheres relationship. I hated Radje, he made the perfect slimy, evil bad guy! The end fight scene with Mencheres and Radje was awesome. Mencheres kicked some evil vamp ass. I really liked that Kira didn't wait to be saved in this book, she did what she needed to and she kicked ass too! Another great book by Jeaniene Frost. I can't wait for Ian's book!

"Do I feel too ancient to you now?" he murmured. "Too different from the person you loved before you knew this?" Her eyes were already glowing green, and her full lips parted. "No, you don't feel too ancient." Her voice was husky. "Or too different. You feel like mine. Whoever you were, whoever you are . . . you're mine." Mencheres smiled, his fangs stretching to their full length. "So you have spoken, so it shal be decreed. For all eternity."-Mencheres and Kira

[KristenReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Fantastic Stars!!


I loved this book with all my heart. By far my favorite story in the Night Huntress series.

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mencheres and Kira

"First bubble baths. Now Disney parks. You're shattering every creep vampire myth I've ever heard."

Finally, Mencheres, i.e. Bones' sire, will have his very own Happily Ever After.
But not
before he has a period of shelf doubt,
before his visions become black and gone,
before he decides to kill himself,
before a very old enemy tricks him,
before he assigns the rest of his line to Bones,
before he decides that he has been celibate for far too long.

Kira will come the right moment. She is strong, mature, caring, loyal, wise and human. When Mencheres is forced to turn her to a vampire, she will also quickly adapt to this change. She will bring Mencheres back to light and life.

Kira and Mencheres are suitable for each other. The perfect union and the perfect apportunity for Mencheres' happiness after that bitch wife that he used to have.

Another thing that I loved in this novel was Mencheres' adoration for water. Usually vampires love earth and dirt. This is the first time that I see a vampire diving in deep waters and having long baths and truly enjoying it. Of course the fact that he doesn't need to breathe really helps.

Vlad steals the show:

Kira tried to make her voice sound confident. "You don't feel anything. You're not afraid".
"I am," came Vlad's immediate reply. "If you tell him wolves are the children of the night next, I might hurt myself laughing."

Hahaha....I am so looking forward to reading his books.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 ½-5 stars – Vampire/Paranormal Romance

I’m a huge Night Huntress series fan, especially when it comes to my main luv Bones, and I loved yummy Spade’s story First Drop of Crimson. But I’ll admit that in the previous books, although I found Mencheres intriguing for sure, I didn’t really envision him as a leading romantic hero, mainly because I always pictured him in a sort of androgynous way. With his long hair, elegant, regal composure, aloof disposition, and eerie, massive powers, I’d previously imagined Ra in the movie Stargate, as portrayed by actor Jaye Davidson, for some reason.



But now after reading more about Mencheres in Eternal Kiss of Darkness, especially his skills as a lover...Yowza, I definitely don’t see him as asexual anymore! Now I picture him more like Oded Fehr from the Mummy movies, only with a bit lighter skin and younger.



I really enjoyed the passionate relationship between Mencheres and Kira, and she’s such a strong, giving, funny, and honorable heroine that she nearly stole the show, but something about Mencheres still remained a bit detached somehow. I felt like he began to reveal himself and show more emotion towards the latter part of the book, but then unfortunately the ending was a bit abrupt and with no epilogue, I was left wanting a bit more.

The love scenes were nice and steamy, borderline erotic in a couple of places, and there were some funny moments, but the humor was definitely not as strong as in the previous books. Cat and Bones played small roles and were a delight as always, but I was disappointed that Spade and Denise were completely absent from this. Vlad Tepesh made his presence memorable as usual, and I’m definitely looking forward to his story, hopefully next?

Overall, this is my least favorite of the Night Huntress and Night Huntress World series so far, but it’s still a sexy, entertaining paranormal romance worthy of 4 ½...almost 5 stars!

Here are my favorite lines:

***************Possible spoilers ahead***************

“First bubble baths. Now Disney parks. You’re shattering every creepy vampire myth I’ve ever heard.”

“Find a new pastime, Radje. I hear Wii is extremely entertaining.”

After last night, Kira knew that his tongue felt like a vibrator set to the speed of Oh Hell Yeah.

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before this book, I was not the biggest Mencheres fan--I could really take him or leave him, but after reading Eternal Kiss Of Darkness...oh wow, I really grew to love this dreamy, gentleman vampire! And the things we learn about him? Just amazing...

The book starts out with Mencheres's certainty that his time is growing short--he sees nothing but darkness in his future, with darkness equaling "death". He's not getting any more of his "visions" of the future, he can't deal with the guilt he feels about stuff that happened in the past (with his wife, Patra), he's living with a ton of regrets, and dealing with a jealous, power-hungry foe determined to bring him down--he can't see beyond this all encompassing darkness. So he decides to give it all up and go out on his terms--after 4,500 years as a vampire, he's willing to die in a Chicago warehouse by the hands of some "ghouls". But he never expected 30-ish, beautiful blonde P.I. Kira Graceling to be walking by...

Kira hears screams coming from the warehouse, and against her better judgment, decides to investigate. She makes a brave attempt to rescue Mencheres from the ghouls, but of course they overpower her and nearly fataly wound her. Mencheres is stunned and touched that she would bravely put her own life on the line for him...it's been so long since someone cared for him in that way. Maybe 'death' can wait awhile--he owes Kira that much. So he uses his blood to heal her, takes her away to one of his homes, and gets ready to wipe her memories clean of all that she's witnessed. But his attempts to mesmorize Kira fail...perhaps she has too much of his powerful blood in him which is making her resistant? He's going to need to wait this out for as much as a week--there's no way he can just let Kira go and risk having humans find out about the existance of vampires living among them...But a week with the fearless Kira brings complications--he cannot resist the attraction he feels for her. But he must give her up, because death is waiting...and to keep her with him would be risking her life.

I won't go into anymore of the plot. The story is pretty simple and easy to follow. Kira and Mencheres fall for each other, but before they can truly be together they have to work past some issues. Mencheres has a vengeful vampire (Radjedef) out to destroy him, who actually frames him for murder, and Kira has her work cut out for her convincing Mencheres that death may not be in his future if he fights for what he wants.

What I found most interesting about the book was Mencheres's background and some of his quirks (laying in a bathtub or swimming pool under the water was a favorite). I don't want to reveal any spoilers but...wow!..is all I can say. Lots of interesting, juicy details. And even though he's "older than dirt" he's a lot younger than I pictured him. And he's been celibate for a long, loooooong time. This guy's definitely been on the shelf too long, and he makes up for it in a big way with lucky, lucky Kira! There's a handful of scorching hot vampire sex scenes (on the ceiling!), with one actually taking place at Disneyland!

In typical JF fashion, the story takes place in many locales across North America, including Chicago, Jackson Hole, Disneyland, the Grand Canyon, the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan, and a finale atop an office buiding in Atlanta. I always enjoy it when the characters hop-scotch around the globe, and I enjoy the little details about how they get from point A to point B.

As far as the relationship between Kira and Mencheres? Very hot, and one of mutual respect. I did think Kira adjusted to her 'situation' rather easily--I expected a lot more complaining and hesistancy, but she took everything in stride. ****spoiler coming****I loved reading about her transformation to a vampire, and all that she went through--very cool how she had to deal with her sudden uber-strength and how she learned to deal with her new powers. Loved the scene with Vlad snickering in the background when she was going to feed from a very willing human, and loved the scene at Disneyland when Mencheres set up her first feeding!***end spoiler**** I thought Kira was a very strong heroine, worthy of the powerful Mencheres. I also liked how she was able to use her police training and P.I. skills to help Mencheres get the HEA he (and she) deserved.

Fans of the series will want to know--any Bones and Cat sightings? Yes, Bones and Cat (and Vlad!) make appearances and play a small part in the story. But this is essentially the Mencheres-Kira story fighting against the evil foe Rajedef. But it was nice to see Bones and Cat interact with Kira. I can imagine Cat and Kira becoming good friends.

I only have a few minor complaints about the book. There wasn't quite as much humor in this book as the others (probably because Mencheres is such a dignified, gentlemanly hero, and let's face it--he's no Bones!)), and on a more disappointing note--NO epilogue! I was dying for one! I'm very sure we'll see Mencheres and Kira again--Bones and Cat are bound to get into trouble and need Mencheres's help again--but an epilogue sure would've helped to wrap things up and answer some questions I had (*sigh*). Other than that minor disappointment, this was a good addition to the series--now please bring on Vlad's story--this guy needs a HEA too! 4 1/2 stars

I used to picture Mencheres like this...



but now I see him as much younger...

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost, is the 2nd book in Night Huntress World duet, which is a spin-off from her best selling Night Huntress Series.

I have always found Mencheres, Egyptian pharaoh, master vampire, 4500 years old and Bone’s sire, a captivating and intriguing character throughout his appearances in the series and I was eager to read his story.

The story opens up with Kira Graceling a Chicago private investigator, coming to the rescue of Mencheres, whilst he’s being tortured by a group of ghouls. When she’s critically injured by the ghouls during her attempted rescue, Mencheres heals her injuries with his blood and transports her to his home to ensure that she’s okay. The plan he has is once she’s recovered, he will wipe out her memory and send her back to her human life. Unfortunately, Kira is immune to him being able to control her mind. Something that very rarely happens with humans. He persuades her to stay for a week, which should be enough time for him to work his “magic” on her memory.

I often speculated about what type of woman could ever match Mancheres……..and now we get to find out!
I absolutely loved Kira. She’s strong, speaks her mind, open minded and not afraid to come to terms with the situation she finds herself in after discovering that her savior is actually a vampire. And when Mencheres is forced to turn her into a vampire, she faces the new changes in her life with grit, determination – what a change from those heroines who run around whining and moaning…..she gets up and goes forward. She’s such a change from the usual women Mencheres has been with for eons.

This is a worthy partner for Mencheres……

“You don't have to echo my feelings, Mencheres, but you can't talk me out of them either. I love you" Her smile was wry. "Deal with it.”

I loved these two together. The chemistry and sexual tension between them is unbelievable. I found the pool scene totally sizzling…..and watching Kira make a move on the gorgeous vampire was a true lesson on seduction….

Think about someone who hasn’t had sex for over 900 years…okay, he hasn’t forgotten his skills, don’t worry,..

These new feelings that Mencheres is experiencing are going to come between his decision to destroy Radjedef, an Egyptian vampire now one of the vampire Guardians, who wants Manchere’s powerful gifts for himself, something that is certainly not going to happen….and then end his life. Something Kira is determined to stop him from doing. Did I not say she’s focused and determined before???

One of my favorite couples – yes, Cat and Bones make an appearance in the story…and even more happy times…so does Vlad, the vampire!!! He has some of the best lines in this story.
This is a fun, sexy, romantic and fast-paced read…….one that I will be rereading again and again.

One of my favorite quotes:

[MelissaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4 1/2***

I really enjoyed this vampire romance, it kept my attention and was fun to read. For once, I really liked and admired the heroine. Kira was couragous, smart and actully thought things through before she acted. I like the way she understood Mencheres and stood up for him. I think Frost focused more on Kira's point of view in the story, sometimes I wanted more of Mencheres's thoughts and I wanted more of his background story. But I really enjoyed the views we were given of him and I like third person point of view MUCH better than first person (which is why these books are more satisfying for me than the Night Huntress books). Mencheres was kind of quirky with his penchent for staying underwater in his tub and swimming pool to get away from things. He is a man with a lot of power but he still tried to do the right thing and didn't abuse the gifts he was given. I also liked how in this book we get to see a brand new vampire's transition into their new world, most of the other people in the series have been vampires for a long time already.

Kira and Mencheres made a nice couple, I thought they complemented each other well. The thing that knocks this down from a 5 star was the lack of an epilogue which would have tied together the ending, I felt like the author left us hanging a bit. There was no question of Mencheres and Kira staying together, but I wanted to see how they are making a life together and how Kira is dealing with her sister. Maybe we will see more in later books?

If you aren't up to date on the Night Huntress books, I think you can still enjoy the romance in this book but you will get spoilers from the Night Huntress series and you won't have a full appreciation for how Mencheres's previous actions are affecting him in this book. Hopefully the next book with be Vlad's!

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

There was an appropriate modern word for his actions: “stalking.”

Continuing in the side stories that evolved from the Night Huntress series, Mencheres' book was frankly a let-down. The vampire has been "saved" by a courageous young women who can't resist the sounds of struggle from the warehouse. After he whisks her away to safety after some digging, the two eventually fall in love and bond.

Surprisingly Frost's writing style itself wasn't as up to par. I'm not sure if it's because of shifting points of view or trying something different, but it didn't have the same smooth and natural flow it usually does. Mencheres is awesome and I'm happy he wasn't drowning in angst, but it still felt awkward a bit to be in his head and how things so spelled out and told rather than shown. Kira is a good lead although nothing stands out about her. We do get a little Cat, Bones and Vlad. I hate the guardians of the law in the series. Akir was creepy.

While some of the backstory with Mencheres enemy is mildly interesting, the book is predictable with its focus of story. There's not much other than their romance, which makes only a small amount of sense. I'm guessing it's more a bit of timing. Surely Mancheres has ran into another intelligent, compassionate and creative woman throughout all the years he's been alive.

Ultimately a bit of a downer since Mancheres comes across less awesome than he could, Kira is only an average lead, and the story is focused mainly on their somewhat unrealistic romance, it's definitely not the best offering of the series offshoots.

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ½ stars.

Honestly the only reason I read this immediately following its lackluster (IMO) predecessor “First Drop of Crimson” was because it was the only unread audiobook left on my Ipod. Me riding home with only my thoughts for company is never a good thing.

Kira is a private investigator who hears a scuffle and walks in on a man on the brink of being slain by . . . ghouls. Not hoodlums dressed as ghouls but genuine, flesh-eating ghouls. Now if this were me I’d shriek like a girl and beat it but she’s much tougher than me and tries to save the man. He is gorgeous, so I guess you can’t blame her. She ends up getting herself cut up pretty bad and the lovely, pale, long haired man manages to behead the ghouls without breaking a sweat. If you haven’t guessed already, he’s a vampire and being the noble vampire that he is, gives her a big dose of his healing vampire blood because he feels bad that she injured herself trying to save him. I found this all very sweet and fun but did have to wonder why the ghouls held him in such a precarious position in the first place. If this was all setup only to conveniently get the couple together I was going to be seriously ticked off. But there were other reasons and for that I’m grateful.

Mencheres has exposed himself to a human and he can’t woo her into forgetting him with his otherworldly green glowing eyes because his magical blood is in her system. So he is forced into keeping her prisoner until the effects of his blood wear off. But damn if it isn’t taking much longer than he figured and he’s starting to develop feelings for her. Oh noes! He needs to get back to brooding and the girl has got to go!

Seriously, I liked Mencheres and I even liked Kira a lot too. They were much better sketched out than Spade and whatshername from the first book and their attraction was also better developed. Mencheres is a lovely “I will protect you even if it means my demise” type of guy. I’m a sucker for those types. He’s also a little suicidal and though I’m normally not ok with that type of behavior it works here. He’s freaking ancient, he’s seen and done it all (even men – note to author I would pay good money to read that book!), has lived through betrayal, lost his superpower visions, sees only darkness in his future and the poor man hasn’t had sex in 900 years. 900 years, people! Would you still have the will to live? Kira gives him the will to live but he has a cloud of doom hanging over his head to make him gloriously angsty. Kira has a dying sister and a drug addled brother and her life, though much shorter than his, has been no bed of roses either. The two were well matched.

There were teensy glimpses of humor but I could’ve used more. I have nothing really to say about the plot which is why I can only give this book 3 ½ stars. It wasn’t anything special but it wasn’t horribly tedious either. I’ve read too many of these urban fantasies, I think. There’s a big bad, he does big bad things, he tries to hurt Kira, he pays for his transgressions and Kira and Mencheres live to spend another night filled with erotic bliss.

[❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan 30, 2020
I was in the mood for some Mencheres after reading Wicked Bite. I absolutely love Vlad in this book....I’m feeling a need for a re-read of the Night Prince series!!

Aug 2017
I originally read this book (but never reviewed) in 2011 and enjoyed it very much. I decided to revisit the Night Huntress World series just because I was missing these wonderful characters.


4.5 Sexy Master Vampire Stars!!!

We definitely get to see a different side to Master Vampire Mencheres!! This powerful vampire totally captivated me and captured my heart!! Mencheres is a very old and powerful vampire who has grown tired of this world and weary of life. But, fate has other plans for him.

Kira is a Private Investigator who while walking home hears someone being tortured and intervenes. Unbeknownst to Kira she just interrupted several Ghouls torturing and killing a Master Vamp who has decided to end it all and has cloaked is powers to do so. When the Ghouls attack Kira delivering mortal wounds Mencheres let's loose all his power and slaughters the Ghouls to save this brave innocent woman, who came to a stranger's aid.



Unfortunately, Mencheres is unable to erase her memory of what transpired. At first he thinks it's because he gave her so much of his blood to heal her.....soon he learns differently. Kira's mind is just not susceptible to mind control which is a problem since humans don't know of the existence of supernatural beings.

As Mencheres and Kira become closer, an old enemy is out to destroy Mencheres and because of the bond he has formed with Kira she becomes a pawn in a powerful vampire war which eventually leads to her turning.

I LOVED this book! I loved Kira, she was a strong heroine. I found it amusing and endearing how protective she was of Mencheres....her, a lowly human/baby vamp protecting the world's most powerful Vampire. Too cute.

Naturally we get cameo appearances from Cat, Bones, and one of my personal favorite vamps VLAD!!!!

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I enjoyed this book even more than I did the first time I read it. It is not my favorite book in the Night Huntress Universe but I thought it was a worthy addition to the overall series. I only gave this book three stars the first time I read it and it turns out that I didn't remember much of the book so maybe I was distracted the first time I read it. I had a nice time with Mencheres and Kira's story.

Mencheres is old, like really old, and he has a bit of a death wish. Kira stumbles upon him while he is under attack and makes an effort to save him. As a result, she is pulled into a world of vampires that she didn't know existed. Before everything is settled, she will be put in a lot of danger and her world will be forever changed.

I liked getting to know Mencheres and Kira better. I think that Kira's personality really shined in this book while Mencheres remained more of a mystery. I would have liked to see more of Mencheres's thoughts a bit earlier but before it was over we do get to learn what he is really thinking. I thought that they had good chemistry and I liked them together. I do think that a little more history on the feud between Mencheres and his opponent would have made this book even better.

Tavia Gilbert continues to flawlessly narrate this series. She really has done a great job of bringing this story to life. I love the voices that she uses for all of the different characters and how consistent she has been with them. She has a very pleasant voice that I found easy to listen to for hours at a time.

I would recommend this series to others. I do recommend reading this book after the earlier books in the Night Huntress Universe since many of the events and characters play a part in this book. This was an exciting listen from beginning to end and I cannot wait to continue with my re-read of the series.

Initial Thoughts
I guess I liked this one a little better on this re-read than I did when I originally read it. It's not my favorite in the series though. I liked Mencheres and Kira and loved the parts that Vlad, Cat, and Bones played in the story. I didn't remember much of this book so it felt pretty new to me. I thought that Kira handled everything well all things considered. Tavia Gilbert did a fantastic job with the narration which is probably the biggest reason for the book gaining a star this time around.

Book Source: Library

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read of the series with some friends at BB&B

“Just because some of us make a mistake in love once doesn't mean we're doomed to repeat it.”

The last time Mencheres loved a woman it led to a war between vampires and almost killed everyone else he held dear. After her death he is finally free after over a thousand years of a marriage in name only. To say he is conflicted about the part he played in the death of his wife is an understatement. In an odd happenstance Mencheres meets Kira when she risked her life to save his not knowing that he is a pretty powerful vampire. It was supposed to be easy, green eye her and take her memory away and go on however Kira was immune to his green eye and so now they will wait together until he is able to take her memories. But the more time they spend together the more he is conflicted by his desire to stay with her competing with his knowledge that he is soon supposed to die.

I liked seeing a different side of Mencheres. He is so powerful that is has been forever since he has gotten to know anyone on even ground. Most people are drawn to his power but Kira seems to see him as a man and he hasn’t had that for millennia. I loved how strong Kira is, she is bluntly honest most of the time too. She doesn’t hem and haw and inner dialog to death about her feelings. She is straight and to the point. It was so interesting to see how well they complimented each other and their love story is cute. Kira is also protective of Mencheres which is funny since we all know what a bad-ass he is.

“Bubbles. On a scale of one to ten, a bubble bath has to rank zero as far as things I'd expect an older-than-dirt-badass vampire to indulge in. The only thing that would surprise me more would be if you pulled out a rubber ducky.

Mencheres has a long time fued with Radjedef a law guardian that wants Mencheres gifts and will stop at nothing to get them now that he is without his visions. With the help of some of our favorite characters Cat, Bones and Vlad they will try to thwart his plans.

This is a fun look at one of the side characters from the Night Huntress series. I will say it will be far less enjoyable if you haven’t already read the first 4 books of the Night Huntress series as I don’t really think it is a standalone novel. It is a fast read with enjoyable cameos from your favorite characters. Vlad is always good for some comic relief. If you are a fan of the other Night Huntress books then this is definitely right up your alley even though it is still not quite as strong as the original series imo.

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite Jeaniene Frost. (Re read) Mancheres, that ancient vampire with gentleman's manners but will sever the head of the man who hurt his lady. SIGH. This is how you do paranormal romance. I LOVED IT.

[Mikky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: Reread in 2020 and it's still such a good book! I've gotten used to the annoying voice the narrator picked for Bones but that doesn't mean it's any less irritating. Other than that it was great and I still highly recommend this novel if you enjoy vampires and paranormal romance in general ♡
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Originally posted at:


What an incredible book this continues to be. This is my first reread of 2017 and I can't believe this has held up to the test of time. I shouldn't doubt this author's talent when it comes to her Night Huntress and spin-off series.

I enjoyed how kickass and snarky Kiara was. There was never a dull moment with her around. She also stood up for things she believed in and usually won those arguments.

I was on the fence about Mencheres for a long time before this book came out. I'm glad I gave it a chance in 2010. It changed my perspective on quite a few characters. I liked how protective he was of Kiara without overdoing it. When they had a disagreement he would fight her with rational thought and well-formulated sentences. He never once pulled the alpha card.

I wish this wasn't a standalone because I would love to know more about Mencheres. I once read somewhere that this author does plan on writing more books for the characters in her Night Huntress series. That'll have to tide me over.

The Audio Book:

The narration was overall very good. I will say though that the narrator's voice for Bone's really REALLY ticked me off because it was so high pitched and warped. One other thing that rubbed me the wrong way was how Vlad's name was pronounced. I've watched enough movies to get used to that name being pronounced a certain way. It threw me off completely.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: After last night, Kira knew that his tongue felt like a vibrator set to the speed of Oh Hell Yeah.

Mecheres, master vampire, is over 4,500 years old and has had enough of the undead life. With his viscous wife murdered recently, and his power to see the future gone he is done. Although with his wife’s death it has allowed him freedom to pursue other lovers, no one has tempted him. No one has ignited any sort of passion in him. With his co-ruler Bones now firmly in place as head of his line, and his wife Cat with many powers of her own, now is the time to head into the darkness.  He has found himself in a warehouse letting Ghouls slowly best him.

Kira is a private investigator coming home from a stakeout very early one morning. Just about as the sun makes its appearance on the horizon, she hears odd noises coming from a warehouse she is walking by. Unable to ignore, she rushes in to see a man with so many wounds he should be dead. Sensing fresh meat, the ghouls flee to her. Mencheres knows he shouldn’t do anything, but he can’t help but go into action knowing she tried to save him. Kira sees his fangs, and the life ending bites the ghouls make before she succumbs to her own injuries.

When she wakes, she is perfectly healed, and held captive by Mencheres. He promises her no harm, but refuses to let her go until he is able to erase her memories. Problem is, the simple task of mesmerizing her is not working. He tells her to give it a week’s time to let the effects of his blood leave her system. During this week, they come to know each other and to each of their surprise, find many attributes that provide a great basis for attraction.

To add to the complications, Mencheres’s long-standing nemesis, Radjedef wants revenge. Mencheres and Radje have been playing cat and mouse for as long a Mencheres can remember. Radje feels stilted out of getting some of Mencheres’ superior power and when Radje gets wind that Mencheres has a lover, all bets are off.

I was a bit hesitant to read Eternal Kiss of Darkness . I adore Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series but her first spin off, featuring Spade, The First Drop of Crimson disappointed me. I felt a lack of chemistry between Spade and Denise. I was very curious to read about Mencheres as a romantic hero though– having only seen his much more serious side in the Night Huntress books. I ended this very satisfied by his story.
Kira tried to save Mencheres without knowing a thing about him. No one had ever done something like that for him without ulterior motives – ever. Mencheres finds himself telling Kira secrets, laughing, joking, ogling her breasts – things he hasn’t done or thought of for years. He even cracks a joke:

“Bubbles. On a scale of one to ten, a bubble bath has to rank a zero as far as things I’d expect an older-than-dirt-bad-ass-vampire to indulge in. The only thing that would surprise me more was if you pulled out a rubber ducky.”
He fought another, stronger twitch of his lips. “Bath toys are reserved only for the oldest, most lethal vampires. I have a full century to age and another thousand men to kill before I reach that hallowed landmark.”

Kira ends up liking Mencheres not because of his status as a master vampire or his wealth, but just for his actions. He may try to dissuade her initially from a relationship to keep her safe, but his lust can not be kept in check for long. Mencheres was locked in an awful marriage for centuries and he finally has a chance at true love. There are many moments where he looks upon Kira with such tender, almost unbelievable feelings. He must convince himself he deserves this – after 4500 years as vampire, bad deeds have been done. I had a hard time picturing Mencheres in his twenties – at one point when he puts his hair up and wears a hat he is described as looking even younger. In my mind he is firmly in his his mid-forties – because you know, those extra twenty years is crucial to reconcile his age to being a 4500 year old. No, I don’t know why it was hard for me to see him as a young guy and it really has no effect on his character. But it is something that stood out to me each time his appearance is mentioned.

I also enjoyed Kira, although there were a few times where her high and mighty attitude towards other powerful vampires seemed a bit much. She very much wanted to protect Mencheres, but at times I think she needed to take it down a notch. Otherwise, I liked how she comes to accept the presence of the supernaturals and her undying support of Mencheres, whom she meets at the end of his rope, was impressive.

We see familiar faces in Bones, Cat and Vlad (oh, do I love Vlad). The villain in this one is fun because he is such an integral part of Mencheres’s life. He strolls into his house for a chat and he is a very personal villain, not one on the outskirts of the story. He is very evil though as well, and the climax at the end is done well.

And I can’t end the review without mentioning the smex. Mecheres has been denied sex for a very long time, and that amounts to a very passionate vampire in the bedroom. I seriously love Jeanine Frost’s romance scenes – plus in this book she gives us ceiling sex. Does it get better?


Eternal Kiss of Darkness is a fast paced, sexy, really fun paranormal romance.

[Beanbag Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! Mencheres is hot!

This was a good installment in the Night Huntress World series by Jeaniene Frost. Maybe better than Spade's book (although Spade is my #1 hunny bunny). I liked Kira more than Denise, as did many other readers, I think. She's much more capable right from the start and doesn't have a chip on her shoulder the whole way through. Part of the way, yes, but she's a very logical person and gets down to the facts she knows rather than jumping to emotion.

In any case, I loved Spade's book, but I liked this one even more.

I won't go into detail, as so many others have already reviewed this and, if you're planning on reading it, you're up on the world. Mencheres is tired of it all until he meets private investigator, Kira, when she jumps into a dangerous situation to save his life. Which, of course, didn't need saving because he's MENCHERES! And hot. Did I mention that?

Great background story on Mencheres, plenty of action, cameos by Bones and Cat and a featured role for another fan fave make this a book that's hard to put down.

Biggest problem (I think this is deja vu from First Drop of Crimson) was the lack of an epilogue or any time with the couple after the danger passes. Come on! We've stuck it out with them while their necks are on the line, can't we have just a few pages of unthreatened togetherness?

All-in-all a very good installment. I understand Vlad's getting his own book and I'm really counting on Ian getting a book too. Night Huntress fans -- enjoy! Those who haven't read Jeaniene Frost yet -- pick up Halfway to the Grave and get on this train!

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this, more then I expected, Mencheres didn't seem to have much hero appeal in the other books, but I was wrong. He was brilliant, both smoking hot and a genuinely decent and loving person. Kira was also great, she was likable as she was loyal and warmhearted which was just what Mencheres needed.

Although the Night Huntress series is still in my opnion a lot better, Cat and Bones are just a brilliant couple. But I preferred this much more then FDoC and will be one I read again.

[Smokinhotbooks K.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Full Review Here

I admit, I was on the fence about reading Eternal Kiss of Darkness. Not that I didn’t enjoy First Drop of Crimson, but when an author gives you such memorable characters such as Bones and Cat, it becomes a bit hard to live up to that standard. EKOD starts off with Mencheres who is Bones’s mentor/Godfather/Grandfather in the vampire realm. Enter Kira who happens upon Mencheres being beaten by ghouls - thinking he was merely human she gets herself almost killed by saving him. Bu-u-ut he has no way of erasing her memories so she is forced to stay with him for one week until his blood wears off.

What I liked the Mostest

I think what I liked most about EKOD is Kira’s character. She is independent, loyal, and gets the crap beat out of her trying to keep Mencheres secret. My kinda gal.

Oh My Gah. The ceiling sexy time!!! The author always manages to ‘bring it’ with the vampire love scenes. I’ve been a fan of hers since Night Huntresses series infamous Chapter 32. Although Mencheres has been celibate for thousands of years, he can’t seem to resist the charming Kira. Even after he lets her ago he follows her to make sure she is safe. Yes, he is just that adorable. He also helps out with her sister’s illness and looks at Kira like a man who hasn’t had water in 3 days. The tension between these two characters simply sizzles off the pages. I kid you not.

My Itty Bitty Niggle

If there was one itty bitty teeny tiny thing that niggled me was I didn’t feel we really got to know Mencheres. Although we get glimpses of his past, after reading The End, his character remains somewhat of a mystery.

Bottom Line if you are sitting on the fence on this one, hop off, shake your tail feather (sorry I’m listening to Hits 90 on Sirus) and get thee to a bookstore. Yes, we all know this isn’t going to be what I dub Cat and Bones books, but EKOD still brings it! Eternal Kiss of Darkness is a solid read filled with tension, loyalty, sensual vampire bites and sexy time on the ceiling!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Powerful Stars....I absolutely love these additional stories in the "Night Huntress" Series, they provide an in depth look at some of the supporting characters and fill in the storyline even further...Mencheres was always a difficult character for me to assess; I was always uncertain of his loyalties and motivations ; we knew him to be ancient and extremely powerful, but some of his actions seemed questionable....this story provided a glimpse of Mencheres' vulnerabilities and fears which softened the rough edges of the character and made him more relatable, but at the same time it maintained his powerful and mysterious aura that provides such an allure to the reader....we come to fully understand his loyalty to his friends and the sacrifices he is willing to make to protect them...in addition, Mencheres is paired with Kira, a strong minded, intelligent, true hearted beauty that compliments Mencheres' character in all ways....these two characters ignite in their chemistry physically, mentally, and emotionally which adds a powerful dynamic to the overall storyline...this was a fantastic journey from start to finish and a strong addition to the overall series:)

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so this book surprised me and I didn't see it coming.

Firstly because ever since I heard that Mencheres was getting a book, I was never overly interested in his story. I mean, I liked his character, sure, but a whole book about him? Meh. And then I read the first Night Huntress World novel, (Spade's story) and was more than a little put off. Very generic pnr, the hero was boring and unoriginal, whilst the heroine was truly bang-your-head-against-the-wall annoying.

Anyway, I started reading EKoD with a great deal of skepticism. I should also say that I don't read much paranormal romance, but I prefered Frost's books because I'm already familiar with her characters so some of their growth and analysis have already been accomplished in the previous books. It's easier to relate, easier to understand.

Mencheres is propably my favorite character now, (after Vlad of course). In the Cat and Bones books, he was a cool and somewhat detached character, and seemed pretty stereotypical. A father figure to the hero, very utilitarian , often a way to progress the story and divulge worldbuilding information.

Astonishingly, EKoD's Mencheres is a strong,self-deprecating, funny, earthily sexy man, whose way of thinking and actions come across as both legitimate and sincere. His exchanges with Kira were intermittently funny, hot and sweet.

In many pnr books(both adult and ya) what bothers me is exactly this: how the old,savvy and jaded immortal protagonist is magically swept off his feet by the mortal he loves(see:lusts for)and everything about his character and way of life changes. We are practically slapped with a makeover and a HEA with no further development.

But here the progress is slow(er) and believable, and there is no drastic character rewrite or sugarcoating. Mencheres retains his good and bad attributes and so does the heroine. The couple's HEA is not their sins atoned, but the fact that they simply come together. I also appreciated the fact that Frost decided to build their relationship not on lust-on-sight but on a sense of deeper connection. I'm propably not conveying this well, but their progress felt more humane, realistic, satisfying than others. They are similar, kindred souls, and they, quite simply, recognize it.

As for the heroine, Kira, I loved her. She was smart, spunky and brave, loving and generous. The absolute opposite of TSTL. Her sincerity about her feelings, and aknowledgement of her faults is remarkable. (Denise, eat your heart out). Her objections and reactions were realistic and never overexaggerating. What won me over was the fact that she didn't beat around the bush about her nature,her feelings. Attagirl.

There is an appearence from Vlad!! Damn, I love his portrayal, a mixture of brutal honesty, sarcastic humor and heartbreaking insights into his soul. Frost is planning a new series about him, not just a NHW book.

That said, EKoD could have used a few more pages and the protagonists did come together a little too fast for my liking. But as I said, I at least, was, in the end, satisfied about their development. It was honest.

Liked this one a great deal, as you can tell by my wildly incoherent rant that's supposed to pass as a review, but oh well. ;)

*3,5 stars.

P.S.:Kinky ceiling sex. If that's not going to persuade you, I don't know what is.

[Pepito · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. It has amazing characters and a very good plot. But the whole time I felt like something was missing. I think it was the lack in the romance department. I wanted to see more of Kira and Mencheres. I have finished the book and I still want more of them. They were such amazing characters. This book was suppose to be paranormal romance but it had too much plot development and not as much romance as it should IMHO. And it had such an abrupt ending that made me angry.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it.
Mencheres did redeem himself for his previous mischiefs and, let's be honest, the guy does deserve a HEA after a millennia of misery due to his first unfortunate marriage.
Kira is amazing, I can't wait to read more about her in future books. She took to the undead life with extreme confidence and grace and her love and integrity for humans will balance well in her new life.

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Menchere’s and Kira’s story and I found it an enjoyable experience. I’ve always been fascinated by this particular vampire especially considering all I’ve learned previously so was excited to learn more. Kira a private investigator stumbles onto a scene straight out of a nightmare she should have died but instead finds herself healed and whisked off to the home of a vampire as his reluctant guest.

Unable to compel Kira or read her mind Menchere now finds himself fascinated by the feisty strong human in an act of trust he agrees to let her return to her life but when her natural inquisitiveness places her back in danger the course of Kira’s life is then changed forever and this ancient Egyptian vampire is her only lifeline and way forward.

Menchere is quite a melancholy figure he’s very old practically ancient and he feels he has much to atone for. If vampires can suffer depression then Menchere is a prime candidate. Kira’s arrival throws his mind and life into total chaos and now instead of wishing for peace and death Menchere finds himself instead with so much more now to live for.

This one was action-packed throughout a real edge-of-your-seat ride. We get to reconnect with loved former characters and I certainly appreciated seeing this vampire who always appeared so isolated and lonely like an island get his stab at happiness with Kira.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, I was never really interested in Mencheres before. Honestly, he came across as OLD, and unsexy. But I’m so glad that Jeaniene Frost proved me wrong.

Mencheres is tired, alone and weighted down with guilt. Mostly everyone in his life, especially women, has only been attracted to him because of his power or his wealth. No one has ever done anything for him in exchange for nothing. There has always been ulterior motives. Until now….

In order to stop his long-time nemesis from obtaining his power, he has decided that he has to die. Also, he has lost his visions, and see only darkness, believing therefor that death is coming for him. While waiting for ghouls to finish him off, he is saved by P.I. Kira Graceling, a human who has no idea that supernatural exists, and only wants to save the man who is being tortured. But while trying to save Mencheres, Kira is mortally wounded, and Mencheres has to heal her. But because he is unable to hypnotize her into forgetting about him and what happended, he kidnaps her, so that he can try again after a few days.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Mencheres and Kira. And I loved how determined Kira was at first to get away from Mencheres. Kira is definitely not meek, she has so much courage, even when she’s afraid, and she had no problem putting Mencheres in his place. It was hilarious seeing Mecheres react to the first person in perhaps ever telling him no, and refusing to listen to him. Their relationship was slow building, even though the attraction was instant, because neither wanted to admit to their feelings. And because Mencheres doesn’t want to risk Kira’s life, even though he can’t stop thinking about her, he lets her go. But of course fate intervenes, and brings them into contact again. And so their journey to their HEA continues.

I loved how Kira saw Mencheres, and she definitely brought out his sexy side ;-). She also brought back beauty and love into his life, and gave him motivation in fighting to live. They were just perfect for each other.

Of course, almost all my favorite characters made appearances, and I really enjoyed Vlad’s snarky attitude, as I always do :-).

“Mencheres,” the stranger said. “If anyone other than you had me fly halfway around the world just to keep me waiting while you were obviously lingering in bed, I’d have my driver run them over. Twice.”

A really enjoyable addition to this series, and a must read for all lovers of the Night Huntress World.

[AH · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It was with anticipation that I picked up Eternal Kiss of Darkness. I enjoy Jeaniene Frost’s books and I was looking forward to Mencheres’ story. After all, Mencheres is such a powerful vampire and his story had to be great.

Unfortunately, Mencheres’ character fell a little flat for me. For a master vampire, I was expecting a lot of “special talents.” Mencheres seemed a little mopey and self destructive until….the lovely Kira Graceling falls into his life. Kira saved the story for me. It is refreshing to see a strong female character for a change. Kira has confidence in Mencheres and suddenly he is obsessed with her safety and well being. Kira is also exceptionally strong as a newly made vampire.

I was very happy when Bones and Vlad stepped into the story. They made the story for me. I especially appreciate Vlad’s character and I hope that there is a book planned for him in the future. Vlad’s story should be very interesting.

I found the villain Rajedef a little irksome. Yes, he was power hungry and evil. But he was mostly annoying.

Despite its few flaws, Eternal Kiss of Darkness was an enjoyable read. The pacing was good and there was a lot of excitement towards the end. I loved learning about Mencheres’ back story.

[Севдалина · Rating 5 out of 5]

Менчарес и Кира

Менчарес е един от най-старите вампири на света. И може би най-могъщият. С една мисъл, той може да накара всяко живо същество да замръзне неспособно да направи дори едно движение. Той може да вижда бъдещето, да чете мисли и да променя съдби. До момента в който, е принуден да участва в убийството на побърканата магьосница, която на всичкото отгоре е и негова съпруга. Изправен пред това да изгуби своята линия от вампири, или да се изправи срещу жадната за убийства Патра, той избира да защити хората си, но след като деянието е извършено, Менчарес губи способността си да вижда бъдещето. Решавайки, че това е съдбата му, изтощен от самотата и битките през дългия си живот, той решава, че е време да сложи край на живота си... докато не е спасен от една упорита човешка жена.

Кира е частен детектив. На връщане от дома си, минава покрай изоставена сграда, където осъзнава, че група мъже измъчват някой. Решена да помогне на нападнатият мъж, тя опитва да го спаси, без да осъзнава, че с тези свои действия, ще се озове в сърцето на един непознат и страховит свят, където единствената светлина пред нея ще е един неустоим и магнетичен мъж, владеещ сили и управляващ мощ, която е по-голяма от всичко, което някога си е представяла.

Не знам защо бях прескочила тази книга. Тя бе толкова приятна и красива. Всички познаваме Менчарес от предишните книги на авторката. Той е силен, доблестен и състрадателен. Тук обаче видяхме, че е прояждан от самота и се самообвинява за неща, които не са се случили по негова вина. Видяхме жертвите, които бе готов да направи и всички приготовления, които бе направил, за да подсигури, че хората от кръвната му линия ще бъдат в безопасност. Видяхме, че Менчарес има ужасен, зъл враг, който е готов на всичко, за да го унищожи... и което доведе до това Кира да загуби смъртността си. Кира пък беше страхотна героиня, умна, села и любяща. Тя показа на Менчарес, че го иска заради самият него, не заради парите, мощта, положението или уменията му. Тя се бореше за него, когато никой друг не го правеше, беше с него, дори когато той избутваше всички далеч, и факта, че не можеше да отблъсне нея, беше наистина страхотен. Въпреки годините опит, въпреки силите му, въпреки желязната му воля, той просто не можеше да я отблъсне. Двамата бяха наистина страхотна двойка. Много се радвам за това как се наредиха нещата помежду им. Честно казано, надявах се, че и болната сестра на Кира ще бъде превърната във вампир, но кой знае, може за по-нататък авторката да си е оставила вратичка.

Противно на повечето книги на Фрост, тази бе значително по-лека. В нея липсваше обичайната кръвожадност, липсваха огромните кървави битки и моментите в които героите ни се измъкваха на косъм от смъртта. По-голямата част от книгата бе посветена на въвеждането на Кира в света на немъртвите и начина по който малко по-малко желанието за смърт на Менчарес бе изместено от волята за живот, за това как докато не можеше да понесе да продължи да живее, се превърна в мисъл, че не може да си позволи да умре, изоставяйки Кира сама на този свят. Буквално можех да почувствам любовта, която изпитваха един към друг да се просмуква в мен през страниците на книгата, и останах адски доволна от прочетеното. <3

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually really surprised by my rating for this one. I enjoyed it quite a bit, despite - or possibly because of - Mencheres being one of my least favorite characters from the NH series. I didn't really cut him any slack here; hot sex or no, I wanted a decent story...and there WAS hot sex. My goodness, it made Spade and Denise from the last NHW book look like they were awkward gropey teens... and that's just not sexy at all.

Mencheres... well... I may not give up my preference for Bones... but one could do a lot worse than to read about Menchere's naughties. He's GOOD at them.

And on top of that, I actually came to kinda like him toward the end. I realize now that what I didn't like about him before was his monotone aloofness. He's the all-knowing, wise, father-figure who shows up to provide strength, but doesn't really do much else but brood a lot. And for a goodish chunk of this book, he continued on that road... but Kira brought out a new side of him... a lighter side. And I LIKED it. I like seeing Mencheres laugh and tease and enjoy himself.

And I liked that there was no fucking instalove. YYYYYAAAAAAAYYYY!!!!
\(O_O)/

Kira and Mencheres didn't just see each other and fall head over heels in lust-I-mean-love - they actually formed a kind of relationship and interest in each other before that. There was a progression of attraction and liking and interest! It actually took me a while to recognize why I was feeling like this was just a better book than FDOC - but toward the end, around the time that Kira realized the significance of the situation in which she met Mencheres, I realized that there's just been this growing connection between them that actually consisted of something more than just saying that there was one.

They have things in common. They have similar pasts (though, admittedly, one's is much more vast than the other's), and similar betrayal experiences, and similar consciousness of the powerless people who could be hurt by their actions... or inaction. There's a base of commonality that their relationship stood on, and I really liked that a lot.

Kira, also, was no moronic girl who couldn't be trusted to tie her own shoes without a man guiding her. I liked her a LOT. She has personality, and spunk, and her own will and damn the consequences. And when those consequences actually bite her in the ass, she doesn't back down or run away or whine or cry about it, but stands her ground and holds her head up, because she is willing to take the responsibility for herself. So good.

I do feel like I would have liked more closure with Tina though - just a quick follow-up meeting with her after everything, to meet the boyfriend as promised. See how she's coping with her new knowledge and family and whatnot.

And I do feel like the resolution was just a little rushed - but still enjoyable.

Definitely much better than I expected for this one to be, and I'd recommend this one over First Drop of Crimson any day.

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read with Choko and Robin.

Up until this moment Mencheres was this aloof, mysterious puppet-master that was technically on Cat and Bones' side. The thing is he was hardly a character you could root for. Sympathize a little with but never really identify with. Eternal Kiss of Darkness changes that.

We start this with a suicidal but determined to protect his line at all costs Mencheres and a human girl who gets involved in the preternatural because of her inability to ignore someone in trouble. I loved Kira from the get go because of that. It's a rare thing in today's society where a lot of people will see that you need help and just walk by. And on the next day when they watch the news and see that something terrible has happened they won't even remember that they've been in a position to help.

I loved that we got to learn more about Mencheres and what his life was like both as a pharaoh and then as one of the oldest vampires in existence. Seeing him struggling with life without his visions and the insecurity that it caused in this otherwise very confident character was eye-opening. and while it made my sympathize with him more I also felt like he deserved to be put in that situation to see how it feels to be the pawn instead of the puppet-master.

When I first read this book about 5 years ago I felt like the relationship between Kira and Mencheres was a bit rushed. Having the chance to re-read the events and with the help of a few more years of experience, I could see that this was not the case. Maybe the first time I was too focused on the plotline with Radjedef or maybe I just lacked the ability to see the little details back then, I will never know. But I'm glad I had the chance to re-experience things and think them over with better attention to the smaller things. It helped me appreciate both the book and the characters more.

Talking about character appreciation, I was struck by how much I have ignored one of the recurring side characters. I should have known better since Veritas shows up a lot over the course of the series and with the events of this book some of what happens in the future shouldn't have come as such a surprise when it did. But of course I totally didn't pay attention to all the foreshadowing and little tidbits thrown here and there in the series. The mare fact that she shows up so often should have clued me in that Ms. Frost has plans for her. So if you're first time readers, I suggest you pay special attention to her and how she reacts to things. I promise it will be worth it.

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I am very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. There are a couple of reasons for this:

First and foremost, Mencheres had never struck me as having any obvious potential as a romantic, sexy hero. Sure, he was interesting in an ancient and powerful way, but without any sex appeal to speak of.

Secondly, I was slightly spoiled by reading this one out of order – and don’t get me started on the whole issue of a spin-off series not being a spin-off in anything but name. You can and will spoil both series (Night Huntress and Night Huntress World) if you don’t read them strictly in order. Ugh. I can feel another major rant coming on, and even though it is well deserved, you can just refer to my review of This Side of the Grave. Suffice it to say, I am still really aggravated about this.

Argh. Now I’m going to have to walk away for a while so I’m capable of doing something other than ranting about the cross-over between the series’ and the fact that the author forces you to read both in order to know what’s going on in either one. See? I can’t help it. My fingers are aching to type a major rant. Must. Not. Go. There.

Back to my first point. Mencheres was indeed a worthy hero. I saw him in such a different light in this book, and without the author needing to make drastic changes to his character. He was still the powerful, formal, reserved vampire I was used to, but getting to see inside his head and learn about his past made a significant difference.

But not as much as seeing him fall for Kira. And I could totally see why he did. I think Kira is the most appealing heroine Frost has written yet – and I do include Cat in that statement. Kira was everything a heroine should be and then some. I loved the way she was prepared to fight for Mencheres (both figuratively and literally), and I loved seeing her stand her ground on the strength of her convictions.

I seldom have much to say about the heroines in the books I read – I’m all about the heroes! – but Kira is definitely worth appreciating. I wish there were more heroines like her - she's one of the best I've ever read in PNR/UF. I’m really hoping she plays a big role in future books, because I didn’t appreciate her in This Side of the Grave, not having read this one first.

See what I mean about the freaking order you have to read these in? Gah.

[CC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea what to say about this book. I usually form an opinion immediately when reading or at least when I finish. I finished this last night and still have no idea what I really think about it so I will just give some technical comments.

It was a well written and well developed story. It was complex and I think readers who have read her previous series will be better prepared to jump into this vampire world but I was not totally lost not having read any prior books.

This is a darker vampire world than I have read in more recent paranormal romance novels. Humans are "property". They can be killed, traded, used, etc. Feeding is a sensual experience whether it be men or women.

There were items in this story that I do not prefer (dead exes) but it did not effect my enjoyment of the story. The Hero pushes her away - A LOT! If she was not so honest and forward, they would have never gotten together. It made me really love the heroine. She was brave and open with the Hero. I admired how accepting she was, her support of her sister, and her sticking up for the Hero many times. But honestly I am not really sure why she loved the Hero. He was not a bad guy - even though he kept saying he was. But he did zero to endear himself to her, constantly talked bad about himself, spent very little time with her (before they were together-together); so I just do not get it.

In general I enjoyed the book, but something about this book just did not draw me in. I believe the issue was that I did not really love the Hero. I liked him and he got much better after the book got about half way through, but I was already detached by then. I am interested in Vlad's story but do not plan to read other books.