Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publishing
Pages: 370

From the Cover: For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker -- an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed.........and may be all that prevents her doom.

The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt.......or be hunted.

Mira is a 600 hundred year old vampire, merely an infant compared to some, but a controller of one of the vampire's deadliest enemies. She is a fire starter. There is no coming back from flames. Her territory is the Savannah, where she is master. Who is this human, this hunter that has entered her territory. So far he has slain at least two of the fledglings. They were new without a master vampire to help them, but not her problem. The one called Riley she was going to kill anyway because of his tendency to increase his family like it was his territory.

Danaus is a hunter, a killer of the Nosferatu -- the undead or vampire. He belongs to the Brotherhood, the keepers of the holy, working for the greater good. Why doesn't he carry a silver cross? He's already damned, no one or thing can protect him. He has been stalking Mira, trying to draw her out. Well tonight he has succeeded.......

As Mira and Danaus face off in an abandoned house, Mira realizes this is no ordinary human, he may not be human at all. Who is this Danaus and what does he want in her territory? As they struggle against one another, Danaus reveals he has not come to destroy Mira, but to gain information. Mira suspects if she lets him live, he will prove to be her nightmare, but Danaus, whatever he is, is very strong and she has been weakened. She should destroy him here and now, but then she'll never know what brought him into her territory.

Mira and Danaus meet again, this time in a crowded lycanthrope bar. He's still pushing for information. What type of information? If he desires Mira's information, he will have to accept her assistance. His gut says to kill her, but can he afford to? The decision is made, he is seeking information about the naturi; guardians of the Earth, the Third Race, known as the Seeley Court, Sidhe or Fae.

Mira has no love for the naturi; they are no guardians. They would destroy both humans and vampires, to take over the Earth for themselves. Mira was held captive by the naturi; a fate she has no wish to repeat. The naturi hold magical weapons, ones that can be used to torture the vampire, cause extreme pain before death is delivered. If it hadn't been for the Triad all those long years ago, Mira's existence would have ended. They are dead, only a fairy tale now. Why would Danaus seek information about them?

Danaus has information of the naturi's return. He has seen them, has one held captive. Mira must see with her own eyes this naturi...if he is naturi. And if he is naturi, then the Earth is in trouble because they are truly a wicked force, one that must be dealt with if humans and vampires are to exist.......

This is just a small taste of Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake. It is an amazingly well told story of the vampire existence. Ms. Drake weaves a world where magic exists, where vampire and lycanthropes walk with humans without their knowledge. Where the naturi or fae are violently evil, a blight against all the mankind holds dear, their very lives. As I began my stroll through the world of Nightwalker, I was gripped by Mira's ability to see the humanity she has lost. Danaus is an unknown factor, I was left wondering what he was. Danaus feels lost, his humanity lost, but he wishes he could regain it. He is heartsick with the loss. He feels a tenderness towards Mira. He is beyond being human and appears to be centuries old, as well as the Brotherhood that he serves. Mira and Danaus are drawn to each other, the hunter and the hunted, but which is which. Will they kill each other and become joined as one against a force that neither one can allow to win.

Nightwalker was one of my top picks for 2008. It was an excellent read, which I have re-read since and I highly recommend this book for all urban fantasy/paranormal lovers. It is my personal opinion that Jocelynn Drake is one of the best new writers of fantasy that the genre is producing. Her books are fascinating for the imagination. Well worth reading.

From the Cover: A new day dawns blood red....... A master of fire, Mira is the last hope for the world. For centuries she has secretly enforced the history-altering edicts of the Triad. Now she and her unlikely ally - the human vampire hunter, Danaus—have come to Venice, home of the nightwalker rulers. But there is no safety in the ancient city......

I am waiting the release of Dayhunter, Book Two in the Dark Days Series which will be released in five short days, 4-28-09. Ms. Drake will also be releasing the third book in the series, Dawnbreaker, Book Three in the Dark Days Series on 9-29-09. Ms. Drake will be releasing an anthology, Unbound on 8-25-09 with fellow authors Kim Harrison, Vicki Pettersson, Melissa Marr, and Jeanine Frost as well.
(all images and blurbs can be found at Harper Collins.)

Jocelynn Drake talks about Book Two of the Dark Days Series, Dayhunter.



To read an excellent review of Dayhunter, Book Two of the Dark Days Series, please see SciFiGuy.ca.

Also, I had like to give a shout out to Marta @ Vampire Wire for the linkage.
Thanks Marta!!