Carin Rafferty, Touch of Night

Touch of Night

Carin Rafferty

ImaJinn, 2007, $15.00

ISBN: 1933417226

Ariel Dantes tried to talk her twin brother Armand from visiting with self-proclaimed warlock Lucien Morgret, but failed to persuade him as he believes there is something beyond the mundane existence while she is the ultimate non-believer. Armand met with Lucien in a seedy bar the Witches' Brew in a downtrodden Philadelphia neighborhood. However, Armand never came home or contacted his sister afterward.

Terrified for what might happened to her sibling, Aries goes to the same bar that is the last place she knows Armand went to; there she plans to accost Lucien, the last person she knows of who spoke with her twin before he vanished. Though attracted to one another, Lucien refuses to get involved with her brother's potential plight as he insists Armand is an adult. Despondent, Ariel returns home not sure what to do next while also berating herself for wanting the so-called warlock. However, something must have happened because Lucian suddenly appears out of nowhere in her home agreeing to rescue Armand, but Ariel must accept all his stipulations starting with sacrificing her soul. Ariel wonders if her biggest fear is not for her brother or even her soul, but for her heart as Lucien frightens in ways no man has ever before.

This is fantastic, romantic fantasy starring two terrific protagonists. Perhaps antagonist might be a more suited definition of their early relationship as the heroine distrusts the warlock, does not believe in paranormal powers, and wonders if he harmed her twin even as she falls in love with her "adversary". The storyline is action-packed while Rafferty's realm sees plausible. Still the tale belongs to the changing relationship between the cynic and the warlock with souls and hearts on the line.

Harriet Klausner