Savannah Russe, Beneath the Skin

Beneath the Skin

Savannah Russe

Signet, February 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 0451220633

Vampiress Daphne Urban has tasted love twice in her centuries old lifetime. The first time she suffered an overbite and killed Byron; the second time is more recent, as she is attracted to vampire Darius Della Chiesa, but that is over too, though he still lives. To get over the end of her relationship with Darius, Daphne figures her "day" job as a government agent will help her move on, as she must save America as part of team Darkwing, as the Feds know she and her compatriots are a blood thirsty group.

The team's current assignment is to prevent super assassin Gage from killing popular presidential candidate Congressman Joe Daniel, a decorated war hero opposing the war. Making the assignment difficult is a new member of the team, Tallmadge, who prefers the traditional vampire likings to that of the tastes of the mortal realm, unlike the fashion plate Daphne. Also causing her to lose concentration are Darius and a human hunk. However, as Daphne digs into the whereabouts of the professional killer, she gauges that he has to be inhuman to accomplish the feats he has done.

The third Daphne urban fantasy (see The Darkwing Chronicles: PAST REDEMPTION and BEYOND THE PALE) is a wonderful espionage thriller, that makes vampires seem genuine in a modern text (think social security and birth certificates). The story line is action-packed, as Daphne relates her escapades in the first person, with the three males in her life disengaging her from her assignment. Fans will appreciate this cat and mouse caper with a sharp bite, as Daphne and her teammates struggle to prevent a seemingly invincible opponent from another kill.