Demon's Kiss
Eve Silver
Forever, Oct 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780446618922

Twenty years ago sorcerer Ciarran D'Arbois intervened when a child was dying. His assistance enabled the child Clea Master to "steal" Ciarran's magic to heal herself. Having lost some of his power led to a demon injuring Ciarran.

Over the next two decades Ciarran has struggled to control the demonic darkness disease that is overwhelming his soul while he and his peers believe the layer separating demons from humans has been torn. However, even more shocking is the demonic horde attacks on Clea; Ciarran saves her life, but wonders why her and whether he will eventually abet the enemy who is growing inside him by betraying the girl he saved and now the woman he loves.

DEMON'S KISS is an original Silver, but romantic fantasy readers will know it is pure gold as the opening gamut of Compact of Sorcerers brotherhood series. The story line is fast-paced but driven by the changing "triangular" relationship between Clea, Ciarran, and the demonic disease inside the hero. Fans will feel his internal torture as a Janus who loves and needs to protect Clea yet also increasingly desires to destroy her. Clea, for much of the tale, is an enigma as the mystery is why her. This is a great tale from a writer who must be a mage as her novels entice human readers to become deeply involved.

Harriet Klausner