Les ombres de la nuit Intégrale 1/Immortals After Dark, Kresley Cole

RESUME

Morsure secrète

Un Lycae hume le parfum de son âme sœur : une vampire. Cette frêle créature, qui se débat quand il l'approche est celle qu'il cherche depuis plus de mille ans. Elle lui appartient, et il est prêt à tout pour faire d'elle sa reine.
La Valkyrie sans coeur

Une Valkyrie s'apprête à tuer un vampire. D'ordinaire, le doute ne l'assaille jamais, mais lui est différent. A peine se sont-ils frôlés qu'elle a éprouvé un intense désir : ils sont promis l'un à l'autre.
Charmes

Le brutal et cruel Bowen ne connaît que ténèbres et solitude infinie. Or, sa rencontre avec une puissante et séduisante sorcière éveille en lui les fantasmes les plus fous.

CE QUE J'EN AI PENSE

Trois histoires qui se croisent, trois histoires d'amour passionnées et tumultueuses entre créatures magiques. Un petit plaisir coupable pour cette première lecture du mois d'octobre. Les ombres de la nuit c'est de l'érotico-fantasy. Un cocktail de pouvoirs magiques, de destins épiques, d'amours dévorants. Et j'ai un faible pour les romances intenses où les protagonistes sont destinés l'un à l'autre mais où ils combattent leur destin. J'aime lire les luttes ardentes des hommes pour leur âme sœur. En effet, les femmes de Kresley Cole sont indépendantes, fortes, courageuses. Elles veulent se prouver à elles-mêmes qu'elles sont de taille à affronter la vie seules, capables d'accomplir ce pour quoi elles sont nées. Elles sont féroces et fascinantes. Lachlain, Sebastian et Bowen vont devoir se montrer dignes d'elles, eux qui savent qu'ils ont trouvée en Emmaline, Kaderin et Mariketa leurs âmes sœurs, leurs promises. J'ai beaucoup aimé ces héroïnes puissantes, impétueuses et admirables. Quant au concept d'âme sœur, il m'a toujours fait rêvé et là en mêlant fantasy et amour, je ne pouvais pas tomber mieux. 

J'ai beaucoup aimé que l'écrivaine se penche sur les Valkyries. En effet, les vampires, les loups-garous et les sorcières sont des figures communes du genre. Ceci n'est pas une critique car j'aime beaucoup ces créatures magiques mais j'ai trouvé que l'ajout des Valkyries était original et intéressant. 

Les trois premiers romans de cette série réunis dans cette intégrale se lisent rapidement et facilement. Un délice à déguster enroulée dans une couverture toute douce avec une tasse de thé pour un automne magique, cozy à rêver de romances torrides, d'héroïnes fascinantes et d'amants dévoués.

SUMMARY

A Hunger Like No Other

After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millenia for is a vampire. Or partly one. Emmaline Troy is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury bruning within him.
Sheltered Emmaline finally sets out to uncover the Truth about her deceased parents - until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae - and their notorious dark desires - ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

No Rest for the Wicked

Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire agains his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow - accidentaly extinguinshing all of her emotions. Yet whenever Kaderin encounters Sebastian, her feelings - particularly lust - emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.
And when the prize of a legendary month-long contest is powerful enough to changer history, Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every Opportunity - as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world - to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when Kaderin is forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can she live without either?

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's night

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed - until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkes desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible she fears he has no intention of letting her go. 

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul- or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

MY THOUGHTS

Three stories that intersect, three passionate and tumultuous love stories between magical creatures. A little guilty pleasure for this first reading of October. Immortals After Dark is erotico-fantasy. A cocktail of magical powers, epic destinies, devouring loves. And I'm fond of intense romances where the protagonists are destined to each other but where they fight their destiny. I like to read men's ardent struggles for their soul mates. Indeed, the women of Kresley Cole are independent, strong, courageous. They want to prove to themselves that they are capables of facing life alone, capable of accomplishing what they were born to do. They are fierce and fascinating. Lachlain, Sebastian and Bowen will have to prove themselves worthy of them, they who know that they have found in Emmaline, Kaderin and Mariketa their soul mates, their promises. I loved these powerful, impetuous and admirable héroïnes. As for the concept of soul mate, it always made me dream and there by mixing fantasy and love, I could not get better.

I really liked that the writer looked at the Valkyries. Indeed, vampires, werewolves and witches are common figures of the genre. This is not a criticism because I love these magical creatures very much but I found that the addition of the Valkyries was original and interesting. 

The first three novels of this series, brought together in this integral, can be read quickly and easily. A delight to enjoy wrapped in a soft blanket with a cup of tea for a magical autumn, cozy to dream of torrid romances, fascinating heroines and devoted lovers.