Darkness Burning is a vampire novel set in New Orleans. It's sensual in its style and full on, no holds barred erotica. This book isn't your average vampire romance. Stories like those in Christine Feehan's Carpathian vampire series and J.R. Ward's Brotherhood vampire series read like children's literature compared to Darkness Burning. Delilah Devlin's vampires and supporting characters are wild, particularly when it comes to sex. This book is steamy and then some. If you're looking for some funky, let your freak hair fly, down and dirty erotic vampire story, this is one to read.
The leading lady in Darkness Burning is a young journalist named Mikaela Jones. Mikaela is a mysterious young lady who can't remember her past. That works in romance/erotica novels; there are no pesky family members for any potential romantic hero/erotic sex partner to have to contend with. The hero of the story is a vampire named Alex Broussard. He's sexy (he's a vampire; it's an occupational perk) and he's extraordinary, even in the supernatural world. Alex is a born vampire, which means he has power that others don't. Ok. Everything is in place for these two to get together. Beautiful girl, check. Hot, sexy vampire, check. Seductive location, check. Oh, but there's a wrench in the plan for them to get together: some vampire group that wants Alex dead is a problem for him, and once they know Mikaela is with him, it's a problem for her too.
Darkness Burning doesn't have much story, so to speak, and what it does have is a little bizarre. There's a pregnant vampire with Alex's baby who is with some other vampire; there's some portal Alex travels through with a wolf he used to have sex with; there are the vampire group politics and issues that involve Alex and Mikaela's safety; and there's the ending--discussing it here would give too much away, but it's pretty wild. However, the main focus of the story is sex. And this isn't your average vampire/mortal sex in which the vampire bites the mortal, tastes the sweetest nectar he's every sampled, and then wrestles with the torture of deciding to turn her or not. No, this is the kind of sex that soft core porn stars say, "No, I don't do that shit on film. My parents are still living," if they are asked to do it in a Skinamax film. This sex is fucking raw. Any time a reader gets finished with a sex scene and has to rub her eyes because what she read was that...wild...freaky...uninhibited, then that's some fucking raw sex.
There is some romance here, though. Alex does care about Mikaela almost instantly after meeting her, and he does try to make sure she will avoid the danger around him. She is charmed by him, but it isn't until later in the story that it's because of anything but sexual attraction.
Darkness Burning isn't a bad erotic story. It's a bit convoluted, but the sex is the wildest this broad has ever read out of the romance section at Borders. Devlin sure isn't a shy wallflower in her writing, and another of her stories would be worth a try. At the very least, even if the next story is like Darkness Burning, there will be some incredible sex to read about.
-Alexandria
Burn, Baby, Burn....
Darkness Burning does burn indeed, and Devlin's write up of the vampire world in the Big Easy left no taboo undiscovered. On a positive note, Devlin's novel introduced at least some vampire characters who were positively bad...(I personally hold to to the Stoker standard). Otherwise, Devlin's novel scorched a trail in ink that would leave Caligula blushing like a school-girl virgin.
Not strong on story, Darkness Burning quickly throws our main characters together, one a reporter, the other a powerful vampire. The city is in near chaos after a natural disaster, leaving the underworld virtually unchecked, and our heroine knows she risks her life to investigate. The trail of her story leads her to Alex, and she falls under his enthrallment instantly. Likewise, he feels an irresistible pull toward Mikaela, which places her in danger as Alex maneuvers the powers that be in vampire hierarchy in order to claim his rightful place as the last male born vampire.
I cannot praise Darkness Burning, as no character stands out in this novel. Devlin's purpose is pure erotica, and she certainly delivers. Those craving a good love story will be seriously disappointed. Those who seek out this novel should prepare for a wild ride, indeed!
Recommendation: Read it, if you dare! But for crying out loud, keep eyedrops nearby.....You may need to flush those peepers out after a few scenes in Devlin's alter-reality. Oy-Vey!
~Moira
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