3 stars>

Jennifer Dunne

DARK SALVATION

Starlight Writer Publications

ISBN 1-58697-995-7

1999

Investigative reporter Rebecca Morgan wants to uncover the secrets of the Prescott Institute, a foundation devoted to researching all facets of the vascular system and the biochemistry of blood. Its reclusive director, Desmond Lacroix, both outrages and attracts her. Desmond wants to find a cure for the illness his "cursed blood" has inflicted upon his small daughter, Gillian. When Rebecca becomes trapped at the Institute, she finds herself drawn to both father and child. Her blood may hold promise of a cure for Gillian. Agreeing to stay long enough to help the girl, Rebecca inevitably falls in love with Desmond. Blaming himself for the sickness and death of his first wife, Desmond fears to become intimate with Rebecca. Since this book is a romance, love eventually conquers, but not without a number of twists and turns along the road.

Rebecca is a strong heroine, too independent to be absorbed into Desmond, despite his vampiric allure (enhanced by telepathic powers) and her passion for him. She has emotional trauma from her own family's past to overcome, as Desmond struggles with his sorrow and guilt over his wife's death. She also displays welcome flashes of humor in dealing with Desmond's rather typical "cursed vampire" arrogance and self-torment. Desmond's brother Philippe, more cynical about ordinary mortals, provides a foil for Desmond as well as an occasional voice of practicality. Dunne writes tender, passionate love scenes that make us believe in the attraction between the hero and heroine. Rebecca's gradually developing fondness for Gillian, although she has little experience with children, is also convincing. The crossover between a voodoo curse and an otherwise thoroughly science-fictional treatment of the "vampirism as disease" motif felt a little jarring to me, but otherwise the story should be a satisfying read for any fan of vampire romance.

Reviewed by Margaret L. Carter