Five years crawled by at a painfully slow pace for young vampire, Beth; each year more agonizing than the next. The powerful unyielding spell which masked Amon’s whereabouts showed no signs of weakening. Influenced by the binding ritual and Amon’s blood surging inside her, Beth will stop at nothing, and risk everything, to find him and turn the tables on Osiris, Isis, and Hathor. In foggy streets of London, lives are threatened by a new breed of hunter, and nothing is what it seemed. Beth once again finds herself surrounded by betrayal. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between Philippe and Amon – knowing that her decision will change one life forever. But whose?
Excerpt
The wind howled into the dark night, chilling my freshly-warmed skin. As I stood at the rim of the ocean’s cliffs, listening to the whispering waves, I focused on my victim’s vacant stare and wiped his blood from my lips. A single drop tarnished his forehead, and I snatched it up with my tongue. Lowering my head, I whispered, “Forgive me, dear mortal, for though I share your love of life, I must rob you of yours so that I may survive.” Hugging his cold torso against my chest, I kissed his cheek and then tossed him over the cliffs into the pounding surf.
A platinum stream of moonlight shimmered across the restless water, glancing off his body. The waves swelled, swallowing him whole and erasing him from the mortal world, but I couldn’t walk away. I owed the mortal a glimmer of respect; after all, he’d sacrificed his precious blood to feed me. Like a mourner at his grave, I clasped my hands in front of me and stared ahead in silence. I lingered for only a moment longer as a personal task; in truth, it was more of an important ritual, one of self-pity, drunkenness, and shame which required my devotion. This very night marked the fifth anniversary of the spell cast upon Amon, forcing him to bid me farewell. Faithfully I waited for his return, and with each passing year the hole in my heart grew wider, leaving my immortal soul a bit emptier, and the wedge between Philippe and I a bit deeper.
Professional Reviews
4 Star Readers’ Favorite Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds
Bound by Blood: Immortal Kiss by Laura Daleo is a paranormal vampire story. Five years ago, Amon left Beth for Hathor, leaving her with Phillipe. For five years, Beth has waited, searching for Amon, but never finding him. Hathor has bound him in a spell so strong that no one can see his whereabouts. Bound by blood, Beth will not stop looking for him, and she will risk everything she has to find him and take revenge on Hathor, Isis, and Osiris. Nothing is what it seems though and, as fog writhes its way through London, there is a new breed of hunter on the loose. Betrayal, love, and anger wreak havoc on Beth and she is forced to make a decision – Phillipe or Amon? Her decision will change things forever for one of them, but who will it be?
Bound by Blood: Immortal Kiss by Lara Daleo is the second book in a series. I didn’t read the first book, but it didn’t make things difficult to understand as there was enough history for me to pick up the story. I found it a little slow to start with, but the pace did increase quite quickly and it turned into a good story. I did want to give Beth a good shake on more than one occasion – some of her actions were a little childish, but I guess that was part of the storyline. The character development and the plot were good but, although it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book, I feel that it would be better understood if book 1 was read first. Good book for fans of vampire and paranormal happenings.
5 Star Readers’ Favorite Reviewed By Jack Magnus
Bound by Blood: Immortal Kiss is a romantic paranormal fantasy novel written by Laura Daleo. Beth has been waiting for him to come back to her for five long years now. Amon was her mysterious companion made of mist as she was growing up, and when she discovered her bedroom filled with rose petals, she realized that she had come to love him. Philippe had taken advantage of her, however, and she had married him, believing he was indeed her Amon, a vampire god. When she became aware of Philippe’s duplicity, her long vigil for her true companion began. Hathor, another vampire god, had wanted Amon for herself, and Isis and Osiris had conspired with her to cast the spell which took him away. The sadness of each of the five anniversaries of that day was a visceral thing that only the solace of wine could ease, at least temporarily. Her friend, Ptah, decided that Beth needed a party to cheer her up, a fancy dress party filled with kings and queens wearing masks. Beth wasn't all that sure about the idea, but allowed his enthusiasm to sway her. Then, it happened at that gala evening; the stranger who greeted her as she sheltered herself underneath a staircase was Amon. He had returned.
Laura Daleo's romantic paranormal fantasy, Bound by Blood: Immortal Kiss, continues the saga of Beth and her immortal companion, Amon, whose return means so many things to her. Philippe, her husband these five years, is asserting the primacy of their marriage, and Beth must reconcile her mixed feelings about him with her desire to be with Amon. There's also the matter of apprehending Hathor, Isis and Osiris and bringing them to justice. Bound by Blood is a marvelous tale with a plot that deftly blends fantasy, adventure and action. Beth is a strong, competent character who is so well-suited to be a companion to her vampire god lover. And while there's any number of vampire romance novels out there, this paranormal fantasy stands out as unique, noteworthy and a cut above the rest. Daleo’s writing is smooth and fluid, and her story is most enjoyable. Bound by Blood: Immortal Kiss is highly recommended.
5 Star Readers’ Favorite Reviewed By Samantha Dewitt (Rivera)
Beth’s life had never been easy, but when she found her one true love she thought things would finally be right, until she discovered that Philippe was not the one she thought he was, and Amon could truly be hers. But before she can find happiness, the one she truly loves is ripped from her yet again, only to return many years later with a strong desire to right all the wrongs of the past. But will Amon and the other members of The Ten be able to fight with three of their own? Will they be able to track them down and will they also be able to fight against the hunters who have sought to kill them all? In Bound by Blood: Immortal Kiss by Laura Daleo, there is no easy answer to anything, but especially about the future for Beth.
This book was interesting and the characters really draw you in. Beth seems what you would expect in a young woman torn between the two men she loves most, and for each of them the torture she experiences is even worse. It seems like you’re really there in the middle of their conflict and that you’re experiencing all of the action and romance that takes place for each of the other characters, with Jaffa and the rest of The Ten, and even characters like Danny and Hypatia, who each need something from them, though they may not know what at the time. Bound by Blood by Laura Daleo is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone.
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