~REVIEW of Gena SHowalter's THE DARKEST KISS~

The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, #2)

Opening Line: " Anya, Goddess of Anarchy, daughter of Lawlessness, and dealer of disorder, stood on the edge of a crowded dance floor."

THE DARKEST KISS is book 2 in the exciting and original Lords Of The Underworld series and it's absolutely fantastic. Gena Showalter has outdone herself here, further developing previous characters and sub-plots she has also created my new favourite couple in Lucian and Anya. Their story is filled with raw emotion, tons of sexual tension and non-stop adventure. There are also several other immortals stories taking place at the same time which instead of distracting from only added to the tension in a very JR Ward kind of way. I never knew what was going to happen next and will absolutely be doing a re-read as well as continuing on with this amazing series.

Lucian, as one of the Lords Of The Underworld is the warrior bonded with the demon of death. As such he is responsible for removing the souls of the dead and transporting them to either heaven or hell. (Surprise, most don't want to go) Of his fellow immortals he is the most in control but also the most serious and sombre. Having distanced himself long ago he has no choice but to do what the gods command of him.

 This book starts out with a sexual bang as Lucian meets the Goddess of Anarchy in a nightclub. Anya doesn't mince words or actions in the fact that she wants Lucian and no other will do. He doesn't understand what a modelesque looking goddess could possibly see in him because he's not much to look at these days, having permanently disfigured himself to make sure no woman ever looked his way again. Anya however is a wicked girl and finds the scars sexy, wanting to run her tongue over them. After their first meeting Lucian is unable to keep the teasing, sexy spitfire out of his thoughts. She was able to make him smile and even laugh for the first time in hundreds of years and that kiss... It's a damn shame that the leader of the Titans has just ordered him to kill her with the added incentive that if he fails his fellow immortals will suffer the consequences.

So the chase begins, with Lucian trying desperately not to feel anything for Anya and her enjoying the fact that he's been ordered to kill her because it only makes the game of seducing him that much more fun. The duo `flash' (dematerialize) to exotic locations trading barbed words and having the occasional swordfight along the way all as part of their amazing foreplay. Ultimately they join forces which only complicates things further because Anya never mentioned her own curse, that of being unable to consummate a relationship.

I couldn't put this book down and found Anya to be hilarious, a sort of a female version of Bones from Jeanine Frosts Night Huntress series. It was refreshing to get a heroine who is not helpless, insecure and whiney but instead cheeky, aggressive and confident, never apologising for who she is. Lucian in turn is an alpha male but not in the typical chest beating way he's thoughtful, compassionate, loyal and self sacrificing. Yeah I loved these two and highly recommended.