Magnus Thornton is a millennium-old vampire who has found evidence of an old foe's evil at work in the demolished city of New Orleans. Weary of the fight, he decides to greet the coming dawn after a night reveling in his favorite things-a bottle of Bordeaux and a willing woman.
What starts as a night of sensual delights, ends in a revelation of mutual discovery when Noelle quickly creeps into his heart. The ancient vampire, so jaded from life he never speaks, must now persuade her to flee the city before it's too late.
An intriguing story. While I'm sure a lot of the atmosphere of the story can only be truly appreciated by those who lived in New Orleans in the months after Katrina and worked to put their lives and city back together, still the feeling of desolation and weariness in the face of prolonged adversity comes through. While we get to learn at least the basics of Noelle's background and who she is, we never learn that much about Magnus, other than a few tantalizing glimpses that speak of a story that must be fascinating and compelling. What has he seen and lived through that has brought him to the point of being ready to meet the sun rather than face another night? We only get a general explanation that raises as many questions as it answers.
Of course, as an Ellora's Cave Quickie, the main point of the story is of course, the sex, however intriguing the story surrounding the sex is. And the sex in this story does not disappoint, if that is what you are looking for. Noelle and Magnus practically set the sheets on her hide-a-bed on fire with the heat they generate between them. The reluctant romance that blossoms between them (reluctant on his part at least, as love was the last thing he was looking for) adds to the heat, making it even more compelling.
In summary, an engaging quick read, that will satisfy both those interested in a short story that can give them something to think about, and those just looking for a steamy read.
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