Review: Veil of Midnight

Title: Veil of Midnight
Author: Lara Adrian
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Midnight Breed/Book 5
Published: January 2009

Nikolai is a Breed warrior and a member of the Order. A group of breeds who fight the Rogues and try to keep the humans safe from them. His current mission places him in Montreal looking for a Gen One Breed. Renata is also a warrior but of a different sort. She is the bodyguard for the vampire that Nikolai is looking for. When Niko shows up in Montreal looking for the Gen One Renata doesn't trust him so she sets a trap to catch him.

I started reading Lara Adrian's Breed series around the time it first came out. I was heavily into PNR and couldn't seem to get enough of the blood suckers, er vampires. Since then I've read quite a few different takes on the fanged ones, some I've liked, some I've loved and some I've left behind. Adrian's are in the liked/loved category. While I have enjoyed each book in the series, some more than others, I have come to expect a good story with interesting characters. Veil of Midnight certainly delivered.

An assassin is targeting the eldest of the Breeds, the Gen Ones. Nikolai is sent to warn Sergei Yakut of the threat. It's when he's trying to locate Yakut that he meets up with Renata. Their first meeting doesn't go well, weapons are involved and Niko is thought to be a threat to Yakut. Once things are cleared up and Niko sees what Yakut and his group are really like all Niko wants is to get back to Boston. While Niko finds Renata very attractive he is unmated and wants to stay that way. Not that he doesn't enjoy women, he does. And he wants to continue to enjoy as many as possible. But something happens and Renata and a young girl named Mira need his help. So he dons his armor offers to help.

One thing I'll say about Adrian's females is that they have a purpose. They are not merely sex objects for the males or there to "fix" the hero. Renata is no different. She is well versed in weapons, both guns and knives. She takes her job very seriously because her life and the life of a young girl depend on her doing her job. And she's smart. She found out she was a breedmate right before she was about to be killed. Ever since then she's been doing what she had to to survive. She may detest what she has to do but she has survived hell and has every intention of getting out of there alive.

Niko and Renata make such a good team. When Renata first meets Niko she assumes he's just like the rest of the Breeds. Her experience is limited to Yakut and his environment of bloodsport and death. She begins to realize that Niko is nothing like the horrible monsters that she has been forced to live. That he is honorable and trustworthy. When Niko discovers what really happened to Renata and what she's been through he can't help but care for her. His idea of staying a bachelor slowly slips away. And he's okay with that. When he tries to tell her he loves her he was just adorable.

A few new characters are introduced in Veil of Midnight. One character in particular has such potential for a fascinating storyline. But... we'll just have to wait and see.

The Midnight Breed series continues to maintain solid world building while still developing the main storyline of the hero and heroine. Within that world building we see further development of the antagonists that the Order is fighting. This is Adrian's fifth book and while some authors may hit a lull at this point in a series Adrian is maintaining a decent pace with the overall story arc. The next book Ashes of Midnight, due out in May, is Andreas Reichen's story. He's the leader of the Berlin Darkhaven and assists the Order whenever he can. In Veil the reader learns more about Andreas and his past giving us just enough information to wet the appetite. Visit Lara Adrian's website for more information on the Midnight Breed series.

Rating: A-