The Breed are vampires.  But unlike our legends, they are descendants from 8 alien warriors who crash-landed on Earth.  Their bodies could only use blood as sustenance.  Over time they discovered that some human women could bear their offspring.  The immediate children of these Ancients are the strongest of their people.  They are also the ones who fall most easily to Bloodlust, an addiction of over consumption of blood that turns members of the Breed into Rogues. 

Breed Warriors are those sworn to hunt Rogues and protect our people and theirs.  Lucan Thorne leads such a group in battle against those turned to the equivalent of junkies.  He is fearsome in his fight against Rogues but knows that his closer tie to the original Breed from afar makes his slide towards Bloodlust all the stronger. 

He spots a woman in a dance club while on a hunt one night and more surprisingly finds that she is able to see that which the vampire advanced hypnotic power should be able to keep hidden from her.  He is unwillingly drawn to this special woman and will discover just how special she really is. 

Talented photographer, Gabrielle Maxwell tries to step in when she sees a group of men committing a horrific murder.  The shockingly sadistic manner of the men she witnesses leaves her in horror.  Now she is thrust into a world that she would never before have believed. 

Ms. Adrian crafts a fresh vampire series with markings and lore that is distinctive from other similar series but encompassing much of what we love in the genre.  The good guys are strong and bad assed enough to be interesting.  Personal demons and public camaraderie remind us of the vulnerabilities behind the strengths and the deep bonds of friendship and commitment.  The dark edge of these warriors will go too far into acts of villainy for some, but many will still find these members irresistible. 

Gabrielle has layer upon layer of her history that has gone into molding her into the woman she is today.  That she is also a Breedmate, one of the women that would be able to bear the Breed children, comes as no surprise.  But her artistic eye is something of a talent that even she does not fully appreciate. 

The demands and responsibilities of a Breedmate isn’t something that Lucan seeks.  In fact, he actively avoids the state.  It is this very battle that he has with himself pitted against the allure of Gabrielle that keeps us breathless though we know the outcome.  He takes her in to protect her once he discovers what she is but even then he continues in the fight against taking her for himself. 

Emotional turmoil and the action sequences against Rogues as well as the portrayal of the various and complexities of personal relationships only add to the great storyline.  True, some things may be predictable in this sexy romance and there is some small seeming inconsistency regarding bloodlust.  However, all in all, readers who like their romance stories with a darker ambience will be swept away and eagerly search for the second book Kiss of Crimson.

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