Darkness Rises (Immortal Guardians, #4) by Dianne Duvall 
Series: Immortal Guardians #4
Published by Zebra on October 1st 2013
Genres: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Pages: 403
Format: eBook
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Étienne d’Alençon is an Immortal Guardian who has been fighting the vampire scourge for over 200 years, but Étienne has never seen anything the likes of Krysta Linz. Krysta is a human who has been fighting vampires for almost six years. There is no way a human should have been able to survive that long fighting the stronger, faster vampires. Yet Krysta has a secret weapon of her own. Krysta sees auras and the vampire’s auras give away their movements giving Krysta the edge she needs to beat the vampires. That is as long as she is not severely outnumbered. Krysta is afraid her days of fighting are numbered. In the last few years, the vampires seem to be hunting in larger and larger groups.
She is even more surprised when she is outnumbered and she is actually rescued by another vampire. At least she thinks he’s a vampire, what else could he possibly be? Gorgeous though he is, she is not ready to trust a vampire at her back.
Krysta has to admit though that if Étienne hadn’t stumbled across her that night, she would have finally lost the battle to the vampires. There had just been too many of them. She is thankful for his help that night, but she is not so thankful that for the last few weeks, Étienne has been following her around and killing all the vampires she is working so hard to lure into her trap.
They both agree that together they make a hell of a team. Krysta works the local colleges playing drunk girl and luring the vampires away from the other co-eds, and then together they take out the vampires who are too far gone to the madness of the virus.
Étienne finally has no choice but to explain to Krysta about the Immortal Guardians and their seconds and how they go out nightly to destroy the vampires feeding on the innocents. With Krysta’s ability to see auras and her brother Sean’s ability to heal with his hands, there is no question that these siblings are both gifted ones and Étienne wants them to join the Network. Not only could the Guardian use their help and abilities, but Étienne knows that Seth won’t allow a human to directly fight against the vampires. Étienne is falling too quickly for Krysta and he wants to see her safe. Although she wants to join Étienne’s fight to rid the world of the vampires, after years of fighting on her own terms, she is not sure she is ready or willing to allow someone else to dictate whether or not she can fight.
THOUGHTS:
I just love this series. Dianne writes some enjoyable characters coupled with great action sequences. I have delighted in each story she has written.
Although Étienne’s twin brother, Richart, has the cooler ability to transport over Étienne and his sister’s ability to read minds, Étienne is still a great hero.
Krysta makes a great kick-ass heroine and she was great at playing the drunk girl to luring the vampires into dark alleys and behind buildings so she could take them out.
Together they make a great team and have some pretty steamy scenes.
Krysta and her brother, Sean, will make great new additions to the current characters.
Sadly, I was getting excited about the build up towards a romance for sister, Lisette, who hopefully is the next book, only to learn the next book won’t be out until October of 2014. Too far away!
Received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
Favorite Scene:
That’s right, dullards, Krysta thought, mentally smiling as she used Étienne’s term, come along, follow the poor, unsuspecting undergrad who doesn’t know you’re there because she’d busy drunk dialing her ex.
That one was always popular. There were times, in fact, when she could actually hear some of the vampires laugh over the crazy-ass things she said or shouted into the phone while staggering up the path. Perhaps, in another life, she could have been an actress.
There had been no vamp action around the frat houses tonight. Rather she had found them lingering in Research Park, waiting for an egghead to stumble out after working on whatever it was he or she researched until the wee hours.
Along the sidewalk, Krysta led them between two buildings, and into a darker area near the loading dock. She thought there had been lights back here the last time she had passed by. The vamps must have broken them, intending to feed on their victim where none would see.
Perfect.
Her heart began to pound, not with fear as she prepared to spin around and fight, but with anticipation. Étienne was nearby. She knew it. She could feel it. And she wasn’t going to let him snatch away her prize this time. She was going to confront the vamps before he had the chance.
Drawing her shoto swords, she spun around at the same moment Étienne appeared behind the vampires.
Ooh. Six vampires. Good thing he had come.
Étienne’s brows drew down in a frown as he met her gaze. “Damn it! You’re early!”
She grinned. “Nope. You’re late.”
The vampires’ faces went blank with surprise. Their gazes zigzagged between the two of them.
“Oh shit,” one said, his face filling with fear as he stared at Étienne. “An Immortal Guardian.”
Gasps from his vampire cohorts.
A what?
Another vampire looked at Krysta. “She’s human. She must be his Second.”
“Bastian has a mortal Second,” another said.
Who had a what now?
Krysta was given no time to ask.
Their faces contorted with fury. “Bastien the Deceiver!”
“Death to Bastien!”
“Kick their fucking asses!”
The vampires drew weapons and attacked.
Krysta inched backward and swung her swords as multiple orange auras shot toward her.
The vampires must think they would have an easier time killing her than they would Étienne.
Smart vamps.
Sucked for her though.
Even as she struck lethal blows with her blades, slicing the throat of the first vampire to reach her, pain streaked through her thigh as another vamp’s blade cut into her flesh.
Krysta gritted her teeth and swung at the orange aura leaping away from her.
Score! Tit for tat. She’d cut his femoral artery, the bastard!
Limping backward, she kept her swords in constant motion. Glowing orange auras swirled around her, so numerous that fear threatened to paralyze her.
She struck more blows, aiming at auras and hitting the flesh they preceded.
The vampires struck blows as well. Cuts stung her arms, back, legs. Just as she was silently celebrating a particularly good blow, one of the vamps circled around behind her and hit her in the head, landing a simple punch with his fist, backed by preternatural strength, that felt like a freaking anvil.
The world around her lit up with sparkly things that had nothing to do with auras. All strength left her limbs as agony pounded her head.
Krysta staggered. Her thoughts scattered.
Somewhere a lion roared.
The glowing orange auras surrounding her fell away as shining purple and white rolled through them like a bowling ball felling pins.
Krysta’s weapons clattered to the ground, her fingers unable to grasp anything but her aching head.
She sank to her knees.
“Krysta!”
