Darkness Rises (Immortal Guardians)
Krysta Linz is a kick-butt vampire hunter whose world is taken for a sexy spin when she meets Immortal Guardian Étienne d'Alençon in Duvall's fast-paced and humorous latest paranormal (after Phantom Shadows). After receiving an education on the differences between vampires (bad guys) and Immortal Guardians (similar to vampires, but definitely good guys), Krysta is both intrigued and chastened as she realizes that her self-imposed task of eradicating all vampires is much bigger than she thought. In turn, Étienne is deeply fascinated by this small but gifted mortal who fights like a banshee. As they struggle to overcome their initial mutual distrust and fully acknowledge their growing attraction, Krysta's gifts play a larger role in the endless battle among Guardians, vampires, and a larger enemy. The plot occasionally gets mired in the confusing subplots, large cast, and setups for future books, but series fans will find it a strong installment. (Oct.)