As a start to a new series, with a world where vampires and elves are sworn enemies, and political machinations threaten to demote humans to a source for food, this book is great. As a story about two very different men who stubbornly refuse to give in to what they really want because they think they have to fight what others might think, I have to say I loved it. And the touch of humor, which undeniably makes an appearance more than once, just made this a joy for me to read. I mean, calling an employee "bed and breakfast" because he supplies, well, services in bed and is a source of blood for a vampire? Too funny!

Moss is naïve, inexperienced, totally lost when his father sends him away because he cannot afford to feed him anymore, and ends up being robbed of the last money he has. He needs a job, but refuses to sell his body. Lucky for him, he runs into an "honest" vampire, one of their internal law enforcers who will actually abide by the contract they make: no bed, just services as a secretary and breakfast – giving blood to Vane. If Moss had run into anyone else, he'd be in even deeper trouble than he is. He is physically interested in Vane from the very beginning, but thinks he has to fight the attraction based on moral standards that aren't even his own. Luckily, he manages to get to know Vane from a slightly different side, and that opens up new possibilities.

Vane is the total opposite of Moss. He is a vampire lord, in charge of keeping the Covenant. It is somewhat mysterious, but basically designed to keep vampire cruelty to a minimum and to protect humans from being killed for sport. Vane holds himself to the highest standards, and will not give in to his physical need for dominating Moss. He also doesn’t believe vampires can love, or can have mates, for that matter. He was very hard for me to like in the beginning, even though his logic made sense. The application of those principles and his way of communicating (or not!) was what annoyed me. But he learns, and listens to Moss, to a degree, and that helped him grow.

If you like vampire stories with a difference, if you enjoy reading about two men who each think they have the moral high ground but all they do is lose out on the love they could share, and if you’re looking for a hot read set in a world that is as fantastical as it is scary, you will probably enjoy this book.
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4 stars. I really enjoyed this book, though I'm glad to see it's only book #1 as a lot of loose ends were left open. I'll be looking forward to reading more about these characters and this world. ( )

This book started off slow but quickly became so engrossing I could not put it down and read straight through in a couple of hours. The author introduces the book with the comment “For all those vampire fans looking for something different.” And it certainly was. Yes, there are the usual vampire topes (drinking blood, aversion to daylight, etc.), but the fantasy world-building gives it a fresh and unique take. After being robbed before he can board a ship to his uncle’s home, Moss is so desperate for a job he answers an announcement for a “bed and breakfast.” He comes to understand that Vane Bloodmoor is a Bloodkin looking for a companion for his bed and his meals! Vane is intrigued by the innocent young man and offers him a position as a secretary and blood donor. Completely platonic. But can they resist each other? What starts so simply evolves into so much more as we learn of elves, brownies, societies on the brink of war and the Covenant which keeps the Bloodkin from enslaving humanity.

The world-building is wonderfully detailed and flows smoothly in the story. Moreover, the character development is excellent as well – a nice surprise for an M/M romance. And what a romance! The sexual tension is thick enough to cut with a knife because our couple doesn’t jump into bed together on first site. In fact, erotic dreams are the only “action” until they finally acknowledge the relationship. It was delicious! And when they finally did consummate, the sex was appropriately explicit. The conclusion was very satisfying while still leaving unanswered questions concerning a continuing/overarching plot and the fate of secondary characters. The subtitle suggests a series that I will not hesitate to buy; I cannot wait to read more about this world! And, I would love to see it in print. I will definitely read more by this author. ( )