Vampires and werewolves have overrun Crimson City and humans are caught in the middle. The demons were trapped behind the veil a long time ago to prevent them from destroying the world. Now some of the humans decide to enlist the aid of an even more powerful and extremely dangerous species… the Bak Faru. Their very name strikes fear in everyone's hearts. Even other demons are afraid to use the name of the Dark Ones.

Mika is half human/half demon, called upon by the demon council to track down hunter Conor McCabe and relieve him of a spell he possesses which could enslave the entire demon population. However, Mika has a secondary plan... Conor is her vishtau mate and she will do anything to get close to him and protect him from danger.

All does not run smooth in Crimson City. Conor is also half demon, though he despises that half of himself and hates all demons. The last thing he wants is to take on a case to be bodyguard to half-demon Mika but he's drawn to her nonetheless. What is really going on with the other demons released through the veil? Why does it seem two different factions want Mika... or is it McCabe they want... dead?

Wow, Through a Crimson Veil is an incredible book. The story is so engrossing I found myself wanting to drive farther and longer so I could listen that much longer. So much is happening sometimes it’s a wonder I could keep everything straight. Yet when all the various threads are woven together, the complete picture they reveal is incredibly fascinating. I ran the gamut of emotions throughout, from fear of the dreaded Bak Faru to laughter over Mika’s escapades and anger at our love birds’ stubbornness to joy when they finally accept their bond.

We’ve met the vampires and the werewolves… now we meet the demons. And who would have thought that just because they are demons doesn’t mean they are bad, some are just extremely deceptive. The hierarchy of the demonic world and they types of demons was quite intriguing. Each kind have their own quirks, abilities, and characteristics and the level of evilness grows as we go higher up the demonic food chain.

Mika and Conor are both flawed individuals. Mika has never felt like she belonged anywhere because of the dual nature brought about by having a human father and a demon mother. Conor is also a half breed demon and he despises demons of all kinds, especially hating his demonic side because of the circumstances surrounding his birth. Yet where Mika has embraced both halves, Conor would like nothing more than to be able to destroy his demonic half. What he doesn’t understand is that the longer he denies his other half, the more he loses control and risks self destruction. He desperately needs Mika, though he does not understand why. Their vishtau bond links them as if they are one being and only Mika has the chance to convince Conor that embracing his demon side does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. The passion that erupts between them is as hot as the flames of Orcus, leading to some very sensual and seductive moments between them.

I am thoroughly enjoying each foray into the Crimson City Realm and can’t wait to see what will happen next in A Darker Crimson by Carolyn Jewel.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2008. All rights reserved.