The Jaguar Calls in Dark Peril by Christine Feehan

Title: Dark Peril
Author: Christine Feehan
Pages: 400
Genre: Fantasy

Love and survival are the focal point Dark Peril, the latest installment in the Dark series. Author Christine Feehan threads a tale of immortal love and romance that becomes entangled in a web of paranormal and supernatural activity.

After a life spanning more than one thousand years, Dominic is ready to accept that he may die in battle, without ever finding his true soul mate. Dominic is not a vampire. In fact, his survival depends upon the extermination of a powerful, malevolent vampire clan. Dominic is a Carpathian, descended from a race of immortal warriors belonging to the Dragonseeker clan.

The vampires are determined to destroy the immortal Carpathian enemies by attacking, transforming and inducting them into their ranks. After the death of their long revered, but evil leader, the vampire forces increase in number under the direction and new leadership of the Malinov brothers. The oldest of his clan, Dominic decides he must uncover the secret and driving force behind the vampire plan.

In order to discover the true motivation of the vampires attack, he must infiltrate the clan without raising suspicion. To avoid detection, Dominic ingests a dose of vampire blood containing the parasites particular to the vampire clan. He readies himself for battle, only to be surprised by what comes next.

Having given up any hope of finding true love, Dominic begins to engage in frequent conversation with his imaginary friend. He senses the imaginary friend is real, but dismisses the thought as a figment of his imagination.

Before long, Dominic meets the beautiful Solonge Sangria. She complicates his plan, but his captivated and immediately drawn to her. Solonge is also in a battle for her life and people. She was born into a clan of Jaguar people. The Jaguar people possess shape-shifting abilities, but their numbers have diminished under the dictatorship of Brodrick the Terrible, who also happens to be Solonge’s father.

Brodrick launched a campaign to destroy all Jaguars who lack the shape-shifting ability and places the women in a subservient position relegated to the production of children and the pleasing of men. Solonge has vowed to destroy her father and extinguish the cruelty that is currently inflicted upon the women of her people.

Solonge also has an imaginary friend. In a strange twist of fate, both she and Dominic discover they are the other’s imaginary friend. This psychic connection only deepens the budding love they are feeling towards one another. Determined to vanquish their enemies, they join forces and resign themselves to whatever fate awaits them.

Readers will not be disappointed with Dark Peril, as Feehan leaves the audience hungering for the next installment.