Dark Magic by Christine Feehan is the fourth novel in her Dark series about the mysterious race of Carpathians.  And this is the novel many of her fans have been waiting for…this is Gregori’s story.

Gregori, The Dark One, is one of the characters that has been in each of the novels in the series so far, he may actually be the only one to make a personal appearance in all of the novels to date.

Gregori is the one who hunts those Carpathian’s who have turned vampire, he is the second oldest of the Carpathians and the oldest one not to have found his lifemate.  A great healer and with powers that surpass all of the other Carpathians, all of the race knows that if Gregori should turn vampire it would take more than one hunter to stop him and even then they may not be able to.

Gregori himself knows that it is too late for him to choose to turn to the sun, if he does not find his lifemate he will turn vampire.

In the second novel of the series (Dark Desire) we saw Gregori predict that the child of Mikhail and Raven would be a girl and his lifemate.  What I did not realise at the time, or maybe the reader was not meant to, was that during his healing of Raven, Gregori manipulated the unborn child so that she would be his lifemate and no others.  A manipulation that he believed was necessary but also that he feels enormous guilt over.

Time has passed now and Mikhail and Raven’s daughter, Savannah is old enough to take her place at his side.

Savannah Dubrinsky is a world famous magician and has travelled the world with her show.  She knows that Gregori has claimed her as his own and terrified at the thought of an eternity with The Dark One she was granted time to make a life for herself before taking her place as his lifemate.

But Savannah cannot run from her destiny forever and in New Orleans it catches up with her as a vampire attacks her after a show.  Saved by Gregori he demands that she cease fighting him and releases him from the torment of waiting before he turns vampire too.  When she still struggles against her destiny Gregori knows that he has no choice but to claim her anyway and then win her round during the rest of their lives.

After being claimed by Gregori, Savannah is even more scared of him than she had been previously.  But she soon realises that Gregori will do everything within his power to protect her and that they are the lifemates he has always claimed they were.

Gregori on the other hand needs more convincing as he is convinced that he is evil and has stolen Savannah from another by manipulating her before she was born.  And whilst other Carpathians can recognise their lifemates by the fact that they see in colour, even that is lost to Gregori.

It soon becomes clear to the reader that the spirited Savannah, her mother’s daughter in determination and independence, is more than a match for Gregori and if anyone can convince him that they truly do belong together it is her.

As amusing as the other novels the quick-witted Savannah takes on The Dark One and turns him from the intimidating hunter to a new man who, if not quite modern, has at least progressed from the caveman stage.

With some touching plot lines, such as the wolf and another strong plot in the background with a powerful vampire preying on mortals and jeopardising Carpathians too this is a story that does not disappoint those who picked up the novel with high expectations.

The best of the Dark novels to date and, of course there are more to come – Julian’s story is the next in this wonderful series.
 

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Also by Christine Feehan - The Dark Series and Wild Rain

For listings of Christine's other series (of which their are several) please visit Christine Feehan's Website.