Now I loves me some vampire story, but as most of my local writing friends know (and really anyone who spends time with me) I lean more toward the feral, predatory vampires than the romantic, “lost soul” types of vampires we’ve been saturated with lately. Mercy Loomis gives us just that through Gabriel and his newly chosen progeny, Amanda.

Don’t be fooled though, this is most definitely not your Tweens vampire story. Found within will be a couple of rather blush-inducing scenes. More so when read aloud in the middle of a diner. Then again, this isn’t a romance by any means. There is no happily ever after in this book.

Amanda is a young woman used to being in control. Her interactions with Gabriel and this new supernatural world is an exercise in giving up control. Even those steamy scenes have an underlying flavor of conflict, giving up control and maintaining control. All of this can seem chaotic at times, especially considering the theme of control.

Also don’t look to hard for a hero or heroine in this book. For my part, these are the kind of books I am drawn to. The protagonist is no kind of hero, yet you find yourself liking them and rooting for them. It is the sign of a truly good character when they can be evil and yet you still like them.

Furthermore the world of Aether Vitalis is a well developed setting for a number of different stories. As such, in addition to Scent and Shadow, you’ll find a number of short stories in the world, including The Wild Hunt, which is currently free on Smashwords and includes the first chapter of Scent and Shadow.

For the whole package of character, world building and mythology, I’m giving Scent and Shadow five snarling vampires out of five. Its a value for any fans of erotica that like a little blood mixed into it, or fans of horror that don’t mind blushing a little.