For fools rush in where angels fear to tread. – Alexander Pope
There was a time, not so long ago, that Xavi Escudero might’ve been described as impulsive, reckless, self-centered, maybe even a bit of a cheeky brat…but that was so much a part of the man’s appeal it was easy to be drawn in by his charms, even when it was clear he needed something more. Or someone, perhaps. Xavi is still a little impulsive, truth be told, maybe still a little reckless too, and he’s definitely still a bit of a cheeky brat, but the self-centered part has dissolved under the influence of his deepening feelings for his lover Andreas Rousakis, the intimidating, dangerous, deadly when it’s demanded of him vampire Warden who is nobody’s inferior, and who has laid claim to Xavi for himself. Not that Xavi is complaining, mind.
Murder brought them together, a near death experience brought Xavi over, and now the discovery of a hidden treasure has put Xavi to the ultimate test, which has thrust him, and all of vampire-kind, into a very unwelcome spotlight as far as some are concerned, especially Xavi. The US is in a perpetual state of suppressive turmoil, though in Barcelona HARC is close to manufacturing an immunization that would make humans immune to the vampire virus and, with luck, would allow humans and vampires to peacefully coexist. There are those who see Xavi’s mysterious vampire hero mystique as a step closer to bringing their community out into the open, to show humans that vampires are not insensate and evil monsters to be feared. It is an opportunity to manipulate the media machine before the media machine has an opportunity to manipulate them, to fight the overwhelming prejudice from without, but first they must fight the prejudice from within that has fractured their community into the isolationist faction and those who wish to be able to live outside the walls of Renaissance.
Xavi is faced with a challenge from Father Esteve—find out if the Treasure of San Pedro-by-the-Wall can be traced to any living beneficiary. It’s not a challenge Xavi accepts readily, but accept he does in spite of, not because of, Father Esteve’s attempts at coercion, and it’s his investigation that brings trouble of another sort to the threshold of his and Andreas’s relationship, and brings out the worst in one of the members of their own society.
Fool’s Rush, the third book in the Fool’s Odyssey series, is part mystery, part suspense, and part solidification of a romance that Xavi was having a difficult time putting a name to, this bond that is more than a gold collar and goes beyond a promise. He and Andreas form a connection that exceeds anything resembling what we know and delves into the mysticism and mythology of their kind, delivering them to a new level of commitment and opening them up to a new life with each other.
It’s a revelation and a turning point as Xavi comes to know his own heart in this installment, and Chris Quinton handily leads Xavi, Andreas, as well as their fans to the place we’ve all been anxious for them to reach since they first met.
If you’re not already a fan and are looking for a sleek and sophisticated, futuristic paranormal romance, I wouldn’t hesitate to direct you to this series. If you’re already a fan, then I can say without hesitation you won’t want to miss this one.
You can buy Fool’s Rush here: