Review: Sharing a Demon’s Bond by Charlie Richards

Author: Charlie Richards

Pages/Word Count: 93 Pages

At a Glance: A new twist, with Demons being added to the paranormal mix make, this installment is a learning experience for all. :)

Reviewed By: Sadonna

Blurb: Just a little love bite: When the monster comes out of the dark…sometimes he eats you up in every way you love.

Peter has lived with vampires for almost two decades, ever since his own parents were killed in a house fire, and he considers himself pretty knowledgeable about paranormals. Stopping for a cup of coffee in a diner, Peter finds himself turned on by the steady stare of a big Italian. When he makes a pit-stop at the diner’s bathroom, he doesn’t expect a hook-up. That’s exactly what Peter gets…and he also learns he doesn’t know as much about paranormals as he thinks he does. His new lover, Balthazar, is a demon who is coming up on his one thousandth birthday. He kidnaps Peter, claiming him as his amina, his soul, a reward from the Gods for doing his job well for a thousand years. Except, Balthazar’s job is sucking out the souls of the living and delivering them to Death. If Peter can get past the stigma of being bonded with a soulless demon, can Balthazar keep him safe from whoever is sending minions hell-bent on keeping them apart—not to mention Peter’s meddling vampire friends—long enough for their bond to seal?

Review: Sharing a Demon’s Bond is the fifth book in the A Loving Nip series from Charlie Richards, and while it might be helpful to read the previous books in the series, this can also be read as a standalone story since enough background information is provided in the narrative.

We met Peter in An Unforgettable Bite—the third book in the series. He’s a human who lives with the vampires, and has for some time. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship and he enjoys himself with the vamps, for the most part. He’s quite flamboyant and he’s quite comfortable with his life and his choices.

As he’s waiting to pick up a cake, he finds himself in a diner with an attractive, not quite human guy. He can’t believe how the guy pushes his buttons, and when he finds himself hooking up with the guy who tells him his name is Balthazar and that he is a demon. He also tells Peter he’s his anima or soul. While Peter is surprised a little by this—he’s never been told about demons in all his years with the vampires and shifters—he’s really too turned on to care that much about the particulars.

After beginning their bond, Balthazar takes an unconscious Peter to his home. When Peter wakes alone and realizes he’s not anywhere close to the coven—he’s left the cake and nobody knows his whereabouts—he calls home. The coven is concerned when they hear about the demon, but when Balthazar comes back, Peter feels the same pull, and he also feels cherished and loved by his demon. He’s confused about what Balthazar does and why he does it. Turns out he’s got a LOT to learn about demons and their rules. And so do the vampires. There are a lot of misconceptions, a little bit of pathos, and a triumph of love along with some dramatic interventions.

The thing I liked most about this story was the new element of demons. They have a different set of rules of engagement, and the vampires might not always be right. I liked Peter—he’s a fun character from our previous encounters with him, and now he gets his own happy ending. A quick and enjoyable read for fans of this series, and another interesting paranormal being to add to the menagerie.