SOUL MAGIC

Author: Jennifer Lyon ISBN: 9780345506351 11/2009 PARANORMAL Publisher: BALLANTINE

KISS OR KILL When an ancient pact is broken, powerful witches who once used their magic to help humanity become the twisted playthings of demons, and the mortal men who once protected the sorceresses become witch hunters, cursed with the longing to spill the witches’ blood: an irresistible craving that will cost witches their lives and witch hunters their souls. The Wing Slayer Hunters fight this curse, guarding innocent witches until the urge to harm them grows too strong–then they must kill their own. Wing Slayer Sutton West has always honored that vow. His own father killed himself rather than go rogue. But now Sutton is tempted as never before by Carla Fisk, a brilliant psychologist and dynamic witch whose twin sister, Keri, was murdered by rogues. Bound by blood and passion, Carla and Sutton dare not succumb to their deadly attraction. Yet when a mysterious rogue named Styx joins forces with the demon Asmodeus, witch and hunter have no choice but to work together. For Keri’s immortal soul is at stake–and with it, balanced on a knife-edge, is the fate of humanity itself.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Jennifer Lyon sets her erotic paranormal romance SOUL MAGIC (second in the series) in a small town on the California coast, where Carla Fisk runs a clinic to help women coming out of brainwashing cults. She has two very powerful sides to her therapy: psychological skills she seems to have acquired at the knee of her world-renowned geneticist father, and her paranormal abilities inherited from her mother, a witch. There is a group of men known as the Wing Slayer Hunters who have always protected these earth witches from demons and demon witches, but a generation ago the hunters and witches were cursed by a powerful demon witch. This curse severed all ties the witches have to their familiars as well as causing the Wing Slayer Hunters to crave witches' blood. So far they all (except for their new leader, Axel) succumbed in the last 30 years to the bloodlust, and when they go rogue, their fellow slayers must kill them. A cadre of rogues has banded together and are working with the demon Asmodeus to kill the Wing Slayer Hunters and then the witches. One of the Hunters who has not yet gotten his wings is Sutton West (whose father and uncle both killed themselves rather than go rogue). The rogues forced him to touch Carla’s blood when they kidnapped her and he rescued her. He’s afraid that even being in close proximity to this witch will hasten his bloodlust. But it appears that Carla’s dead twin sister Keri is bringing them together to find her lost soul. Will the bloodlust take over Sutton before he has another birthday, or will Carla prove to be his soul mirror and break the curse for him?

Lyon has created a wickedly apocalyptic world for the witches and wing slayer hunters that overlays the rest of society. These hunters have only one good way to stave off the bloodlust, and that is insatiable sexual lust, slaked by night-after-night of sympathetic women and/or prostitutes. For Sutton, that avenue closed down once he touched Carla’s blood. Now the two of them only have eyes and pheromones for each other, but Carla suspects that Sutton is really Keri’s soul mirror, not hers, and she feels guilty that she couldn’t stop rogues from murdering Keri, or herself from wanting Keri’s man for herself. I love how conflicted Carla and Sutton are when they try to think logically, but whenever they allow their bodies to take the lead, everything heats up in only good ways. Sutton, as do all the full Wing Slayer Hunters, has a winged being tattooed on his back. For him, it is an eagle which was Keri’s chosen symbol. I’m also impressed with how the eagle is insistent that Carla is “the one” and inflicts bodily harm on Sutton as it tries to break free from his body whenever Carla is in danger and Sutton is dragging his feet.

Lyon uses a lot of powerful imagery, none more so than the relationship between Carla, Keri, and their father. He knows about the curse, and all their lives he tried to find a genetic breakthrough that would help them heal the curse. But he did more harm than good, and he tortures himself daily for being unable to save Keri when she needed him. I was deeply touched by Carla’s efforts to mend that relationship in order to save Keri’s soul. It shows her courage and bravery.

While the story of the Wing Slater Hunters and the witches they protect is far from over, SOUL MAGIC is a powerful addition to the journey they are on, and Sutton West is exceedingly wing slayer worthy. Lyon presents another, dark, complicated, action-packed romance with plenty of fiery passion and good triumphing over evil. I can’t wait for the next installment!

Susan Barton