BOUND BY SHADOW – Anna Windsor
The Dark Crescent Sisterhood, Book 1
Ballantine
ISBN 978-0-345-49853-3
July 2008
Paranormal Romance

New York City – Present Day

A warrior princess living in New York City, Riana Dumain works against evil with her two cousins, Cynda and Merilee. Trained as Sibyls in the Dark Crescent Sisterhood to complement each other, the women are marked with a triad tattoo of earth, air and fire, and each has her own talent related to one of the elements. They fight and destroy the Asmodai created by the evil Legion. The Asmodai are each made up of one of the elements of earth, fire, water or air. Riana has earth energy and is the foundation of her triad. The women report to three mother houses who train them. They work together as they investigate the theft at a museum where a knife, an object of power, was stolen.

Creed Lowell and his partner, Andrea Myles, are officers in the Occult Crimes Unit of NYPD. Creed lives with an unknown creature inside him that is very powerful -- it has always frightened him because he doesn’t know if it is good or evil. He feels it move within when it gets agitated, but his signet ring keeps the creature contained. Creed and Andy are investigating the death of a senator’s ten-year-old son. The boy was stabbed with an unusual and unidentified knife, and strange symbols written in blood and sea salt surrounded his small body.

Good friends Riana and Andy confer on cases on which Andy is working. When Andy and Creed enter the Sibyls’ home, Riana is aware that Creed is not all that he seems. She is determined to find out what he is, and warns him to not let any harm come to her friend. There is a strong attraction between Creed and Riana.

While investigating the boy’s death, the triad discovers it to be a ritual killing using the stolen knife. When their tattoos hum warning them of an intruder, they don their protective leather outfits and confront a fire Asmodai, killing him with their special weapons, but not before Creed tries to help. The women capture Creed to determine if he is dangerous. They chain and question him; he warns them to stay away. He tells them that he is mostly human but has an other inside of him, one he doesn’t understand himself, and the other can get out if he is in distress or removes his ring. He claims to be dangerous and does not want to hurt them. The women remove his signet ring and all hell breaks loose -- the other is released. Will the creature harm them?

Although Riana’s nature is earth, it doesn’t stop her from sizzling whenever Creed is in her vicinity. The attraction between them cannot be denied. Creed convinces the women warriors to allow him and Andy to help them find the murderer, and in the meantime, they will examine Creed. When the Legion steps up their attacks using the Asmodai, the different groups of the Dark Crescent Sisterhood ban together to stop the evil intruders. Will Creed’s other have a role to play, and can Andy and Creed help stop the invasion?

BOUND BY SHADOW is a gritty, romantic story with unusual characters possessing out-of-this-world talents to destroy evil. Riana is truly an earthy woman with a strong sexual nature that the handsome Creed cannot resist. With the three women working together, they are fierce, strong, smart, and well trained for combat. Creed has generally been able to keep the other under control, but it can explode with light and power if provoked. Because he does not understand his inner being, he is afraid of the power he keeps leashed. Will the Sibyls help him learn more about himself? Will Riana be able to accept the inner creature that is a part of Creed? And will they get the upper hand over the Legion and find the murderer of the boy?

BOUND BY SHADOW is intense, exciting, and hair-raising as these three women and other triads use their special talents to battle some very dangerous creatures created by the Legion. It is an imaginative story in a frightening world -- there is a lot of action; the hero is sexy, and the romance is hot. If you are in the mood for a sizzling paranormal adventure, BOUND BY SHADOW is the book for you.

Marilyn Heyman