Trade Paperback; 320 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group (May 27, 2010)
ISBN-10: 190741021X
ISBN-13: 9781907410215
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Book: Book one in the Chronicles of Nick series
Main Characters: Nick Gautier
On sale at: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough, and savvy, Nick and his quick sarcasm are the stuff of legend... until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil covering a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. But before Nick can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh-eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough... now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chain saw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

REVIEW
It's been a while since I last read a novel by the hand of Ms. Kenyon, in all honesty I found that the Dark Hunter/Were Hunter/Dream Hunter world became a bit complex and due to said complexity, I lost interest because the last few novels were not up to standard and didn't hold it's quality I'm used to. So when I heard about the Chronicles of Nick I won't repeat my train of thoughts about it, because it's best not be repeated. However my sister got her hands on the novel and told me that I might actually enjoy it. So she brought it over for me to borrow and after I read the first 3 pages I was hooked onto it and finished reading it in a flash.

As it's a young adult, and Nick is a young adult himself, the problems he faces are a bit more basic bound and teenage material, but Sherrilyn is comfortable in her writing and able to put his pre-adult years to paper in a convincing and enjoyable way. Some of his feelings are described a bit adult-like in my opinion, but it can be rationally explained, due to the fact that he grew up between strippers and an adult style of life facing mature problems.

I absolutely loved the fact we were brought back to New Orleans, which in my opinion is the homebase of the Dark Hunters and has a certain feel to the world-build-up due to all it's lore. I felt later on in the series I actually started missing New Orleans, so this series makes up for that! Old characters come to pass in their previous way of life, Kyrian still being a Dark Hunter, Acheron, Simi, Tabitha and other squires come to pass in their unique way of being. It was something that really added to the reading experience, and I think that is what makes it an interesting and fun read for those not really into Young Adult-series.

The topic of Zombies is not one of my favourite reads but the combination of Zombies with teens made it work. It's a fast-paced, entertaining read where things once more twist and turn around in the Dark Hunter world as we know it, but as far as I can tell at this stage I think these changes are for the better instead of the worse! Some storylines in this novel seem to not add up to the series as we know it, but again towards the end of this particular read it all is set up really well and all falls into place, so if you come across a few anomalities, don't worry keep reading and be surprised!

I think the 'ick' factor works really well for young adults, there were times where I as an adult thought: “oh no, so way gross!!!” I could have done without it, and it being described a bit less icky but I forgave that because I knew it's a YA-series. I absolutely adored Bubba and Mark and their 'zombie-hunting' ways. They were compelling and funny to read about.

There lingers a misconception that the Chronicles of Nick are a prequal to the Dark Hunter Series, I think it's not. It's interwoven into the series and some plotlines are changing and explained as such in between the lines, so therefor I think that, if you are unfamiliar to the Dark Hunter world, it might not be wise to start reading this novel, and on the other hand, it can be read as a new starting series because these are written as Chronicles. So the unexplained might be left open till it's explained in a later novel.

Nick as a character in the Dark Hunter novels never stood out to me, but he actually scored some positive points in this novel and I'm looking forward to reading on in this series. It was great to see his witty sarcasm and I'm truly hoping these chronicles will progress in the way I'm thinking it will, because if it does, I think it will be a climactic change in the Dark Hunter world. But let's not get too carried away and see where the second novel in this series will lead us, this one left us with quite a great ending, which I'm curious to see how it will be picked up in the next installment.

4 Stars

__________________________________________________________________________________
Crave the Night by Natascha (formerly known as: Ashleagh )

This is a story based upon the Dark Hunter series written by Sherrilyn Kenyon with Acheron Parthenopaeus as main hero. The other Dark Hunters as well as affiliated characters might show up as the story writes out.
Because this story is a Fanfiction which came from my own imagination whilst reading on in this series, note that it is in no way affiliated to Sherrilyn Kenyon. Please be warned again, that this might show spoilers to the actual series but it can also follow a different path to the storylines.

This FanFic as it's written is copyright protected to Natascha apart from the pieces taken from the series as well as the characters and series idea, those are registered adn copyright protected by Sherrilyn Kenyon!!!

HAPPY READINGS,
Natascha
__________________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER FIVE

Ok now Celeste knew Kyrian and Amanda had a beautiful home but, by Gods, it was a huge palace!!! She stood outside the iron gate awestruck by the dominance of the 18th century Victorian home. Dreamily she fantasized for a moment about the old-english interior decorations. Warm country-colourfull pillows and drapes, wooden oak carvings... A house like this just longed for classy-interior!!!
Tabitha and Valerius came up behind her, startling her. “Amazing isn’t it?” Tabby asked.
“Yes it is!!!”
“Wait till you see inside...” Valerius said “You’ll be surprised even more!”

The three of them walked up the driveway and even before they rang the doorbell the door opened up and a happy chatter came their way. They were the last one’s to arrive. The guys were going to see the American Football-team play.Marissa was running around anxiously as she knew she and her babybrother Ashleagh were spending the night at Amanda’s parents.

Still in shock as to what she saw inside, modern-furniture, no white and pastel country colours, no the opposite!!! And what was up with all the vampire things? The coffin-coffeetable, vampire tringlets what an odd combination...
As soon as Celeste sat down Marissa hopped on her lap and began chatting away relaxing her instantly. Amanda said “Marissa, come on stop taking up Celeste!”
“No, it’s alright Amanda.” Celeste said while watching the girl with the blonde curls and blue eyes giving Celeste a big smile talking on about her day at school and her best friend Simi.
Within the hour Amanda’s parents had come and left with the kids, they had drinks, laughs, the guys left and now finally the girls could go on their way. How strange Celeste felt, normally she had to get to know people to feel at ease, had to spend some time with them to feel at home but these people made her feel as if she rightfully belonged here. She had to get used to the feeling a bit.
She listened to the girls chatting and even though with the age of 28 she was the youngest there, she didn’t feel she was treated as such.

They went to Café du Monde for a nice dinner, nothing fancy, even though they had massive amounts of money to spend they didn’t act as such and Celeste was somehow relieved that they were this down to earth. Not the Mardi-grass type of gothic people who would normally come to Selena’s shop. The vampire wannabe’s or the Buffy-Slayer type of girls. She knew there were more people like herself, the type that was interested in the paranormal in a normal way. When they sat down at the restaurant and after they’d ordered they got down to girl-talk. Alpha Males, they all had a passion about books, the historical romances, the rogues who fall in love... Karen Marie Moning being the one they all thoroughly enjoyed. They all talked about their favorite Highlander and giggles and fantasy’s were shared. Celeste said “Well you all did a very good job though in finding your own ‘Highlander’ where did you all meet? And is there a brother laying around somewhere...”
Grace laughed “We all met in various ways, you know mine all too well...”
“Yes I do, Julian is a great teachor! At first I had to say it was a bit awkward knowing what he was before he met you and then standing in front of me in the Classic course... I mean if you think about it.... But he’s great, always ready with a helping hand.”
The others looked at Celeste as if she was saying something totally out of context.
Selena asked “That’s it?”
Celeste looked her way “Ehh yeah, what else is there to say? He’s a genuinely nice man. I don’t know him all too well but what else should I say?”
“How about he’s gorgeous, I mean I love my Bill but ohh my, Julian is sinfully beautiful.” Selena said still awestruck by Celeste.
“I’ll give him gorgeous, yes, but no nothing more...”
“Unbelievable.” Selena said.

Amanda took Celeste in for a while “No not unbelievable, she’s got googling eyes for someone else...”
Celeste blushed when Amanda totally out of the blue had her pinned with her back to the wall and all eyes focussed on her. She felt deep blushes come to her cheeks, and suddenly very aware of the fact that it was warm sitting next to the radiator...

Sunshine giggled “Oh my god Amanda I think you’re spot on! Come on girl spill the beans.... and no more of that has someone got a brother-thing, who is it? Do we know him, is he from around???”
“I ehhh.... Well it’s....” Celeste knew she couldn’t dodge the subject so she had to say something “I don’t know who he is. I only saw him briefly down Bourban Street a few weeks back nothing more. Haven’t seen him since – apart from in my dreams – but I can’t get him out of my mind.”
“What does he look like? Maybe we’ve seen him, or heck maybe we know who he is?” Tabitha said always in for matching couples.
Celeste sighed dreamily “Like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Talking about Alpha Males.... he is one to the core! But not for someone who looks like me.”
“Hey!” Bride said “Don’t let me hear that, look at my Vane.... If there’s love it doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah but Vane is not of this world!” Celeste said “He’s one in a billion who just love chubby girls....!”

It was as if she knew Vane had not been off this world....

Vane’s one of the were-hunters who resides in New Orleans. Were-Hunters were created when Lycaon, an ancient Greek king, unknowingly married an apollite. When the king realized what she was, he also realized that their two sons would follow in their mother’s footsteps and die horribly at age twenty seven. To prevent this from happening, the king captured Apollites and began experimenting on them. He magically spliced their life forces with those of various animals to create half-bred beings: arcadians, those wich held human hearts and shapeshifting abilities and Katagaria those who had an animal heart and could become human. When the Greek Fates saw this, they were angered that he would dare to try to go against them. They demanded he’d kill his sons and all the others he had created. When refused, his punishment ruled that the two species would always war against eachother. Vane was a distant-decendent from Lycaon and an Arcadian with wolf-heart, Bride knew this ofcourse, as well as the other girls but Celeste didn’t know.

After dinner they went to see a movie and after the movie they were on their way to sanctuary. They had a great table just overlooking the dance-floor and on a floor up a few steps. The guys were back from their footbal-game and were playing a game of pool while having a beer. Selena said dreamily “Celeste how you can’t drewl over a guy like Julian beats me... I mean look at him...”
Celeste laid her hand gently on Grace’s arm as to comfort her that it wasn’t meant like that and Grace smiled thankfully at her. Celeste nearly felt the pain inside Grace, knowing Selena didn’t do it intentionally, Grace knew Selena never would do anything to hurt her, but it was still hard to get used to.
Selena said “So Celeste, please tell us all about your dream man, I’m in the mood for nice storytelling...”
Grace said “Lena no, give it a rest, if she wanted to tell us she already would have...”
“It’s okay Grace, there are no juicy details, just a kiss that’s all. Ok it was the best one I’ve ever had, not that I’m that experienced, but I know it’ll be hard to top it...”

There was this loud tune playing somewhere in between middle and hard-rock when the music stopped and Lynard Skynards ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ started. Celeste was looking toward the dancefloor with her chin leaning on her left hand when she felt her head nodding along the song she loved. Then out of the blue she felt like time stood still, there in the middle of the crowd was this nearly 7 feet tall man – the man of her dreams – he was here, now, why oh no why? Was he for real or did all the talking about him tonight made her see things. She followed him with his eyes and when he looked their way her head slipped from her hand her chin nearly bumping on the table, making the other girls giggle and curious what made her do that. The other girls knew Acheron well and knew whenever he entered the Sanctuary ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ would start playing to alert the Daimons and Apollyte that Acheron was inside. The Sanctuary was a safe-haven for those who were otherworldly. Here they could mingle in with humans without being judged. As long as they followed the rules. The Sanctuary was run by a Bear-Were-Hunter family the Peltiers and they had their standards up high.

Amanda asked what was going on and when Celeste’s jaw nearly dropped when Acheron came walking their way, the girls obviously thought it was his looks she’s was completely in shock over.

Acheron went to Sanctuary to seek out Julian who he wanted to speak in person to about the Dream-Hunters he inquired about, he saw the girls sitting there and had the urge to go to say hi to them first. He hadn’t recognized Celeste as she was sitting at the back of their group and when he saw her he felt a jolt of joy and something like tingling in his stomach. His eyes were locked to hers and instead of standing at the head of the table he walked to her.

Was she dreaming? Was this really happening or was she going to make a fool out of herself? Was he really here, she didn’t dare to ask the other girls who seem to think things were still normal. She was so up in her thoughts that she didn’t hear them say hi to Acheron at all. She just had to know he was here for real. When he stood in front of her she laid her hand against his cheek, she felt whiskers.... Did this mean he was for real?

He closed his eyes to feel the soft touch of her hand on his face, turned his head and gave her palm a kiss laying his own hand over hers to keep it there a little while longer. The shock of the similarity to her dream came to her and she to her own amazement pulled back and ran off.

Oh my god, he knew, did he have the same dream as her? What was going on, this was not normal, hell no, this was paranormal at the least!!! She didn’t know what to feel, joy, scared, confused, she was all. He seemed to remember her, he seemed to have, dare she say, a longing look in his eyes? Eyes.... no not his eyes, he was wearing sunglasses, who on earth was wearing sunglasses in a bar in the middle of the night? Ohh no she did make a fool of herself, did she nodd off or something, then woke up in a frenzy and ran off??? She wanted to go back but was to embarressed.

Grace followed her outside after sending Acheron a questioning look. “Celeste wait up...”
Celeste stopped running and Grace stood still next to her “Come on Celeste talk to me. What’s going on?”
“He was real right? I’m not dreaming, I didn’t just make a big fool out of myself right?”
Grace said “Anyone not noticing Ash is making a fool of herself...”
“Ash?” Celeste asked, was that his name? Did Grace know him? If so, was this the Ash Julian phoned, about her dream? And if he remembered the dream, she made a fool of herself even more...

“Yes, the guy in the bar...”
“So I didn’t nodd off and dream he was there?”
“No, Celeste, what’s going on.”
“The ‘Ash’ you are talking about is the man I’ve been having dreams about...”
Grace fell silent. Pieces of the puzzle came into place for her now. Not the part where she could explain the alive-like dreams but Celeste leaving in a panic. She remembered very well how she handled Julian popping out of his book into her livingroom – naked at that – not at all!!!!, in fact she tripped and fell over. Celeste handled it mildly better than her, she was still standing on her feet.
“Sweety there’s nothing to be embaressed about. The girls all had their share of weirdness about them, they’ll understand, come back in, to at least get your things and finish your drink?”
Celeste doubted in what to do but Grace already was walking toward the entrance and she followed, not completely sure why but she did.

Once back with the girls Ash was no longer with them but up with the guys and the girls acted as if nothing happened. Amanda however did have a questioning look in her eyes as she knew Ash better than the others, she knew things haven’t been the same, he hadn’t been the same. The look in his eyes changed when Kyrian and herself were hugging or just even being together, was this the confusion she felt going on inside Ash, was there more to it. She felt the pain he felt when Celeste fled from him. How she wished she could get a clearer view on things.
Sunshine asked nearly whispering to Celeste “What was going on?”
“Girls sorry for running off like that, it’s just, well he, him, I mean Ash. He was the one I’ve been having dreams about... And the thing with the hand... well it was part of that dream, except the other way around and....”
“Say no more,” Tabby said “Girl we understand. In fact all of us say I for being jealous that you could touch Ash like that... Normally he’s the not getting close, gone quick kinda guy...”
She blushed at the fact that this in fact did happen, where from did she get the guts to touch him like that? She wanted to say she was sorry for dashing off like that. “I’ll be back in a sec girls.”
She walked up the stairs towards where he was and halfway up the stairs he met her while going down. “Hey listen, I’m sorry for running off like that it’s just, I was confused and all sorts of things at the same time and...”
“Shhh, what’s your name?”
“Celeste...” she looked confused and he felt he needed to explain himself “Celeste... hi I’m Ac- Ash, I at least wanted to get acquinted before I did this...” He pulled her in his arms and gave her a hungering kiss. She leaned against the arm-rest for support, his tongue demanded response and pulling her close so she could feel just how much he wanted her, needed her, making her blush even more with every touch of him. Once the longing was lessened, his kiss went more gentle trying not to bruise her lips even more. His hand supported her neck and his fingers hooked into her hair. She let out a soft moan, not realizing it was hers and his lips turned into a cheeky grin while still kissing her. He enjoyed this… way to much for his own goodness, he still had a job to do but found it very difficult to let go at this point.

The girls as well as the guys stood awestruck, was this Ash... the infamous Acheron Parthenopaeus? Kyrian said “I’ve known Ash for over 2000 years now, and not once have I seen him kiss someone? Heck I even thought he never had sex...”
“If he’s just in it for the sex I’ll put a stop to it, she a student of mine!” Julian said protectively not connecting the dots yet but surely Grace would fill in the blanks later on.
Amanda said “Well I’ll be d...”
And Bride couldn’t help herself saying “It’s about bloody time!”
All the girls looked amazed at her. “Well it is isn’t it. I’ve never seen him taken any interest in a girl, he’s what over 11 thousand years old, maybe he’s finally growing up....”
The girls laughed at that and then their eyes went to Ash and Celeste again, they couldn’t help themselves.

He rested his head against hers and whispered “I have to go and do a job, but I’ll be around...”
A sudden sadness fell over her, she didn’t want him to leave, she wanted him here, just here, nowhere else. He felt the panic inside her and wished he could do something to ease her restless feeling. He took off his shades (girls and guys even more in shock, Ash taking of his sunglasses in public.... most hadn’t even seen him without...) she again saw his eyes, a warm glow of hazelgreen with golden sparks. He kissed her again, eyes open and hers captured in his, and she knew he would be back. She didn’t know when, she didn’t like him leaving, but she knew he’d be back.
He left her standing on the stairs knowing she watched his every step till he was out the door so he wasn’t able to flash out but he didn’t mind. Before he went through the door he looked back, sunglasses on but she knew he was looking at her.
How long she stood there, she had no idea but Amanda took her by the arm and guided her to the rest of the group, giving the guys a glance as in to say she didn’t know what was going on either. Before Amanda went to get Celeste, they all had decided to not ask questions and leave things be but when Celeste sat down all girls asked questions at the same time, getting an agitated look from Amanda “Girls...!”
“Sorry,” Selena said “It’s just, we never saw Ash kiss someone before... and oh yeah if I smoked I would light a sigaret right now...”

When Celeste came home she just didn’t know what to think. So Ash kissed her ‘whoopy’, ok, it was a mindblowing kiss and her heart started beating faster when she thought about it, she still got weak in the knees but what did it mean? Apparantly there was something inside him that obviously made him want to kiss her but it told her nothing more. What would he want with the likes of her? They couldn’t come more plain and simple. But by Gods, he had felt like heaven on earth when he took her in his arms and his lips touched hers.
He reaked power, strength, raw eminating sex!

She could still see everybody making way for him when he had entered the club. True to say he was a bit scarry. He had this ‘don’t screw with me because I will take you on’ aura around him and honestly that was all she had on her mind-sort to speak.
She blushed at the thought.

She wanted him in her bed.
Hot and naked!
Oh dear, she was so in trouble! With no idea how to contact him and no idea when she would see him again she had to sober up and live her life like she was used to and not let her heart get in the mix because that was the last thing she was willing to give away...

Mass Market Paperback; 385 pages
Publisher: Medallion Press (June 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0758241283
ISBN-13: 9780758241283
Genre: Erotica Romance / Fantasy
Book: Book five in the Lords of Satyr series
Main Characters: Dane Satyr & Evangeline Delacorte
On sale at: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
When Dane Satyr approaches Eva for her services as a matchmaker, she offers him more than just introductions. Dane has discovered that Eva is a Satyr like himself, full of insatiable passion and dark desires. Their attraction combusts instantaneously, unlocking pleasures that neither can resist repeating...even as Eva seeks out a mortal bride for Dane.

REVIEW
Eva finds herself roaming on grounds where she’s not supposed to be and walks straight into the life of Satyr- Dane. Instantly there is an attraction giving Dane a certain strength and freedom that he keeps fighting to overcome on the night of the change, but Eva’s own personal differences makes her running away from him and into the safeness of her own home.

Events lead them in different directions, to find hhuman partners to marry but their attraction seems too strong to be denied!

With this new novel in the LORDS OF SATYR series Elizabeth Amber has brought her characters in new twists and turns making the world even more intriguing and compelling than before. If you already are a lover of her writing and men, this book will not disappoint and if you are new to her series the first trilogy is amazing but this book enhances the reading experience even more.

Dane is the sort of hero, that eats, sleeps and breathes the core element of Alpha Male in this novel, and with each step he made you experience just that. He’s instantly likeable and despite his traumatic past, he remains a strong person, determined to reach a certain goal and go for it.

Eva is just a genuinely loving female, with her own set of insecurities and mystery around her. With a heart of gold I felt she truly belonged to Dane and separate as well as together they made a tight fit. Their romance could be felt by the heart and as a couple they absolutely have the X-factor for me.

This was such a great story filled with emotions, drama, suspense and erotic scenes, making my heart flutter each time I had to put it down, as it anxiously awaited the next moment I was able to read another page. Even though sometimes I realized the complexity of the story, it reads with such ease that, the full extent of it, hit me when I turned the last page and started putting my mind around writing the review.

The way Elizabeth Amber uses tools and instruments from within the eroticism scene and weaves it into the story making it, not only functional but pleasure heightening, while reading the story of Dane and Eva in DANE, is superb. And despite the fact that the ways of the Lords of Satyr are still the same in the core elements, but so completely different within each romantic encounter that my reading experience within this series is such an enhancing one, making this world grow as the series continues on.

Though the beginning was slow at pace it all came together why it was a bit slow to start. Dane has this whole other side that had to be explored and Eva, well she is truly a unique person and has her own way in exploring her sexual desires when a man is not at hand! AS soon as the story unfolds, your pulled straight into the Satyr-world where evil is vile and eroticism is at an all time high.

In this book Bastian and Sevin (the next installments in this series) have come to pass and the right buttons were pushed to have tickled my fancy, so all one can do is, look forward to the next release as they are, once more, lick able men! This book had a perfect ending to me for Dane and Eva, but as well as for some secondary characters making me sighing to satisfactory.

QUOTE that left me in total ecstacy:
“I’m not going to tell anyone.”
“What are you going to do?” she demanded in a ravaged voice.
“Do?” His mouth touched hers, butterfly soft. “I’m going to undress you. Here on my big bed, and kiss you, and hold you, and come inside you. All.” A kiss. “Night.” Another kiss. “Long.”

4,5 Stars

__________________________________________________________________________________
Crave the Night by Natascha (formerly known as: Ashleagh )

This is a story based upon the Dark Hunter series written by Sherrilyn Kenyon with Acheron Parthenopaeus as main hero. The other Dark Hunters as well as affiliated characters might show up as the story writes out.
Because this story is a Fanfiction which came from my own imagination whilst reading on in this series, note that it is in no way affiliated to Sherrilyn Kenyon. Please be warned again, that this might show spoilers to the actual series but it can also follow a different path to the storylines.

This FanFic as it's written is copyright protected to Natascha apart from the pieces taken from the series as well as the characters and series idea, those are registered adn copyright protected by Sherrilyn Kenyon!!!

HAPPY READINGS,
Natascha
__________________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER FOUR

"Why the hell did you not tell me this before?!" Acheron felt his rage growing. "Stryker did what to Nick? And this has been going on how long?"

"Ehm a year..."
"A whole freakin' year?!" Acheron still felt like he got slapped in the face. "And you didn't bother telling me because..?"
"Time wasn't right." Savitar said deadly calm.
"Bull, bloody bull. I trusted you Savitar, and I don't trust a lot of people."
"I'm no friggin' people Acheron, don't tart me. I do what I do and don't have to explain myself to no-one. You know how it works. One thing leads to another, it sets strings in motion. Change one course of action and the whole future changes for a lot of people."

Savitar saw the raging storm that had been building up within Acheron calm down again. Savitar knew how much Nick meant to Ash eventhough the last time they met things ended badly. Ever since that moment changes were set in motion. Acheron went through changes noticeably only to those very close to him, and on a very subtle level. Savitar knew that the time was right for Ash, the moment was here, and this thing with Nick was the key.
He knew as well that the best thing he could do right now was leave Ash be for a while so with a "See you later dude, gotta catch me some waves." Savitar left again. Ash looked at his clothes and willed a change of outfit on himself. Instead of his black leather outfit he had a lose silk white blouse and baggy white pants on. He sat himself down on his chair to watch some cartoons on TV. Finally he had time to himself to think things through, clear his mind and rest. He checked on Simi before he went to bed but couldn't sleep. He picked up the Sphora, a crystal boll used to see what was going on, on planet earth. Instead of seeing his dark-hunters as he normally saw, he saw a woman asleep in her bed, reading glasses on her nose and a book in her hands. The dragonfly Tiffany bedside lamp was still on. Watching her sleep gave him a peaceful feeling. He remembered her from earlier that day and before he knew it, he flashed into her bedroom using his powers to keep her asleep. He took off her glasses, put her book on the bedside table and switched of the light. He sat down on the antique rocking chair and decided to embrace this peaceful feeling for a while. The cat who had laid asleep on the bed, jumped of the bed onto his lap. He stroke the soft fur and made her purr. This was nice, he could get used to embracing the warm loving finely tuned energy that radiated here. Eventhough he knew it was wrong for him to be here uninvited - well maybe even wrong for him to be here - he didn't care at all.

After a while he laid the cat back on the bed and flashed back with a turmoil in himself that made him happy and sad & strong and weak at the same time, realizing that over 11,000 years of solitude in his own home, it was getting to him now. Instead of resting up, he went out for some Daimon-hunting. Simi was happy to go out with him and sat herself onto Acherons back as a tattoo on his left shoulder. He was called on by the Seattle dark-hunters. Ravyn needed his help on something but he didn't really want to leave New Orleans. It was the only place apart from Katoteros where he felt he belonged. Deep in his thoughts and majorly distracted by them he stumbled into a group of Daimons who knew who he was and were very surprised that the almighty dark-hunter leader Acheron didn't realize they were there. The element of surprise was theirs and they took it, or at least try to take it. When they had encircled him and were ready to move in, Tabitha and Valerius came to the rescue and kicked some Daimon-butts. The last one standing got away and said "Stryker will love this!!!"

Tabitha shot out at Acheron "Ash since when are you willingly walking into an ambush of Daimons, you should know better!"
"I know thanks for being there."
Before Tabby could go on in her rambling , Valerius picked up that Ash was struggling with something and didn't need an angry rambling conversation mostly spoken by Tabitha "Are you alright Ash?"
"I have to go out of town. Talk to you later, thanks again."
Ash was gone before they could blink their eyes. "See I told you, something major is going on, even Ash is worried about it, why else would we catch him off guard like that?"
"I'm sure he's on top of things. Last years have been rough on him since Nick turned dark-hunter after kiling himself, and turning his back on Ash in Seattle last year. Give him some time to cope."
"You're probably right, allthough..."
"Tabby..."
They walked into the Sactuary to meet up with Kyrian, Julian, Amanda and Grace.

When Ash arrived at Susan and Ravyns home, he got the update about Nick hanging out with Spathi Daimons, Strykers first hand daimons and stronger than the normal daimons they dealt with on a daily base. Word was out that, Nick as a dark-hunter, went rogue against Ash.
Ash noticed that Ravyn had other concerns as well and used his powers to find out "What's going on with Cael and Amiranthe?"
"I don't know, but somethings up there as well. No one has really been in touch with them, I think it maybe has to do something with Amiranthe, being an appolyte turning 27, I guess Cael needs some time..."

Ash was determined to find out, something was not right here in Seattle. He should have paid more attention after last years disaster. Stryker was not one demi-god to mess with or to take lightly. Once his mind was set on something he didn't lett go off it. With things being quiet Stryker-wise for a year, something was bound to go down somewhere. He decided to stay focussed on Seattle for a while. The next few weeks he however every night dropped into this woman's room and found himself peaceful. He actually managed at those moments to outclose all voices in his head - even, yes even (!!!) Artemisses voice. He had always kept his distance though. However, today he needed some warmth, something real to keep with him. When he flashed in at 3.46am, she looked so peaceful, so adorable. He sat down on the bed next to her and stroke a strand of hair our of her face and tugged it behind her ear. He leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, then gave her an eskimo-kiss. Suddenly, a feeling boiled to the surface, a simmering longing he could no longer hold in, he longed for so much more. To hold her, for her to touch him.

Her eyes opened and he felt like time stood still. That lazy-just-awake-look in her lavender blue eyes, he had forgotten to keep her asleep with his powers, probably because sub-consciously he wanted her to wake up so that he could have a memory from something he thought would be devine. She just stared at him 'was she dreaming? Was this man - thé gorgeous man of Bourban Street who she couldn't get out of her head- really here or was she still sleeping?'
"Who are you?" she asked with a hoarse voice from sleeping, making his groin tighten uncomfatably in his leather pants.
"I'm just a figment of your imagination." Acheron said gently. Celeste pulled her hand up, stroke his cheek and let her hand go through his silken hair "You feel real to me..."

His lips touched hers as he pulled his weight on his left arm and slipped his right arm behind her to support her back. The softness of her lips made him want more, so he tried slipping his tongue in between her lips for a soul-seering kiss and she obliged. Welcomed his tenderly searching tongue to find hers for a nice play of cat and mouse. She let out a soft moan when his hand moved from her back to her left breast, feeling her heartbeat go up as he felt how her nipple hardened underneath his touch, he felt contend!

No demanding him to do this or that, just him touching her the way he wanted to. He stroke her face with the back of his hand, within his stroke he turned his hand around to cup her cheek. She kissed his palm and looked him in his eyes, swirling silvery - she must be dreaming! But then a change, a warm glow of hazelgreen with golden sparks. Beautiful eyes with a somewhat confused look in it 'What was going on?' he felt different. He kissed her again, stroke the path between her eyebrows and made her fall asleep again before he flashed back home. Or so he thought, instead of standing nicely in his white bedroom in Katoteros, he found himself disturbingly in his bedroom in Kyrian's home.
Suddenly too tired to worry about it he went to bed here in the bordeaux-red warm colored bedroom, his big-sized 4 poster-bed handcarved from the 16th century with all modern day comforts looked like heaven at this moment... yes looked like, he felt he was in heaven the moment his lips touched hers...
Celeste woke up the next morning with this very live-like memory of this stranger kissing her - very passionately at that - was it really a dream? It was all a bit hazy. She needed coffee, a large caffeine boost... a tripple cappuchino would do... She had a long working day ahead of her, so she wanted to head in early to have a start up on things. Eventhough she was working 8 hours less for her course, she was still keeping up her work. When at 8 am she sat at her desk with the self- promised large tripple cuppuchino to go from Café du Monde she couldn't focus on her work and then Bill passed by her office hearing her snap "Damn, it wasn't that good'a kiss..." he entered her office after a knock "Is everything ok?"
"No... yes... it's nothing. Just still a bit tired."
"Ok then. Well just in case... my office is open 24-7 if you want to chat." Bill said gently "Oh before I forget. Selena is having a nice girls gathering Friday and told me to mention it to you. Get back to her to let her know if you want to join ok?"
"I don't know, I'm not sure..."
"Come on Celeste, it will do you good. Grace is coming, Bride and Amanda. It wil be good for you. At least think about it will you?"
"Sure, I'll think about it."

At 4 o'clock she called it a day, had let Selena know she was attending the girls-night-out and decided she was putting her "dream-lover" to rest, not thinking about that hunky, gorgeous, Alpha Male who radiated a raw sex-appeal. Her fantasy was having a run with her and affecting her stable way of life. She felt contend with her decision and received a phonecall from overseas. A friend from her teenage years she had lived in Ireland, wanted to know how she was doing and asking when she'd be back in Ireland so they could hook up.

Tristan O'Malley had lately been thinking about his old-best friend. Ever since he married 4 years ago, with Breege McFeelan his high-school sweetheart, had 2 kids with her and things with his band 'Celestial' had slowed down he thought more and more about past friends and what they'd been up to. Celeste moved away from Sligo, Ireland 6 years ago when her parents had died in a horrible car-crash on the N4 towards Dublin. Tristan and his parents Kelly and Daniel helped her through it. After a few months she dreamed about New Orleans, went there on holiday for a while and felt so much at home that she arranged to finish up her university-degree at Tullane.

When she had moved up there and got her degree Bill had sought someone as a starting Office Manager. His mother wanted to retire and they both thought she was the best candidate out of the 22 applicants. Their intuition had proven them right.

Ofcourse throughout the years she kept in touch with some people from Sligo, but distance made it difficult to stay in touch on a week-to-week base, so it became less frequent every year.
Meanwhile in another dimension Stryker pased through his living room. He had given his Spathi Daimons instructions to reek havoc and check on Acheron. Nick Gautier was anxious to get his revenge on his used-to-be-best friend but now enemy-to-the-core Acheron. He made planns in his head on how and where to do it, and now was biding his time, just waiting for the perfect moment. He however didn't want to just kill him, he wanted to hurt him the way Acheron Parthenopaeus had hurt him.... by killing that person as close to Acheron's heart as Nick's mother was to Nick... Simi!!!

In his time as a squire he had studied Mythical animals and as a Charonte Demon, Simi was one! He knew her weaknesses. Blinded by his hatred he no longer saw Simi as the girl he made love to, no longer recognized the purity in her that he fell-in-likes with, with a potential to more...

When the Spathi Daimon 'Boar' returned as the only one still standing after their battle with Tabitha and Valerius, Stryker had been informed about the pre-occupied minded Acheron. It could go 2 ways, either Acheron was onto their planns, or something else was going on inside his mind. Stryker wanted to find out as his last encounter between him, Acheron and his dark-hunters, left him with half the Daimons and more cautious. To his knowledge word wasn't out yet that Nick was his ally now, it would definitely be something that would shake Acheron up.

Thursday after classes Celeste lingered about till everyone was gone. Julian looked at her "What can I do for you?"
"I... it's just..."she sighed "I don't want to sound silly, but with you being cursed and all you maybe understand."
"Have a seat and tell me what's on your mind?"

She explained about how she more and more felt that things he told in classes were part of her memory. Remembering things as like being a part of the story instead of just listening to them. About the very lifely dreams she had, she all blurted it out, relieved that he took her serious and more so glad she had the courage to open up to him.
"Do you wake up still tired after your dreams?"
"No... not really. Confused more likely, but not tired and..."she stopped. Would he find her childish when she would mention this man she briefly met while passing by and seemed to appear in her dreams more and more.
"Don't hold back now. Celeste you came to me, I think because you trust me. I had my share of weirdness, nothing you're about to say will seem odd to me."

She took a deep breath and let it out slow, she started this and she had to get it of her chest... "Ok, well her goes... at the risk you'll think I'm a teenage girl with a crush..."
"I'm over 2000 years old age-wise, to me you still are a teenage girl..."
She smiled widely "I wouldn't give you a year over 1500..."
He let out a deep laughter "I knew I liked you from the start, you remind me of my wife."
" Ok, well, a few weeks ago I passed by this man on Bourban Street, 6 near to 7 feet tall, broad shouldered and well... easy-on-the-eyes, mildly said... He keeps playing in my mind and has an active part in most my dreams."
"Ohhh, I see..." Julian said thinkingly.
"I know... it seems like a crush... but there was this one time, it seemed he was a real-life-person in my bedroom, touching me..."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but was it sexual?"
"Not really... only that one time, but just a kiss, nothing more."
"I heard this story once about some sort of guardians for the dream world, they live in an alternate realm to ours. I don't know much about them but it sounds a bit like that. I'll give Ash a call, he's a friend of mine, and let you know when I know more about this. He's formilliar with all sorts of paranormal phenomenon. Let it be for now, don't be too worried about it. We'll find out!.
"Thanks mr. Alexander."
"Please outside the classroom it's Julian."
She winked "Well technically we're still in the classroom... Thanks Julian."

She left him behind wondering more about what's going on. He phoned Ash and left a message on his voicemail for him to phone back asap.
On her way back home she dropped in Selena's shop, browsed a bit in the tarot-deck section, deep in thoughts. Selena sensed Celeste maybe needed some alone-time, and wanted to leave her be. Or not ofcourse.... as soon as Celeste noticed her "Hey Selena, hows things?"
They got talking, Selena told her all about tomorrows planns. From them meeting up at Kyrian & Amanda's place to the restaurant, movie and to having drinks at the Sanctuary. To Celeste it sounded great. Eventhough she had lived in New Orleans for 6 years, the first 3 years at college she had some friends who now, were spread around the USA - Jillian being one of them, things got a bit more to the level that she had people she knew. And apart from Selena and Bride there weren't a lot of people she was friendlier with... she had her cat...