"Sins of the Night", written by Devyn Quinn – Review

Katie at Ramblings on Romance Etc. blog recently referred to Devyn Quinn’s books as her “guilty pleasure”. For me they have become an addiction. I mentioned in my previous reviews of her books that I find her prose and graphic imagery truly outstanding. It is no less so in “Sins of the Night”, however the depth of the characters and the story she has written in this, the second of her novels involving Devon Carnavorn and the ‘Kynn’ kept me turning the pages.

As a short review, the Kynn are a vampire species who not only require human blood to continue existing, they require sexual energy to reinvigorate their bodies. They are not fanged vampires, they use a blade or some type of sharp instrument to cut their donors to feed prior to sex. The ‘Kynn’ have developed a society within the occult world and have learned to peacefully coexist with humanity. They do not murder their donors and leave devastation in their wake. In fact, the Kynn use a willing group of humans who provide for them. They do however have enemies in the ‘Amhais’, who are vampire hunters and Devon Carnavorn lost his first great love and maker ‘Ariel’ at their hands a century previous to his story in “Sins of the Flesh”.

Sins of the Night

In 1906, Adrien Roth believed he was soon to be a dead man. Shackled to a bed, weak from hunger and thirst, he was fearful not of death but what may come next. Enter, Devon Carnavorn full of hatred toward the Amhais that killed his beloved Ariel. He plans not to execute Roth, but to teach him a lesson he will never, ever forget. Devon has enlisted Ariel’s sister Lilith, a depraved bloodthirsty creature, who has been “having her way” with Adrien for days. What is different on this night is that Adrien, a once proud member of the Amhais is turned into what he hates, Kynn, against his will.

Fast forward to present day, Adrien lives a meager existence, renting a ramshackle but clean house where he stays with his cat “Gisele” (Gizzy). He rides a broken down Harley motorcycle and does not care about ‘material’ things. Adrien has no room for a lover in his life. His plan for vengeance is what keeps him focused on a singular path to Devon Carnavorn, the ‘creature’ that captured and left him in the hands of Lilith who subjected him to 30 years of terror. As a reader, I felt quite sorry for Adrien at the beginning of the book, he was a very lonely, isolated soul who absolutely hated what he was. That is until he intervenes to rescue “damsel in severe distress”, Cassie Wilson during the wee hours of the morning in a isolated park where she is being brutalized by her soon to be ex-boyfriend.

Cassie is an extremely wealthy beautiful woman from old money who lives alone in a mansion on a hill. She has been married five times and taken advantage of because of her wealth. She also has a dark secret, which she shares with no one. I really liked Cassie, she is brassy, speaks her mind and very comfortable with her own sexuality. Inexplicably drawn to Adrien, she tracks him down after her ‘rescue’ and ingratiates herself into his life. Their sexual attraction is instantaneous and explosive. Despite his resolve not to let anyone into his life or heart, Adrien cannot deny her.

There is a m/m/f ménage scene integrated in the storyline involving Adrien, but it is part of a dream sequence and is extremely well written.

Meanwhile Devon is now married to Rachel, his love and ‘she-shay’ or soul mate. Rachel is in the final months of pregnancy with twins and she is unwell. The Kynn have never been able to conceive children until Rachel and Devon and the reason for the decline in her health is a mystery to their physicians. Devon is distraught with worry for her and their children. Then an unusual, grotesque gift arrives for Rachel sent by Adrien. Devon recognizes it as a direct threat against him and his family. Following the delivery of the ‘gift’ he, receives delivery of a series of letters written by Adrien chronicling his years of torture at the hands of Lilith. Devon realizes in his anger and grief at the loss of Ariel, he made a grave error in leaving Adrien in the hands of Lilith. He is now entangled in a twisted web. It is against Kynn law to turn a human against his or her will. The punishment is death.

Following the receipt of Adrien’s “gifts” Devon enlists the help of mercenary/assassin Morgan Saint-Evanston, an otherworldly creature, of millennia in age who can move between the veils of dimensions and track human or occult beings through a ‘psychic imprint’. I loved Morgan, he is cocky as hell, brilliant, mysterious and he possesses a dark wit that had me hooting with laughter. Then there is his magnificent lover, “Julienne”. Just, wow….

Devyn Quinn wrote a fabulous plot line for Morgan, the entire story circles him IMHO. He manipulates two strong heroines in what is quite a startling climax to the story of not one but two heroes bent on each other’s destruction.

Morgan also has the gift of prophesy and there is a surprising tidbit of information shared with Rachel with respect to her future and her twin pregnancy. However, the actual outcome of this, I think is left up to the mind of the reader.

“Sins of the Night”, is a great conclusion to the Kynn stories. I am currently about half way through reading “Embracing Midnight”, Devyn Quinn’s latest publication and again am finding it exciting, at times frightening, and over the top boiling erotic.

“Keeper of Eternity”, which from what I can gather from the book synopsis is Morgan’s story is arriving with my next book order. I have pre-ordered Ms. Quinn’s March 2009 publications.

Truly, I am addicted.