DemonessTenebrae

 

"What kind of stupid trip is this? So far, I’ve been assaulted, insulted, arrested, and now I’m tied to a chair by a bunch of vampires in case they crave a little O negative at lunch. And my boyfriend is out there somewhere, dodging sunbeams. This sucks!”

 

Plot.

 

It's a big day for Claire, Eve, Michael and Shane. They were given permission to leave Morganville for a few days so Michael could record a demo and make a big move in his career. They were supposed to be in Dallas, having the time of their lives, true, under supervision, but still a good time nonetheless. Oliver was their chaperone.

 

Unfortunately, as things always go with them, they only drove for a few hours when first obstacle came their way. Oliver left them at some truck stop to go do his secret business. They ran into trouble as soon as they stepped inside. They managed to avoid a bigger conflict thanks to Claire so they went into town to look for some other place to eat ice cream. Where they ran into some trouble with a police officer.

 

When they finally decided to call it a day in a small motel just outside of town, Eve's car gets torched by the assholes they ran into arguments with at the truck stop. On top of it all, Oliver came back all battered and in a bad mood. The next day, they manage to find another vehicle but get themselves arrested in the process and they cross paths with Morley. And they eventually stumble upon a small town full of sick vampires.

 

Yeah, perfect road trip. Who could ask for anything more, really.

 

Back in Morganville, just before Claire left, her parents allowed her to move back into Glass House and Myrnin dropped at her parents house for a social visit which disturbed Claire more than Bob the spider. It seems that he isn't quite right, but Claire can't quite pinpoint what exactly is the problem.

 

 

 

Review.

 

That's what I'm talking about. Action-packed, nerve-wrecking, life-threatening novel with supernatural elements and a nice romance to keep it all together.

 

With Morganville out of the main focus, the characters really shine. And they bond more than before. Plus they learn just how dangerous things can get even without vampires present in their lives. I think they needed that lesson. They always talked like outside of their dark little town existed no danger. Well, think again. Way more than in rule-obedient-vampires and keeping-humans-alive Morganville.

 

The characters in main focus in this novel are Claire, Eve, Michael, Shane, Oliver, Jason and Morley.

 

Claire is awesome in this novel. She really is. Composed, reliable, fearless, brave, smart and resourceful. She outshone Eve by miles. Her relationship with Shane is very gentle and sweet and it's progressing nicely (although I do wish for some more passion and/or fierceness).

 

“I can’t take the ring. It means—it means too much to you. It’s all you have left of them.”
“That’s why it’s better if you have it,” he said, and held out the box, cupped in one hand.“Because you can make it a better memory. I can barely look at this thing without seeing the past. I don’t want to see the past anymore. I want to see the future.” He didn’t blink, and she felt the breath leave her body. “You’re the future, Claire.”

 

 

“How can you smell this good after the kind of crappy day we’ve had?”

“I sweat perfume. Like all girls.”

He laughed and squeezed her.

 

 

Shane was sitting on the curb next to the old, cracked gas pumps, eating a candy bar. Claire plopped down next to him.
“Half?” she asked.
“And now I know you’re my girlfriend, since you’re not afraid to demand community property,” he said, and pulled off the uneaten half to hand it over.

 

Eve is a great disappointment. Ever since the last book. She has become this sappy, always-crying and is-of-no-help-at-all girl. I am sad because I really liked her adult and fierce behavior in the beginning. She was the calm and strong one. Now, Claire is. I guess the author didn't want two strong and composed heroines in one series. And this isn't just evident when they are in dire situations. It is also plain on more intimate field. Eve was having fights with Michael where they were on a brink of breaking up just because she didn't wanna be dumped first and because (like she just now realized) Michael has a vampire side. And she keeps saying that like Michael ever hurt anyone. Like he hadn't saved their butts time and time again.

 

 

Shane and Michael are hot, awesome, strong and faithful. Ideal men, oh... anyway, they are there for the girls and they are there when shit hits the fan. In this book they have taken (mostly Shane) the lead roles on wisecrack activity.

 

Michael blinked, then raised his eyebrows. “Huh,” he said. “The universe explodes, hell freezes, and Shane does something reasonable.”

 

 

“It’s Morley,” Michael said. “I’d better go out and talk to him. Shane, stay here with them.”
“Word of advice—stop telling me to stay with the girls,” Shane said, “or I will seriously bust you in the mouth one of these days. Seriously. I could break one of those shiny fangs.”

 

 

But she’sokay, right?”
“I don’t know,” Michael said.
“Well, use your superpowers or something!”
“I’m a vampire, idiot. I don’t have X-ray vision.”
“Some supernatural monster you are,” Shane said. “Remind me to trade you in for awerewolf, bro. Probably be more useful right now.”

 

 

“Any requests on the kind of car?”
“Something with armor?” she said. “Oooh, and headrest DVD. Bonus for surround sound.”
“Rocket launchers,” Michael said.
“One hot yellow Hummer with optional mass destruction package, coming up.”

 

 

“Where are they?”
“Thought maybe you knew,” Shane said. “They being your fellow fanged ones. Isn’t theresome kind of flock instinct?”
“Bite me, blood bank. No, they didn’t tell me anything.”

 

 

“Seriously,” Shane said, “this kind of is the worst situation we’ve ever been in, right?”
“Speak for yourself,” Michael said. “I got myself killed last year. Twice.”
“Oh yeah. You’re right—last year really sucked for you.

 

 

And if that wasn't enough for you, well Michael and Shane have also some relationship issues as it seems.

 

“Oh hell no. Guys don’t talk about that crap.”
“You’re serious.”
“Really.”
“What do you talk about?”
Shane looked at her as if she were insane. “You know. Stuff. We’re not girls. We don’t talk about our feelings. I mean, not to other guys.”
Claire rolled her eyes and said, “Fine, be emotionally stunted losers; I don’t care.”

 

 

“She keeps asking me where we're going."
"Yeah," another voice said. It was Shane, pulling up a chair beside Claire. "Girls do that. They've always got to be taking the relationship somewhere."
"That's not true!"
"It is," he said. "I get it; somebody's got to be looking ahead. But it makes guys think they're-"
"Closed in," Michael said.
"Trapped," Shane added.
"Idiots," Claire finished.”

 

Jason, the guy who escaped death one too many times is still alive and apparently trying to be a good brother (at least he is a lot cleaner). It's true that he wasn't a menace in this book and that he actually helped. I don't know if he will keep on this track. I hope he does (for Eve). Other than that I don't really care about him all that much. Bring more Myrnin in, please. I don't need so much Jason time.

 

Jason looked up, and it was eerie, seeing eyes exactly like Eve’s in such a different face, simmering with anger. “Yeah,” he said. “I did. I still do. And I don’t need a frigging vampire to set me straight about that, either. In Morganville, when you’re not one of the sheep, and you’re not one of the wolves, you’d better be one mean-ass junkyard dog.”

 

 

“Because Oliver wants you, and what Oliver wants, Oliver gets, right? So get your sweetlittle butt up already.”
“Hey,” Shane said, and stood up. “I’m not telling you again, Jase. Stop.”
“What, because I said she had a sweet little butt? You don’t think she does? Hard to believe,since you spend so much time staring at it.”