Kresley Cole - Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night

Immortals After Dark:


Book 4:
Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night: Bowen MacRieve and Mariketa the Awaited


 

Bowen is third in line for the crown of the Lykae Clan, never of a sunny disposition he grew even surlier after the death of his mate one winter night close to 200 years before. Mariketa the Awaited is awaiting something foretold but no one knows what exactly.  She is a witch of unspeakable power but can’t seem to quite tap into it without blowing something up!  Bowen and Mariketa both entered the incredibly dangerous Talisman's Hie, for reasons of their own. Mariketa has something to prove as the “Awaited One” and most powerful witch in existence who can’t seem to cast a successful spell and Bowen will do anything to bring back his deceased mate.  Bowen’s lykae “Instinct” recognizes Mariketa as his own true mate which causes an internal battle within of guilt and outrage and an external battle with Mariketa filled with conflicting fervor.  When Bowen traps Mariketa in a cavern all bets are off!  At the last minute and for once successful, Mariketa cast a spell rendering Bowens regenerative powers useless.

For almost 200 years the only thing that has been keeping Bowen alive is his burning drive to find a way to bring back his mate from the dead and with a clever hint from Nucking Futs Nix about entering the Hie he has found a way to finally do that if only he can win! All during the competition Bowen’s thoughts keep returning to the little witch Mariketa, there is nothing that Bowen hates more than a witch. He is convinced that she has hexed him into believing that she is his mate.  You can feel Bowens anger seething through the pages of Kresely’s Coles writing, his internal turmoil is utterly believable!  Upon meeting Mariketa he doesn’t know what to believe anymore, his “instinct” tells him she’s his mate but you only get one and she’s dead and fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to give him a witch of all things especially one that took his immortality.  After losing the Hie to a vampire he vows that he will get his revenge from Mariketa and get her to lift both hexes’ now all he has to do is rescue her from the cavern he trapped her in!

Mariketa is pissed! She was left to die in this cavern with cursed suicidal Succubi by the man who had just kissed her senseless. You can relate to her feelings hurt and betrayal and worry because Mariketa has yet to reach her immortality so she could die in that cavern. After weeks of being trapped Bowen makes it back to rescue her and the others left in the cavern.  Instead of an apology from the surly lykae she gets a demand to remove the two curses she laid on him.( just like a man!!) Mariketa can barely cast one successful spell let alone two very powerful spells, though being in the handsome Lykae’s presence does seem to focus her spells more than ever before.  Throughout the book you root for Mariketa as she struggles with controlling her extraordinary powers and her powerful attraction to a stubborn lykae who is convinced she hexed him.  I have a soft spot for Mariketa and pride for her as she struggles with her powers and feelings but never gives up on herself or apologizes for being who she is!  More female heroines should be like that, a strong women confidant in whom and what she is and does not apologize for it.

This book is full of internal and external conflicts as both characters struggle with themselves and each other.  Despite their mistrust of each other and the circumstances that brought them together there’s plenty of passion and power struggles to keep things interesting and to keep you turning the pages.  And again Bowen’s sexy Scottish brogue doesn’t hurt!

Rating:
5 moons out of 5