Demonica Series: Desire Unchained

Desire Unchained is the second book in the Demonica series, and here we deal with Shade and Runa. These two have a History. I liked Shade from Pleasure Unbound, but then I sort of stopped liking him for a while in Desire Unleashed. Let me explain why: Shade cheated on Runa, the rat bastard, and he broke her heart. Runa had the misfortune of walking in on him screwing around with not one, but two chicks.

 Does he apologise? No.

Does he make excuses? No.

He asks her if she wants to join them. 

I was thinking, while I was reading this, that I would have been sorely tempted to remove his man parts with a rusty knife. 

Moving on. Runa, understandably devastated, flees his apartment and runs smack into a werewolf who attacks her and infects her with lycanthropy. Runa becomes a werewolf and swears to herself that the next time she runs into Shade, she's going to kick his ass.

It's been eleven months since Shade and Runa last saw each other and their reunion doesn't take place under the best of circumstances. They are both being held captive in the dungeon of a raging loony who is responsible for harvesting demon organs and selling them on the black market. As if this isn't bad enough, it turns out that Shade still has the hots for Runa and his epic fit of jackass-ery with the threesome was an attempt to spare himself from his growing feelings for Runa. See, Shade isn't being one of those I-am-an-island guys just for the sake of it. He has a curse that promises a fate worse than death should he ever fall in love.

Now, he and Runa need to rely on one another to get out of this creepy dungeon in one piece. Making Shade's day even worse is that he inadvertently bonds with Runa and makes her his mate. Now it's only a matter of time before he falls for her and suffers an eternity of misery. 

I actually really liked Shade after getting over his initial bout of being an ass. The reader comes to realise that he wants the whole deal with his mate, the HEA and babies and the lot. But he can't. I was torn between wanting to give him a hug, and smacking him upside the head. 

I loved Runa. She used to be this really timid, shy type, but the werewolf bite forced her to toughen up. I liked that, for the most part, she didn't put up with Shade's crap. She was willing to be what he needed, but she refused to let him control her like he did when they first started dating. Though I do wish she had made him grovel some more. His offense was enough that I thought he should have kissed ass a lot more than he did.

Also loving the bromance that's forming between Kynan and Wraith. What an odd couple. 

Speaking of Kynan, his story line with Gem is killing me! Just when you thought that these two were going to get their shit together, Ms Ione swerves off track and takes them somewhere else. I think that, given the build up between these two, I was more interested in them getting together that I was in Runa and Shade.

My only problem with this story was the Bad Guy. I have to tell you that this guy was weak. I'm pretty sure that you'll have figured out who the bad guy is fairly soon into the book, and he was like the villain from a bad action movie. Too much monologue and explaining both his plans and why he feels wronged, and not enough action. Man, I wanted this guy to be bad.   

I  just want to share some of my favourite bits. I love Larissa Ione. This lady is funny! This conversation happens between Runa and Shade after they find themselves mated. Runa wants to know why any female in her right mind would willingly bond with a Seminus demon.

"...There are lots of reasons a female might bond with a Seminus demon."

"What about werewolves?"

"Out-of-this-world orgasms."

She stared. "That's it? Great sex? I'm forced to deal with you for the rest of my life and all I get out of it is great sex?"

I think this says a lot about how Runa feels about Shade at this point that "great sex" is nowhere near enough compensation for putting up with him.

It's the full moon and Runa is on the verge of turning into a werewolf and Shade, being Shade, thinks he's funny.

"Oh, hey... let's not do that yet. Sit. Stay."

Oh, he was hilarious. She was going to bite him as soon as the transformation was complete.

This is between Wraith and Kynan. After the Final Showdown with the wussy bad guy, Wraith, who is part vampire, needed blood. Kynan offered his blood since there was no way he was going to let Wraith bite Gem. Kynan is asking Wraith what he missed while he was out. Poor Wraith is feeling a little sheepish about nearly killing Kynan.

"What else?"

Wraith's head snapped up. "What do you mean, what else?"

"I mean, why the long face?"

"I nearly put you in the grave, you stupid human!"

Ah, now there was the Wraith they all knew and loved. 

I am seriously looking forward to Wraith's book, which is where I'm headed next.