Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires #3) – Chloe Neill

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire

OMG!  OMG! OMG!

As we learned in Friday Night Bites, Gabriel Keene, Apex for the Pack plan on convening all shapeshifters in Chicago for their “convention”.  At the beginning of Twice Bitten, we find Ethan and Merit agreeing to help run security for the event.  In trade, since we know Ethan does nothing that won’t benefit Cadogan House, Ethan asked Gabriel to consider an alliance with him, as they know War is coming.

It’s the fall out of a possible Vampire / Shapeshifter alliance that is the main focus of this installment.  And trust me, there’s a lot of focus on.  We get to see the inner workings of the Pack and find they have just as many issues as the Vampires.  

Besides the Pack business, we have the Red Guard trying to recruit Merit into their fold, things heating up significantly between Merit and Ethan (and I’m only going to say this…why, Ethan?  Why????), and Merit and Mallory working on those issues that were left hanging at the end of Friday Night Bites. 

We don’t see a lot of Catcher, Jeff or Grandpa in this one, which I missed.  I love the banter with Catcher (although the brief scene we did have with Catcher and Mallory were worth it).

I can’t wait for the next book, which I’m starting as soon as I finish this.  This may be my vote for the best book in the series, but I reserve to hold that vote until I at least finish #4.