Blog Tour Review: Deadly Pursuit – Nina Croft

Deadly Pursuit by Nina Croft
Series:  Blood Hunters #2
Release Date:  November 1, 2011
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing
Page Count:  December 6, 2011
Source:  Bewitching Book Tours
Buy the book at: Amazon 

Breaking assassin Jonathon Decker out of a maximum security prison on Trakis One seemed like a good idea at the time. Now, pursued across space by the two most powerful factions in the universe, the crew of El Cazador are having second thoughts. They’d like to give him back. Unfortunately, that no longer seems an option.
Jon is used to working alone. Now, he’s stuck on the space cruiser El Cazador until he can work out just what he’s supposed to know that puts him on everybody’s most-wanted-dead list. He s not happy that the crew includes a runaway priestess with designs on his virtue such as it is. Jon likes women, but he gave up the role of protector a long time ago, and Alexia, High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, is an accident waiting to happen.
After twenty-four excruciatingly boring years of doing her duty, Alex is finally having some fun. She never meant to run away it was a rash impulse and she means to go back eventually. But first, she’s going to squeeze enough excitement out of the situation to last her a lifetime. And what could be more exciting than a stunningly gorgeous werewolf?
Meanwhile, the Church are chasing their missing priestess, and the Collective are pursuing their escaped assassin. Being hunted has never been more deadly…or more fun.

Jon Decker wasn’t expecting to wake up, especially after being sent to Trakis One for murdering a high ranking Collective official and frozen.  But here he was, on a ship he didn’t know with people he couldn’t be completely sure weren’t going to kill him.  He figures he’ll bide his time until he can get off the ship and buy himself a piece of land on his home planet.  What he didn’t count on was Al, the cabin “boy” or the fact that the Collective was after him.

Lady Alexia, High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, escaped the suffocating confines of the church (accidentally) hoping to find some adventure.  She’s taken in by Tannis, Captain of the El Cazador, who hires her on as a cabin boy (thinking she’s a boy).  But Alex’s secret soon comes out and she finds herself questioning whether she wants to go back to her life at the monastery.  Unfortunately, the High Priest of the Church has other ideas as to what needs to be done to Alex.

It takes Jon and the rest of the El Cazador crew to prove that Alex is much more than a high priestess.  But those good feeling don’t last long, as the Collective is hot on their heels determined to exterminate the entire crew on an assumption that Jon has information on the Collective.  It time for everyone to step up and show what they’re made of.

This was a great addition to the Blood Hunters series.

Jon is a very unhappy man.  He was ready to make changes in his life before he was captured and cryogenically frozen.  It takes a high priestess on the run to open Jon up to feelings he hasn’t felt since his family and pack were slaughtered by the Church.  Although he didn’t want to feel anything for Alex, she wormed he way under this skin and showed him he was still the alpha wolf wanting to protect his pack.  When he embraces those feelings, he becomes the man he was meant to be.

Alex was being suffocated by the demands of being the High Priestess.  She wanted adventure, but more importantly she wanted to feel like she belongs and was making a difference.  She just never thought she’d find her home as a crew member on the El Cazador.  She had to grow up and learn how to fend for herself, which in turn got her what she ultimately wanted…the love of a certain Alpha wolf.

Can’t wait for the next installment!