Blog Tour Review: The Dark Ones by Rachel VanDyken

THE DARK ONES was a bit of a surprise to me.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I find myself totally immersed in this world and wondering what exactly was the tie of humans to this paranormal world.

When we’re introduced to Genesis, her number had been called and she was being take to the meeting with the immortals.  She believes her role with the immortals is as a teacher, but she soon discovers she’s there for so much more.

All of the immortals, Alex, Ethan, Marcus and Stephanie, treated Genesis much differently than she was treated at home and once she was mated with Ethan, she was protected and shown she had a value.  I loved how this small band of immortals went to protect what they felt was their own, even if that meant protecting from themselves.  They showed Genesis the true meaning of family and how she was so much more than her looks and by no means worthless.

The relationship between Ethan and Genesis was a bit contentious at the start but Ethan’s fear of losing someone he loves caused him to take things out on Genesis.  Despite his actions, Genesis was able to break through his barriers and prove to him what they had was worth fighting for.

As only my second book by the author, I definitely look forward to seeing what happens next in this world, especially with Stephanie and the Dark One, Cassius.

“Ethan, a word?” Alex stood.

“Sure.” Ethan kissed the top of my head and left the room while Mason started rummaging around the kitchen; pots and pans clanged together, and then he pulled out a giant piece of steak.

“I hope that’s not for me.” I pointed.

“Protein…” He threw the steak into the pan. “…feeds the blood, which feeds the mate, which, in turn, feeds you.”

“You gonna start singing Circle of Life?” I joked.

“Circle of life?” he repeated.

“Lion King?”

“Cassius is king.”

I looked helplessly to Stephanie, who was trying to hide her smile behind her hand.

“Have you seriously never watched Lion King?”

“Werewolves are scared of TV,” Stephanie said with a soft laugh.

“And sirens are afraid of the dark,” he fired back, while she shuddered. “I’m not afraid of the TV. I just don’t see the point in sitting in front of a flat box and watching people make fools of themselves.”

“He’d rather be the fool.” Stephanie nodded and winked in my direction.

“Mason…” I walked over to him and put my head on his shoulder. “How about I eat the steak and we watch Lion King?”

“No.”

“Dances with Wolves?”

Stephanie snickered loudly behind her hand.

“Wolves do not dance,” Mason growled.

“Oh, we know.” Stephanie nodded. “I’ve seen it once. Don’t care to see it again.”

“Too much whiskey.” Mason kissed the top of my head. “Eat the whole steak, and then we’ll talk about King Lion.”

“Lion King.”

“Same thing.”

I sighed helplessly and went to sit at the table while Mason cooked.

Stephanie gave me a side hug. “Eight tomorrow morning, alright?”

“Great.”

“Bed.” She shrugged. “It’s been a long night.” Her eyes misted again.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah.” Her voice cracked. “Like Alex said, we get emotional. Can’t help it.”

It felt like she was lying, but I was human, how would I know? I nodded and turned my attention back to Mason, who’d started searing the steak.

“So you cook meat but refuse to eat it?”

“I’m a vegetarian.” He smiled. I’d never realized how pointy his teeth were on the sides. Maybe that’s how he’d been able to bite into me before Ethan had mated with me.

“Your teeth say otherwise.” I pointed. “Flat means vegetarian. Pointy means carnivore.”

Mason rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say it was natural for me to be a vegetarian.”

“Okay… so why?”

He let out a heavy sigh. “Meat made my mate sick… for one reason or another. It gave her headaches. She only ate fruits, vegetables, nuts.” He flipped the steak. “So I learned to like other foods.”

“And now?”

He went very quiet, his eyes focusing in on the steak. “Now…” His voice was hoarse. “I honor her with my every meal.”

My throat clogged with emotion.

The fact that he honored her at all — but with every single meal — killed me. How did he survive that? How did he live every day having known true love? And know he may never experience it again — living forever?

“Don’t pity me.” Mason let out a gruff growl. “It makes it harder.”

“Sorry,” I whispered. “So pinecones, huh?”

He laughed. “Yes, well, it’s an acquired taste.”

“I bet.”

My heart picked up speed, and then I smelled him. Ethan entered the room, briskly walking by me, kissing my head. “Steak almost done?”

“I’m a perfectionist.” Mason held up his hands. “Let the juices seal.”

Ethan scrunched up his nose. “Her blood tastes better than that steak.”

“Yes, well, her blood tastes good because she’s living. She’s living because I feed her.”

“Werewolf has a point,” I teased. “Besides, if I eat my whole steak, we’re going to watch Lion King!”

“Whose king?” Ethan tilted his head. “What lion? Mason’s a wolf.”

And that’s how I ended up spending my evening between a vampire and a werewolf, eating steak and watching a Disney movie while they argued over the animal kingdom, not to mention the lion’s choice in song.

It felt right.

Like I’d finally found my place.

My home.

I had no idea that the security I felt was about to get ripped from me, from the very people I’d put my trust in.