With the threat of a territorial war looming, Vampire Lord Raphael has decide to leave the safety of his fortress home in Malibu, California; and meet the European Council of Vampires in the neutral vampire territory of Hawaii. Raphael takes along to the meeting his most trusted vampire contingent, as well as his beloved human mate Cynthia. The European vamps are looking to extend their holdings in the U.S., and have threatened all-out war. The meeting is purportedly to set up a truce; but unknown to Raphael and his followers, a vicious and deadly trap is about to be sprung.

DECEPTION is one slam-bang, exciting, read. It is so very good. Often, this far into an established series, the overarching plotlines become routine and complacent. Not so here. Reynolds has pulled out all the stops and is taking the series in a fresh new direction; and boy is it great fun to read. Oh, and the name of Juro's twin is finally revealed...and he talks! He actually has a large role in the book, as does Juro. Be warned; Vampires In America is no fluff vampire series. These are some heavy duty bad boy fighting vamps...who fall hard for the right woman, of course.

Reynolds is taking the reader back to the beginning; back to where it all began with the powerful Master Vampire Raphael and his mate Cyn. The Vampire War that has been brewing for the last few books is coming to fruition. The powerful and evil European Master Vamp Mathilde is ready to make her play to take over Raphael's holdings on the west coast of the U.S. and beyond; and she will fight very, very, dirty to make sure she wins.

I don't want to say too much, as it will be incredibly spoilery. Just know that this is an exciting, gripping book in an always great UF/PNR series. Lots of stuff happens, important stuff; and there are huge forward leaps being taken in this vampire world. There are a couple of plot inconsistencies, but not enough that it affected my immense enjoyment of the story. I really like that DECEPTION is harking back to the more UF feel of the early stories of Vampires In America. I love this series, and it is getting better as time passes. I'm ready for the next book Alliance right now; and the coming together of all the master vampire leads from previous books.

DECEPTION is the 9th book in the ongoing Vampires In America series by D. B. Reynolds. The storylines build by the book; but as this marks the beginning of a new story arc, it would be possible to start with DECEPTION and pick up the plot threads. This is a highly, highly recommended series for those who enjoy vampire UF.

Book Summary

Kauai, Hawaii—tropical paradise, vibrant jungle, turquoise sea . . . and sensuous nights that hide vampires so powerful they can change the world.

Raphael—powerful, extraordinary, arrogant. He’s been eliminating rivals and gathering allies, determined not just to survive, but to demolish the Europeans who think they can steal what he’s worked for centuries to create. In a final bid to avert a war that seems inevitable, Raphael agrees to meet an enemy he knows of old. She is formidable, wily, and not to be trusted. But in his arrogance, Raphael believes he can foil whatever treachery she has brewing.

Cynthia Leighton—Raphael’s human mate, beautiful, smart, and deadly when threatened. She doesn’t trust anyone, much less a powerful vampire claiming to want peace. So while Raphael prepares to negotiate a treaty, Cyn is preparing for the inevitable double-cross that she knows is coming. Raphael worries about saving thousands of vampire lives. She only cares about one, and she will do anything to keep him alive and in her arms.

When Cyn is proven right, when it all falls apart and Raphael’s enemies draw on ancient magic to trap him, taking him away from Cyn and out of the war, it all falls to her— to find Raphael, to save the thousands of vampires who will die if she doesn’t succeed . . . and to kill every single being, human or vampire, who gets in her way.