A review by kathydavie
Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

4.0

Third in the Demonica erotic paranormal-romance series revolving around three demon brothers and the Underground General Hospital they built to minister to hurt demons underneath New York City.

The Story
While out hunting, Wraith has been shot with mordlair necrotoxin, a poison with no antidote, by an assassin leopard-shifter hired by his dead brother Roag. The only cure is a charm carried by a Marked Sentinel. And not only does Wraith have a deadline, so too does the hospital. Built using powers from each of the brothers, as Wraith dies, so does the hospital.

There's yet another deadline no one knows about but a demon is also looking for the Sentinel. A demon who wants Heofon, a pendant worn by the Marked Sentinel, to bring about Armageddon.

Getting this charm requires that Wraith entice Serena into bed; as an incubus, he entices and fucks at least a dozen times a day so it shouldn't be a problem. But there's something about this woman…and when Wraith learns of the doom hanging over Serena's head if she loses the protection of her charm…well, it ends up as more than just a pair of unlikely allies fighting Armageddon.

The Characters
Eidolon has Tayla; Shade has Runa; and, now it's Wraith's turn to find his mate.

Serena Kelley is a Marked Sentinel. A human who carries a talisman of Heaven, literally. As long as she remains a virgin nothing can harm her. As long as she wears the talisman, the End of Days is unlikely. Fortunately, Serena is so protected that she has to willingly give it up unless she comes up against a fallen angel. Unfortunately for Serena, the poison in Wraith can only be cured by taking her virginity, which will take away her protection.

Reaver is a fallen angel. No, not that fallen. Not yet. Since he's never entered Sheoul, he's still has a chance of re-entering Heaven. If he can just do a truly great deed…and not tip off the demons about Serena's true nature!

Kynan Morgan is human and a Guardian for The Aegis. He's been off with the army's paranormal division after his wife's betrayal but, now, he's back. Gemma's been on his mind. A very pissed-off Gemma angry over his manner of leaving in Desire Unchained.

Byzamoth is an extremely powerful demon determined to take Heofon, the talisman that Serena Kelley wears and even more determined to use it to invade Heaven. And he has a very good chance at taking it.


My Take
It's hard to believe this is only the third installment in this series. It feels more like the sixth or more for all the detail that Ione packs in to each story. Yes, it's hot. It's also too funny and such a trip to read .

I mean, c'mon, demons who trip over themselves to help patch up injured demons?? In their own underground demon hospital?? Such a contradiction and such a rich background in which to create so many different demonic cultures with the impossible-to-anticipate interactions. I certainly wouldn't expect to find a hospital that had chains suspended from the ceiling as part of the medical equipment…

Okay, yeah, the picnic Kynan sets up is sweet, but, puh-leaz, the timing sucks and I cannot believe that Gemma just takes off to play when everything is falling apart at the hospital!

Nor do I understand just what it is that draws Wraith to Serena. Yeah, I love the whole romance thing…snicker…Wraith is so lost about this whole love thing. But Ione hasn't written it believably. It's simply what was in the outline so she has Wraith going through the motions.

The Cover
Woo-hoo, this one's hot with the long-haired, half-naked and muscled-up Wraith wrapping an arm around the tank top-clad Serena with the two of them about to kiss even as the Heofon talisman glows around her neck. The demonic caduceus centered between them at waist level against a deep, greenish-bronze metallic background.