The third in the Damask Circle series is perhaps the best, again it's possibly due to the development of the Circle and its characters.

This book follows Katherine "Kat" Tanner, a shapeshifter who has been working for the Damask Circle for 10 years. She and her Grandmother Gwen, a "seer" of incredible power have been tracking something that has been killing small children and ripping their souls from their bodies.

Ethan is a police detective who has a vested interest in solving these murders, his young niece has been stolen and its unknown if the same killer has her. Ethan has paranormal powers that he sees as a curse, but is willing to use his expanded senses if it means he can find his niece alive. In one of Gwen's "visions" they have determined who the next victim may be, and with the request of assistance from the local police force, Kat is attempting to stop the abduction. They don't have a clue how the children are being abducted as no forensic evidence has been turned up at previous scenes.

With Kat laying in wait, Ethan has used his unwanted powers, which include a bit of precognition, and sets himself up in a deserted warehouse. When Kat doesn't manage to "scare" away the abductor, it flees with the child and finds its way to the warehouse.

The ensuing fight with a Vampire is ended quickly when Ethan steps in and helps. The Vampire is quickly staked, but something hiding in the mist escapes and the child is again lost. Kat "shifts" and flies out of the warehouse in an unsuccessful attempt to follow the Evil one but loses the psychic hold she has on the escaping creature.

Ethan's Captain is singularly ticked about the debacle and what he perceives is an unhealthy fixation Ethan has on this case due to his personal involvement and orders Ethan off the case. Ethan is fighting the moon-fever, which signals his impending change and refuses to back off even though he is officially off the case.

With some information from his sympathetic partner, Ethan gets the address of the motel where Kat and her Grandmother Gwen are staying. Gwen being the powerful seer she is, tells Kat her a "werewolf" is on his way. Kat had been unaware that Ethan was another Were and discovers there is a difference between those born and those bitten. Yes, Ethan is one of the bitten and refuses to embrace what he feels is evil.

In their attempt to find the newly kidnapped boy they are forced to work together albeit discreetly as Ethan has been pulled from the case and Gwen has "seen" his assistance as a necessary part of the operation if they are to have any chance of stopping this soul sucking creature.

Their investigation takes them to a small coastal town and the skirmishes increase as they get closer to the answers almost killing Kat in a bar bathroom. With the abduction of yet another child they know they have to find the soul-sucker soon. With Ethan fighting the moon-fever and intense attraction to Kat, the story converges on a little cabin. Here they find the zombie minions guarding a trapdoor to a series of underground tunnels and the reason for the stolen children and dead men they have subsequently linked also to the case.

In a neat twist, Kat and Ethan discover why the soul-sucker did not just run from the town. In another twist Ethan has to face his nature as a werewolf and all it entails, including his attraction to Kat.

This book is by far deeper than its predecessors in the series, with the characters going through some real angst and self discovery. This is by far my favorite of the series to date. Enjoy it and find out just what evil being Kat and Ethan battled, besides their attraction to each other. This book has some well written erotic segments that complement the story line nicely.

Synopsis
Four children kidnapped. Two found dead, their tiny souls ripped from their bodies... In ten years of working for the Damask Circle, shapeshifter Katherine Tanner has never come across anything that goes after kids the way that this monster does. Has never met anything that does to them what this thing does. And it's not something she wants to confront. But with the Circle's resources stretched to the limits, she's given very little choice. The last thing she needs is interference from a cop who has no idea what he's up against. Ethan Morgan's niece is one of the missing children and he has every intention of not only defying the odds and bringing her back alive, but of catching the monster behind these kidnappings and bringing her to justice. Even if he has to break every law in the land to do it. And he will use anyone and everyone to achieve those aims--even a crazy woman who claims to be a witch. Forced to join forces, Ethan and Kat struggle to uncover clues that will lead them to the monster's lair, all the while battling a seemingly endless supply of zombies and other dead things determined to stop them. But time is ticking away and both know the monster rarely keeps her victims alive for more than seven days. Four of those have already gone. But the greatest threat to Kat might not come from the forces of darkness gathering around them, but from the man she is beginning to love. Because Ethan is a werewolf...and the full moon is rising...