Bound By Blood by L Rosario

Two lonely people. Months of looking and even dreaming. Tonight their mutual attraction finally pushes them together. But his secret may keep them from being together no matter how much they need each other.

Ivy Fiske has a simple plan. Seduce the dark and mysterious loner who's haunted her tavern for the last few months and end a year-long stint of celibacy. Though willing enough to accommodate the sexy barkeep, Benedict Sabinus has his own agenda. But things seldom go as planned, and both find themselves bound to the other in a way neither could imagine.

Ivy Fiske has been divorced for about a year now. She is running Grant’s Tavern in Philadelphia that she inherited from her grandfather (Grant) after he died. For three months now, she has been watching, and drooling over, the sexy stranger who comes in just before closing and orders nothing but water. Tonight Ivy has decided to end her “dry spell” since her divorce and try to seduce her fantasy man. But having been married for ten years and not dated since (or even much before), makes her nervous over how well she will be able to do seduce anyone.

Benedict Sabinus is over a thousand years old and of Roman gladiator descent. He is bored with random feedings and thinks he is just looking for a blood servant (yes, he is a vampire). Years ago, he had stopped looking for any kind of companionship because woman would see his house/wealth and expected or demanded things from him based on what he had, not giving to him or even seeing him. He has chosen Ivy after watching her because he believes she is truly seeking an “intimate connection,” more than just sex, even if she doesn’t know/admit it.

But after one bite, Benedict knows things are far more complicated. Her blood tastes batter than anything he has ever come across, and he suspects it’s because she is his perfect match. He didn’t believe in love for his kind, having seen vampires as cold and emotionless creatures. But she stirs feelings in him he has never felt. She even surprises him by being calm and accepting what he is. Now he just has to find a way to convince her to become his servant and stay with him…

Bound By Blood is not part of the coven stories (as far as we know). This one is a stand alone, unrelated vampire story. Ivy seems to have recovered from her bad marriage. She is supporting herself, doesn’t hate men but isn’t chasing them either, and comes across as an average woman in general, could almost be any of us. Benedict is a little closed off, more protective of himself than anything. After centuries of ‘living’ and still ending up alone, most of us would probably be so as well. That they are both attracted to the other but still took three months for either to make a move shows they are in similar places. Their connection jumps right off the page and Rosario did a wonderful job with these two!

Bound By Blood is a fast, sexy, passionate story about two lost souls finding each other. Being a vampire story, there is some biting but not the excessive blood-play some stories have (for those with weak stomachs, this is okay). These is no BDSM or control story, but in Bound By Blood, but when Benedict says “You have to be willing to surrender to me.” followed by “Will you surrender to me tonight?” to Ivy, I flat out melted. Not over the control issue, but something just gets to one about a strong, dark man. But he still has to be caring about the woman for this to work, and Benedict does that as well. Rosario covers all aspects in Bound By Blood and it is still a quick read. Great job again and one I will re-read in the future!