Blade and Valli's story is quite a lovely read. Both of them have been victims of Benson Enterprises. Blade witnesses the violence done to Valli and can't get her out of his mind. To top it all she's carrying his cub and his Pantera instincts won't let it go until both Valli and his future child is safe in the Wildlands.

Valli has had bad experiences with trusting people in the past. Plus the lies she was fed about Blade make her even warier and fearful of him. But with treatment from Jean-Baptiste and Blade's patient care, the truth is revealed and she finds herself attracted to the intense male. But Benson is still monitoring her unbeknownst to all and when she suddenly disappears, Blade is determined to move heaven and hell until she is safely back in his arms. ( )

Blade is the story of a kidnapped Pantera shifter and a kidnapped human woman who are tortured into an unbelievable circumstance: a pregnancy by force. You can read this story without having any knowledge of the world Ivy and Wright have created; they give you enough info to understand the what, where, and why of it all and jump right into the story of Blade and Villi.

Villi was kidnapped and inseminated against her will by Benson enterprises in their attempt to study the Pantera and find ways to use them as super soldiers. Villi and Blade both eventually escape and the story begins about 2 months later. Blade knows he has to find Villi and protect her. The story is a bit of his attempt to find her, then his attempt to convince her he is good, and then the attempt to keep her safe from Benson. Benson wants her back because she was one of only a few humans whose insemination was successful. Poor Villi-she was impregnated against her will, now has to come to terms with having a Pantera cub as a baby, finding a mate, and still being hunted by evil.

Since Blade is part of the 1001 Dark Nights series, it is short and sweet. I love these stories because sometimes a short story is exactly what I need to help break up my reading! I enjoy the world of the Pantera, I love the fated mates trope, and have enjoyed every Bayou Heat book I have read so far! If you like PNR that pits the shifters against a human enemy, Blade and the Bayou Heat series is perfect!

 

• POV: 3rd


• Tears: no


• Trope: shifter, fated mates


• Triggers: kidnapping and insemination against her will


• Series/Standalone: standalone within an interconnected series


• Cliffhanger: no


• HEA: yes, no epilogue

Stone Cold Fox by Evangeline Anderson, Drakon's Plunder by NJ Walters, Black Bullet by LD Rose...then you will probably like Blade!

 


Blade










Blade didn’t miss her shudder of relief, the quick glimmer of tears in her eyes. Warmth filled his heart, and a rush of gratitude. Whatever her confused and angry feelings toward him, it was obvious she cared deeply about their child.
“Then why am I here?” she demanded, trying to sit up.
The Healer placed another pillow under her head so she could be slightly upright. “Blade was concerned when you fainted.”
“Blade?” She whirled back to study Blade with a skittish gaze. “That’s your name?”
His lips twisted into a humorless smile. “A little late for introductions, I know, but yes.” He nodded toward the male across the bed. “And that’s Jean-Baptiste. A Pantera healer. One of our best.”
She frowned. “I don’t get this. I thought there was nothing wrong with me. Why would I need a healer?”
“I said nothing was physically wrong,” Jean-Baptiste clarified.
Her stunningly beautiful face tightened, as if she was offended by the words, her hand reaching up to brush away Jean-Baptiste’s hand.
“I’m not crazy,” she ground out.
“No one said you were,” Blade said, reaching to grasp her hand, which lay on top of the light blanket covering her body. Thankfully she made no effort to pull away from his grasp this time.
He hated it, but he needed to touch her.
To feel the heat of her skin and hear the steady beat of her heart.
“Then what are you saying?” she demanded, once again turning her attention to the Healer.
Jean-Baptiste chose his words with care. “I suspect that the doctors at the clinic used hypnosis to distort your memories.”
Valli flinched, her fear scenting the air. Blade’s cat pressed beneath his skin, wanting out. It didn’t understand human deceit or betrayal. It only knew that this female was afraid and in need of comfort.
“No,” she breathed. “You’re just trying to protect your friend after what he...” She didn’t finish.
This time it was Blade who pulled his hand from hers.
With a growl.See full review on The Book Disciple ( )

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I enjoyed reading this new installment in the Bayou Heat series.

This book offers an interesting perspective into the world of the Pantera. Blade is one of the shifters that has been kept captive, tortured, tested, prodded and who knows what else by Benson Enterprises. I found it very refreshing to see the perspective of the males kept captive there, to explore the damage that was done to the males as well. Granted, I'm late in reading the series and I haven't read the first installments yet, so I'm not sure if this is something that was explored in earlier books. I liked Blade. I liked that he wanted to track Valli down and take care of her, when he really didn't have to. they were both victims of mad people, and no one would have blamed him if he had chosen to go on living his life away from everyone and everything. I thought his choice showed how much of a good person Blade is, how brave, loyal and honorable he is.

Valli is just as brave as Blade is, albeit a bit too naive at times. I was a bit sad for her, because it was easy to see how her childhood affected her, and influenced her ability to defend herself or to sense when people want to harm her. Even so, I liked her. I liked how she tried to understand what had happened. She's a perfect match to Blade, if you ask me.

The story was really fast-paced, almost a little too fast-paced if that makes sense. I definitely did not see the ending coming, because I wasn't able to figure out who the bad guy was. I am curious to see what will happen in the future with everyone that worked at or for the Benson clinic, as well as the future of Pantera. All in all, a pretty good book, perfect for Paranormal Romance lovers. ( )

Blade and Valli's story is quite a lovely read. Both of them have been victims of Benson Enterprises. Blade witnesses the violence done to Valli and can't get her out of his mind. To top it all she's carrying his cub and his Pantera instincts won't let it go until both Valli and his future child is safe in the Wildlands.

Valli has had bad experiences with trusting people in the past. Plus the lies she was fed about Blade make her even warier and fearful of him. But with treatment from Jean-Baptiste and Blade's patient care, the truth is revealed and she finds herself attracted to the intense male. But Benson is still monitoring her unbeknownst to all and when she suddenly disappears, Blade is determined to move heaven and hell until she is safely back in his arms. ( )