Title: The Hunger
Author: Susan Squires
Published in April 2005 by St. Martin's Press
Genre: Paranormal
ISBN: 0-312-99854-6
Related Books: Sacrament Sacrilege: The Only One Anthology The Companion The Burning One with The Night
Other Books by Susan: No More Lies, Danegeld, Body Electric, Danelaw
Beatrix Lisse, Countess of Lente watched the goings on around her with a jaded eye. This has been going on for years as her drawing room is one of the most popular, and the edge has yet to wear off. It seems as though, to her at least, her life has been a huge wasteland of boredom, and it is truly losing its appeal. She has been thinking of the Monastery at Mirso, where it is said that her kind can find peace from the ravaging demands of their Companion. The blood need is reduced, but once at Mirso, you cannot return to the world. Beatrix is definitely weighing the options and possibilities, the trip, and whether or not she really wants to leave life as she has known it for all these long years. The most disturbing thing is the dream, recurring instances from her past, ever reminding her of what she is, what she has done, and what she could become again. This is not a monster she is anxious to see come to life, and eventuality to fruition, so she has restrained herself, and shut herself off from the other physical intimacies of life. To feed is a necessity, but to enjoy further intimacy with a human is not something she wishes to chance anymore.
She was scared half to death, almost too feral when Stephan found her. She had no idea of what or who she was by nature. Wild, left alone, untutored, ignorant of her nature, and fearful, she was abandoned by the one person who should have showed her, cared for her, and loved her. She missed out on that closeness, the natural bond with her mother, and it changed her fundamentally. Asharti had shown her how much when they left Stephan, and struck out on their own. Now that past has come back to haunt her. Unsettling dreams, flashes from the sordid past that she wanted to, no, must forget. She is different now, under control, and her hard won self-awareness has brought her to this impasse. Now there were some hard decisions to make, but first, she wanted to see if the rake lived up to his reputation. The gossip said he was a womanizer of the first water, the Earl of Langley was the prize every woman coveted, whether she was married or not. He was said to offer a woman the best of all worlds, except for marriage, and on that score none could peg him. He just might be the distraction she needs, IF the man would ever show up…
His shoulder was bandaged, but it was sore and bleeding again, blast it all! It is not his idea of fun, this cat and mouse game he’s playing, but duty to country and family moved and motivated him. England needed him, and the fact he spoke flawless French was a plus. He took his wounds in stride, but hated the inconvenience they caused him. He did not wish, however, to have the fine coat bulging because of the bandage, but if it did, he could not bring himself to care over-much. He was not quite sure of the reason they attacked him on Hay Hill Street but he was almost certain it was not the usual band of cutpurses. This was personal, an attack on him because of his activities. The only thing he wasn’t quite sure of was who and why. One way or another, he would find out. Then there was young Ponsonby who would undoubtedly add fuel to the rumour mills as well, coming on the attack as he had.
His frame of mind uncertain, John Staunton, Earl of Langley continued on down the lane toward his Berkley Square appointment. He had heard a lot about the Countess of Lente, and he wondered how true the rumours of her were in reality. Some named her a great courtesan, while others claimed she was nothing but a horribly wealthy woman who made her own rules. Either way, John’s mood was not helped by the thugs who attacked him on his way to Beatrix Lisse, and the dubious delights of her drawing room. The strangeness of the situation, the uncertainty of the time has all worked together to make the Earl of Langley what he is now, and he wouldn’t change a thing. The debts are gone, the money is being restored to the estates, and he has an heir, a cousin, but that is all right. He is not really looking for anything more, and he is certain that is part of what adds to his mystique and the drive of society to label him, and put him into one of their safe niches. Well, he has lived up to a part of his reputation, but only out of necessity. He doesn’t mix well, and shuns the balls and entertainments of “proper” London Society. These meetings with Beatrix, the Countess of Lente would only add additional fuel to the gossip’s fires, but he was beyond worrying about that now…
Welcome back to Regency England, and to the times of outrageous parties, glamorous balls, and the intrigue of England vs. France and Napoleon. Welcome again to Susan Squires’ version of it anyway, and what a tale she tells yet again. Born to the Companion, Beatrix Lisse was abandoned before she understood her differences. Now, she is faced with the terrible nightmares from her past, and the only respite she can find is in the person of the Earl of Langley. In his fortuitous presence, and in his arms, the nightmares recede, and her life is again on an even keel. But it is not to stay that way, and Beatrix fears that the Monastery at Mirso will be her only recourse. The Earl has a way of disappearing, leaving her vulnerable once again to the forces, and the nightmares that would force her out of the world, and into seclusion. When it appears that she has been abandoned by John, she prepares to head to Mirso until some information, strange facts of his whereabouts, comes into her possession.
The Hunger takes us back to the beginning with Beatrix, the dark days, and the early mistakes she made. When John Staunton, Earl of Langley, appears in her life, neither of them know the cataclysm it will cause for them both. John is inextricably involved with the war against Napoleon, and it is his adventures in spying that have been judiciously covered by his rake’s reputation. This is what Beatrix has to solve in order to put away the apparent lies of his failed appearances, what is he doing, where is he, and can she save him. The question soon becomes one of whether he is her salvation, or is she his, and does it really matter. The Hunger is once again dark, edgy, and infinitely satisfying, and for those of you who enjoyed Sacrament, and The Companion, The Hunger is definitely a must have. Once again, Susan walks that wonderful darkly intimate and sexily edgy line, where the darkness almost overpowers the light. Available now from St. Martin’s Press, The Hunger is yet another great read.
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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