This if my first book from Rebecca Zanetti. I have never been a huge paranormal fan, and have just recently become a fan of it. I like the premise of this book. I know I’ve come in late.. but I can go back and read the ones I’ve missed. I am intrigued by Vero and his personality, and how he reacts to the people around him. Lyrica being a human to his immortal being, makes her reactions to him fun to experience. They become closer and more attracted to one another as the book goes on.. and I loved reading about it.

I love the way Rebecca Zanetti built the story line, kept it interesting, kept me reading until 4 am this morning. I really enjoyed the book, really like the characters and they make me want to know more about them, who they are, their culture, and the relationships they’ve formed.

Do I recommend this book? Yes. If you’re a paranormal fan you’ll love visiting this world.

This was a completely different genre for me, but once I got into the story it was a really great tale of family, community and love found in a most unexpected time and place

Another great read can't wait for the next book I just really love this series so much thanks for what you do

Prince of Darkness is another wonderful paranormal romance from Rebecca Zanetti. Even after so many installments, Zanetti reimagines her world of Kurjans, demons, and vampires, and ushers in a new crop of delightfully possessive fated mates.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Vero’s busy protecting his half brother Paxton, the new Kurjan king. He just has to keep him safe until the ceremony cementing the Kurjan alliance with the Cyst priests. In the meantime, enhanced human Lyrica is helping other females who’d been kidnapped by the previous regime to decide if they want to stay and be mated, or return to the human world. But when dead human females are found around their camp, Vero must find out who is killing the women and why, all while keeping Paxton safe and trying to ignore his growing attraction to Lyrica.

Who knew Vero was such a great character? I adore his obsession with Lyrica and sparkling water, and his attempts to deny both. His protectiveness doesn’t stop with his mate, though, and it’s nice to see him focus on keeping Paxton and the rest of the Kurjans safe too.

On the one hand, this book is number 17 in an ongoing series. But for a book that has so much previous world building, readers are immediately dropped into the action and there is no background necessary to follow what’s going on. Rebecca Zanetti has truly made continuing this long, running series an art form. It’s also a blast to see the inner workings of the Kurjan nation, who have been the established enemy of the Relm for many books. And Lyrica’s efforts to bring the Kurjan nation into the 21st century are admirable, and sometimes humorous too.

Prince of Darkness is a delightful trip back to Rebecca Zanetti’s paranormal world. She’s truly one of the originals, and her stories continue to be creative and impossible to put down. If you are a fan of alpha males, fated mates, and characters that don’t take themselves too seriously, you’ll have a great time with this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Prince of Darkness🥰

Wow, I absolutely loved Vero and Lyrica🙌 The Realm and the Kurjan nations are finally at peace, but what does that look like?

Vero had previously uncovered secrets that the Kurjans were unaware of and leads to a new leader for the Kurjans. Now, more than ever it is imperative that the Kurjans bring the Cyst leaders into the fold..but someone is sabotaging all efforts to keep peace and remain allies with the Realm. While this is unfolding, Vero is navigating a new “relationship” with a female who drives him crazy…when he discovers another secret🤫

It was very interesting seeing the Kurjan nation from this new perspective and I absolutely loved it❣️ Now’s to hoping Hunter gets a story and we get to know him better🤩 I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and willingly leave my honest review❤️

I never thought when we were first introduced to Vero that he'd have his own story. Vero is a Kurjan, a race that up until recently were the bad guys of the story. Now that an alliance has formed between the Realm and Kurjans, we are getting a deeper look into the Kurjan Nation. Vero is second in command of the Kurjans and responsible for the security of the nation.

Lyrica, an enhanced human, was kidnapped by the Kurjans before the alliance. Now that the alliance has been signed, she has taken over the orientation and safety of the other kidnapped women. Lyrica is working with Vero to make sure any women at the compound truly wants to be there. She has decided to take on the role of ensuring the women are independent and introduced to modern culture, even if not all the men are on board yet. Lyrica is determined to bring Vero and the Kurjans into the current century.

This book had action, romance...Kurjan speed dating. What else could you want? Can't wait for Hunter and Libby's books in this newest Dark Protectors storyline. I was provided this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review.

Genre & Tropes : Romance paranormal x Suspense plot x Vampires / Demons but with a scientific twist x Mates x Touch her and Die x Spicy

Small clarification : in theory, this book marks the beginning of a new cycle, so you can start with this one, but it's much more interesting if you read the entire series from the first book !

FINALLY the book with Veeroooooo !!

Since all the revelations in Warrior's Hope, I've been eagerly awaiting this book with Vero ! I started this series years ago, and if someone had told me that one day I'd read a book with a Kurjan (the ultimate villains since the first book) ... NEVER !!

And yet, here we discover the Kurjans in a different light and facing many changes with a new king and a new organization ... AND I loved discovering their entire workings, their customs, their difficulties ...

And of course Vero <3
Vero, whom we knew as a child and whom I absolutely loved discovering as a badass and sexy adult who seduces Lyrica, a very, very stubborn human (and whom I admit I liked a little less ><)

The plot with the murders and the mysterious group was fascinating, and I can't wait to learn more about their intentions !

In short, a paranormal romance that I loved and devoured and which marks the beginning of a new cycle that I can't wait to discover !

PS : I NEED a book with Hunter !!

This was a wonderful read from the first page to the last. The world building for this series just gets better and better expanding and exploring new possibilities. The characters draw you in with their loyalty, passions and humor, but it was the mysteries throughout this story that kept me turning the pages. So much going on while our main characters evolve and develop into their Happily Ever After. A very satisfying read with some mysteries solved and a few left to be revealed.

I have enjoyed this series, but this one was just blah. I did not enjoy the FMC, Lyrica was annoying and somewhat wishy-washy. The MMC, Vero, had potential, but seemed so different from descriptions in other books. I understand he was viewed as an enemy in this books, but it has hard to wrap my mind around the switch. He had potential and I would have enjoyed his character without the previous knowledge. This book was kind od incomplete in both the romance and plot parts and neither seemed to come together naturally.

I wonder when my habit of reading a series of interconnected standalone haphazardly from middle will bite my a&&, but not today. Because Rebecca Zanetti has written Prince of Darkness in such a style that I enjoyed it like a standalone. This paranormal romance was fast paced and twisted. Lyrica and Vero's journey was dangerous, unpredictable and explosive. Set in the snow covered forests of Canada, it was intriguing.

🖤 enemies to lovers
🖤 forced proximity
🖤 human FMC & immortal MMC ( from Kurjan nation)
🖤 fated mate
🖤 romantic suspense

Prince Vero has a lot in his plate. He is trying to unite his nation by strengthening his new found brother Paxton's role as King after he stepped down willingly. Kurjan nation will be at peril if the peace with The Realm ( where all other supernaturals live) is disturbed. He wants Kurjans to be at same pace as the modern world. That means no more kidnapping enhanced females to mate. But change always faces resistance. He has to find the killer of the innocent women found around their camp. And Lyrica is driving her crazy. She is a human with empathic ability and was kidnapped too but stayed here to help the Kurjans in the transition.

Lyrica is sassy and smart and stubborn and very very independent. She absolutely abhor the mating process but as she spends time with the mated women for understanding if they want freedom, she can see how most of them are very happy with their possessive and protective mates. Vero was infuriating with his dominating and controlling and bossy ways. But she had to accept that her animosity is more due ro her fear about her feelings. Vero is more than fair and honest. He is aloha to the extremes but he uses his edge to protect. He loves his nation fiercely. Lyrica was unexpected but all consuming as their bond was intense. I loved getting lost in the Kurjan world with all the twists and turns and secrets. It is expertly crafted with suspense and action and some amazing paranormal moments.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Phenomenal!

I love to see the amazing aftermath of Warrior’s Hope. This book is full of humor, action, drama, twists and OTT alphas and the women who keep them grounded.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

I really enjoy this author. She writes wonder romance stories with burley supernatural alpha types but she also has a good plot and exciting movement in her books. This is no exception. In the last book a major multibook cycle wrapped up leaving us with the newly crowned king of the Kurjan nation and his brother Vero. This book is Vero's story as he tries to keep his people together, drag the cyst back into the fold and find a murderer preying on females in his territory. All the while having to deal with an enticing thorn in his side in the form of Lyrica Graves. She is alone in the world and trying to manage the care of the females in the Kurjan nation. She has a set of ideas about how it should work and no one seems to be following along. Plus she's saddled with overprotective males all around her telling her what to do. She and Vero clash like fire and gasoline and are just about as hot. A really enjoyable romp and a great addition to the series.

I had thought Book 16 would be the end of the Dark Protectors. I am so happy to admit that I was wrong. Prince of Darkness has landed on my kindle and I have never been so happy.

The Kurgan Nation is rebuilding. Paxton is king, even with demon blood. More surpising is Vero is a prince. Vero doesn't care about being a prince. Vero's most important job is that as the king's enforcer. It is a full time job. I soon learned that not everyone is supportive of the changes.

They are creating a new nation in Canada. Buildings are being constructed. Errors of the past are being righted. There is no more kidnapping of enhanced females. They are actually helping them return to their lives with the help of Lyrica one of the captured females.

Lyrica is bringing the Kurgan Nation into the present. Convincing Vero of changes isn't always easy. Watching Lyrica and Vero go out at it was the highlight of my day. Oh, the bickering. The denial of feelings had me giggling. The dance to love has them tripping and falling. Vero has his hands full with Lyrica.

In fact there are those that will do anything to remove the King and put Vero in his place. The Nation finds itself deep within the unknown. They don't have a police department. They don't have investigators. They can only fumble along as they try to find the suspect. The fumbling continues when the Kurgans start getting ill.

Vero will have to join forces with his past in order to save his present. Will he make it in time? Will the nation be ready to receive the Cyst leaders? Most importantly will Vero and Lyrica accept their fate.

Now that the two previously waring nations have formed a treaty between the Realm and the Kurgans, the leaders and their allies have to come to agreements for moving forward in this new peaceful world. Paxton Phoenix, as the newly crowned King of the Kurjans, has a lot of work to do in order to rebuild his new nation along with his wife, Hope. Not everyone is happy with a half-blood being their king so it falls to Vero, Paxton’s half-brother, to help him defend the title.

Lyrica Graves was one of the previously kidnapped women who has taken on the lead to help those former captives figure the next step in their lives. She and the taciturn Vero have multiple clashes over how to handle the delicate process of reorienting and possibly restoring to their former lives those women who want to go home.

Paxton is learning on the fly as Vero tries to prevent his assassination while figuring out who is friend or foe. The Kurjan and Realm have been enemies for so long that most are still trying to deal with the paradigm shift between the two nations. Paxton needs the Kurjan spiritual leaders, the Cyst, to come along side to legitimize his leadership and help reshape the Kurjans into a new type of people.

Vero and Lyrica are both resistant to any kind of relationship despite their intense attraction. Their past backgrounds make it challenging to move forward especially with all the fraught situations in the newly established Canadian home which has come under some insidious attacks. Vero discovers something about himself that just might also change the rules of the game for him personally as well being the prince and second in command for his people. This is book number seventeen in The Dark Protectors series which looks to be still going strong.

Wow! What a perfect introduction to this new chapter in the Dark Protectors series!

I absolutely loved Lyrica. Her fierce determination not just to protect, but to actively support the human women who were once captives, helping guide them toward the futures they choose for themselves. She’s my kind of heroine. There’s a small side story that highlights her efforts, and I really enjoyed that element. It intrigued me and I would’ve loved more of it.

Vero is the very definition of a Dark Protector. This line says it all:

“His searing blue gaze raked her, dark with raw, dangerous intensity. ‘Because if anyone took you from me, I’d burn the world to ash to find you—and I’d tear through the wreckage with bloody hands until nothing remained.'”

The storyline is tightly woven and kept me turning the pages. I found myself thinking about the plot even when I wasn’t reading, which is always a sign of a riveting book. This is truly a great entry point for new readers. The author provides just enough backstory to bring you up to speed without overwhelming you.

While I’m not usually a fan of book series, I’ll drop everything to read anything from the Dark Protectors. These books are smexy, fun, intriguing, and packed with danger and action. I can’t wait to see where this author takes us next!

It's time for the next generation and we see things from more of a Kurjan perspective. I love the way the author makes you care about those previously seen as the villains. Vero will make your heart race. It took me a bit to warm up to Lyrica. There is a lot of action and suspense. There are also some very dark happenings. The author also gives a good dose of humor. I love this series and look forward to seeing more of this new progression.

After the last installment, that saw the end of the arc around The Seven, a group of immortals, that were tasked with reinforcing the off-world imprisonment of an evil monster named Ulric, a member of an offshoot tribe of Kurjans called the Cyst. The arc ended with a bloody and gruesome war to end all wars, and with Paxton, a half Demon warrior for the Realm, rising as the new king of the Kurjans, after he learns of his half Kurjan ancestry and bloodline, and with his newfound brother, Vero, as his second in command.

This installment picks up shortly thereafter, and Paxton and Vero need to bring the Cyst back into the Kurjan nation. However, there are those Kurjans that don’t want Paxton as King and they definitely don’t want the Realm as allies. While these enemies remain hidden for most of the story, their attacks are not and they are fierce. With attacks on both Paxton and Vero’s lives, the are also killing mostly random human women (only one woman was from the camp, the others weren’t) and leaving the bodies for Paxton and Vero to find.

There is also another storyline of Lyrica, a human woman who was previously kidnapped by the Kurjans, but now that Paxton is king, Vero has assigned Lyrica to work with the captured human women, as well as the human women who have already mated Kurjan soldiers, to find out how many want to go back home and how many want to stay. With the enticement of becoming immortal, almost all choose to stay. Lyrica is also attempting to bring the Kurjan nation into the 21st century in regards to their treatment of women and their attitudes regarding their partnerships with their mates. Kurjans don’t marry, however, they do mate for life. In her professional dealings with Vero, Lyrica becomes attracted to Vero, much to her own dismay.

Most of the story revolves around getting the camp up to speed to host the Cyst council in hopes of getting them back into the Kurjan fold. If Paxton and Vero don’t succeed, the Kurjan nation will fall into civil war. Additionally, in standard immortal fashion, Vero and Lyrica have a pretty rocky “courtship”, with Vero being the typical bossy, demanding and infuriating, male, Kurjan, mate. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: Vero “accidentally” mates Lyrica. LMAO!!!

Anyway, the end comes fast, with the storylines colliding into a flurry of death and destruction, which is actually kind of typical for the Dark Protectors. I was kind of leery of a storyline around the Kurjan nation. After 16 installments and numerous novellas of the war between the Realm and the Kurjans, I was undecided of a DP world with Kurjan allies. Honestly, I kind of still am. I don’t think everything is wine and roses in the Kurjan nation. They still have enemies and they’re not all coming from the Realm. Time will tell. However, I do want to say that I do love Zanetti’s wicked sense of humor that she instills in her stories of the trials and tribulations of mixing humans with immortals. Seriously, the whole genre of romantasy is so amusing and entertaining that I love when the author doesn’t miss a chance to exhibit the crazy and outrageous.

The continuing character development of the MC’s was well done, especially Paxton and Vero. This fast-paced, action-packed storyline was long awaited and very exciting that I finished in two late night sittings that had me chanting the “just one more chapter” song. The writing was on par for the series: a centuries old war among the immortal worlds, a love/hate chemistry between a super sexy, grumpy, centuries old immortal soldier and an independent, feisty, sassy, stubborn, human woman, as well as a violent and scary fight scene destroying the enemy with a lead-in to the next installment. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing #PrinceofDarkness

Those familiar to this world will appreciate the alpha protector/predator Vero is. His oozes intensity & protectiveness for Lyricia. You get thrilling emotions as we see the different breeds fight, betray & support for power & peace. You will enjoy action & romance battling alongside. Rebecca creates another generation that follows the fight for both heart & home.

I am already a longtime fan of this series, so I was really excited to see that there was a new book out. This book focuses on Vero Phoenix- a Kurjan vampire - who we just recently discovered is Paxton's brother. Paxton, a demon vampire - who is now the King of the Kurjan Nation (definitely a long story behind this one). The challenge comes with the fact that Vero WAS also very close to his cousin - the now deceased third in the love triangle with Hope and Paxton. So, while Vero was never specifically a really bad guy, he definitely hung around with the bad guys.

So, this forces us to do a bit of a mind shift as we now see Vero as the Kurjan Prince trying to help newly appointed King Paxton keep the newfound peace between the Kurjans and the Realm. I mean, the KURJANS....they were the bad guys for so long.....

And then we meet Lyrica. As a human, she was kidnapped and held by the Kurjans (because that is how they did things). Things are changing and they are trying to fix some of their wrongs, and Lyrica has emerged as a leader for the women who have been held, kidnapped, or possible mated against their will. She is leading the push to make things right.

Because this series revolves around mated pairs - we get to watch Lyrica and Vero deal with the unexpected complications that emerge with their pairing. There are a couple of unexpected twists to make things interesting. Oh, and not to mention - there are some new bad guys......

While this could probably be read as a stand alone, there really is a lot of history and information that would be missed if you jumped in at this point. Plus, the series as a whole is awesome so why not start from the beginning? Seriously?

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Lyrical Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on April 29, 2025.

Vero and Lyricia are awesome who knew Vero was a softy and I love Lyricia independence. The story line was fantastic and fast paced with quite a few twists and turns definitely worth the read and I can't wait for the next book.