Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night

Kresley Cole

Sep 2007 · Immortals After Dark Book 4 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Kresley Cole’s scorching tale about a jaded werewolf and a captivating young witch in the third novel in the Immortals After Dark series is “one for the keeper shelf” (RT Book Reviews)!

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

Ratings and reviews

Third in the Immortals After Dark paranormal-romance series. The couple focus here is on Bowen MacRieve, a werewolf, and Mariketa the Awaited, a witch. The action in this story starts in the middle of the Hie that began in No Rest for the Wicked (Immortals After Dark, Book 2). My Take It's a parallel plot line as Bowen is struggling to win the Hie, gain the key to turn back time, and rescue his beloved before she dies. Mariketa is trying to find herself. Her powers are wonky, unreliable. A prophecy states she'll be claimed by a warrior of the Lore. And her coven expects her to be this incredibly powerful person. Cole is lying to us from the get-go. In the prologue she's telling us one thing and at the end she's telling us another. Of course, it could simply be a ruse to torment Bowen even more... There's a lot of action in this story; I could wish we could harness someone like Bowen for law enforcement in the jungles...very useful. But the action is simply to keep us enthralled as both Bowen and Mariketa must learn. Bowen must learn to accept and embrace the reality of Mariketa while Mariketa is finding her way to the challenge of her life. The best of the three full stories so far. The Story Bowen MacRieve will stop at nothing nor will he allow any weakness to interfere in his winning this Hie. The prize is but a stepping stone to an even greater prize. To him. A chance to go back in time and rescue his love before fear of him causes her to flee. To die. His only real competition in the Hie are Kaderin the Coldhearted and Sebastian Wroth (their story is in No Rest for the Wicked (Immortals After Dark, Book 2). This witch, this damned witch though distracts him. It must be a spell forcing him to desire her. And. He. Will. Not. Allow. It. He must win. He must save Mariah. If it takes trapping that damned witch in this cave. So be it. There are five other immortals with her; they'll be out soon enough. Only, none of them realize the cave is still occupied. And Mariketa has managed to throw a hex at him. A hex that prevents his healing any damage. The Characters Bowen MacRieve is a tormented werewolf. He lost his mate one winter's night 180 years ago and he's been in agony--and celibate--ever since. Lachlain MacRieve is king of the werewolves and Bowen's friend and cousin (see A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark, Book 1)for the story of Lachlain and Emmie). Mariah is, was, his love all those years ago and on one fatal winter's night Bowen lost her to her fear. Mariketa the Awaited is a witch with unruly powers. Over the past 23 years of her life, she's lost both her parents and has always been second string. Trapped in the cave with Mari are three elven archers: Tera, Tierney, and an unnamed as well as two demons, friends, of a sort, of Bowen's: Rydstrom and Cade. Her fellow witches include Carrow and Elianna. Her parents are/were Jillian, a fey witch, and Warren, a warlock. And, yes, we do discover just why Mariketa is the Awaited. Nucking Futs Nix is a proto-Valkyrie. She's absolutely nuts and never, ever wrong in her predictions. Regin is also there for Mariketa. The Cover The cover is awful. Let alone that the only resemblance it has to the story is the woman's red hair. That aside, the man is just plain scary looking, more vampire-like than anything. And this is supposed to be a story about a werewolf! As for the title, Bowen's torment started with Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. The night Mariah died. Only, it's nothing like what you think.

Great action, literally laugh out loud funny, and the romance isn't cheesy. Can't believe Kresly Cole graduated from the University of Florida. Who knew a gator could write much less write this well.

It is just one of those stories you will enjoy reading over and over again.

About the author

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into over twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the US and abroad. Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. She lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals,” and spends any free time traveling. You can learn more about her and her work at KresleyCole.com or Facebook.com/KresleyCole.