Abby Barlow has never wanted a day to end more.  What starts out as a bad day quickly turns into a horrendous one.  First, she breaks a priceless Ming vase and gets caught trying to hide the evidence by her employer’s annoying houseguest and probable lover, Dante.  Then, she finds herself the victim of an explosion and finally, after hallucinating and passing out, Abby wakes up in a run down roach infested motel room with her now deceased employer’s boy toy.  The fun, however, is only just beginning.  It seems Dante is a vampire and his new assignment is now Abby.

With the death of Selena, Abby’s employer, Dante could taste freedom.  After the explosion involving Selena, an innocent move from Abby once more ties Dante to a mortal woman called The Chalice.  Abby is now under Dante’s protection and guardianship whether she likes it or not.  Freedom for Dante is just a fleeting memory now because he once more vows his protection of The Chalice with his life. 

Dante and Abby find themselves fighting the forces of evil at every turn as well as battling their fierce attraction for one another.  Their playful flirting has turned into desire which becomes an all consuming passionate love.  Will these two unlikely lovers find forever, or will the dark evil that stalks them bring about their demise?

In When Darkness Comes, Alexandra Ivy has woven a completely compelling twist to vampire lore.  Her characterization of Dante had me riveted to the pages because of his complete commitment to Abby’s safety.  What starts out as a job for Dante quickly becomes more and while he yearned for freedom from his guardianship of The Chalice, Dante finds himself wanting Abby forever.  I loved reading every moment of his succumbing to Abby’s down to Earth and often naïve personality.  She was attracted to Dante but scared to reach for him because of how she grew up.  When she finally decided that Dante was the man for her, life was good.

When Darkness Comes is the first book of a new series called ‘Guardians of Eternity’ and I find myself perusing the coming soon pages for insight and information on the next installment.  Alexandra Ivy can’t write the next book quick enough and if it is anything close to being as wonderful as When Darkness Comes then it will be completely magnificent.