Spartan warrior and slave River Kassandros has been missing in his dagger form for months.  Tossed into a river during a climactic battle, River is unable to shift back into his human form.  Now in danger of spending eternity as a dagger, River almost gives up.  The only thing that is keeping him lucid is his connection to a woman on the beach.  Begging her to search for him, River leads her to find him in the water, but not without repercussions.  Fighting water demons is the least of their worries – it seems Ares has turned his back on the band of warriors he offered immortality to so long ago. 

Emma Lowery knows she is losing her mind, but the man she hears in her head is real.  Searching for a knife in the coastal waters off of a beach in Savannah, Emma finds exactly what the man tells her she would find.  Only he didn’t tell her that with the first draw of her blood the dagger in her hand becomes so much more.  It becomes a deadly, yet sensuous warrior intent on her seduction. 

Red Kiss by Deidre Knight is the second installment of her Gods of Midnight series and she definitely ups the ante on sensuality and passion.  River is a slave – he knows this and because of this, he doesn’t feel worthy of Emma.  Emma, on the other hand, could care less.  It is that emotion that prevails throughout Red Kiss and one I found simply mesmerizing.  The fight between good and evil is predominate in Red Kiss and I found myself enthralled watching this enigmatic and passionate warrior battle more than just evil – he battles himself.  I can’t wait book three!