Riley is just trying to survive and not worry too much about the future as fate has a way of twisting her wishes into nightmares or into burning denial that leaves a lasting scar.  However, one thing Riley has finally given into is becoming a Guardian – not that she likes it, but it’s better than the other options left to her due to her twisted heritage and blooming “gifts,” not that Riley sees them as such.

The case she is currently working is taxing her to her limits in her tolerance for death and evil as she starts chasing after a killer zombie with a liking for teenage girls which leads her to a sorcerer and Kye, a man from her past that she’d rather forget.  But Kye has been paid to find the zombie killer and being the mercenary that he is, Kye will not stop investigating even when his path crosses with Riley and the Directorate.  Plus, Kye seems to have talents he shouldn’t and a way of making Riley’s hormones dance in a way that she hates.

To top it all off, she gets thrown into another case of a vampire killer that is mystifying as there seems no trace of the killer.  As the mounting evidence still doesn’t add up to any sensible answers Riley gets one of her famous “feelings” that the two cases aren’t as separate as they appear, but will she survive to solve the puzzle?

Still, Riley has the ever-menacing Quinn still at her side, even if they have managed to achieve some sort of truce that works for them, it might be threatened by the discoveries Riley makes during the course of this investigation.

Deadly Desire continues the tale of Riley Jenson’s complicated life as a Guardian and a half-breed wolf/vampire in a mesmerizing urban fantasy tale that will suck you into its universe and leave you wanting for more.  As usual, Keri Arthur does a fabulous job of continuing to build upon Riley’s world, which is parallel to the “known” world but containing elements that range from the mysterious to the frightening, and of course this installment has plenty of mystery, action and danger to keep you glued to the pages well into the night to find out just how Riley will survive this latest adventure.  Riley is a compelling character as she is a mass of contradictions such as cherishing life, but being an efficient killer or being a powerful telepath and more while dreading the power would do to her.  Riley will, as usual, keep you entertained with her irreverent wit and humor as she navigates the deadly supernatural world more easily than she would like and her ever-present romantic troubles.  Balancing Quinn and her wolf nature is never easy and with the discoveries Riley makes regarding her wolf soul and her vampire heart things might just reach an explosive point.  As ever Riley doesn’t disappoint when it comes to action, adventure and explosive encounters with men – but wait until you find out just how is sharing the field with Quinn!  I was absolutely mesmerized by Deadly Desire from start to finish, especially during the most confusing times when I floundered right along with Riley to understand what was going on and why her life seems to spin out of control every time something good seems to come her way.  Pick up Deadly Desire when you are looking for a spellbinding urban fantasy read that will intrigue you and have you panting to catch your breath at its action packed, fast paced plot!

Note: Deadly Desire is the seventh installment in the Riley Jenson Guardian series, and while it can be read as a standalone much of the undercurrents and secondary plot would not be well understood.