Fangs and Lullabies (The Demons Age) [Kindle Edition]

*** May contain Spoilers - yes, I talk to much ***

Kally!!! Have you any idea what you're doing to me woman! You're killing me here. These men of yours are really something else. First there was the delectable Brett, Leo and Anando. Then there was the delicious Marc and Blake. And now. Now!! You throw Andrew and Nicholas at me. *fans self* It's too much for my perverted wee mind to handle. Imagine that! Scandalous! I swear, I LOVED this bloody book. Loved it!! I absolutely fell in love with the vampire daddies. Christ, they are amazing!!! And Jacob, that boy is gonna be a heart breaker. At the age of seventeen he was already making me melt for him. *cough* Sorry. Rant finished. I'll tell you about the book now... lol.

The book begins in a hospital room, Andrew is saying goodbye to his love and mother of his child, Cara. A brilliant scientist and mage she successfully impregnates herself with a half human/vampire embryo. Sadly, her body just couldn't cope with the pregnancy and birth. And Andrew soon finds himself alone with his new son. Taking his son away Andrew starts a new life for them, he's determined to raise his son in a way Cara would be proud of, and he succeeds. This vamp is strong, protective, loving, and just down right sexy. I loved how he could be the perfect dad to Jacob one minute, all caring and sweet. And then be the perfect lover and Sire to Nicholas the next, all dominating and sexual. While still saving the human race from demon attacks. Mmm...

A few months after starting anew Andrew is surprised to find his wayward Childe, Nicholas, on his doorstep. He had chased Nicolas away nearly a century before due to his unsavoury appetite, but now Nicholas is willing to behave in order to get back into his Sire's life. Once again we find a strong, protective and loving vamp in Nicholas, but what I loved about him the most was his deviant streak. Even after one hundred and fifty odd years he still manages to act like a child at times. He seemed to get off annoying Andrew... lol. It was great, especially when he made it up to him again *wink wink* Grr...

I have to say that I really enjoyed reading the story from Jacob's perspective. From the age of two or three years this boy told it as he seen it. I laughed repeatedly at some of the comments he made about his two dads, for example he made comments about them always 'wrestling' and on one occasion when he was told he was too big to sleep in daddy's bed he replied 'But Nicholas is a big boy too and you let him sleep in your bed'. Such a kiddie comment...lol. As Jacob grew his opinions and views on life did too, it was great seeing the world as he seen it. Having to deal with not only being raised by two vampire males, having to hide this fact from everyone he knew, but to also have to cope with hiding his own special abilities. This kid is amazing!! We really get a feel for the man he's gonna become from the last few chapters, and all I can say is wow! He is definitely going to be as charming, protective, and loving as his parents.

As I've said already, I loved this book. It's not the usual vampire romance we're used to getting from Kally, but it totally worked for me. This book was more family orientated, letting us experience the difficulties in raising a child and keeping a family together, while still having to fight demons and save the world of course. I love a good fight scene, all that action and blood spill, and I thought I would miss it this time around. But strangely I didn't. I was too caught up in the whole raising Jacob stuff that it didn't bother me. It was a nice change. We did however still get a good helping of steamy love scenes from Andrew and Nicholas. And as always Kally fails to disappoint there. One of the best sex scenes for me was when Andrew gave Nicholas a VERY special anniversary present for his one hundred and fifty year Siring. Lets just say Andrew was the one being dominated that night. Mmm...

I'm not gonna say any more, don't want to give away too much. I swear I could talk about this book all day...lol. But I wont. So, I'm sure you can already guess what I'm gonna tell you... Go buy this book! Now!

I know, that was a low blow, having a small baby on the cover trying to attract unaware women with the strong power of their maternal instinct... problem is that, I'm not really a motherly type, and in any case I fell for the trick. But the cover, the blurb, a mix of both pushed me not only to buy the book but also to read it as soon as I downloaded the file.

Fangs & Lullabies is everything cover and blurb promised, a story about two unlikely fathers, not only since there is now woman around to play the role of the mother, but also since they are vampires. Andrew is the older and wiser and he is also the one who chase away Nicholas when he started to feed and kill humans. That was almost 100 years ago and in the meantime Andrew built another life, and other relationships, the last of which with a woman, Cara, the mother of his son Jacob. Jacob is a little miracle himself, vampires cannot father children, but Cara was a specialist in the fertility field and she found a way; problem is that, after 19 years of relationship, she was probably not so young anymore and the pregnancy was also her death sentence. She died in childbirth and Andrew was left alone with a little baby to rise. When Nicholas comes back, he doesn't know about Jacob; he is not coming back to help Andrew, he is coming back since he cannot live no more without Andrew. Andrew is Nicholas's sire, and Nicholas feels the pull every childe has towards his sire.

It's strange but all the paranormal side of the story, Nicholas and Andrew being vampires, how one is a sire and the other a childe, how their life was before, the fact that they are centuries years old, everything seems to disappear when Jacob enters their life: from that moment on, they are only two fathers, rising a baby alone, not being ready to do so, and probably, if they have to be true to themselves, not planning to do that. After the prologue, where the author plans out all the details for the story, and give the readers the necessary "paranormal" elements, the novel takes a very precise pace, that of Jacob's life; every chapter is a year in Jacob's life, from 1 to 17 years old. Sometime the story is even told from Jacob's point of view, who, like any other baby in the world, looks at his father, Andrew, like an hero, and so it's not strange for him that he is out, fighting the bad guys. But again, Andrew's job as demon hunter, everything happening outside their home, remains exactly there, outside.

I think the author did a good job in making the story believable (and yes, even with Andrew and Nicholas being vampires) without making nor Andrew or Nicholas the "wife": Nicholas is indeed the one who is more at home, taking care of Jacob and effectively being the one raising him, but always waiting for Andrew to come back home and taking the important decisions... of course also planning everything to be sure that decisions matched the one Nicholas already took.

The best Summer Reading! I am very particular to the authors and stories I like, and Kallysten quickly rose to my list of favorite authors in the likes of J.R. Ward, and Suzanne Brockmann during the Summer with "Fangs and Lullabies." The story is beautifully written, and I could not help but to fall in love with the compelling characters "Nick and Andrew", and their journey through the story. I recommend this book as a must have in everyone's collection. It is more than just a story about vampires. It is a gripping story about life, struggles, and true love. You are not going to want to put this book down. I also recommend Kallysten's "Over the Edge" Series, and "Visions of Destiny" Series. They are fantastic!