Into the Lair (Falcon Mercenary Group) [Paperback]

Into the Lair is the 2nd installment of Maya Banks' paranormal Falcon Mercenary Group series. The first was Into the Mist and I would definitely recommend reading them in order. This book centers on the two unstable shape shifting brothers Ian and Braden. Unlike Eli and Gabe, Ian and Braden are not stable shifters and often have to be sedated like Tyana's brother, every time a shift comes upon them.

The Falcon Mercenary group joined with Eli's team of shifters to track down Esteban who was the mad scientist who messed with their genes in the first place. When Gabe (a member of Eli's team) dies he begs Ian and Braden to find his little sister Katie (whom he kept hidden from everyone) because Esteban wants Katie for his own experiments. Esteban figures that if Gabe was stable then Katie as his genetic sister would have a greater chance to be stable as well, add to that that she's a female with viable eggs and you have one sick man chasing after godlike dreams.

While setting up Katie as bait (with out her knowledge of course, men are so dumb) Ian and Braden find themselves both falling for her. It seems as if their panther and jaguar are falling for her as well. The only thing Katie keeps close to her heart is what Gabe taught her... to never trust anyone. This makes for an uneasy threesome!

Out of 10 dirty erotic points, this one hits at a 7 or 8. The explicit scenes are more graphic and dirtier then Into the Mist. Plus there's two of them! Twice as much... fun! So be aware of that when delving into this book. Keep in mind though that Maya Banks is a clever author and never lets the sex get out of hand. The plot is always in the forefront of the novel and the characters make the sex scenes not the other way around!

I would still recommend this book - but I did like Into the Mist better.

Well, we did not really get to know Gabe in the last book and after reading this book I think the guy was basically a jerk. Katie has never had a good or loving relationship - so I can get the trust issues, but please... the constant running was overkill for me.

Now Ian and Branden do make it worse - heaven forbid that they open their mouths and actually talk with Katie.

Keeping the shifting a secret is not possible and Katie does react pretty well. But if you think that Ty was tough, I think that Katie is actually alittle tougher. She is put through the wringer (over and over).

The sex takes a bit of a dark turn, Katie likes it rough and Ian / Branden are up for that. This is not a little spanking, more rough - you better be ready. However Ian and Branden are also loving and willing to give Katie some soft moments.

Loved the D teaser in this. Really want to read his story.

The twist with Esteban was alittle hinky for me. Wish they really explained how he escapes with Katie and more back story on him. Almost wishing for a different ending. He goes from a creepy smary insane guy to hmmm - if only...

Wish Ian had more of a breakthrough like Branden does. But did love that all of the main character from In the Mist were in this book. So, guess that we have not seen the last of Ian/Branden/Katie.

Ian and Braden Thomas made a promise to their fallen teammate to protect his sister Katie. In order to do so the men will have to return to the U.S. to extract her and they'll soon discover that what they thought would be an easy mission is anything but...

Gabe's sister, Katie Buchanan, is no shrinking violet. She's been taking care of herself for a long time and she's facing her own share of problems - which have nothing to do with Gabe or the two men claiming to be sent by him. If there's one thing Gabe taught her it's `trust nobody' and she's taken that lesson to heart.

The simple fact that Gabe has missed their designated check-in phone call time is a horrifying dose of reality as Katie's forced to admit that there's a very real possibility that he's dead. That knowledge along sends her into a panic. She's been hiding from her own problem - namely Ricardo de la Cruz and can't risk him catching up to her. As she prepares to go on the run yet again she receives a phone call on her and Gabe's special line - only it's not Gabe, it's someone calling himself Ian Thomas.

Panicked she flees her apartment only to encounter a black SUV and men intent on taking her with them. Katie assumes these men are Ricardo de la Cruz's goons. He's intent on making her pay for murdering his brother - even though he has no proof that she killed anyone. Once Ian and Braden manage to successfully capture Katie she escapes and lands herself into Ricardo's sadistic hands. Ian and Braden don't give up easily. In fact something about playing chase with Katie arouses their feral instincts. Their attempts to keep their predators safely locked beneath their skin are futile.

Once Katie's back in Ian and Brandon's capable hands she struggles with her desire for them as well as her need to run. Trust doesn't come easily for her and so far Ian and Brandon's actions have proven them to be dangerous to her... and she doesn't even know about their shape-shifting abilities yet. Can Katie, a woman who's never felt safe anywhere, find safety and acceptance in the arms of two unstable shifters?

I've been anxiously awaiting the next book in the FALCON MERCENARY GROUP ever since I read INTO THE MIST. INTO THE LAIR is a thrillingly intense story full of all the passion, wonder, and paranormal elements that I've come to love about this series. Maya Banks pulls out all the stops with this book. Emotionally this plot fulfills every one of my expectations and then some. I laughed, I cried, and I cheered these characters through each and every scene. Katie, Brandon and Ian complement each other beautifully. They're all strong individuals but together they're a force to be reckoned with and the sex is intense and unforgettable.

While it's certainly not necessary to read INTO THE MIST first, I'd highly recommend doing so. The characters and what they've already experienced are far more `real' if you understand what happened in the first book before delving into this one. Now I'll be on the lookout for future books in this series. Damiano, a.k.a. `D' especially broke my heart and I really want to know what happens to him in future stories.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)