Call of the Wylde

The Marauders are nine Druid brothers, cursed to spend their lives as preternatural beings, constantly fighting against the evil humanity rarely sees. Yet for all their toil there will be no respite, no undoing the wrong done, unless somehow a Daughter of the Morrigan comes to love them unconditionally.

On the fateful night he and his brothers were cursed, Owain Maraigh found his life forever altered when The Morrigan caused him to become a vampire. He has made peace with his life path and committed himself to finding a cure for the very nature that consumes him. Yet work and family are the only outlets for his devotion as he has ceased to believe that the love prophesized by the curse will happen. That is until he meets Colette Wylde.

Colette became a Helsinger, a slayer, when vampires murdered her sister and nephew. Her sole focus has been to hunt those responsible, but even vengeance is not perfect(,) for with the vampires’ deaths she is forced to acknowledge that her life will never be the same. A chance encounter with Owain stirs to life the woman and doctor she once was. Neither is prepared for the passion that flares between them as they set out to find answers to questions better left unasked.

The second in the Marauder series, Call of the Wylde is an excellent addition to what promises to be a truly original series. Owain’s story continues the tradition for bold, imaginative storytelling that was established in The Mark of the Blood. The detailed storyline and characters ensure that this work can be read alone, but reading The Mark of the Blood first will enable readers to further appreciate the nuances of the plot. Cynnara Tregarth takes seemingly unconnected rites from various cultures and weaves an elaborate agenda that has been hidden for ages. I particularly enjoyed the subtle message that all things are connected. As Owain and Colette begin to delve deeper into vampire legends, they are confronted with warnings to cease before they transgress on what is better left alone. Never ones to quit, these two dynamic characters grab hold of the subject and from that point forward there is no stopping them. Thus begins a complex journey to unearth truths that humanity has never known; of course with frequent stops along the way as they succumb to their passion. To the author’s credit though, she has gone to lengths to make certain that passion is not the only thing between Owain and Colette. They are well matched in intelligence, drive, and loyalty to family and friends. These facets all combine with the action of Owain’s mission and the never to be forgotten Marauder curse to deliver a story that is refreshing and bold.

Reviewed by: Amanda