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Reviewed by Stephanie Chapman for Readers' Favorite
A.N. Payton’s Deathbringer and Desire is a novella featuring Queen Belle. Belle didn't find her father's passing upsetting. Belle and her vampire husband, Alex, skip the funeral feast and go to their private room. Inside, they discover an assassin with poison. Alex kills the woman. Belle recalls an earlier conversation with Loui Rios, who said that his apothecary had been robbed three times. The following day, Loui claims the dangerous elements stolen could kill everyone. Before he can finish the items needed to kill vampires, he begins to choke and burn into ash. The Master of the Order of Spellcasters proclaims that cursed magic killed Loui. Belle begins to hear her father’s voice insisting she kill Alex. Belle confides in her advisor, Matias, that she is having strange dreams about her father. Matias assures her she is feeling stress from her father’s death and the assassination attempt.
A.N. Payton provides exceptional detail to Belle’s character with her emotional turmoil. Her hatred of her father extends beyond his death, and she struggles against the sound of his words in her head. A sense of foreboding is built on intense suspense. The intrigue kept me spellbound because the unpredictable plot changed direction with each page. The supporting characters added depth by listening and talking to Belle. Their revelations caused her to question her sanity. The vivid details make it easy to envision Belle’s hallucinations. Belle’s actions at the end shocked me. However, this also provides a good opening for the sequel to this dark fantasy story. Deathbringer and Desire will appeal to fans of fantasy stories filled with mystery and magic.
