Review of "An Unholy Embrace" by Paula Phillips

The Phantom Paragrapher

Review of "An Unholy Embrace" by Paula Phillips

Are you loving the whole mortal/vampire love storyline ? Edward and Bella in Twilight , Elena and Stefan / Damon in Vampire Diaries , Dylan and Claire in The Gates (though Claire is now turned) , Alexander/ Jagger and Raven in Vampire Kisses and Dimitri and Rose in Vampire Academy or Hugo and Elizabeth in The Point and who can forget our Sookie Stackhouse and Eric/Bill.


A popular storyline lately has been the tale of the mortal/vampire love story and the majority of them have the male as a Vampire and the female as the love struck mortal. One thing that I really liked in Neil Benson's book is that he decided to use gender reverse roles and make the male the love struck mortal and the female the Vampire. Having it this way, was a nice change for once.

The story starts when Frank and Nessa are out on a date and are attacked by Werewolves, the attack causes Nessa to extract her fangs and go all-  vampirey, something that Frank hasn't really experienced before. We are transported back to the beginning -where they first met and how their relationship started, and of course, how they reached the point in the story.

What follows is Nessa explaining and opening her 400yr old heart to Frank and telling her story on how she became a Vampire starting in Hungary all the way to her travels via Vienna and Paris to the Present time in New York.

We read as the Werewolves attacks are just the beginning as Nessa has been on the run nearly 400 years and has been tracked by Narice - the vampire lover of the Vampire who turned Nessa and in return, Nessa killed out of vengeance.

When Frank realizes the consequences and danger of being with Nessa, can he stand strong and embrace the unholiness of being with a Vampire or will he take the white feather coward option out and leave Nessa to follow a path of a normal life?

An excellent story that shows readers in a paranormal and supernatural way that no matter what happens and how terrifying obstacles can be - love between not only mortals but mortals and supernaturals can stick together.

“I was born over four hundred years ago on a farm in a small town south of Budapest. Only when aroused or threatened do I take on the characteristics you have witnessed.”

   “What do you mean by ‘aroused’?”

   “Don’t pretend to be naive.”

   “So you do take human blood.”

   “I live on whole blood, which is readily available. Occasionally I take a small amount from willing donors at vampire clubs.”

“Before that, how many lives did you take to survive hundreds of years?”

“Three.” Her eyes narrowed, and her face became intense. “I took the blood of animals as often as possible. When the need for human blood overwhelmed me, I drank carefully so as not to take anyone’s life. Since 1861, almost all the blood I have consumed has come from well-paid donors with whom I had no contact. I did not choose to become a vampire. A hideous creature who stalked Hungary, killing many people, made me into one.”

“Why didn’t he kill you?”

“He told me he couldn’t kill a woman so lovely. He made me into one of his servile brides. The creature bragged about how he had given me the gift of eternal life, but he’d neglected to mention I was his slave. Not all vampires have the strength to do what you witnessed earlier this evening.”

“How did you gain such strength?”

“By killing him and taking his blood.” She looked off to the side for a moment, and I wondered what she was thinking.  

A mortal man spends a passionate evening with his vampire lover.

Frank, a mortal man, spends a passionate evening with his vampire lover, Nessa.

She aroused me to intense passion as she continued her supple movements. She sensed when I approached orgasm and would become motionless until I backed away from the peak of pleasure. I don’t know how long she did this, but when she finally let me find relief, perspiration dripped off my forehead.

I was breathing heavily; my body drained of all energy. Her head nestled on my chest, and her left hand stroked my face. Nothing like this had ever happened before. I was a former college tennis player and routinely ran 10K races, but I had never made love with a vampire.

When I opened my eyes, she pressed her lips against my forehead. 

“How long was I asleep?”

“Not long.”

I touched my throat, feeling for punctures.

“You don’t need to do that.” She flicked my hand away. Then she leaned forward and caressed my throat with her tongue, causing me to shiver with delight. If she was going to take blood from me, she could have done it while I was asleep. I had to assume I was safe—or at least as safe as any man was with a vampire he had recently met.

“Are you up for more?” she asked.

Making love with a vampire is undoubtedly dangerous even if she doesn't poke her fangs into your neck. (Author's comment)

Nessa: Meeting a Mortal Lover

From the moment I saw Frank, I felt a connection with him. Though Frank was handsome, it was not his appearance that drew to me to him. His brightly colored aura fluctuated slightly, showing his balanced mind and body. When we went back to his apartment, it took a great effort for me to wait as long as I did before taking him. I wanted to possess him sexually in every way possible. When I left, he was exhausted. He was a thoughtful and sensitive lover who had pleasured me more than anyone I had lain with for hundreds of years.

I wanted to see him the next night, but I knew that if I moved too swiftly and powerfully, I would consume him. In addition, I wanted to keep him off-balance. That way I could maintain better control of the relationship. 

Interesting pillow talk to have the lovely woman lying next to you in bed say you're the best lover she's had in centuries. (Author's comment)

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Unholy Embrace 

First Vampires Lamatsu and Lilith

Nobody knows when people came up with the first vampiric figures, but the legends date back at least 4,000 years, to the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamians feared Lamastu (also spelled Lamashtu), a vicious demon goddess who preyed on humans. In Assyrian legend, Lamastu, the daughter of sky god Anu, would creep into a house at night and steal or kill babies, either in their cribs or in the womb. Believers attributed sudden infant death syndrome and miscarriage to this figure.

Lamastu, which translates to "she who erases," would also prey on adults, sucking blood from young men and bringing disease, sterility and nightmares. She is often depicted with wings and birdlike talons, and sometimes with the head of a lion. To protect themselves from Lamastu, pregnant women would wear amulets depicting Pazuzu, another evil god who once defeated the demoness.

Lamastu is closely associated with Lilith, a prominent figure in some Jewish texts. Accounts of Lilith vary considerably, but in the most notable versions of the story, she was the original woman. God created both Adam and Lilith from the Earth, but there was soon trouble between them. Lilith refused to take a subservient position to Adam, since she came from the same place he did.

In one ancient version of the legend, Lilith left Eden and began birthing her own children. God sent three angels to bring her back, and when she refused, they promised they would kill 100 of her children every day until she returned. Lilith in turn vowed to destroy human children.

Accounts of Lilith as a child-killer seem to be taken directly from the Lamastu legend. She is often described as a winged demoness with sharp talons, who came in the night, primarily to steal away infants and fetuses. Most likely, the Jews assimilated the figure of Lamastu into their tradition, but it's also possible that both myths were inspired by a third figure.

While she is often depicted as a terrifying creature, Lilith also had seductive qualities. The ancient Jews believed she would come to men at night as a succubus.

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An Excerpt from Unholy Embrace -- Romanced by a Vampire

I used a fifty-dollar bill to signal the waiter. “What are you drinking?” I asked her. 

“A dry martini,” she said to the waiter.

“I’ll have another Heineken.” The waiter pocketed my bill and went to get our drinks.

“A vampire wouldn’t drink a martini.”

“I love a clever man.”

I decided to change the topic of conversation. Her slight accent intrigued me. “Where were you born?”

“Hungary. I’ll save you the next question by telling you I came here sixty years ago.” She leaned closer to me. Her musky fragrance inflamed me, and I had to restrain myself from kissing her. Suddenly warm, I wiped perspiration from my forehead. “Would you be interested in going someplace quieter?” she asked.

“What did you have in mind?” I was with a beautiful, amorously inclined woman who had provided me with enough evidence to believe she was a real vampire. Despite that knowledge, I could feel the rising desire in my groin pressing against my common sense.

“Let’s go to your place. I would like to see the home of an artist and architect.”

“Th-that would be fine,” I stuttered. The game was cat and mouse, and I was the catnip. When our drinks arrived, they no longer mattered.

AT FRANK'S APARTMENT

She looked at the titles for several minutes before she pulled out Dr. Bova’s book on immortality and extending life. “Immortal life holds a fascination for you. You’ll find living a long time doesn’t bring the answers to the questions you seek.”

“Am I to assume you know that from personal experience?”

She put her finger under my chin and kissed me on the lips. “I have seen the passing of more seasons than you could ever imagine. Perhaps, if I like you, I’ll tell you about them.”

“That would be interesting.” A vampire is seducing me. Am I out of my freaking mind?

“Hush,” Nessa whispered. She brushed my cheek with her fingertips, pressed her lips to mine, and parted them with her tongue. “Come.” She led me to my bedroom.  

As Nessa moved me to the foot of the bed, I reached for her. She was quicker, putting her arms around my neck and pulling my head toward hers. Her mouth sought mine, and we kissed passionately for several minutes. She broke off the kiss, stepped back, reached for the bottom of my dark blue merino sweater, and pulled it over my head. Nessa kissed my chest and flicked her tongue over my left nipple, causing me to tremble with pleasure. She unbuckled my pants, dropped them to the floor, and pulled down my briefs. She lowered me to the bed, handling me like a small child despite my outweighing her by more than seventy pounds. 

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Unholy Embrace 

Unholy Embrace Reviewed by Trish Martin

REVIEWED BY "TRISH MARTIN" http://www.horrornews.net/

Unholy Embrace by Neil Benson is the story of a romantic and dangerous love affair between a beautiful, ages-old vampire and a mortal man. This story is enchanting and sexy with an edge of excitement. Not only do we read about vampires but of werewolves and demons. The New York nightlife and seedy underbelly do well to create a dangerous atmosphere. I enjoyed reading about the main character’s blossoming relationship but also the horrific demons and monsters that lurk about in the night. Nessa Harcanu is the sexy vampire born in 1597 in a small town near Budapest.

Though Nessa is voluptuous and sultry, she posses a power beyond mortal imagination. She becomes involved with a mortal man named Frank Thornton who is an attractive architect that is skeptical about the existence of vampires and demons. Also joining the story are members of the Meyer family of which Nessa becomes close with early on in her life as a vampire; they come to serve her and assist her with her needs throughout the ages. We also come across a weaker vampire named Narice whom, after her master is killed by Nessa, begins following Nessa waiting to exact her revenge. There are a few other characters we run across in the story who serve as a backdrop in the evolvement of the two main characters. The interaction with these other characters gives us insight to the character’s lives and personalities.

Nessa’s tale of how she became a vampire and her life up until present day is one of intrigue and even sadness. Frank listens to Nessa’s story and becomes even more enchanted with her and begins to understand her a little better. Their relationship is really one of master and subservient, Nessa the master and Frank the subservient. Even with the uneven balance of power the relationship between the two becomes stronger and the need to protect one another grows. The appearance of a demon creates more drama and trouble for the two and they realize in order to save humanity they must defeat this demon in any way possible.

I would classify this story as less horror and more romantic suspense but it is still a wonderful and exciting tale. As I delved deeper into the book I found it hard to put down. It is definitely an easy read and isn’t cluttered with unnecessary plot and lag time. There were times of some light eroticism mixed in with story to give it an edge above the teeny-bopper vampire love stories. Also we examine great power within Nessa making her almost super-heroine like in her conquests. Frank’s mind is torn between his deep love of Nessa and his wish for normalcy in his life. My only complaint as far as this novel was concerned was that I felt that the ending was a tad rushed; I felt that maybe the writer was a little unsure of how to resolve the conflict without creating more trouble for the characters.

Neil Benson has a rare talent for creating a story where you can identify and truly care about what happens to the characters. Giving life to character’s like Nessa and Frank enables the reader to walk in the footsteps of the characters, getting more in-depth in the story and almost being able to see the world through their eyes. I would also have to give Neil Benson props on creating a dueling perspective between the characters; by doing this we can see the story from the perspective of both Nessa and Frank. I would highly recommend this book to all vampire lovers out there and especially those who enjoy romantic flights of fancy.

If this sounds interesting, and I hope it does, please follow the link and read the reviews on Amazon.

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Unholy Embrace 

Unholy Embrace Excerpt from Chapter 1. "An unwanted surprise."

Chapter One

An Unwanted Surprise

“Literature and most movies have accurately described the speed and strength of the vampire. Few mortals have witnessed a vampire in the fighting mode and lived to tell about it.”

             Thaddeus Romans, The Vampires among Us

On a crisp April night, Nessa and I held hands as we walked to Broadway on a narrow side street from a theater on the Upper West Side. Without warning, she pushed me aside and turned toward the alleyway on our left. A dark, hairy form raced at her, emitting a growl that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Nessa ducked, put her hands under its body, and flipped her attacker through the air into a light blue delivery truck. A second dark-haired creature emerged from the same alley, snarling and displaying three-inch-long incisors glistening with saliva. When the second beast tried to bite Nessa, she grabbed the creature’s throat and snapped its head backward. She sank her fangs into its neck and ripped the carotid artery. I gagged at the sight of the blood spurting from the gaping wound.

The first beast rose and was about to charge Nessa when I raced forward to tackle it.

“No!” Nessa yelled, and she put herself between the beast and me. The creature swiped a hairy paw at her head, but she ducked and stepped behind her lethal adversary. The creature tried to turn, but she grabbed its throat and raised the beast two feet into the air. She squeezed its neck until the sounds of bones cracking made me cringe. She let go, and the creature fell to the ground. Nessa closed her eyes and sniffed the air.

“Any more of them?” My thumping heart banged against my ribcage, and perspiration ran down my forehead.

“I don’t smell or hear anything for a quarter of a mile,” she replied. “How do you feel after surviving your first attack by werewolves?”

Nessa inspected the creatures she had killed with such little effort.

“Terrified but happy to be alive.” I stood by her side at the nearest werewolf and examined its paws. Three-inch claws tapering from one inch around at the base to razor-sharp tips made lethal weapons.

“That’s why I screamed at you. I admire your courage, but the creature would have eviscerated you in one swift stroke.”

“I know you’ve told me about the damage werewolves can inflict, but hearing about them isn’t the same as watching them in action.” I shivered at the thought of how easily either of them could have killed me.

She stared at me. “Frank, are you OK?”

“I think so.” My pulse had slowed down, and my lungs no longer screamed for air. I glanced upward at the night sky. “No full moon?”

“They can inject themselves with a serum that enables them to become a werewolf whenever they choose.”

The werewolves terrified me, but the creature Nessa became frightened me almost as much. I stepped back and watched her fangs disappear, and her eyes return to normal.

She stared at me for a moment and then reached out to touch me.

I moved away from her.

“What’s the matter?”

“Seeing you like that and what you did unnerved me.”

“I never wanted you to see me as a vampire. I am sorry the attack by the werewolves put you in danger. Please come to my apartment so we can talk about what happened.”

I took another step backward, not sure if I was safe with her.

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Unholy Embrace