Whoever out there has ever worked or played with an Ouija board may final the introduction to this particular book interesting… since Jane and her sister Hannah used the board to try to figure out a bit about their futures and overtime realized that it revealed more than they had thought.

Viscous – arguably the most brilliant of the Brotherhood (well in my point of view, because I just appreciate technology in general) – gets his moment in the spotlight if it wasn’t for the fact he comes equipped with his own light.

However, this guy has a hell of a past, and a hell of a way of attempting to come to terms with it. In fact I would go so far to say that by him enjoying what BDSM does in general has made me more uncomfortable than I am willing to admit in general…

Like always… for a bit of Viscous’ past just head on over to Book Thingo: Black Dagger Brotherhood Cheat Sheet Part 5
– Black Dagger Brotherhood: Vishous, son of the Bloodletter
– Payne
– Dr Manuel Manello
– Medical quirks
– The Bloodletter

So what kind of person was it going to take to crack this hell of a vampire? Well:

Available Summary:

Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous son of the Bloodletter possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father’s war camp, he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time – until a destiny he didn’t choose takes him into a future that cannot include her.

Yup another incredibly strong willed and viscously independent woman. Or after the fourth book in the series… a female version of Butch, Viscous’ best friend of the gang. Does anyone feel like this was a cop out in a way? I mean really.

The romance between the two was something that I rather enjoyed following, but dammit… I cried towards the end when something that I was dreading happened… grrr.

If it weren’t for the BDSM, this might have been one of those novels I would not have minded re-reading/listening again. However, that was a little bit of a put off for a number of reasons… then again, the romance was decently strong in this one and made sense in a lot of ways (well for a romantic like me that is).

As always fate is a driving force with this particular couple, but at the same time… some higher power makes a point of trying to intervene in the name of love and sacrifice.

Getting caught up in why something happens to one person and not another never gets you anywhere. […] Here’s the thing though: I believe there’s a hand that guides us. It just isn’t always a gentle one, or one that seems fair at the time. But I dunno, I try to trust in it now. When I freak, I just try to… shit, I guess trust in it. Because at the end of the day, what else can you do? Choice only gets you so far, reasoning and planning too. The rest… it’s up to someone else. Where we end up, who we know, what happens to the people we love… we don’t have a lot of control over any of it. – Zsadist on fate when talking to John Matthew from Lover Unbound

John Matthew was having troubles of his own… particularly in the whole concept of why certain things happen to certain people and not to other be it good or bad.

This is a question that I am sure plenty of people have asked over and over and over again in their lifetimes (I know I have) and it is true… you start questioning it would drive you batty… so the best thing to do is simply not question a thing at all.

One aspect about this novel that I really enjoyed was the evolution of friendship between Butch and Viscous… there is a camaraderie and connection between these two that transcends a lot of things in their lives.

My dreams of our future are shattered. […] The reality show I had planned was fantastic, was going to pitch it to VH1: ‘Two Bites are Better Than One’. We were gonna make millions. – Butch’s ‘pitch’ for a reality show from Lover Unbound

However, the affection (I suppose is the best way to say it) that Viscous had towards Butch was something that I am sure a lot of people could relate to.

As for that whole ‘you being in love with me thing’? It was probably more about you just caring about someone for the first time. – Butch in regards to Vishous “falling in love” with him from Lover Unbound

The first remnant of a possible (and also plausible) homosexual love was planted… and in some ways could be considered a cop out by some factions… however, Butch said it right. Viscous’ “love” for Butch is more than likely the idea and feeling of having to care for someone so deeply for the first time in Viscous’ cold hearted life. Not that he didn’t care for his Brothers, because he did… but not in the way that he cared about Butch.

Another driving force about this particular storyline is the concept of “letting go”, whether it was the love of another being, or letting someone move on with their lives. Viscous tried to let Jane go due to the fact that she was human and as thus could not be a part of his life. But somehow, for some reason he simply could not keep away from her (and even if he could that would be a disappointment for the remainder of the novel).

But not only did Viscous tried to let go of Jane, but Jane also tried to let go of Viscous (and probably succeeded more than he did)

How did she let go of him though. […] She didn’t know how to do what she must. The answer, when it came to her was painful and simple. […] Letting go meant you accepted what couldn’t be changed. You didn’t try to hold on to hope in order to coerce a change in fortune, nor did you battle against the superior forces of fate and try to make them capitulate to your will. Nor did you beg for salvation because you assumed you knew better. Letting go meant you stared at what was before you with clear eyes, recognizing that unfettered choice was the exception and destiny the rule. No bargaining, no trying to control, you gave up and saw that the one you love was in fact not your future and there was nothing you can do about it.

Then again when you had to do what you had to… ah hell, whatever.

In the end the answer to Jane’s question to the Ouija board was right… so did end up with someone named Viscous. And when she knocked out all possibilities to the life he led… well… eventually she started to see that she is able to make a difference in the lives of the Brotherhood, not just for the moment… but for many future books in the series as well.

This book is strong independently, but for some reason didn’t really sit well with me in general. Viscous as a vampire and being I will always enjoy. His constant banter with Butch is always something that I enjoy reading and listening to… but even though this book made me cry towards the end of it… this is a plausible reread, but only if necessary… afterall, the romance itself isn’t exactly a favorite, though realistic in some capacity or another.