Whispers of Evil by Stacey Kennedy

Whispers of Evil
Stacey Kennedy
Book 2 in The Watchers series
Erotic Paranormal Romance

Nayeli has been locked away, hidden from the world in a mental institution, all due to the whispers of evil which have corrupted her mind. Unbeknownst to her, the voices that have plagued her are a gift given to only one kind―Watchers. Griffin, her Seeker, is about to break this cage of imprisonment woven around her and give her a new chance at life. But when a demon leaves the confines of Hell to create havoc in Louisiana, will his love for Nayeli free her wounded heart, or will she succumb to the whispers which threaten to steal her soul?

*WARNING: Explicit sex between a timid Watcher and a gorgeous Seeker, and a ceremony that will certainly raise eyebrows!*

First line

The cold damp air set into Griffin's bones, or maybe it was the decrepit brown brick building that caused chills to sink into his soul.


Teaser

The man lowered his hand and smiled gently. "I’m Griffin."
"Nayeli,"she responded.It seemed the appropriate thing to say rather than screaming madly and running the hell out of here, which was definitely an option. But, there was something about him that stopped her, something in his eyes that begged, Don’t run.
"Nayeli," he repeated. His smile grew as if her name was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. He stepped in closer toward her and took her hand. "I am yours."
His rough hand closed around hers, and her heart did a  little pitter-patter. To be touched, in a personal way…She’d longed for this. Tears began to pool in her eyes at the wonderful feel of it, but the distraction of the others’ laughter stopped her from actually crying.
The interruption broke the emotional connection and brought clarity to her mind. Did she hear him right? "You’re what?"
"Yours" His eyes didn’t lie. A possessive twinkle appeared in those hazel depths. "As in you’re mine and we’re destined to belong together."


My review

You’ll need to forgive the lateness in writing this review. For some reason, whenever I read something powerful, something that moves me deeply and significantly, something that draws every emotion I know and hold out of me, it takes a little time to recover. When I read a book, I want a connection and I definitely want to feel something. Most times I get what I’m hoping for but there are those reads that deliver MUCH, MUCH more as it seems they rock me to my very foundation. WHISPERS OF EVIL, hands down, without a doubt was one of those books and it’s only now that I can sit down without having my insides turn to mush and my emotions short circuit. A good read? One of the best.

So what made reading it such a profound experience? As a paranormal romance, it tells the story of a man and woman being brought together, falling in love, overcoming an obstacle to live blissfully happy forever and ever. Right there is enough reason for the romantic junkie in me to throw her hands up in the air, sigh contentedly and proclaim it fantastic reading. But for the emotional junkie that I am, Stacey Kennedy delivered a story that reached in and grabbed my heart, wrote a heroine I deeply connected with and new crush I couldn’t help but fall madly in love with.

WHISPERS OF EVIL is book two of The Watchers series which highlights a couple – a Seeker and a Watcher. With demons running rampant throughout the world, it takes a special person to be able to protect mankind and fight against such evils. Descendants of angels, men called Watchers battle day after day for humanity and must find that special woman, their other half, to help them in their mission. These women are called Seekers and with their own gifts and powers, when paired with these incredible men, make a formidable team. In this story, the couple is Griffin and Nayeli and straight away the reader knows that they’re in for a treat. Breaking into a mental institution to rescue his Seeker, Griffin is blown away with the condition he finds his beloved in. Instantly, he vows to protect her, strengthen her and help her realize the incredible worth she holds. One glance at Griffin and Nayeli believes she is dreaming because never in her wildest imagination would she believe such a sexy man would want her. As he takes her back to the compound where the group lives and as he awakens Nayeli to immortality through a very voyeuristic ritual (which is unbelievably HOT) Griffin soon realizes that his Seeker needs help. She holds herself back, keeps her emotions to herself and he strives to convince her that she is safe, she is loved and she is very much needed.

Frustrations are felt on both ends as Griffin struggles to understand why Nayeli holds back, why she doesn’t respond like those around her to the horrors of demon hunting and Nayeli in turn is unsure what is expected. Her life has been pure torture, a living Hell and in her mind, ANYTHING would be better than going back to the institution. This story was deeply moving as the couple opens up to each other, as they share their vulnerabilities and I was invested hook, line and sinker. Both of them wanted what was best for each other and both were tested. There were moments where I was laughing, blushing and obviously, being the sap I am – sobbing. I rode a rollercoaster with this book and loved every single word of it. It was well written and once again I find Stacey to be very thoughtful in the storylines she gives her characters. She gives them depth and she gives them a sense of realness that I always find so appealing. I’ve loved all of her books but with how I reacted to this story – this would definitely be my favorite.

Nayeli touched my heart deeply. Probably more than most heroines do in the books I’ve read. Where I haven’t known the level of abuse she suffered or the seclusion she lived through, I was familiar with the despair she felt and that overwhelming sense of having to do everything right because she’d rather die than go back to how things were. She was given a glimpse of heaven with Griffin. Here was a man that not only rescued her from her prison, but he cherished her and was gently doing all he could to make her happy. I can only imagine how amazed she must have felt to see everyone so readily accept her and I understood all too perfectly her need to prove herself. I loved those small insights I got to see of Nayeli, to see some of her thought process as she tried to work through things. I laughed at her reaction to joining with Griffin and appreciated her dedication to her newly found duty as Seeker. She was a character after my own heart, I was able to see glimpses of myself in her and I think that’s what helped me identify with her so well. For me that’s the sign of a great character.

Griffin melted my heart. I love alpha males who are sensitive enough to their mates that they look for ways to lighten their burdens. He was so gentle with Nayeli but he was also firm with her, not allowing her past to become a handicap to her. I loved that he was “bigger” than the problems that they faced. He was someone she could turn to whenever she needed and that he wasn’t some arrogant caveman thug. He was sexy as hell and there were numerous times where I had to pause so I could fully appreciate a good sigh. He knew when to push and he knew when to back off but one thing was always constant – his love. I will give this to him. He curled my toes when he took Nayeli over his knees and spanked her. For all the gentle guiding and firm support I saw through the book, the dominant and commanding Griffin took my breath away. He’s definitely a character worthy of my book lust list and he’s in fine company with Kyden and Briggs (some other of Stacey’s yummy male characters)

One thing I wasn’t expecting to see but made me laugh out loud a lot was Paxtyn. She was hilarious in this book. She was just as brash and opinionated as ever and I loved watching her get bent out of shape with Knox. Seemingly she didn’t think it was fair the “special” treatment Griffin afforded Nayeli and wondered why her Watcher was never that way with her. Seeing her indignant and stomping her feet made me smile, her sassy attitude shining through as she gave Knox a hard time. Of course, he gave as good as he got, one of the highlights being in the beginning of the book as he sensed danger, his protective streak kicked in and he picked up Paxtyn, opened a door and threw her in. She brought a great sense of humor and feel to the story and it was nice to see more of her.

I can’t help but feel warm and tingly when I think about my experience reading this book. It truly is an incredible story, one best read with your heart and there wasn’t any part of it that I didn’t love. WHISPERS OF EVIL once again proved to me I can’t go wrong reading something written by Stacey Kennedy. The woman has a gift, not just in the mere telling of a story but in sharing the complete book package – moving plot filled with depth and emotion and characters that endear themselves to you instantly. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Watchers series and how Stacey will top this one. Happy reading!

 
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