Originally Published: 07-09-2018
Book Summary
Dark Celebration is the 17th book in the Dark Series by Christine Feehan.
This book is different than the rest of the series and is a Christmas celebration where all the Carpathian couples have come together to celebrate!
So you meet them all again.
It starts out with Raven and Mikhail again. She would like to make a human dish for the dinner that they are having, but she’s failing miserably.
But you see and feel the love and devotion, even after all this time between the prince and his lady. You also get a bit of the timeline of this novel as apposed to book 1, when they were the main characters.
Mikhail, as the prince of the Carpathians, makes a point to go and check on and visit several of the people and that leads us through the story.
His first visit is to Jacques and Shea (book 2). She’s very pregnant with their first child and is distraught over not being able to make something for this dinner that’s planned.
You get to know again that Jacques is a ruthless hunter but devoted to his wife and soon be child.
Mikhail then visits Aidan and Alexandria Savage (book 3). He’s concerned about the growing threat of the vampires, even though they were able to defeat one in the last book.
Alexandria’s younger brother, Joshua, is friends with Josef, Byron’s nephew (book 10). So he comes into this storyline more in this book.
This is also where you meet Skyler again. She’s the young ward of Gabriel and Francesca whom they rescued. Even though she’s young, they find that she’s the lifemate to Dimitri. They get their own story in book 25.
But this is the story where their relationship starts. And because of the fragility and delicacy of who Skylar is and what she has gone through, there are many that are not happy with this turn of events. Dimitri is an ancient warrior who lives among the wolves more than the Carpathian people.
They also realize that there is a war being raged against them and Skylar seems to be at the center of the attacks.
But they also realize that all of their women and children can and will be a target for the vampires to destroy them.
That brings Gabriel and Francesca (book 8) into the story as Skylar is their daughter. Dimitri saves Skylar more than once, enabling him to exchange blood with her and to connect them.
Then you see Mikhail go to see Darius and Tempest (book 6) as he was able to keep several children alive even though he was young himself.
There you find out that Tempest is actually pregnant herself, although they just find that out!!
And that brings in Desari and Julien (book 5) along with Barak and Syndil. As Syndil has the power to heal the earth, she becomes valued among all the Carpathians.
Jaxon and Lucien make an appearance as well (book 9). They are there to meet and enjoy the Christmas festivities that are planned, but they also help with anything that happens.
Also, Lucien is also the one that knows that Dimitri will do right by Skylar as he knows him the best.
You also find out that young Josef and Skylar are somewhat friends. And a scene takes them to see Byron and Antoinetta (book 10)!
And that takes us to only half way through the book!!!
Now through Antoinetta, they find out that the real target is Shea’s unborn child. And that the cats are being sent a compulsion to attack.
All those that are from the jaguar race, including Juliette (and Riordan De La Cruz, book 14) feel the compulsion as well.
Unfortunately Juliette is let into a trap and is mortally wounded. That brings in Francesca and Gregori to heal her.
We find out that Skyler is most likely on of Razvan’s children, so that makes her one of the Dragonseeker lineage. This adds to running plot about Skyler.
Mikhail also visits with Traian and Joie. They came to be a part of the celebration but also because Gabrielle was injured and had to be converted. When their mother shows up they find out that not are they from the jaguar race, Gary is as well.
Gary is the human (or so they thought) that has been helping them since the beginning with some of the issues that they are having. Him and Gabrielle are together even though they are not lifemates.
Gabrielle finds her lifemate in book 29, and by then Gary has been converted to a full Carpathian. So lots happens between now and then.
Conclusion
Because Riordan and Juliette are there, so is Rafael and Colby. So that brings in Ginny and Paul, Colby’s younger siblings. They also happen to be friends with Skyler.
This also brings in another of the De La Cruz brothers. Manolito De La Cruz is not attached to any lifemate but he’s still fighting honorably.
But when he sees and hears MaryAnn Delaney, colors are restored and he knows that she’s his lifemate. But instead of declaring his intentions, he secretly exchanges blood with her.
And this leads us directly into the next book, book 18, Dark Possession when they get their own story.
But not until Manolito steps in front an attack on the unborn child of Shea and Jacques. He takes the poison that was meant for them and that causes him to be partly in the spiritual realm. You find out all about this in book 18!!
Because he thwarts the attack, the baby boy is born safely.
They are also able to have a successful celebration with Gregori and Savannah (book 4) putting on quite a Santa show!!
So this story is more about hope than about anything else. Hope for the Carpathian people as they fight the war against the vampires.
