Nell Harris has the powers of a charmer (kind of like a witch.)  However, after a spell goes horribly wrong, she refuses to use her powers again.

Ten years have passed since that horrible accident, and Nell has kept true to her vow--until now.  Under false pretenses, Nell travels to the Czech Republic where she is expected to translate an ancient inscription for Melissande Banacek.  Instead, she learns that she is needed to cast a charm to free Melissande's young nephew from a demon lord.  This leaves Nell questioning Melissande's sanity.  Until Nell steps on a tiny imp, and then she wonders if she hasn't been drugged and kidnapped.  The truth of the matter is that Nell is needed, and with the promise that she will be given an ancient breastplate as payment, she reluctantly agrees. 

Soon after beginning her mission, Nell is "kidnapped" by the demon lord's slave--a "dark one" known as Adrian Tomas.  Adrian is supposedly cruel and wicked, yet Nell is able to see into him and realizes he loathes the acts he has been forced to commit.  As she and Adrian realize they are destined to be together, Nell is Adrian's beloved, she sets off on a journey to prove that Adrian isn't all he is cracked up to be--that behind the curse hides a gentle, loving man.   Adrian is convinced that he will not live to spend his eternity with Nell, and she is a tough American determined to prove him wrong--that true love will reign supreme.

Here it comes--I don't like vampire romances.  And then, Katie MacAlister proves me wrong.  I couldn't put SEX, LIES, AND VAMPIRES down.  So I now realize, maybe the vampire romances I've read just haven't had the zing I require.

Half of my amusement with this story lies in the fact that Nell's visions of what a vampire should be are blown out of the water.  She has visions of Buffy The Vampire Slayer type characters, and Adrian shakes his head at all the stereotypes.  These references added loads of humor along the way.  I'm not sure if I spent more time sighing over Adrian's dark, brooding, bad-guy persona, which is quite sexy, or laughing at the references to what a vampire should be, as compared to what Nell was seeing from her new man.  Kudos to Katie for helping me to see that a sexy vampire can be a very good thing!