Dark Challenge (Dark, #5) by Christine Feehan

Dark Challenge by Christine Feehan
SUMMARY 

Julian Savage was golden. Powerful. But tormented. For the brooding hunter walked alone, always alone, far from his Carpathian kind, alien to even his twin. Like his name, his existence was savage. Until he met the woman he was sworn to protect...

When Julian heard Desari sing, rainbows swamped his starving senses. Emotions bombarded his hardened heart. And a dark hunger to possess her flooded his loins, blinding him to the danger stalking him. And even as Desari enflamed him, she dared to defy him with mysterious, unparalleled feminine powers. Was Desari more than his perfect mate? Julian had met his match in this woman, but would she drive him to madness... or save his soul? 

MY REVIEW 

Julian Savage and Desari

Julian is a another Carpathian on the verge of turning into an evil vampire. He is the twin brother of Aidan that we met in Dark Gold. 

Julian has pretty much has given up hope of meeting his life mate and soul saviour. And then one day he hears Desari sing and he can see the world with colours again.

He heard the woman's voice. Haunting, mystical notes that hung in the air like silver and gold shimmering with fire. He actually saw the notes, saw the silver and gold dancing in front of his eyes. Julian stopped dead in his tracks, shock ripping through him. He stared at the hallway. The tattered, faded wallpaper was edged with red. It had been well over eight hundred years since Julian had seen anything in color. 

Besides Desari, the book introduces the members of the rest of the band “The Dark Troubadours”: Darius, Syndil, Barack, Dayan, and Savon. 
All six children had survived when their parents were killed thanks to Darius’ strength of will. Unfortunately Savon became a lost case a few months before the events of this book when he attacked Syndil.

Desari is a Carpathian, so she is more willing to accept a lifelong mate in comparison to the human girls who discover suddenly the world of immortal Carpathians and Vampires. 
Still she loves her family very much. She can accept Julian as long as her family accepts him and as long as he does not cause any troubles and takes her away.

Julian is a very easygoing guy, but there is no way that he will leave Desari alone. I love his interactions with strong willed, straightforward and overprotective Darius. 

“I thought you were planning on talking him to death," Darius informed the golden bat dryly as he himself shape-shifted from a black bat to a feathered and much more powerful predator.
"Someone had to do something while you were playing with your rock patterns," Julian replied easily, allowing iridescent feathers to erupt along his own body, becoming a raptor more than able to keep up with his companion's aggressive flight.
They began to fly side by side easily toward the forest where they had left Desari. "I could do no other than protect the man of my sister's choosing." Darius managed to make it sound as if his sister had a hole in her head.
Julian snorted. "Protect me? I do not think so, old man. You were the one standing back in the shadows while I destroyed the beast."
"I had to ensure you came to no harm through other traps and snares. You certainly wasted enough time with the undead," Darius replied softly.” 

Julian also has a deadly and dark secret since he was a kid. As long as his secret is still alive, no person close to him will be safe. I liked this twist, but I think it was resolved too fast.

Horndog Barack and soul tortured Syndil finally have the beginning of their story in this book.