Dark Prince (Dark #1) by Christine Feehan

Dark Prince (Dark #1) by Christine Feehan 
SUMMARY 

Carpathians are an immortal race of beings with animal instincts. Every Carpathian male is drawn to his life mate: a Carpathian or human female able to provide the light to his darkness. Without her, the beast within slowly consumes the man until turning vampire is the only option. 

Raven Whitney is a psychic who has used her gift to help the police track down a serial killer. Now she is determined to escape the glare of recent publicity for the peace and quiet of the Carpathian Mountains. 

Prince Mikhail Dubrinsky is the leader of his people but, as his ancient Carpathian race grows ever closer to extinction, he is close to giving in to the heavy weight of loneliness and despair. 

From the moment their minds touch, Raven and Mikhail form a connection. But there are those who incorrectly view all Carpathians as vampires, and are determined to give their extinction a helping hand.

MY REVIEW 

Mikhail Dubrinsky and Raven Whitney

The book cover is old-fashioned, the writing style is so decadent and dreamy. Still it is such an interesting approach to the vampires/shifters mythology and fated mating.
It made me remember that the first PNR stories about shifters were the stories about the vampires. A vampire could transform into a bat or a wolf.
It also made me remember that vampires love sleeping inside the earth. They are supposed to be the oldest creatures alive, so their connection to earth and blood is their connection to life.
I noticed that the Carpathian vampires in this series are a bit Neanderthal and the heroines are a bit like damsels in distress, but I honestly do not mind this at all.

Raven stared up at his face, drinking in the strong lines and the way he looked at her with something close to adoration. She smiled at him. “I think you’ve managed to put some kind of spell on me.”
“If I did,” he whispered, “it backfired, and I managed to ensnare myself as well.”