Reviewed by Roberta
TITLE: Master of the Game
SERIES: Demons of Elysium Book 3
AUTHOR: Jane Kindred
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing
LENGTH: 94,749 words
BLURB:
Love is the ultimate game changer…and this time it’s winner take all.
Demons of Elysium, Book 3
Now that his lover is back in his arms, Belphagor is taking his own sweet time to say the words Vasily longs to hear: “You’re my boy.” And savoring the sweet torture of driving the firespirit into a frenzy of unfulfilled need.
As the undisputed master of Heaven’s gaming tables, Belphagor never plays unless he’s certain of winning. But this time, political machinations send the game—and Vasily—tumbling to the brink of even his formidable control.
Vasily can’t deny enjoying their delightfully edgy play—until the airspirit auctions him off for a night to the one demon with a gift for taking things too far. Seductive Silk, tight-lipped about the end of his relationship with the sweet submissive Phaleg, may also be involved with a new faction threatening the pregnant queen of Heaven.
Belphagor couldn’t be less interested in the games angels play, but when angelic and demonic intrigues overlap, he’s drawn in against his will. And forced to break his one inviolable rule: Never gamble what you can’t afford to lose.
REVIEW:
So, the third book in the Demons of Elysium series…this book was a great addition to the series.
Belphagor and Vasily are back together and working on their relationship. They are still such a wonderful couple together. I like seeing them together. Their relationship is filled with lots of love and plenty of sexy times. Things are going better between them and they are working their way back to the way it was, Vasily being Belphagor’s boy. The relationship between Belphagor and Vasily is one of D/s, even though Vasily isn’t what you’d classify as submissive. However, the relationship is having issues with trust as well as knowing limits. To saying the safe word that stops all play/actions.
Then….The Stone Horse, a club that Belphagor owns is raided and he’s taken in. He’s then blackmailed-ish by Phaleg, an officer in Heaven’s Royal Service. There is a dissenting opinion regarding given the Fallen freedom from the way that they are being treated. This has led to Fallen as well as some Angels who agree and some who don’t. There are rumors going about that there are some people meeting at the Stone Horse and that Silk, The Stone Horse’s Seductive Host, is a part of the faction that is wanting/fighting for a new ruling house that will keep things the way they are as opposed to the current ruler’s opinion of granting freedom.
Belphagor’s has truly earned his title of Master Of The Game and even when he risks Vasily in a game that he really can’t afford to lose, not only losing Vasily, but to find out the whereabouts of girls that were sold in the last book. Belphagor has got so many pots on the stove and is trying to keep everything from boiling over.
Vasily is also working part of the plan. His part is in playing with a loyal customer of his who is involved in the rebellion. Vasily gets drawn in deeper and deeper, yet, I really like how he keeps his head for the most part. He knows that there is and end game that he’s working towards.
Silk and Phaleg…WOW!! These two guys…such misunderstandings going on between them. I love that they have such a connection between the two of them. Even as they’re being together are against the social norms of Heaven. The needs that both Silk and Phaleg carry for each other and the way that they seem to truly need each other, it’s so sweet.
I will say that this story had lots and lots of sexy times!! Holy Hannah!! Now some of the things that were written about were not for the faint of heart. The sexual exploits of the characters in this story are in turns graphically HOT and Holy Freakin Hannah, WTF Intense. I like the fact that these characters are true to who they are. Honest in what they wanted and needed.
The story was very well written and the characters in this story…their growth was truly organic. Jane has written such a thrilling story with characters that pull you in and take you on a wonderful ride. I was enthralled from the beginning to the very end. This book was truly worth the read.
RATING: 
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