Heart of Darkness by Lauren Dane

Meriel Owen, next in line to control the largest organization of witches in the country, is asked to investigate the owner of a notorious club reportedly siphoning magick from the font of the Clan. It's a direct violation of the Clan Code of Conduct, but one look at Dominic Bright and Meriel's willing to make a deal. One taste of the sexually feral outlaw witch and she is eager to go further:He's her bond mate, a legal conduit into the world of Clan witches and their magick.

Playing by the rules isn't Dominic's style, but bonding with Meriel--night after explosive night--is. However, Meriel has unwittingly invited someone else into her world: Dominic's mother, a dangerous and poisonously influential magik addict whose lust for death and power corrupts all she touches. Now her shadow is closing in on Meriel, her Clan and the man Meriel loves, and it is casting them all into the inescapable heart of darkness.

This is the first book of Ms. Dane's Bound by Magick series and it does get you off on a wild ride. She spends time in setting up this world. You have a difference in magic and magik, you also have shifters, have to say I can't wait for Simon's book he's hot!!! But you also have vampires and mages. Most of the witches are part of a Clan and obey the rules, you do have some witches who live outside the clan and they are not as powerful. You also have witches that have turned and they are the really bad ones along with the mages, because they steal power from other witches.

Meriel is a very strong kick ass girl. She will be taking over the Clan when her mother retries, but in her own right she is very powerful. Dominic has been raised outside of a clan and really doesn't want to become part of one. When Meriel walks into his nightclub, because he is stealing power from the clan, they have a instant connection. It turns out that Dominic is Meriel's bond mate. Being a bond mate can mean a couple of things in this book. You can be a bond magik mat and that just makes your magik stronger or you can be true bond mates. Dominic is Meriel's true bond mate. All I can say is that they are very hot together!!

I liked the fact that Meriel didn't push Dominic to become part of the Clan or to become her mate until he was ready. She stood by him and gave him the room he needed when he found out the truth about his mother. I mean she is one bad lady!! You do have a lot going on in this book and you can tell she is setting you up for a series. Which I think is only going to better as it goes on.

Really loved all the supporting characters in this book and can't wait to read more about them. I liked how Meriel and Dominic fit together, they were a great couple. I also loved the friendship between Meriel and her friend Nell. AS I said I see this series only getting better as more books come out.

This book come out on November 1st and I received the ARC through my romance group.