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Evading vampires, Carpathians and human hunters for so many centuries, Francesca Del Ponce was amazed that the one male she wanted to avoid the most walked out of the darkness and into her arms. Hunger was such a strong feeling as Gabriel emerged from his disturbed rest only to find one of the most healing souls he had ever run across. As soon as Francesca realized who was with her, her lifemate, she knew what would happen, offering her life for his seemed her only option to save him, and herself. The strength of these two ancients should be enough to defeat any enemy, but could either of them destroy Gabriel’s twin brother, Lucian, the most powerful of all the hunters known to the Carpathians, and save the human girl that had captured all three of their attentions.

Book 8 ….. The legend come to life, we have heard a couple of stories about these powerful twins in several other books, it is wonderful to finally meet them. It is amazing how much more gentle Gabriel is, considering where he has been for nearly 2 centuries. It is also fun to watch him learn about ‘contraptions’ and the computer. I loved the ending, expected it, but still absolutely loved it (no spoiler here). I liked the references to Gregori, Aidan and Julian, especially the memory of Julian’s dark touch, it really brings the books together. The depth of the characters are so great because of the continuing line, it makes it hard to recommend as a stand alone story, but a wonderful paranormal series. ( )

He woke deep within the ground, and the first sensation he felt was hunger. An overwhelming hunger for blood that demanded satisfaction. But as he hunted the dark streets of Paris for prey, a voice called to him, soothing, calming, giving him the strength to control his craving.

Francesca Del Ponce was a healer, a woman who radiated goodness as powerfully as the sun did light. But surely his obsession with her would turn him as his twin brother had turned, leaving the world with two monsters instead of one.

Though he knew she would be like hot silk in his arms, though he knew the taste of her would be addictive, he feared for her life and his soul if he took her. Then with one mind-shattering vow she gave herself - "I offer freely, without reservation, I offer my life for yours as is my right" - and with a firestorm of long-forgotten feelings, he glimpsed salvation. ( )

Christine Feehan's Dark Legend is the 8th book in her "Dark Carpathians" series, and I must tell you that the books just get better and better as I continue. In this book we delve further into the legendary twin Carpathian hunters Gabriel and Lucian. The last couple of books have "whispered" to us of them, but as this is Gabriel's story, we learn a lot about him and his brother here. This is also the story of Francesca Del Ponce, Gabriel's amazing lifemate.

For two thousand years Gabriel and Lucian hunted the undead, endlessly sacrificing their souls for the safety of Carpathians and humans alike. Knowing the cost of so many killings, they make a pact of honor, that if one turns vampire, the other will hunt and destroy him. They each believe that no other than their twin could defeat them in battle.

Seduced by the dark power of taking lives, Lucian succumbs and becomes the undead, and for hundreds of years Gabriel has been forced to do the unthinkable: to hunt his own brother.

At the beginning of this book, Gabriel awakens after being within the ground for over a century. He never dreamed that his brother, who was the strongest of all Carpathians, could turn vampire, but he was determined to keep his promise to destroy him before he can ruin more innocent lives. Gabriel knows that in battle he is not Lucian's equal, but he did manage to trick him and imprison them both deep underground for over a hundred years. But something woke him suddenly and Gabriel knew that Lucian was free. All Gabriel felt, though, was a relentless hunger, an overwhelming desire for blood that demanded satisfaction. Before he could find suitable prey, he heard a voice calling to him, soothing, calming, and offering him strength to control his craving.

Francesca Del Ponce was a Carpathian healer who had dedicated her life to good and helping those less fortunate. One of the few females who escaped the bloodletting many years ago, she had managed to live a human life for hundreds of years. Francesca had separated herself from all other Carpathians and resigned herself to living alone. She knew that she had a lifemate out there because she had seen him, but he had turned away from her without saying a word. That man was Gabriel.

Gabriel had no idea that he had caused so much anguish to his lifemate and he was horrified when he found out the truth. Still, he could not be denied and claimed Francesca as his own. For the first time in centuries he could see colors and feel emotions - feel fear... He was suddenly aware that by binding Francesca to him, he had made her a target for his twin, Lucian, who was always watching, waiting for the moment to strike...

This book was excellent! I love the stories she writes with strong females in them. Although I know every female holds a certain power over her lifemate, it's just more fun for me when they are so evenly matched. I cannot wait to pick up the next book in this series! ( )

This book, and the next one, Dark Guardian are my favorite books in this series. Hands down! Francesca is a dynamite character who is her own woman, and Gabriel is a wonderful hero. I couldn't help but feel for Skyler and Lucian as secondary characters. ( )