Review of Seal of Destiny by Traci Douglass

Love conquers all… but can it stop the Apocalypse?

Mira Herald is having the worst life ever.  Not only is she plagued by horrific nightmares starring the Devil himself, she’s now the target of a power-hungry, rogue minion, freshly sprung from Hell and bent on her destruction.  To complicate matters further, she’s acquired a stalker. One who insists he’s a divine warrior sent for her protection because she houses an ancient relic with the power to unleash Armageddon. Last time Mira checked, she wasn’t insane. Still, all this celestial mayhem is enough to drive a girl crazy.

Kagan is a member of the Scion, an elite team of immortal warriors selected by Divinity to aid mankind and save the world. After a century alone, Kagan is summoned for a new mission. He’s eager to begin. Eager until he’s informed his mission consists of protecting a woman with no clue to the power she wields. Plus, his briefing fails to prepare him for his new target’s cosmic-sized attitude problem.  As Divinity’s sworn servant, he’s required to fulfill his duty. His oath, however, does not require him to be enthusiastic about his new assignment or warm-and-fuzzy toward his new compatriot. He plans a wham-bam rescue and a quick return to solitude.

The rogue minion attacks—with the backing of a mysterious organization—and all Hades erupts, putting a fast end to any whirlwind escapes. Accustomed to staunch independence, Mira’s survival now requires full cooperation and an unwavering belief in Kagan. The battle-hardened warrior is also forced to chose: between duty and desire. Amidst the turmoil, Kagan and Mira’s undeniable passion draws them closer to each other and down a path neither expected but both yearn for, more than they ever knew.

Will love save the day? The world’s fate depends on the answer.

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Fans of the paranormal will find themselves on the edge of their seats from the first page turned to the last.  Using many biblical references, the framework for what promises to be an exciting series featuring sexy heroes and strong-willed heroines gets underway in a satisfying, yet slightly murky, style.

After finishing this story it's the heroes that left me breathless and are still on my mind.  I never quite understood what they are or how they came about and really don't care as they oozed sex appeal.  One after another of the Scions were introduced and I fell in lust with each and every one of them and their distinctly desirable personalities and to drool for looks!  First up is Kagan with his tendency to speak random bits of Italian that added to his sex appeal.  He respected Mira's ability to take care of herself and had her fight alongside him but still showed an overwhelming desire to protect her and would give up his very life to keep her alive.  He was attracted to her quickly but it was a slow and sensual build-up to their first sexual interlude.  There was lots of flirting and sexual tension that made for lots of flirty and playful verbal banter that brought a smile to my face.

Mira had a very traumatic upbringing where she was abused in many different ways by villainous men which has led to her being cautious of men to the point of disliking them.  She's trained herself to be a strong fighter which she ably demonstrates throughout the story.  Kagan makes her nervous at first but she soon finds herself being won over by his charms.  She's no wallflower and verbally spars with him throughout the story which I found fun.  It showed them as equals where they're comfortable with each other to playful flirt in this manner.  They were a delightful couple with sexual encounters that were hot and immensely satisfying and their HEA was richly deserved after all the pain they went through.

Many of the secondary characters left a lasting impression with me too. The other Scion warriors...Wyck, Chago, Barron, and especially Xander, were like pinup models...each one sexier than the next.  Each has a bit of mystery surrounding them and in this story it's Xander who joins Kagan in the spotlight.  Xander's past has been one of pain where his mate is lost to him and the physical pain of being psychic has returned. I’m already in love with him and can't wait to learn more about him. Zoe is Mira's friend and has a big role in this story as well.  Her upbringing was equally traumatic and with her own psychic abilities you can sense an unwilling connection between her and Xander and I look forward to their journey towards a HEA.

While the mythos of this story was confusing and the collaboration between Lucifer and Divinity complicated, it's the characters that completely won me over.  The Scion warriors are everything you want a hero to be.  The heroines were likable and admirably strong-willed and never faded into the shadows.  The action scenes went at a break neck pace that kept you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what was coming next and ultimately led to a immensely satisfying conclusion.  Here's to Traci Douglass and the promise of great things to come in this exciting new series!

My rating for this is an A-/B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.