When Henri Baptiste is summoned to the bedside of his dying friend and former lover, Madeline, he doesn’t expect to find temptation lurking in the woman’s home. But that’s exactly what awaits him in the form of Madeline’s son, Nathan. As a vampire, Henri has spent centuries learning to deal with what he is. But Nathan calls to him on a deep, undeniable level. Worse yet, Nathan’s youth and innocence appeal to the beast within Henri, the animalistic part of him he’s finding harder and harder to control.

But whether Henri likes it or not, Nathan needs him. Danger lurks in the quiet village where he lives, as another vampire has set his sights on Nathan. With the help of one of Nathan’s bitter and angry former lovers, Bellario is bound and determined to have Nathan at any cost. It’s up to Henri to stop him... but how can he, when the beast inside him wants Nathan just as badly as Bellario does?

Blood Lines: Currents is the prequel to Ms. Armstrong’s popular Blood Lines series, but it’s not necessary to have read the other books in the series to fully enjoy this one. Ms. Armstrong develops her characters fully, giving even the villains well-rounded personalities, needs and deep desires. Although the book takes place around the turn of the 20th Century, the writing is quite modern. Both Henri and Nathan use today’s vernacular with easy familiarity, so readers who prefer their historical novels with an authentic twist may be annoyed with this aspect of the book. However, fans of vampire stories featuring two strong male protagonists struggling with their desire for one another as much as with external obstacles will be enthralled by Ms. Armstrong’s take on the theme.