Wild Bill and Michael have been through a lot together, from hunting down the evil vampire who murdered Michael’s best friend (and nearly murdered Wild Bill), to making a pilgrimage into Wild Bills past that put them on the radar of a “swarm” of nasty, passive-aggressive vamps, and nearly ended in disaster. While he might try to play it cool outwardly, Wild Bill is man enough to admit to himself that he doesn’t want to live without Michael, the “heart of his heart.”  When their little visit to the past threatens Michael’s future, Wild Bill has to decide what he can live with – and what Michael can live without…

I’m a huge fan of Jordan Castillo Price, and especially of the Wild Bill and Michael’s stories.  The first set of five, Channeling Morpheus, traced Michael’s emotional journey.  The second set, Sweet Oblivion, gives us a window into Wild Bill’s evolution.  Bill, a man terrified of responsibility, is forced to make life and death choices for his lover; and in doing so, he’s forced to make some life-altering choices for himself, not the least of which is who he wants to be, and what he really values.

If you’re looking for a “happily ever after,” in Elixir, you’ll be disappointed.  Characters as complicated as Michael and Wild Bill don’t ride off into the sunset so easily.  But when Bill says “whatever hell we’d been through together… this little slice of heaven was worth it”, you know that even if the road ahead is full of obstacles, together they’ll figure out the best way around (or through) them.  With cameos from some of our favorite secondary characters (hello Suzanne and Dr. Harmon), Elixir is a fitting end for an amazing series.  My only complaint is that I’m not ready to say good-bye to these characters whom I’ve come to love. On the other hand, I can’t wait to see what new worlds Ms. Price is preparing to introduce us to.