Not all older, more experienced workers want to be mentors to their younger colleagues who need training, but sometimes the higher-ups don’t give them a choice. I had to smile when I read the blurb for this book to find that the author had taken this idea and applied it to the underworld. The result is that the higher-ups, Death and Grim, figure on of their senior reapers, a slightly mean guy named Jonathan, needs a partner for the annual Halloween celebration in the shape of a major reaping-of-souls-contest. Initially their motives aren’t totally clear, beyond needling Jonathan, but there is no need for that, since pretty soon it becomes obvious that more than "working together" is going to be involved.

Jonathan is not a fun guy, He is serious, arrogant, knows his job and is good at it, and does not want to be bothered by anyone. His most important goal is to win the contest this year, and taking on some junior, inexperienced nitwit is not in his plans. Then again, he is not going to go up against Death and Grim, so, unfortunately, he is going to have to deal. Imagine his surprise when the man assigned to him, Morgan, is captivating and highly seductive. Of course, the first thing Jonathan does? You guessed it, he ravishes the younger man, never mind the contest.

Morgan is half fae and half wizard, knows that he is very good-looking, and usually solves his problems with magic. He's a junior reaper, and determined to show Jonathan he is worthy of becoming his apprentice after the contest is over. Not that being his bedmate is bad, but Morgan has a career to think of! He has a tough time dealing with all the death, but he manages to hold his own. Now what?

The evening's ball to conclude a successful hunt was hilarious! All the fashion descriptions of the various death angels, reapers, and assorted underworldly beings made me laugh. Of course, Jonathan and Morgan are the star guests, and once the ball is over, things only get hotter. If you like tongue-in-cheek tales about the underworld, if you enjoy reading about men where one partner starts out resistant to even the idea of working with another guy, and if you're looking for an entertaining, in a black humor sort of way, Halloween read, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Silver Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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