V Plates By: Kelley Armstrong Series: Otherworld Book Number: 10.6 Star Rating: Sensuality Rating:

Purchase Amazon

Spoiler Disclaimer

Synopsis

Werewolf Nick is a mentor to his pack. His packmate, Reese, comes to him, telling him that he needs to help Noah, a younger packmate, lose his virginity. Although Nick questions the wisdom of the plan, Reese has already arranged for them to visit a brothel that caters to supernaturals. When they arrive the two women who answer the door are behaving rather strangely. While Nick and Reese wait on young Noah, Reese suddenly gets a sense of something being seriously amiss, and the three men find themselves fighting for their lives in the midst of a very bizarre situation.

Review

"V Plates" is a short story in Kelly Armstrong's Otherworld series that falls between Frostbitten and Waking the Witch in the series chronology. It features the werewolf characters of Nick, Reese, and Noah, who I gather were introduced somewhere earlier in the series. Eighteen-year-old Noah is still a virgin and having some girl trouble, but also eager to lose his "V plates." Reese suggests to Nick that they take Noah to a brothel that caters to supernaturals and that came recommended by some other werewolves he knows. Although not so certain this is the best way to handle things, Nick, who appears to be the oldest and a pack mentor, reluctantly agrees. However, upon their arrival, the women who answer the door are acting a bit strange and as Nick and Reese wait for Noah to be serviced, Reese picks up on something that's seriously amiss and that leaves them fighting their way out of a rather bizarre situation.

Aside from one other short story that was found in an earlier Blood Lite anthology, I haven't read anything else from this series yet. Normally I don't read series stories out of order, but I just hadn't gotten a good sense yet as to whether I would enjoy the series. So, I decided to take the opportunity to sample it first. The other short story I read was entertaining enough but left me feeling a bit lost with all the names of characters I didn't know being dropped. This one was a little better. I still felt like I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd already had knowledge of Nick, Reese, and Noah, but at the same time, I got just enough of a sense of their characters to be rather intrigued by them. There are still some names of characters mentioned of whom I have little to no idea who they are. But I can say that "V Plates" is well written. It sufficiently entertained me and I liked the characters enough for it to inch me a little closer to possibly giving the series a try at some point in the future. "V Plates" can be found in the anthology Blood Lite III: Aftertaste.

Visit

Kelley Armstrong