Top 6 Couples in the "Immortals After Dark" series by Kresley Cole

It’s been 11 years since the 1st book in the Immortals After Dark (IAD) series by Kresley Cole, The Warlord Wants Forever, was published. This year, we’re on the 18th instalment: Wicked Abyss, a Beauty and the Beast fairytale with an IAD twist. There doesn’t seem like an end in sight for these books (which is great because I can’t get enough of them!).

I would recommend this series to anyone who loves paranormal romance. It’s best to read all of them in the order for which they were published. But, for those who are intimidated by the sheer number of books in the series, I compiled my Top 6 couples. If you don’t want to read all of the books in IAD, at least read these 6.

Haven’t read the Immortals After Dark series yet? Get them on Book Depository today:

1. The Warlord Wants Forever
2. A Hunger Like No Other
3. No Rest for the Wicked
4. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
5. Dark Needs at Night's Edge
6. Dark Desires After Dusk
7. Kiss of a Demon King
8. Deep Kiss of Winter (Untouchable)
9. Pleasure of a Dark Prince
10. Demon from the Dark
11. Dreams of a Dark Warrior
12. Lothaire
13. Shadow's Claim
14. MacRieve
15. Dark Skye
16. Sweet Ruin
17. Shadow's Seduction
18. Wicked Abyss

Best Books in the Immortals After Dark series

These are arranged by publishing date because I couldn’t decide how to rank them.

You’ll also notice that each story happens pretty much back to back. In this series story arc, a human organization called “The Order” kidnaps various species of immortals in order to study/experiment on them. Immortals, of course, do not like this at all and things heat up fast.

#1 Demon from the Dark (IAD #10) - Malkom and Carrow

Malkom is a half-demon, half-vampire hybrid from a demon plane. He was created by vampires who wanted to manufacture the ultimate warrior. The evil human organization now want their hands on this specimen. So, they send one of their prisoners to fetch him, Carrow, who happens to be his fated female.

Malkom may be rough around the edges when we first meet him, but when he sees Carrow and realizes that she is The One… he is ALL IN. But she betrays him to The Order and that cuts deep. And so an emotional story about love, forgiveness, and family unfold. Loved every second of it. Get this book on Book Depository

#2 Dreams of a Dark Warrior (IAD #11) - Declan and Regin

Regin The Radiant, a valkyrie who is literally shining, is captured by The Order. Her warden? Declan Chase. He loathes all immortals but is inexplicably drawn to Regin. The bad-mouthed Valkyrie, however, knows exactly why. He’s the reincarnation of Aidan The Fierce, her long lost love. Problem is, their love is cursed. Every time she gets together with Aidan’s reincarnations in the past, he dies.

Reincarnation stories are one of my favourite fiction tropes. I love how Declan Chase struggles to believe that he’s had multiple past lives and that he’s loved Regin each time. As her warden, he is conflicted about experimenting on her even if he considers her kind a scum of the earth. Regin, on the other hand, cannot deal with this tortured version of Aidan. After mourning his death many times over, she’s not sure now if she even wants to be with him. The angst, the longing, the internal struggle-- it’s all SO good. Get this book on Book Depository

#3 Lothaire (IAD #12) - Lothaire and Ellie

Lothaire is a 3,000-year old vampire from a long-forgotten royal family. His ultimate goal is to become the King of the Vampire Horde and lay waste to his grandfather’s hidden kingdom of Dacia. When he finds his fated female, he cannot believe she is a hillbilly human! Except there’s more to Ellie Pierce that meets the eye. She’s been possessed by Saroya, Soul Reaper and Goddess of Death and Blood. Two souls in one body. Which one is his fated mate?

As to be expected from the man who’s been meddling in the lives of other couples in the series thus far, Lothaire was arrogant, amoral, vain as hell, and hilarious to boot! His disdain towards Ellie, in the beginning, was savage. But Ellie is resilient and cunning. I love how she keeps bouncing back every time he hurts her. She exactly what Lothaire deserves and I was happy to be along for the ride. Get this book on Book Depository

#4 Shadow’s Claim (IAD #13) - Trehan and Bettina

Princess Bettina’s hand in marriage (and the crown of Abbadon, Demonarchy of the Deathly Ones) is up for grabs for whoever wins the deadly tournament hosted by her guardians. Meanwhile, Prince Trehan of Dacia is a master assassin hell bent on killing Caspion The Tracker. He follows him to Abbadon where he then meets Bettina. Recognizing her as his fated female, he enters the tournament and he becomes the most lethal participant there. Little does he know the true fight is not in the ring, but in Bettina’s heart. Because she’s already in love with someone else: Caspion, whom Trehan is supposed to kill.

Once in awhile, I like picking up books with heroines who are not particularly badass. I liked Bettina’s physical fragility and her insecurity about her lineage. On top of that, something traumatic happens to her at the beginning of the story so she is also very vulnerable and fearful. With Trehan coming into the picture, his steady demeanour and strength, he becomes her protector. I loved reading about that dynamic. This story just has a lot of heart. It’s not as gut-wrenching as the other books in this list, but it made me feel all soft and mushy inside. Plus, Lothaire makes an appearance here so it’s all good. Get this book on Book Depository

#5 MacRieve (IAD #14) - Uilleam and Chloe

Uilleam is a powerful Lykae (werewolf) who was captured and tortured by The Order. The trauma followed him even after he was eventually freed. Not only that, the events reawakened the memory of his rape as a child by a succubus. MacRieve is suffering so much that he wants to kill himself. The only thing staying his hand is the promise of revenge against Commander Webb, the leader of The Order. When he meets Chloe, he recognizes her as his mate immediately. Except she’s all wrong for him because she’s not only Webb’s daughter but also a half-succubus!

It was such an emotional journey, reading this book. I loved how Uilleam’s pain was written and I sympathized so much with his conflicting emotions towards Chloe. Meanwhile, Chloe is a breath of fresh air. She’s such a cool person as a human. Despite the changes in her life, she helps Uilleam heal while he helps her become strong. It’s always good to find couples who become true partners. Get this book on Book Depository

 #6 Dark Skye (IAD #15) - Thronos and Lanthe

Lanthe and Thronos were best friends as children and they knew that they were fated mates. But because of the feud between their species, Lanthe is a Sorceri (sorcerer) and Thronos is a Vrekener (demon-winged angels), they were both driven to do hurtful things towards each other. They’ve carried on doing so for decades. When both of them are captured by The Order, they are forced to confront their past and their feelings for each other.

This is probably my favourite in the IAD series so far. It reminds me a lot of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet because of the warring families. And it also reminds me of Jane Austen’s Persuasion because they both loved each other before, but were separated by circumstances. Now- decades later- they’re trying to find their way back to each other. Again, I love how emotional this story made me feel. I was very much invested in their happiness. Get this book on Book Depository

Final Thoughts

What I love about Kresley Cole’s writing is how she can make you feel so many different emotions in one book: amusement, misery, hope, longing, happiness… I can go on and on. While some of the books in the IAD series weren’t my cup of tea at all, the ones that are really pulled at my heartstrings. These 6 novels are those books for me.

Which couple is your favourite in the Immortals After Dark series?