After Dark: A Vamps Novel by Nancy A. Collins

Cally Monture is attending the Premier event of Vampire Society, the Rauhnacht Ball with her "Father", Baron Metzger, because Cally's real father, Victor Todd, is escorting her half-sister, Lilith. But Baron Metzger introduces Cally to Sister Midnight, a female vampire who owns the most exclusive boutique in the city, and when Sister Midnight learns that Cally made her own dress, she wants to see what else Cally has made, and wants to introduce a line of Clothes made by Cally at her boutique.

But the Ball is crashed by the Van Helsings, and Cally learns from Peter, the boy she saved and was interested in, that the Van Helsings have attacked her mother. She is furious with him, and when she comes across his father, and his father tries to kill her, she touches him, and a shadow destroys the man. Peter witnesses her killing his father, and even though he disagreed with his father, this makes him Cally's enemy.

Meanwhile, the other vampires fight the Van Helsings, and there are deaths on both sides, including Irina Todd, Lilith's mother. But while most girls would be upset and angry that their mother is dead, Lilith is more upset that her mother's blood right is gone, and throws a tantrum that makes her father seriously angry with her.

Meanwhile, Cally has manifested the Shadow Hand, which it was thought died out long ago in the blood. But the news that she is half-human means she must be questioned by the Vampire Council. She is more anxious to get home and see to her mother, but Baron Metzger proceeds her and tells her that her mother is gone.

With her mother dead, Cally has nowhere to go, so the Baron moves her into his apartment. While she is there, she makes changes to some sketches for a new line of clothing coming from one of the Baron's Designer lines, and when she realizes what she has done, she apologizes, but he's not angry. In fact, he feels her sketching has made things better, and he submits them to the head designer, who is also approving.

Lilith continues her snit, which gets on her father's absolute last nerve, and he puts some restrictions on her life which she feels are overly harsh. But she is determined to live her own life and go her own way, come hell or high water. And when Cally is given her own show by Sister Midnight, Lilith musclea her way into the show as a model with the threat of sinking the show if she doesn't get her way, and Cally is forced to agree.

But will Lilith's desire for fame at the cost of everyone else around her end up ruining Cally's show? And will Lilith be able to live with Cally if Cally becomes more famous and celebrated than she is? Lilith won't be happy as long as anyone else is on the radar, but can she get what she wants?

Wow, for such a tiny book (190 pages) a lot happened. Mot necessarily physically, although the ball battle scene was extremely well-described, and succinct. Once again, Cally arouses the reader's sympathy, and Lilith completely loses it for acting like a complete and total self-centered bitch. I mean, not even caring that your mother died because all you cared about is that you'd lose some servants? Not cool at all.

In fact, its hard to see any redeeming features in Lilith Todd at all. She's sly, scheming, and while she pretends to care for people, it's only in pursuit of her own ends, and once you have fulfilled her needs, she'll drop you like a dead skunk. No matter what she pretends to feel, it's only always and ever about her.

This isn't true about Cally, the main protagonist, who is much more real and sympathetic. While she believes her mother is dead, things are going well for her. Her real father has finally taken her into his house by the end, and her status as a designer is shooting off the charts. But now she will have to share a house with Lilith. Can she deal? I'm sure she will, but I can't wait to read more.

What can I say? my only complaint is that the book wasn't long enough, I wanted to read even more, you know I enjoyed it... maybe a little too much. But it really was an enjoyable read, and I can't wait for the next, I just hope it's going to be longer than this one. Recommended.