A vampire tries to expel the demon who is possessing his body and trying to kill his mate. Balthazar is a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the elite warriors who protect the vampire race from enemies both supernatural and human. He knows his mate is Detective Erika Saunders, a woman whose need to fight crime is driven by her own violent and tragic past. In Lover Unveiled (2021), the previous book in the series, the Brotherhood was convinced they had excised the demon Devina and her cursed Book of spells from the Earth. Balthazar has discovered the awful truth: Devina is alive, and any time he falls asleep, she is able to possess his body. When Devina discovers that Balthazar is in love with Erika, she uses the cursed Book of spells to call forth an evil being that will not only be her perfect mate, but who will also destroy Balthazar and Erika in the process. Readers who have stuck around through the previous 19 books in the series won't be surprised at the sheer number of characters and stories stuffed into this one; at this point, the series has evolved into a long, continuing supernatural soap opera rather than stand-alone romance novels. However, the actual relationship between Erika and Balthazar is not even the most interesting or well-developed subplot. Their romance is just one of many stories here, all exploring themes related to life, death, and immortality. Ward includes fan favorites Wrath and Vishous as part of the action along with a dizzying roll call of characters from previous books. As always, it makes for a compelling, propulsive read. The 20th Black Dagger Brotherhood book is true to form: characters you know and love embroiled in nonstop action. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.