This is dark, the Thrall's have a hive mind and are evil and vicious and want Kate. It reads as if some folks know there are monsters out there and some either don't believe or are oblivious. There are laws about the werewolves but not much is said about the Thralls.
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Although this was a well-written book, I found it quite difficult to get into. As with Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews (which I liked) this book has a different perpective on vampires - they are parasites which infect human hosts by attaching itself to the host's brain stem and live for up to about 12 years. For some reason I really didn't take to this idea but the character's were interesting, and that's why I'm giving this one three stars.
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Touch of Evil is the first time I’ve picked up anything by C. T. Adams or Cathy Clamp. I’m not sure how I’ve never heard of either of them before this, since they’ve got a lot of books under their (collective) belt, but I’m glad that I finally read something by them.

In this series, the Big Bad are vampire-like creatures known as the Thrall. The Thrall are parasites that require a human Host, whom they eventually take over and kill. The Thrall operate through a hive mind, led by a Queen, who experiences the same life cycle. The Thrall feed on human volunteers known as the Herd.

Kate Reilly’s life has been significantly affected by the Thrall. An ex-pro volleyball player with some psychic abilities who works as a bonded courier, Kate has been declared Not Prey by the Thrall after she killed the last local Thrall Queen. She was bitten while she fought with the previous Queen, and now has the Thrall humming in the back of her mind, 24-7. Plus, Kate’s ex, Dylan, is now a member of the Herd, having cheated on Kate with her friend Amanda, who encouraged him to sign up.

When not travelling the world as a courier, Kate renovates a building she owns in Denver, and is looking for tenants. One comes along in the shape of a handsome werewolf firefighter, Tom, who also sets off some romantic sparks with our feisty heroine.

In Touch of Evil, the Thrall are after Kate to become their new Queen, and are breaking the rules to achieve their goals. Kate’s forced to watch her back and fight in ways she never expected, while the Thrall hunt her from all sides. She’s also got a messy romantic life, torn between old feelings for Dylan and her emerging feelings for Tom. Plus she’s learning a whole lot more about the Thrall and other supernatural beings, on a very steep curve.

I really enjoyed reading Touch of Evil. Kate’s a great protagonist, full of fight and honest emotion. Her relationship with Tom is nicely uneven but sometimes felt a bit forced, or at least a bit too fast, considering the amount of interaction they have. Their meet-cute is great but a lot of what comes after feels a bit disingenuous. However, there is enough chemistry there to make me want to read more about them. There are also some great moments over the course of the novel, plus the action is a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to reading Touch of Madness soon.

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The concept of the series is interesting but the editing was horrible. Vampires aren't really vampires but are parasites that invade a human's body and make them a Host. They are known as the Thrall. The human population is divided into two categories, Prey and Not-Prey. The Thrall is connected to every human they feed from and have a Queen just like a hive of bees. Unlike vampires, these creatures can only inhabit a body for a few years. The main character in the series, Kate, is a psychic that was bitten by one of the Thrall but wasn't turned thus making her Not-Prey. Problem is their Queen is dying and they want Kate to replace her. Kate spends the entirety of the book trying to keep her friends and family safe because Queen Monica is using them as leverage. It's difficult to hide when the Thrall are all connected and speak telepathically. It reminded me of the Jasmine storyline on the series Angel. I liked the characters in the book and though I have it I'm not itching to read the next book in the series. I will, however, put it in my to read pile. I'll get to it eventually. ( )

Kate Reilly has a hard time trusting people.

Six years ago, the love of her life turned her over to the vampire parasites who call themselves the Thrall. Katie survives the powerful bite of the master parasite only to discover that the Thrall’s venom, coupled with her own natural psychic ability, has transformed her. Now she is next in line to be the Thrall Queen--and each day might be her last as a human.

Tom, a handsome firefighter, arouses all of Katie’s dormant senses, but her heart shies away. After Dylan’s betrayal, how can she trust any man—even a seemingly perfect and terribly sexy werewolf?

Tom’s sincerity--and sex appeal--begins to wear down Katie’s defenses. But his increasingly insistent charm hides a potentially deadly secret: his werewolf pack is hiding the one person who can stop the Thrall from completing Katie's transformation into Queen--and they won't give her up. ( )