First off, I have to mention the cover. Worst. Cover. Ever. I know, I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover...but really...that weird beard has to go! However, after getting over my fit of giggles after looking at the cover I did indeed ignore it and started to read. Merrick is a Bloodhound, modified by scientists so that he is stonger, faster, heals quickly and can also change in to giant wolf. But despite his healing abilities he wakes he with a case of short term memory lose with a smouldering aircraft a few feet away and a woman straddling his hips, a woman he realizes who is his mate, and a woman he has no recollection of.I haven't read the first book in this series, and this one is a short story, so I am a little ignorant of the world building, but from what I read it sounds really interesting, vampires and ghouls slowly taking over with the Bloodhounds trying to stop them with a distinctly western historical vibe. I really liked this idea, but it wasn't explored very much in this book and the focus was on Paralee and Merrick and their escape from the Deadlands. Despite being marooned in an undead infested country there weren't any obstacles in the way of Paralee and Merrick's getting together and they fell into bed quickly and passionately. This was great as the sex scenes were hot, but it always makes me chuckle that despite being in dire straits they managed to get some hanky panky in before having safe shelter. A good taste of the Bloodhounds series one that has intrigued me to read more. Merrick's Destiny is a short story set just after Wilder's Mate, the first book in Moira Roger's Bloodhounds series. It is an exclusive story only available from All Romance Ebooks but can be downloaded in various formats for whichever ereader you have. Although the story is officially numbered 1.5 in the series it works well as a stand alone and could be a great way to try out the series to see if you like it. I find it is hard to classify the Bloodhounds stories as they are all paranormal romances with a steampunk and wild west feel to them.After Paralee's airship crashes in the Deadlands she and Merrick are the only survivors and must work together to get back to safety. When Merrick comes around he can remember none of the lead up to the crash, the only thing he knows is that Paralee is his mate which comes as quite a shock considering he has spent decades alone. What he can't understand is why he hasn't claimed her yet but he is determined to do just that - once he gets them safely away from the Deadlands and the vampires who will start hunting them as soon as it gets dark.I'm always impressed by how much Moira Rogers can fit into a short story, they always manage to get me to connect with the characters no matter how low the page count is. Merrick is a great hero, I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of this cover compared to others in the series but now having "met" Merrick I have to say it fits him perfectly. He is tough and a little rough around the edges but he has a good heart and wants to protect Paralee. He doesn't want to force her into accepting the mating bond - especially when she doesn't understand the full long term consequences. I love the fact that Paralee is an independent woman who is capable of looking after herself, she knows what she wants and is prepared to work hard for it. She is wary of getting too close to Merrick and losing her independence but she doesn't try to fight the attraction between them - she knows she wants him and has every intention of having him. I really enjoyed finding out more about the Bloodhounds and their history and loved spending time in the world Moira Rogers has created. This is a series I can't wait to continue (my review of Hunter's Prey will be posted later today) and it's one I'd highly recommend to fans of paranormal romance and steampunk. If you like your stories scorching hot then you don't want to miss Merrick's Destiny!
