Kayla Edana Binte El Qadir is Keeper of the Flame.  As Flame Keeper, Kayla must remain a virgin or be cursed by her goddess.  The idea of being celibate has not been a problem for Kayla – until now.  Now, Kayla has found a man to make her question her duties.  Now, Kayla has found a man to make her want to discover all the ways a man and woman can please each other.  But will this man, the Sultan, want her -- especially if he discovers her shape-shifting abilities?

Sultan Tariq Sayyid El Zafir is ruler of the country of Khatarza and uses his alternate form, Black Wolf, to help protect his people.  For generations, his family has been burdened with a curse and, through Tariq, the curse will manifest itself unless he finds the right woman to break it.  If not, the beast that is within Tariq will grow stronger and cause Tariq to lose all of his humanity on his next birthday.  All of his senses have been captured by Kayla, but how can she be the right one when she must remain a virgin to stay the Keeper of the Flame. Would she shun him once she learns of Black Wolf? 

Tariq and Kayla are a very loving and sensual couple.  I enjoyed how they showed their desire for each other through both their actions and words.  The only thing that bothered me was the “big secret” they kept from each other.  Of course, the story would have been shorter without the use of this particular device, but I’ve never been a big fan of self-imposed difficulties brought about because each person was afraid to talk to the other.  Deadly Desires is a good read.  But I wish the author would have given as much attention to the “deadly” part as she did to the “desire.”