Council for Human and Parahuman Relations (CHaPR): A council similar to the United Nations consisting of parahuman and human ambassadorial representatives. The CHaPR passes the laws that govern human and parahuman coexistence. It is governed by the CHaPR Treaty that was established in 1887 after a bitter and bloody war between the Aeternus and an alliance of Animalians and humans. Since its inception, the majority of the other parahuman races have also signed The Treaty and are bound by the laws.
Department of Parahuman Security (the Department): The umbrella department responsible for enforcing the laws handed down by CHaPR. The Department consists of many divisions and branches. The following four divisions are only some of those that make up the Department.
1. Parahuman Intelligence Division (Intel): The Intelligence Division of the Department. This division gathers information on gangs and rogue parahuman groups, usually through the use of undercover agents.
2. Personal Security Branch: Personal security provides bodyguard detail to officials and VIP.
3. Necrodreniac Control Branch (NCB): Responsible for monitoring and setting Necrodreniac bounties.
4. Violent Crimes Unit (VCU): A team that investigates serious violent crimes usually committed by or against parahumans.
Guild: An organization founded by humans as a part of the CHaPR Treaty and a form of protection against the parahumans. The Guild is responsible for Venator licensing. Once licensed, a portion of all Venators’ bounty earnings go to the Guild.
Petrescu School of Training: One of the many small institutions that take young humans and train their mind, body, and soul through regular academic studies supplemented with strong martial arts regimes. This school has built a reputation for preparing its students for entrance. This is not a Venator training facility, but for those wishing to take up that line of work, they must compete for a place in the school.
Acknowledgments
I’ve dreamed of writing the acknowledgments for my first book, but now that it is here I find the task rather difficult and daunting. First, I want to thank my fabulous agent, Jennifer Schober—from holding my hand at an awards ceremony to your endless belief in me, your support has meant more than I can say. I’d also like to thank Karen Solem for your sage advice and guidance. To my editor, Diana Gill, and assistant editor, Emily Krump, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you both on this book.
To all those people who’ve helped shape me as a writer, I thank you. It’s impossible to name you all, but you know who you are—from early on with the Claytons Critters to the published authors who’ve offered me advice. Thanks to all who’ve judged my work in contests—especially Serena, whose belief that this book would be published kept me going in dark days.
Thanks to my local writing group, and to Margaret of Intrigue Bookstore for the endless source of inspiration and for letting us meet in your fabulous store. A special thanks to the Go-Gos—AJ, Erica, Kirsty and Jo—and to Melissa, who’ve all commiserated, congratulated, critiqued and crapped on with me. You girls rock. Cathy—you hold a very special place in my heart. I thank you for the “Damn good story” speech when the doubt demons came to play, and for your endless support in reading and re-reading this story.
Lastly, but most importantly, I would like to thank my extended family, including my parents Betty and Tim, Bob and Donna, and my mother-in-law, Joan, for encouraging me to follow my dream. And I’d especially like to thank my mother, my aunt Jean and my cousin Deb for being my personal cheering squad. Finally, to my boys, Corey and Seamus, and my husband, David—the love of my life, my rock and my hero—without you, I could not have done this.
About the Author
TRACEY O’HARA grew up reading Stephen King, Raymond E. Feist, and J.R.R. Tolkien, where she developed her taste for adventure and the paranormal thriller. When she’s not writing, reading, or listening to heavy metal, she spends time with her husband, two sons, and three cats. She lives in Australia.
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Credits
Cover art by Larry Rostant
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
NIGHT’S COLD KISS. Copyright © 2009 by Tracey O’Hara. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Adobe Digital Edition July 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-190510-0
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