by Devon Monk
“What the hell kind of meeting is it, anyway? You and I are no longer employed by the Authority.”
“We aren’t the Head of the Authority. Doesn’t mean we aren’t a part of it.”
The killer at the booth had finished his coffee and small bowl of oatmeal. He tossed cash on the table, pushed up on his feet, and, glancing at me, walked out the door.
Damn it. He knew I was tailing him.
I could kill him from here. Without even standing up. Without even laying a finger on him. I could reach out, let the Death magic inside me pop his heart, blow his brain, drain his lungs.
Just the thought of it made my heart stutter, then pause, for several beats too many.
Eleanor put one hand over her mouth and watched me with wide eyes.
It was weird to see her worried that I might die. I was, after all, the bloke who had killed her and then hogtied her to my mortal coil.
I took a couple even breaths and focused on not panicking. Terric was saying something, but I wasn’t listening.
Finally, the vise of death released my heart and blood pushed a hot flood under my skin. Painful and heady.
“...drunk?” Terric was asking.
“Yes.” I had no idea what he was talking about. Hoped it was an offer.
I checked the diner again. Killer guy was long gone. Well, there went two weeks of hunting down the drain.
“Cover that for me, will you?” I asked. “I left my cash in my other coat.” I stood, wavered a little from the head rush.
Eleanor nodded and then pointed at Terric. “Do it,” she mouthed.
Terric sighed and threw a bill on the table.
I gave Eleanor a back-off look. “Is it about Davy?” I asked as we made our way to the door.
He glanced out at the rain and flipped his collar before taking the plunge to the sidewalk. “Weren’t you listening? Never mind. Don’t answer that. No. Nothing new there. We still haven’t found him.”
“So what is it about?”
We strode down to his car double-parked down a block or so. I could feel every heartbeat like a finger tapping a rhythm against my spine. Forty-seven lives in the office building, twelve in the coffee shop, eight in the bank.
He didn’t say anything until we had ducked into the car.
“How’s Eleanor?” He couldn’t see her unless he drew on magic to do so, but lately he made it a point to ask about her. Which she loved.
Women.
She smiled, then made pointy motions toward him again.
“Still dead,” I said.
She slapped me in the back of the head. Ow. Brain freeze.
“Also, angry.”
“What about?”
“Who can tell?”
He glanced at me. Didn’t buy my dismissal. I didn’t care.
Time to change the subject. “You going to tell me what’s really wrong?”
He started the engine. “What do you mean?”
“You didn’t get in until five this morning. You paced until six. It’s what, nine o’clock?”
“Ten thirty.”
“You’ve had three hours of sleep. Not like you to miss your beauty sleep.”
His eyes narrowed just a bit. Uncomfortable subject. I should probably just leave it alone.
So of course, I didn’t.
“Come on, now, Ter. Got a new guy working your night shift?”
He stopped at a light and watched the pedestrians without umbrellas take their time crossing the street.
“I’ve been . . . keeping busy. Looking into things.”
“Do these things have names? Social Security numbers?”
He shook his head.
Huh. I don’t know why, but I’d never thought of Terric as the kind of guy to keep secrets. He was too by-the-book, too goody-goody.
“Look at you,” I said. “All mysterious and secretfying. Please tell me it’s both a deep and shamefully dark secret you’re hiding.”
“I’m not hiding anything. Nothing you need to know.”
“Those are not quite the same thing, are they?”
I glanced away and caught the blur of light from the corner of my eye. Light that surrounded him. Huh. Maybe it wasn’t a new boyfriend on his mind.
Maybe it was magic.
PRAISE FOR
THE ALLIE BECKSTROM NOVELS
Magic for a Price
“Breathtaking. . . . Monk is a storyteller extraordinaire!”
—RT Book Reviews
“A must read for those of you who like urban fantasy. . . . Allie Beckstrom, it has been a blast.”
—Claire’s Book Corner
“The action comes to a blazing crescendo.”
—Gizmo’s Reviews
“Deserves to be savored . . . amazing and incredibly satisfying.”
—A Book Obsession
Magic Without Mercy
“Urban fantasy at its finest. . . . Every book is packed with action, adventure, humor, battles, romance, drama, and suspense. . . . Clear your calendar. Once you start reading, you won’t want to stop.”
—Sacramento Book Review
“Fast-paced, action-packed, and jammed full of all manner of magical mayhem.”
—Monsters and Critics
“A roller-coaster ride. I simply could not put it down!”
—A Book Obsession
Magic on the Line
“Dark and delicious. . . . Allie is one of urban fantasy’s most entertaining heroines.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Allie Beckstrom is one of the best urban fantasy heroines out there.”
—Fresh Fiction
“An action-packed series.”
—Night Owl Reviews
Magic on the Hunt
“An absolutely awesome series.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Another nonstop adventure.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Amazing urban fantasy . . . this is one series that I can’t get enough of and I really love how kick butt Allie is.”
—Seeing Night Book Reviews
Magic at the Gate
“The action-packed fifth Allie Beckstrom novel amps up the magical mayhem. . . . Allie’s adventures are gripping and engrossing, with an even, clever mix of humor, love, and brutality.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Devon Monk takes her story to places I couldn’t have dreamed of. Each twist and turn was completely surprising for me. Magic at the Gate truly stands out.”
—Reading on the Dark Side
“A spellbinding story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Suspense is the name of the game. . . . I’m really enjoying this series. . . . Each book brings you a little bit further in to it and leaves you wanting more.”
—Night Owl Reviews
Magic on the Storm
“The latest Allie Beckstrom urban fantasy is a terrific entry. . . . This is a strong tale.”
—Genre Go Round Reviews
“First-rate urban fantasy entertainment.”
—Lurv a la Mode
Magic in the Shadows
“Snappy dialogue, a brisk pace, and plenty of magic keep the pages turning to the end. . . . This gritty, original urban fantasy packs a punch.”
—Monsters and Critics
“This is a wonderful read full of different types of magic, fascinating characters, an intriguing plot. . . . Devon Monk is an excellent storyteller.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Monk sweeps readers up in the drama and dangers of the heroine’s life as it steadily changes and grows . . . an intriguing read with fascinating characters and new magical elements introduced to the mix.”
—Darque Reviews
“The writing moves at a fast pace with plenty of exciting action. . . . This series just gets better and better with each new book.”
—Night Owl Reviews
Magic in the
Blood
“Tight, fast, and vividly drawn, Monk’s second Allison Beckstrom novel features fresh interpretations of the paranormal, strong characters dealing with their share of faults and flaws, and ghoulish plot twists. Fans of Patricia Briggs or Jim Butcher will want to check out this inventive new voice.”
—Monsters and Critics
“[A] highly creative series. . . . If you love action, magic, intrigue, good-versus-evil battles, and pure entertainment, you will not want to miss this series.”
—Manic Readers
“One heck of a ride through a magical, dangerous Portland . . . imaginative, gritty, sometimes darkly humorous. . . . An un-put-downable book, Magic in the Blood is one fantastic read.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“This series uses a system of rules for magic that is original and seems very realistic. . . . The structure of the story pulled me in right away and kept me reading. There’s action, adventure, fantasy, and even some romance.”
—CA Reviews
Magic to the Bone
“Brilliantly and tightly written . . . will surprise, amuse, amaze, and absorb readers.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Mystery, romance, and magic cobbled together in what amounts to a solid page-turner.”
—SFFWorld
“Loved it. Fiendishly original and a stay-up-all-night read. We’re going to be hearing a lot more of Devon Monk.”
—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fair Game
“Highly original and compulsively readable. Don’t pick this one up before going to bed unless you want to be up all night!”
—Jenna Black, author of Sirensong
“Gritty setting, compelling, fully realized characters, and a frightening system of magic-with-a-price that left me awed. Devon Monk’s writing is addictive, and the only cure is more, more, more.”
—Rachel Vincent, New York Times bestselling author of Blood Bound
BOOKS BY DEVON MONK
The Allie Beckstrom Series
Magic to the Bone
Magic in the Blood
Magic in the Shadows
Magic on the Storm
Magic at the Gate
Magic on the Hunt
Magic on the Line
Magic Without Mercy
Magic for a Price
The Age of Steam
Dead Iron
Tin Swift
Cold Copper
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