and death.
Seal Books/ISBN: 0-7704-2902-5
Also by Kelley Armstrong
DIME STORE MAGIC
Paige Winterbourne was always either too young or too rebellious to succeed her mother as leader of one of the world’s most powerful elite organizations—the American Coven of Witches. Now that she is twenty-three and her mother is dead, the Elders can no longer deny her. But even Paige’s wildest antics can’t hold a candle to those of her new charge—an orphan who is all too willing to use her budding powers for evil…and evil is all too willing to claim her.
For this girl is being pursued by a dark faction of the supernatural underworld. They are a vicious group who will do anything to woo the young, malleable, and extremely powerful neophyte, including commit murder—and frame Paige for the crime. It’s an initiation into adulthood, womanhood, and the brutal side of magic, and Paige will have to do everything within her power to make sure they both survive.
Seal Books/ISBN: 0-7704-2955-6
Also by Kelley Armstrong
STOLEN
BITTEN
DIME STORE MAGIC
Praise for Kelley Armstrong’s
DIME STORE MAGIC
“[A] sexy supernatural romance [whose] story’s special strength lies in its seamless incorporation of the supernatural into the real world. A convincing small-town setting, clever contemporary dialogue, compelling characterizations and a touch of cool humor make the tale’s occasional vivid violence palatable and its fantasy elements both gripping and believable.”
—Publishers Weekly
And for BITTEN
“This debut novel from a Canadian writer proves that solid storytelling and confident craftsmanship can rejuvenate one of the hoariest of all horror clichés…. Armstrong’s true achievement is her depiction of werewolf nature in believably human context…the sensuality of Elena’s transformations and the viciousness of her kills mesh perfectly with her tough personality…. Filled with romance and supernatural intrigue, this book will surely remind readers of Anne Rice’s sophisticated refurbishings of the vampire story.”
—Publishers Weekly
“It’s terrific. The heroine is the most appealing I have come across in ages. It’s clever, quirky, hip, and funny, skating between genres with style and grace. More, please!”
—Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat
“With a howl, Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten plunges headlong into a murderous plot rife with violence, lust and intrigue…. Armstrong has created a breathless, sexy story…gorgeous and grotesque in the best sense of the word. Rumors of a sequel have never been better news.”
—Boulder Weekly
“Kelley Armstrong’s debut novel, Bitten, combines hints of the strong decadent sexuality and cool-outsider mystique of Interview with the Vampire with the creepy hominess of Stephen King…. Realistic details…complement a convincing portrait of werewolf society and its intricate codes of behavior…. Bitten will satisfy genre fans and those who like their thrills served up with literary savvy.”
—Quill & Quire
“It’s as smooth as cream all the way, sure to gain fans.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“There’s nothing overtly gothic about this fast-paced, sexy thriller and its model contemporary heroine—it’s just that she’s a werewolf who is trying to make a go of things among humans. When her pack is threatened by a new group of violent psychotic werewolves, she is drawn back into the old ways.”
—Bookseller
“Brings a new brand of ferocity to horror literature…. Bitten is a lightning-paced, violent and completely readable entertainment that entertains loudly and abundantly.”
—Hamilton Spectator
“Wicked writing gets noticed, and first-time novelist Kelley Armstrong has written a deliciously wicked book…. This is no ordinary werewolf tale, but a werewolf mystery with a huge dollop of romance thrown in.”
—Toronto Star
“The plot of Bitten has echoes of the best crime thrillers…the story is fast and entertaining. But what makes the novel so gripping is Armstrong’s talent for vivid description and her interest in both the sensuality and psychology of werewolf-hood, a fascination that greatly enhances the world she creates while never slowing down the breakneck plot. At every turn, her depiction of physical sensation is precise and compelling…. Surely one of the sexiest, most energetic novels published in a long time…[A] Canadian mother of three who hails from rural southwestern Ontario has created a smart, original thriller, destined to keep people reading on into the night.”
—Gazette
“Armstrong has a definite talent for sensual descriptions. The wolf creatures are vividly created in gestures and behaviour, and most of the sexual encounters would knock one’s socks off (not to mention other things).”
—National Post
“Bitten is hip and postmodern…. Those who enjoy the vampire books of Anne Rice, or Canadian vampire writer Nancy Kilpatrick, will love it.”
—Globe and Mail
“A very contemporary, funky supernatural thriller with a particularly provocative heroine.”
—Hello
“A hair-raising story for the she-wolf in us all.”
—Shannon Olson, author of Welcome to My Planet
“Entertaining new take on an old thriller story form. Makes Buffy look fluffy.”
—Daily Express
“A tasty confection of werewolves, sex and vendettas…After the first nibble it’s quite hard to stop…. Elena and her acid repartee successfully steal the show throughout; she has bags of charm. Gory, sexy fun.”
—SFX
“Good slick fun; expect the television series soon.”
—Guardian
STOLEN
“Elena Michaels, the only known female werewolf, cavorts on a more fully cultivated supernatural playing field in this sure-footed sequel to Bitten….[Stolen is] a prison-break story spiffed up with magic…. Armstrong leavens then arrative with brisk action and intriguing dollops of werewolf culture that suggest a complex and richly imagined anthropologic backstory. The sassy, pumped-up Elena makes a perfect hard-boiled horror heroine…. This novel will please not only horror fans but also mainstream readers who like strong female characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“In Stolen, Kelley Armstrong delivers a taut, sensual thriller that grips from the first page. Elena Michaels is at once sublime and sympathetic, a modern heroine who shows that real women bite back.”
—Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of Blindsighted and Kisscut
“Like Bitten, Stolen paints a perfectly convincing portrait of a woman who quite literally runs with the wolves…. Armstrong has created a persuasive, finely detailed otherworldly cosmology—featuring sorcery, astral projection, spells, telepathy and teleportation—that meshes perfectly with the more humdrum world of interstate highways and cable news bulletins…. More than just a thriller with extra teeth, Stolen is for anyone who has ever longed to leap over an SUV in a single bound, or to rip an evil security force to shreds, or even just to growl convincingly.”
—Quill & Quire
“The narrative veers between clever, scholarly distinctions among different sorts of magical powers and a lot of action movie-style sex and violence…. What’s interesting are the twists and turns along the way, boosted by bits of philosophy and arcane knowledge Armstrong adds to her strange brew…. We meet enough truly entertaining creatures along the way to make us wish that this will not be the last romp for Elena and her pack.”
—Toronto Star
“Armstrong is a clever writer…[and Stolen] grabs you at the outset.”
—Winnipeg Free Press
“Stolen is a delicious cocktail of testosterone and wicked humour…. Too earnest to attempt parody, [Armstrong’s]take on the well-travelled world of supernatural beings is witty and original. She’s at her best when examining the all-too-human dilemmas of being superhuman…. [Stolen]bubbles with the kind of dramatic invention that bodes well for a long and engrossing series…. This can only be good news for the growing Michaels fan club.”
—Globe and Mail
“Mesmerizing…the ‘otherworldly’ atmosphere conjured up by Armstrong begins to seem strangely real. Armstrong is a talented and original writer whose inventiveness and sense of the bizarre are arresting.”
—London Free Press
Copyright © 2004 by KLA Fricke, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Seal Books and colophon are trademarks of Random House of Canada Limited.
INDUSTRIAL MAGIC
Seal Books/published by arrangement with Random House Canada
Seal Books edition published November 2004
eISBN: 978-0-307-37159-1
Seal Books are published by Random House of Canada Limited.
“Seal Books” and the portrayal of a seal are the property of Random House of Canada Limited.
Visit Random House of Canada Limited’s website: www.randomhouse.ca
v1.0
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Prologue
That Cortez Boy
Death before Dishonor
An Offer I Can Refuse
Mastermind of Manipulation
The Wages of Sin Pay Very Nicely Indeed
Familial Violence Insurance
Time to Empty the Minibar
Welcome to Miami
The Local Wildlife
Evidence of a Pattern
The Most Endangered Kid on the Planet
Visiting Hour
A Fortuitous Collision of Circumstances
The Meridian Theater Proudly Presents…
Diva of the Dead
Gone
Two-for-One Special
A Theory
Less-than-Legal Adventuring
A Message of Hope
They Always Grab the Girl
Laying the Blame
Highly Inappropriate
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Pointing Fingers
Waking the Dead
Sorry, No Virgins Here
Go-between
The Usual Suspects
Literary Haunts
Undelivered Message
Paddling Upstream During a Hurricane
I’m Not Dead Yet
Predatory Insight
Unnatural-Born Killer
Stand-in Mother-in-law
Disconnected
The New Orleans Vampire Situation
Keeping Up with the Times
Never Underestimate the Power of Vampire Ego
Understanding Cassandra
Embracing One’s Cultural Heritage
Edward and Natasha
Quest for Immortality
Appetite for Art
A Strange Place to Take a Bath
A Most Unwelcome Intrusion
Justifiable Hysteria
The Curse of Clear Vision
Black Hole of Hate
Hotel Shopping
The Target
Coup de Grâce
Through the Back Door
Primeval Swamp
Blindsided
Busted
Bad Guy Dead?
Standoff
The Leader of the Pack
Black-Magic Standby
Masquerade
A Coward’s Plan
Missing: One Celeb Necromancer
Nice Doggie
Full Circle
About the Author
Also by Kelley Armstrong BITTEN
Also by Kelley Armstrong STOLEN
Also by Kelley Armstrong DIME STORE MAGIC
Also by Kelley Armstrong
Praise for Kelley Armstrong’s
Copyright