don’t con anyone who can rip out my liver with her bare hands.”
“What’s your end, then? What do you want?”
“It…takes some explaining. Come to Buffalo tomorrow and I’ll tell you.”
“Buffalo? Too far. Meet me halfway, in Rochester.”
“Buffalo is halfway. I’m in Toronto. Your hometown, if I remember the compound records. Hey, maybe you can recommend a good sushi—”
“What are you doing in Toronto?”
“That’s were the, uh, service would take place. Should make it easier for you, right? Operating on familiar ground? Anyway, I’m here setting it up, so I’ll meet you halfway, in Buffalo, tomorrow. Got a place all picked out. Nice and public. A daytime meeting. Absolutely nothing for you to worry about…so there’s no need to bring the boyfriend.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I like all my limbs where they are.”
I rolled my eyes. Clay mouthed something, but I waved him off and took down the time and address from Xavier.
Also by Kelley Armstrong
BITTEN
STOLEN
DIME STORE MAGIC
INDUSTRIAL MAGIC
Praise for Kelley Armstrong
Bitten
“Frisky…Tells a rather sweet love story, and suggests that being a wolf may be more comfortable for a strong, smart young woman than being human.”
—New York Times Book Review
“Modernizes and humanizes an age-old tale.”
—New York Daily News
“Graphic and sensual, an exciting page turner…[Does] much the same thing for werewolves that Anne Rice did for vampires in her Interview with the Vampire.”
—Rocky Mountain News
“Armstrong is up with the big girls of the genre like Laurell K. Hamilton.”
—Kansas City Star
“For readers who like a twist of the supernatural, Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten may just be the right trick and treat…It’s enough fun to make you howl for the sequel.”
—New Orleans Times-Picayune
“Sometimes there’s nothing more fun than an excellent debut novel, and Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten fits the bill. It’s witty, suspenseful, and a well-paced tale. [Armstrong] spins an intricate but comprehensible plot around compelling characters and produces a book that will both thrill and absorb you. Bring on the sequel, we’re ready for more.”
—Houston Chronicle
“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
“[T]his 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
“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 and 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.”