Archangels kiss guild hu.., p.1
Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter), page 1
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Epilogue
Teaser chapter
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF NALINI SINGH
Angels’ Blood
“It is amazing in every way!!!”
—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter
“This is probably one of the best stories I have ever read and will be one that I will rave about for quite a while. Not only was the world just completely awe-inspiring, but the characters and the story line are evocative and a pure pleasure to read.”
—Fallen Angel Reviews
“Amazing. Fantastic. Darker than her Psy-Changelings, simmering with both violence and sexual tension, and with vivid world building that blew my socks off.”
—National bestselling author Meljean Brook
“Incredibly original and beautiful.”
—Errant Dreams Reviews
“A refreshing twist on vampire and angel lore combined with sizzling sexual tension make this paranormal romance a winner.”
—Monsters and Critics
“A fantastically, amazingly, good read and it gets the Guild Hunter series off to a great start . . . If you like paranormal romance, you want to read this book.”
—Love Vampires
“Wonderful ... A great read with a very yummy archangel that you won’t want to miss.”
—Night Owl Romance (reviewer top pick)
“Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series is a fabulous addition to the paranormal world . . . A definite must read.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A fully nuanced and startling story from start to finish . . . Nalini Singh should take a bow! Angels’ Blood is going to leave you hungering for more instantly.”
—Romance Junkies
“Fans will relish Nalini Singh’s excellent first Guild Hunter thriller.”
—Midwest Book Review
Branded by Fire
“An emotional masterpiece.”
—Romance Junkies
“Another superb entry in what is easily my favorite paranormal series in romance.”
—Romance Novel TV
“Singh has a rare talent for impressive world building, intricate plotting, and riveting characterization . . . Singh delivers excellence every single time!”
—Romantic Times (top pick)
“An amazingly talented writer . . . she grabs the reader and doesn’t let go until the very end and leaves them begging for more . . . I give Branded by Fire and Nalini an enthusiastic 5 hearts.”
—Night Owl Romance
Hostage to Pleasure
“Singh is on the fast track to becoming a genre giant!”
—Romantic Times (top pick)
“Nalini Singh has penned another keeper . . . If you want a thrilling read with action, danger, passion, and drama, don’t miss Nalini Singh’s Hostage to Pleasure.”
—Romance Junkies
“An intriguing world that’s sure to keep readers coming back for more.”
—Darque Reviews
Mine to Possess
“Fierce . . . Paranormal romance at its best.”
—Publishers Weekly
“With its intense characters, story line, and scenery, Mine to Possess is quite a read. It showcases Singh’s talent and shows her to be a writer that will no doubt shine for some time.”
—Romance Reader at Heart
“If you’ve been looking for a book that will entice and entrance, look no further. The very talented Nalini Singh has yet again proven that her books are gems, true treasures that are intriguing, multifaceted creations that just get better and better . . . Don’t miss Mine to Possess!”
—Romance Reviews Today
Caressed by Ice
“A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat romantic paranormal that will pull you straight into the story and into the amazing Psy-Changeling world!”
—Romance Reader at Heart
“The paranormal romance of the year.”
—Romance Junkies
“Craving the passionate and electrifying world created by the mega-talented Singh? Your next fix is here! . . . One of the most original and thrilling paranormal series on the market . . . Mind-blowing!”
—Romantic Times (4½ stars, top pick)
Visions of Heat
“Breathtaking blend of passion, adventure, and the paranormal. I wished I lived in the world Singh has created. This is a keeper!”
—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter
“This author just moved to the top of my auto-buy list.”
—All About Romance
“Brace yourselves because the second installment of the Psy-Changeling series will set all your senses ablaze and leave your fingers singed with each turn of the page. Visions of Heat is that intense!”
—Romance Junkies
Slave to Sensation
“I LOVE this book! It’s a must read for all of my fans. Nalini Singh is a major new talent.”
—New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan
“An electrifying collision of logic and emotion . . . An incredible world where fire and ice mix to create an unforgettable sensual eruption. Slave to Sensation is a volcanic start to a new series that’ll leave you craving more.”
—Romance Junkies
“AWESOME! . . . A purely mesmerizing book that surely stands out among the other paranormal books out there. Slave to Sensation is captivating from beginning to end. It’s a must read for any paranormal fan!”
—Romance Reader at Heart
Berkley Titles by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changeling Series
SLAVE TO SENSATION
VISIONS OF HEAT
CARESSED BY ICE
MINE TO POSSESS
HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE
BRANDED BY FIRE
BLAZE OF MEMORY
Guild Hunter Series
ANGELS’ BLOOD
ANGELS’ PAWN
(A Berkley Sensation eSpecial)
ARCHANGEL’S KISS
Anthologies
AN ENCHANTED SEASON
(with Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, and Jean Johnson)
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
(with Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones)
MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS
(with Charlaine Harris, Ilona Andrews, and Meljean Brook)
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
ARCHANGEL’S KISS
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / February 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Nalini Singh.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Pur
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eISBN : 978-1-101-18499-8
BERKLEY® SENSATION
Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. BERKLEY® SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
http://us.penguingroup.com
Acknowledgments
This book was so much fun to write, not the least because of the wonderful response I received from readers for Angels’ Blood. Thank you for taking a chance on this new series—and for the e-mails, the letters, and most of all, the smiles you bring into my life.
Special thanks to Tiazza for her help with the Moroccan Arabic; Helen and Pamela for the French pointers; and Travis for the tips (no pun intended) on different types of blades. They all know their stuff. Any mistakes are mine.
A huge, huge thank-you to my parents for being all-around amazing while I was on deadline, and to my sister for the insanity that keeps me sane. Same goes for my friends in RWNZ and online. You all rock. A deeply felt thanks to Hari Aja for your wonderful support of my work.
And last but never ever least, everyone at the Knight Agency and at Berkley Sensation, most especially my agent, Nephele Tempest, and my editor, Cindy Hwang, for all that you do, and all that you make it possible for me to do. You two aren’t allowed to retire. Ever.
Genesis
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
“Come here, little hunter. Taste.”
Blood in the air, on the walls, under her feet. “Ari?”
“Ari’s having a nice nap.” A giggling laugh that made her want to run, run, RUN! “Mmm, I think I prefer Belle.” A red-dipped finger lifted to her mouth, pressed against her lips.
Blood seeping onto her tongue.
Her sister’s blood.
That was when she screamed.
1
Elena gripped the balcony railing and stared down at the gorge that fell away with jagged promise beneath. From here, the rocks looked like sharp teeth, ready to bite and tear and rip. She tightened her hold as the icy wind threatened to tumble her into the unforgiving jaws. “A year ago,” she murmured, “I didn’t know the Refuge existed, and today, here I stand.”
A sprawling city of marble and glass spread out in every direction; its elegant lines exquisite under the razor-sharp burn of the sun. Dark-leafed trees provided soothing patches of green on both sides of the gorge that cut a massive divide through the city, while snow-capped mountains ruled the skyline. There were no roads, no high-rises, nothing to disturb the otherworldly grace of it.
Yet, for all its beauty, there was something alien about this place, a vague sense that darkness lurked beneath the gilded surface. Drawing in a breath laced with the biting freshness of the mountain winds, she looked up . . . at the angels. So many angels. Their wings filled the skies above this city that seemed to have grown out of the rock itself.
The angelstruck, those mortals who were literally enthralled by the sight of angelic wings, would weep to be in this place filled with the beings they worshipped. But Elena had seen an archangel laugh as he plucked the eyes out of a vampire’s skull, as he pretended to eat, then crush the pulpy mass. This, she thought with a shiver, was not her idea of heaven.
A rustle of wings from behind her, a squeeze from the powerful hands on her hips. “You’re tiring, Elena. Come inside.”
She held her position, though the feel of him—strong, dangerous, uncompromisingly masculine—against the sensitive surface of her wings made her want to shudder in ecstasy. “Do you think you have the right to give me orders now?”
The Archangel of New York, a creature so lethal that part of her feared him even now, lifted the hair off her nape, brushed his lips across her skin. “Of course. You are mine.” No hint of humor, nothing but stark possession.
“I don’t think you’ve quite got the hang of this true love thing.” He’d fed ambrosia into her mouth, changed her from mortal to immortal, given her wings—wings!—all because of love. For her, a hunter, a mortal . . . no longer mortal.
“Be that as it may, it’s time you return to bed.”
And then she was in his arms, though she had no memory of having released the railing—but she must have, because her hands were filling with blood again, her skin tight. It hurt. Even as she tried to ride out the slow, hot burn, Raphael carried her through the sliding doors and into the magnificent glass room that sat atop a fortress of marble and quartz, as solid and immoveable as the mountains around them.
Fury arced through her bloodstream. “Out of my mind, Raphael!”
Why?
“Because, as I’ve told you more than once, I’m not your puppet.” She grit her teeth as he laid her on the cloud-soft bedding, the pillows lush. But the mattress held firm under her palms when she pulled herself up into a sitting position. “A lover”—God, she could still barely believe she’d gone and fallen for an archangel—“should be a partner, not a toy to manipulate.”
Cobalt eyes in a face that turned humans into slaves, that sweep of night-dark hair framing a face of perfect grace . . . and more than a little cruelty. “You’ve been awake exactly three days after spending a year in a coma,” he told her. “I’ve lived for more than a thousand years. You’re no more my equal now than you were before I Made you immortal.”
Anger was a wall of white noise in her ears. She wanted to shoot him as she’d done once before. Her mind cascaded with a waterfall of images on the heels of that thought—the wetly crimson spray of blood, a torn wing, Raphael’s eyes glazed with shock. No . . . she wouldn’t shoot him again, but he drove her to violence. “Then what am I?”
“Mine.”
Was it wrong that sparks sizzled along her spine at hearing that, at seeing the utter possession in his voice, the dark passion on his face? Probably. But she didn’t care. The only thing she cared about was the fact that she was now tied to an archangel who thought the ground rules had changed. “Yes,” she agreed. “My heart is yours.”
A flash of satisfaction in his eyes.
“But nothing else.” She locked gazes with him, refusing to back down. “So, I’m a baby immortal. Fine—but I’m also still a hunter. One good enough that you hired me.”
Annoyance replaced the passion. “You’re an angel.”
“With magic angel money?”
“Money is no object.”
“Of course not—you’re richer than Midas himself,” she muttered. “But I’m not going to be your little chew-toy—”
“Chew-toy?” A gleam of amusement.
She ignored him. “Sara says I can walk back into the job anytime I want.”
“Your loyalty to the angels now overwhelms your loyalty to the Hunters Guild.”
“Michaela, Sara, Michaela, Sara,” she murmured in a mock-thoughtful voice. “Bitch Goddess angel versus my best friend, gee, which side do you think I’ll choose?”
