Demon Kissed

By Patti O'Shea

Demon slayer Bree Molina has always felt an attraction for fellow hunter Andras. She knew he was handsome and brave...but she's shocked to discover that Andras is a demon, too! That's just the first revelation Andras has in store for Bree. The demon world has put a price on her head – and the only way Andras can save Bree is by making her his mate....

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jun 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781742924632

Patti O'Shea

Nationally bestselling author Patti O'Shea has won thirteen awards for her writing and been nominated for many more. Her books have appeared on the Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, and Borders bestseller lists and have earned starred reviews in prestigious publications such as Publishers Weekly and Booklist. At various points in her life, Patti O'Shea wanted to be a doctor, a pilot, an archeologist, an astronomer, a figure skater, a ballerina, an oceanographer, a marine biologist, and a photographer before she discovered writing at the age of fourteen. That's when she knew what she really wanted to be when she grew up. By the time she entered the University of Minnesota, she realized she'd need a practical career. She chose the School of Journalism and took classes in nearly every discipline the college offered. After graduating with a degree in Advertising Copywriting (and far more credits than she needed), she promptly went to work for Northwest Airlines-in accounting. Since then she's moved throughout the company, working in departments like Technical Records, Tech Publications, and is currently in 757 Engineering. Born with a need to see everything, Patti has traveled to far off and exotic places like Papua New Guinea, Fanning Island, and the Yukon Territory in Canada. Along the way, she's had the opportunity to experience a lot of cool things. In Alaska, she saw a humpback whale breach near the catamaran on which she sailed; she's visited a salt mine in Austria and traveled to a lower level by sliding down a wooden rail; and she's seen a shark fin break the water in Australia right next to the small boat she was on. She's visited just about every one of King Ludwig's castles in Germany; watched the cliff divers of Acapulco; and was nearly mugged in a parking lot in Los Angeles. With her wanderlust sated, Patti finally decided to get serious about writing. She quickly discovered that her travel and her eclectic education were all training to become an author. It's helped her to know a little bit about a lot of things since she's had characters that have been computer geeks, army officers, private investigators, demons, thieves, and other assorted careers. She's even managed to incorporate pieces of some of the places she's visited into her stories.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Even this late at night, even in this neighborhood, there were people on the streets of Los Angeles. Bree couldn’t worry about them or what they thought of her. Not now.

Not when she had a pair of demons on her ass.

Her breathing was harsh and ragged, her heart pounded, but she ran on, her hand curled to catch the blood streaming down her arm. If it spattered to the sidewalk, she’d be leaving a trail anyone could follow, and demons already had too many advantages.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw nothing except a few people staring after her. Clear. That wouldn’t last. She’d only hurt her attackers enough to slow them momentarily. And piss them off. If they caught up to her— No, make that when they caught up to her, the demonic duo would make her pay.

Reaching a corner, she turned abruptly. The change of direction probably wouldn’t lose her pursuers, not when they had such heightened senses, but it was worth a shot.

Wouldn’t her mentor be proud if he could see her now? His top demon slayer running from the enemy.

Bree tried to smile, to show fate that the irony wasn’t lost on her, but sometimes a strategic retreat was smarter than battling it out. Smarter than dying. A live slayer could fight another day. A dead one was a waste of training.

Another turn put her in an area that was deserted. A single streetlight glowed and moonlight spotlighted the graffiti tagging the buildings. The gang symbols spun, and Bree swallowed a curse. She had to stop the bleeding before she ended up more than light-headed.

Ahead, she saw a warehouse, the first without a chain-link fence around it, and changed course. She couldn’t stay long, but she needed a minute. Or two.

Jimmying the lock took longer than she liked and Bree was nervous by the time she pushed open the door. Immediately, she closed it behind her.

High windows allowed the glow of the moon to illuminate the space, and the walls here were covered with graffiti, too. Dirt and dust had accumulated deeply enough to cover the toes of her boots and each step kicked up more. There were footprints in every direction showing that others had used it for shelter, but no one was here now. She could feel the emptiness.

Everywhere she looked, there were scattered piles of debris, mostly made up of rotting wood and chunks of cement. Bigger castoffs were strewn about as well—broken pallets, damaged crates—and they added a feeling of eeriness to the abandoned building.

Shaking it off, Bree headed for a patch of moonlight. She pushed her jacket off her left shoulder and studied her wound. The puncture was ugly and throbbed like mad, but blood wasn’t flowing any longer and his talon had missed bone.

It could have been worse. Hell, she’d believed it was worse than this from the way the blood had been running down her arm. Not that this wasn’t bad enough—she’d never been hurt this severely in battle before—but it wouldn’t need stitches and she’d only be off the streets for a few days.

A sound jerked her attention from her injury. Damn, the bastards had found her.

Bree had the ability to hide her energy, but she’d been too weakened to use it while she’d been running. Now, she delved deep, dredging up what remained of her strength. No matter what, she had to come up with enough to conceal her presence. She managed to cloak herself as she moved away from the light.

Scanning for a good place to hide, she chose a cluster of large, dilapidated crates. They tipped precariously near the wall, but they deepened the shadows, and odds were they wouldn’t fall on her. Probably.

The wait seemed interminable. Her nerves pulled taut and blood roared in her ears, but despite that, Bree was able to hear the demons. They were drawing closer.

Her hand dropped to the dagger strapped to her thigh and she eased it from its sheath.

The enemy wasn’t in any hurry. They moved slowly, and she assumed it was