Demon Bound Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  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

  “An action-packed series full of

  creatures of dark and light.”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  DEMON NIGHT

  “Meljean is now officially one of my favorite authors. And this book’s hero? . . . I just went weak at the knees. And the love scenes—wow, just wow.”

  —Nalini Singh, USA Today bestselling author of

  Slave to Sensation and Visions of Heat

  “This is the book for paranormal lovers. It is a phenomenal book by an author who knows how to give her readers exactly what they want. What Brook’s readers want is a story that is dangerous, sexy, scary, and smart. Demon Night delivers all that and more! . . . [It] is the epitome of what a paranormal romance should be! I didn’t want to put it down.”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  “Poignant and compelling with lots of action, and it’s very sensual. You’ll fall in love with Charlie, and Ethan will cause your thermometer to blow its top. An excellent plot, wonderful dialogue . . . Don’t miss reading it or any of Meljean Brook’s other novels in this series.”—Fresh Fiction

  DEMON MOON

  “The fourth book in Meljean Brook’s Guardian series turns up the heat without losing any of the danger.”

  —Entertainment Weekly

  “A read that goes down hot and sweet—utterly unique—and one hell of a ride.”

  —Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling

  author of the Dirk & Steele series

  “Sensual and intriguing, Demon Moon is a simply wonderful book. I was enthralled from the first page!”—Nalini Singh

  “Action-packed, with a fascinating, one-of-a-kind vampire hero and a heroine with some very unique qualities.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Brings a unique freshness to the romantic fantasy realm . . . Action-packed from the onset.”—Midwest Book Review

  “I loved every moment of it.”—All About Romance

  “Fantastically drawn characters . . . and their passion for each other is palpable in each scene they share. It stews beneath the surface and when it finally reaches boiling point . . . Oh, wow!”—Vampire Romance Books

  DEMON ANGEL

  “I’ve never read anything like this book. Demon Angel is brilliant, heartbreaking, genre-bending—even, I dare say, epic. Simply put, I love it.”—Marjorie M. Liu

  “Brook has crafted a complex, interesting world that goes far beyond your usual . . . paranormal romance. Demon Angel truly soars.”—Jennifer Estep, author of Jinx

  “I can honestly say I haven’t read many books lately that have kept me guessing and wondering ‘what’s next,’ but this is one of them. [Brook has] created a unique and different world . . . gritty and realistic . . . incredibly inventive . . . This is a book which makes me think and think about it even days after finishing it.”—Dear Author

  “Enthralling . . . [A] delightful saga.”—The Best Reviews

  “Extremely engaging ... A fiendishly good book. Demon Angel is outstanding.”—The Romance Reader

  “A surefire winner. This book will captivate you and leave you yearning for more. Don’t miss Demon Angel.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “A fascinating romantic fantasy with . . . a delightful pairing of star-crossed lovers.”—Midwest Book Review

  “Complex and compelling . . . A fabulous story.”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  FURTHER PRAISE FOR MELJEAN BROOK

  AND FOR “FALLING FOR ANTHONY”

  FROM HOT SPELL

  “An emotional roller coaster for both the characters and the reader. Brook has penned a story I am sure readers won’t soon forget . . . Extraordinary work.”—Romance Junkies

  “In-depth and intriguing. I loved the obvious thought and ideas put into writing this tale. The characters are deep, as is the world that is set up.”—The Romance Readers Connection

  “Brook . . . creates fantastic death-defying love . . . Extremely erotic . . . with a paranormal twist.”—Fresh Fiction

  “Intriguing . . . The sex is piping hot.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “I look forward to many more tales from Ms. Brook.”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  Titles by Meljean Brook

  DEMON ANGEL

  DEMON MOON

  DEMON NIGHT

  DEMON BOUND

  Anthologies

  HOT SPELL

  (with Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, and Shiloh Walker)

  WILD THING

  (with Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, and Alyssa Day)

  FIRST BLOOD

  (with Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, and Chris Marie Green)

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada

  (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

  Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand

  (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196,

  South Africa

  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.

  DEMON BOUND

  A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / November 2008

  Copyright © 2008 by Melissa Kahn.

  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. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eISBN : 978-0-425-22453-3

  BERKLEY® SENSATION

  Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkl
ey 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

  To Brad.

  Whether here or Over There—may you always

  make it home safe, little brother.

  THE ORIGIN OF THE GUARDIANS

  In the First Battle, Lucifer the Morningstar led his rebel angels against Heaven. After their defeat, the rebels received their punishment: they were transformed into demons and tossed into Hell. Although they were free to travel to Earth through the Gates, the demons were bound by the Rules:

  They cannot take human life. They cannot prevent a human from acting of his free will.

  Those angels who refused to take sides in the First Battle were transformed into nosferatu, cursed with bloodlust and vulnerability to daylight, and sent to Earth. Unlike demons, nosferatu are not bound by the Rules.

  For a time, seraphim—warrior angels loyal to Heaven—resided in the realm of Caelum and watched over humans, protecting them from the demons’ temptations and the nosferatu’s violence. The seraphim could never completely pass for human, however, and so the people on Earth began worshipping them as gods. When Lucifer realized this, his jealousy led him to wage another war against the angels.

  The Second Battle took place on Earth, and Lucifer brought with him a dragon from the Chaos realm. The angels began to falter before the dragon—but mankind, witnessing the battle taking place, joined the angels in their fight against the demons. One man, Michael, destroyed the dragon by cutting through its heart with his sword. With the dragon slain, the angels regrouped and were victorious.

  After the Second Battle, the seraphim retreated from Caelum and from Earth. They bestowed upon Michael the power to protect humans, and to transform into Guardians any men or women who had sacrificed their lives to save another from otherworldly threats. In addition to immortality, wings, strength, and the ability to alter their appearance, these Guardians were given individual Gifts to assist in their fight against the demons and nosferatu.

  Because they had once been human, Guardians can easily walk among those they protect. But despite their great powers, Guardians are also limited by the Rules.

  Human life must always be protected, and free will must always be honored.

  —As recorded in the Scrolls by the Doyen, Michael, with

  ink made of his blood (date unknown). Translated from the

  Latin by Alice Grey, 1892.

  CHAPTER 1

  How easy killing a Guardian would be. Even Michael, the most powerful of all the Guardians, would fall if a sword cleaved through his heart or his neck.

  But although the methods by which Guardians could be killed were simple, accomplishing it was another matter entirely. The Guardians’ strength, speed, and training enabled them to fight the demons and bloodthirsty nosferatu who preyed on humans; their Gifts could be employed as weapons or defense.

  And slaying Michael would be more difficult than slaying any other Guardian. His Gift of teleportation allowed him to disappear before a blade could touch him. In his thousands of years, Michael had developed unmatched skill with his weapons, lightning reflexes, and great physical power. His heightened senses warned him of an enemy’s approach.

  He might not be so wary of an ally’s approach, however. It was no surprise, then, that a demon had arranged for a Guardian to kill him.

  But a Guardian worthy of her wings did not slay other Guardians.

  Even if she was bound by a demon’s bargain to do that very thing, a Guardian should not kill a fellow warrior. Even if it would save her soul from eternal, frozen torment, a Guardian should not cut the heart from the Doyen’s chest and deliver it to his enemies.

  And a Guardian should not imagine killing Michael whenever she was faced with him, whether in person . . . or while studying his carved granite features in the upper chambers of an abandoned desert temple.

  Yet as Alice Grey traced her fingers over Michael’s sculpted likeness, she could almost feel his heart, warm and bleeding in her hand. In the one hundred and twenty years since she’d been transformed into a Guardian, the image had become frighteningly easy to conjure.

  Perhaps she’d never been worthy of her wings.

  Alice dropped her hand away from Michael’s stone chest and tried to ignore the tightening around her own heart. What a fool she was, to imagine freeing herself from the bargain she’d made. Even if she paid the price that Teqon had demanded, she would be neither safe nor saved. She would be a murderer.

  And either way, she was damned.

  But not yet. Not until she was dead—or Teqon was. Until then, there was hope.

  It would not do, however, to think of how very little hope there was.

  Seeking a distraction, Alice stepped back from the granite frieze, gaining a wider view of the sculpted panels so that she would not see Michael, but the story illustrated by the stone, in which he merely played a part.

  When she’d found this temple, she’d been gripped by the same anticipation and excitement that had accompanied each of her discoveries. But aside from one—very large—difference, this temple did not tell her anything new.

  Her battery-powered lantern illuminated the dozens of friezes that covered the walls of this enormous stone chamber, but every Guardian was familiar with the tale they told. At the far end was a panel representing the First Battle, with Lucifer leading his rebels against the angels loyal to Heaven.

  Other scenes filled out the history—the transformation of rebel angels into demons and the descent into Hell. Here, and in every other temple Alice had found, scenes from the Second Battle were shown more often than any other. The frieze directly in front of her celebrated the moment Michael had slain the dragon. The artist had styled the Doyen’s hair in classical Greek curls rather than shorn close to his scalp, but his hard features were unmistakable. Other panels depicted Michael and several companions, who must have been the first Guardians he’d transformed.

  The sculpted pieces were a mystery, but only as to their creation. Though almost two decades had passed since she’d found the first temple, she still did not know who had built them.

  And she could not account for the missing pieces of the timeline.

  Alice glanced toward the early panels. One of those rebelling angels in the First Battle had become the demon known as Belial. Once Lucifer’s lieutenant, he’d turned against the other demon, and had begun a campaign to take Lucifer’s throne.

  That much had been recorded in the Scrolls—but Alice did not know when Belial had turned against Lucifer. How she would have loved to put it all in order.

  And there were other pieces that had not been mentioned in the Scrolls, pieces that she and other Guardians had not learned until the past year—such as the nephilim. There was no indication when Lucifer had created the strong race of demons whose purpose had been to assist him in enforcing the Rules. At some point, the nephilim had tried to overthrow Lucifer’s throne. With the help of Belial and his armies, Lucifer had defeated the nephilim and imprisoned them in Hell—but Alice had no idea whether their insurgency had been before or after the Second Battle.

  Some time after the nephilim’s imprisonment, a prophecy had been delivered to Belial and his followers, assuring him that he would prevail over Lucifer after the nephilim were destroyed. Nothing in these friezes or the Scrolls said anything of that prophecy—not who had foreseen it, or any details regarding how Belial would triumph. Alice only knew of the prophecy because Belial’s demons had revealed its existence to a fellow Guardian—but since she’d learned of it, she’d thought of little else.

  Not now, though. Alice closed her eyes. Not now.

  That hope was so very small, a thin thread in a fragile cloth. Tugging too often might unravel it all.

  She took a long, steadying breath, and looked again at the sculpte
d wall. What else was missing?

  Ah, yes. None of the friezes showed when—or how—Michael had lost the sword he’d used to slay the dragon.

  The recovery of the powerful weapon from an English manor in the early nineteenth century was also missing from the history, but that omission was easier to explain: this temple had been abandoned more than two thousand years before the sword was found.

  The hem of Alice’s heavy woolen robes brushed the gleaming stone floor as she walked along the panels, studying the final scenes. Most depicted battles between Guardians and demons or Guardians and nosferatu. A few included Michael, but there were also other, unknown Guardians. The last was of a gathering in Caelum—hundreds of Guardians stood before Michael’s temple. Behind them, the city rose in spires and domes; even in black granite, Caelum’s beauty was breathtaking.

  She’d sketched the panel, but her precise drawings could not convey the skill of these artists. How, she wondered, would they have sculpted the more recent events in Guardian history? Could they have expressed the emptiness of Caelum after the Ascension, when thousands of Guardians had moved on to their afterlife, leaving only a few dozen warriors and novices in the Guardian corps?