Guardian Demon (GUARDIAN SERIES) Read online

  Praise for Meljean Brook’s Guardian Novels

  DEMON MARKED

  “I opened this book and didn’t stop [reading] until I had inhaled it.”

  —Fiction Vixen

  “I am enamored with this whole series and it continues to enchant me with each new story line. As long as Ms. Brook keeps writing, I’ll keep reading.”

  —Smexy Books

  DEMON BLOOD

  “Fiery attraction and steamy love scenes . . . Fans won’t be disappointed.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Meljean Brook has her fans hooked.”

  —The Best Reviews

  “Brook’s characters leap from the page.”

  —RT Book Reviews ()

  DEMON FORGED

  “Dark, rich, and sexy, every page makes me beg for more!”

  —Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author

  “Another fantastic book in a beautifully written series. [It] has all the elements I love in Meljean’s books—strong, gorgeously drawn characters, a world so real I totally believe it, and the punch of powerful emotion.”

  —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

  DEMON BOUND

  “An excellent entry in a great series . . . Complex and beautifully done.”

  —Book Binge

  “Be prepared for more surprises and more revelations . . . Brook continues to deliver surprising characters, relationships, paranormal elements, and plot twists.”

  —Alpha Heroes

  DEMON NIGHT

  “I just went weak at the knees. And the love scenes—wow, just wow.”

  —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

  “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.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “An intense romance that will leave you breathless.”

  —Romance Junkies

  DEMON MOON

  “Turns up the heat without losing any of the danger.”

  —Entertainment Weekly

  “Hot and sweet—utterly unique—and one hell of a ride.”

  —Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling author

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

  —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

  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, New York Times bestselling author

  “A complex, interesting world that goes far beyond your usual . . . paranormal romance. Demon Angel truly soars.”

  —Jennifer Estep, author of Deadly Sting

  “Enthralling . . . [A] delightful saga.”

  —The Best Reviews

  “A fiendishly good book. Demon Angel is outstanding.”

  —The Romance Reader

  Praise for Meljean Brook’s Novels of the Iron Seas

  RIVETED

  “A superb thriller that grips the reader . . . Fans will be riveted.”

  —Alternative Worlds

  “In-between the fantastic elements and fabulous action, Brook also weaves in themes of the dangers of prejudice and judgment . . . A rip-roaring and wonderful addition to Brook’s amazing Iron Seas series.”

  —RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)

  HEART OF STEEL

  “An exciting and stimulating read. Fast-paced, with plenty of humor and gripping action that grabs you at page one.”

  —Smexy Books

  “Rising star Brook has created two completely mesmerizing characters whose journeys in this gritty and treacherous world make for heart-stopping fun!”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Exciting and amusing steampunk adventure! The world building is fantastic.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  THE IRON DUKE

  “I loved it! As far as I’m concerned, with The Iron Duke, Meljean Brook has brilliantly defined the new genre of steampunk romance. From now on, everyone will compare other writers in the genre to her.”

  —Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author

  “A stunning blend of steampunk setting and poignant romance—smart, sexy, breathtaking, and downright addicting. I’m ready for the next book or anything else Meljean Brook writes.”

  —Ilona Andrews, New York Times bestselling author

  “With adept writing and a flair for creating believable worlds, Brook’s first in the Iron Seas series showcases her masterful storytelling.”

  —Booklist

  Titles by Meljean Brook

  The Guardian Series

  DEMON ANGEL

  DEMON MOON

  DEMON NIGHT

  DEMON BOUND

  DEMON FORGED

  DEMON BLOOD

  DEMON MARKED

  GUARDIAN DEMON

  Novels of the Iron Seas

  THE IRON DUKE

  HEART OF STEEL

  RIVETED

  MINA WENTWORTH AND THE INVISIBLE CITY

  (A Berkley Sensation Special Novella)

  TETHERED

  (A Berkley Sensation Special Novella)

  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)

  MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS

  (with Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, and Ilona Andrews)

  BURNING UP

  (with Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, and Virginia Kantra)

  ANGELS OF DARKNESS

  (with Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, and Sharon Shinn)

  ENTHRALLED

  (with Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, and Lucy Monroe)

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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

  USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa | China

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

  For more information about the Penguin Group, visit penguin.com.

  GUARDIAN DEMON

  A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2013 by Melissa Khan.

  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.

  Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

  BERKLEY SENSATION® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  ISBN: 978-0-425-25098-3

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-62228-5

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / August 2013

  Cover art by Cliff Nielson.

  Cover design by George Long.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s im
agination 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.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  A part of me always feared that this book would never happen. Either readers would lose interest, or my publisher would, or I’d be in a plane writing the final chapter and it would tumble out of the sky, and no one would ever know how the Guardian series ended.

  But here it is, in your hands. And I have so many people to thank for that.

  First and forever, my editor, Cindy Hwang, who read a romance about superheroes I’d written online and sent me the e-mail that changed my life. I’ve been late with books, I’ve gone waaaaaaaay over typical word counts for novels in this genre, and I’ve included heroines who talk to spiders, which might have made anyone else drop me as fast as she could. And yet Cindy supported me every step of the way. Writing is a crazy and uncertain business at the best of times, and outright terrifying and soul-killing at its worst, and she always kept it from getting to the worst.

  I’d like to thank the team at Berkley, as well, for creating such gorgeous books. Leis Pedersen, who always made sure I got what I needed on time (and that I got it back to her on time) for so many years, and to Kristine Swartz, who is doing it now. George Long, who created these covers using Cliff Nielson’s stunning artwork. Laura K. Corless, who designed the interiors of the books. To the copy editors and proofreaders and typesetters, marketing, publicity, and everyone else whose work touched this series: Thank you.

  To my friends and family who supported me and who held my hand through all the rough spots, thank you. Kat, Jess, Ilona, Jen, my siblings and parents, my husband and daughter—and so many more. I wish I could name you all, but this book is already long enough.

  A huge thank-you to all of the pilots of all of the planes I’ve traveled on in the past eight years.

  But most of all, thank you to my readers. To everyone who picked up any book in the series, whether you enjoyed it or not. To everyone who picked up another book in the series, to everyone who sent me e-mails, to everyone who asked “When is Michael’s book coming?” To everyone who smiled as they turned the last page and to everyone who cried. To everyone who ranted about the books, and to everyone who raved. Thank you all, so very much.

  Now turn the page! That’s where the good stuff is.

  CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  PART 1: THE BEGINNING

  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

  THE LAST SUNRISE

  PART 2: THE END

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  THE BEGINNING AGAIN

  PART 1

  THE BEGINNING

  CHAPTER 1

  Detective Andromeda Taylor’s life had ended with a kiss.

  As dying went, a kiss wasn’t the worst way to go out. It sucked that she’d been shot first, though. The lead slugs ripping through her chest had hurt like a son of a bitch. But throwing herself in front of bullets aimed at her partner wasn’t a bad way to go, either—and during her career she’d investigated most of the bad ways, had seen all of the pointless ways. Saving Joe at least gave her death some meaning.

  Now Taylor was in Hell, her pistol in hand and a wary eye turned toward the crimson sky. A wasteland stretched around her. Tall, jagged boulders littered the barren sands. As far as she could see, nothing moved. Nothing flew overhead. No sun or moon brightened the endless, bloody bruise of the sky. She didn’t know where the reddish glow that illuminated the realm came from. She didn’t want to know where the rotten stench came from. Something—or a lot of things—had died down here, and she didn’t want to meet whatever had killed them. Not everything in Hell was dead, including Taylor.

  The bullets should have killed her. But after she’d sacrificed her life, the Guardians’ leader had changed her into one of those angelic warriors. Surrounded by a brilliant white light, Michael had transformed Taylor while cradling her in his powerful arms. His firm mouth had covered hers, tasting her lips, taking her breath.

  And the reason behind this stupid trip to this stinking realm was that damned kiss.

  Michael hadn’t just taken Taylor’s breath with that kiss—he’d stolen her blood and forged a connection between their minds. Then, because Michael was a big damn hero, he’d deliberately broken a bargain with a demon and sacrificed his life to save the world, even though it meant his soul would be trapped in Hell, tortured by Lucifer in the frozen field that surrounded the demon’s tower.

  A big damn hero—and a big damn bastard. Michael hadn’t warned Taylor that he intended to link their psyches with that kiss, and he hadn’t asked her permission to do it. Three months after her transformation and his sacrifice, she’d woken up with Michael’s dark presence lurking in her head, like a long-distance connection to Hell that she couldn’t break. For more than a year now, Taylor’s brain hadn’t been her own. He’d known her every thought and action. He’d saved her life when she’d been threatened by demons and nosferatu—but to save her, he’d taken over her mind and used her body like a puppet’s.

  They’d eventually come to an agreement on that—Michael could take over and fight when her life was threatened, but he wouldn’t force Taylor out of her own head if she didn’t want to go.

  Then he had forced her, and Taylor was done with him.

  Until then, she’d tolerated his presence in her head because he had saved everyone—and there was some hope that he could be brought back to life. As a Guardian, she possessed a mental storage space that could hold weapons and any other items; Taylor’s hammerspace also preserved Michael’s lifeless body. Without it, he’d stay dead, so she kept his body safe for him—even though carrying it deepened their psychic connection. Taylor had hated that, too, but she’d tolerated him because the world would be safer with Michael in it.

  As a human, she’d tolerated him for the same reasons. She’d hated that the Guardians butted in on her investigations and turned the legal system upside down, faking evidence and skipping straight over fair trials by handing out executions, but she also understood that police departments didn’t have the resources to capture or imprison nosferatu and demons. So even though she’d disapproved of their methods, Taylor couldn’t deny that the Guardians fought on the side of the humans, and they were all better off for it—and Michael was the most powerful Guardian, the most dedicated. He’d protected humanity from Lucifer and his demons for millennia. Compared to that, complaining about sharing her headspace for a few years seemed like the petty whine of a spoiled brat, and Taylor couldn’t have tolerated herself if she’d become that. So she’d been determined to soldier through and wait for his escape from the frozen field.

  Then he’d broken his promise and betrayed her trust. It didn’t matter that Michael had been protecting her when he’d done it; after he forced Taylor to abandon a woman who’d desperately needed her help, she refused to tolerate him anymore. Then, as if in answer to her prayer, a halfling demon’s sacrifice had destroyed the frozen field and Michael had been released from his torture. Now his soul only needed to return to his body, and Taylor would be free.

  According to Khavi, an ancient Guardian who understood magic symbols and spells and how to stick someone’s soul back into his dead body,
the process would be as easy as pie.

  Khavi was also crazy and a liar.

  Nothing about this was easy. Lucifer’s torture had shredded Michael’s humanity, ravaging him to the core. Sure, his soul had been released from the frozen field—but he’d emerged in the form of an enormous, fire-spitting dragon.

  A ravenous dragon. He’d chomped his way through a legion of demons surrounding Lucifer’s tower. The Guardians hadn’t been able to catch up to Michael in Hell, but they’d seen the destruction he’d left behind. A city had been flattened, black marble reduced to rubble. Roasted demon corpses littered the red sands, some partially eaten. God knew how many he’d completely devoured.

  Though the Guardians had searched, not one had seen the dragon. Those Guardians who could teleport attempted to use Michael’s psychic scent as an anchor and jump to his location—but they’d only teleported to Taylor’s side. Others had put themselves in danger, flying over demon armies and perilously close to Lucifer’s tower, hoping Michael would come bust their asses for their stupidity. No dice.

  Obviously Michael didn’t want to be found, so he’d have to come to them. And because his mind was still linked to hers, because she could still feel Michael’s dark psyche prowling through her brain like a hungry beast, Taylor was the bait.

  Bait! Fifteen thousand years of combined experience between almost fifty Guardians, and the best plan they had was tossing Taylor into Hell like a worm on a hook.

  “Just walk around,” Khavi had said. “He’ll come to you.”

  Taylor couldn’t imagine how Khavi would know that. The other Guardian had a Gift of foresight and prophecy, but she hadn’t been able to see anything of Michael’s future after he’d been released from the frozen field. But when Taylor had asked how Khavi knew that Michael would come, the other woman had answered, “It’s in his nature.”

  After hearing that, Taylor had barely stopped herself from telling Khavi to fuck off. The seer hadn’t predicted that Michael would turn into a dragon. Obviously, she didn’t know his nature as well as she thought.