Black Night
Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR
BLACK WINGS
BLACK WINGS
“A fun, fast ride through the gritty streets of Chicago,
Black Wings
has it all: a gutsy heroine just coming into her power, badass bad guys, a sexy supernatural love interest and a scrappy gargoyle sidekick. Highly recommended.”
Black Wings
has it all: a gutsy heroine just coming into her power, badass bad guys, a sexy supernatural love interest and a scrappy gargoyle sidekick. Highly recommended.”
—Nancy Holzner, author of
Hellforged
Hellforged
“An entertaining urban fantasy starring an intriguing heroine . . . The soul-eater serial-killer mystery adds to an engaging Chicago joyride as courageous Madeline fears this unknown adversary but goes after the lethal beast.”
—
Midwest Book Review
Midwest Book Review
“Fast action, plenty of demons and a hint of mystery surrounding the afterlife make for an entertaining urban fantasy populated by an assortment of interesting characters.”
—
Monsters and Critics
Monsters and Critics
“Henry shows that she is up to the challenge of debuting in a crowded genre. The extensive background of her imaginative world is well integrated with the action-packed plot, and the satisfying conclusion leaves the reader primed for the next installment.”
—
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
“I love the world-building . . . The take on demons and angels is sufficiently different to separate
Black Wings
from the recent spate of tales in that milieu . . . I do recommend
Black Wings
if just for the unusual world and enjoyable plot and characters.”
Black Wings
from the recent spate of tales in that milieu . . . I do recommend
Black Wings
if just for the unusual world and enjoyable plot and characters.”
—
Errant Dreams
Errant Dreams
“Readers will enjoy a fast-paced adventure with an interesting cast, especially Beezle, the gargoyle, and be ready and waiting for a future still yet unwritten. Pick up your copy of
Black Wings
today, and stay tuned for
Black Night
.”
Black Wings
today, and stay tuned for
Black Night
.”
—
Romance Reviews Today
Romance Reviews Today
“A fast-paced first novel . . .
Black Wings
is a lot of fun.”
Black Wings
is a lot of fun.”
—
Fresh Fiction
Fresh Fiction
“Henry does an excellent job of unveiling the first layers of her unique world and its fascinating inhabitants. There’s plenty of kick-butt action and intriguing twists to ensure that this story grabs you from the very first page. One to watch!”
—
Romantic Times
(4 stars)
Romantic Times
(4 stars)
“The story was a nonstop action blast full of smart-alecky gargoyle guardians, devilishly handsome (and enigmatic) love interests, arrogant demons, wicked witches and more jaw-dropping revelations than a Jerry Springer show. I barely had time to catch my breath between chapters.”
—
All Things Urban Fantasy
All Things Urban Fantasy
“Fast-paced, action-packed and hard-core—breathing new life into the vast genre of urban fantasy . . .
Black Wings
is intense, dark and full of surprises.”
Black Wings
is intense, dark and full of surprises.”
—
Rex Robot Reviews
Rex Robot Reviews
“Amazing . . . Henry’s pacing is incredible and keeps you absorbed; plus the characterization is fantastic . . . I strongly urge all you [urban fantasy] fans to get this book!”
—
Read All Over Reviews
Read All Over Reviews
“I finished this book in one sitting and will definitely look out for more by this author.”
—
Bibliophilic Book Blog
Bibliophilic Book Blog
“A fast-paced book that I had a hard time putting down . . . I can’t wait to read
Black Night
and find out where Gabriel, J.B., Antares and Beezle all stand in Maddy’s world.”
Black Night
and find out where Gabriel, J.B., Antares and Beezle all stand in Maddy’s world.”
—
A Romance Review
A Romance Review
“
Black Wings
was one of the better beginnings to a series that hit every point that it needed to hit. This is a series that I plan to continue and will continue to enjoy if Christina Henry maintains this caliber of writing.”
Black Wings
was one of the better beginnings to a series that hit every point that it needed to hit. This is a series that I plan to continue and will continue to enjoy if Christina Henry maintains this caliber of writing.”
—
Books By Their Cover
Books By Their Cover
“It isn’t often that a first book grabs your attention and refuses to let you go. Christina Henry’s book was that book for me. I loved every minute of this newest paranormal story about one woman’s struggle to figure out her place in the world when everything around her seems to be changing.”
—
Fantasy Romance Writers
Fantasy Romance Writers
“I read
Black Wings
in one day, and I loved spending that time with Madeline (and Beezle). I recommend Christina Henry to readers who enjoy the dark humor of Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series and the demon politics of Stacia Kane’s Megan Chase series.”
Black Wings
in one day, and I loved spending that time with Madeline (and Beezle). I recommend Christina Henry to readers who enjoy the dark humor of Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series and the demon politics of Stacia Kane’s Megan Chase series.”
—
Fantasy Literature
Fantasy Literature
Ace Books by Christina Henry
BLACK WINGS
BLACK NIGHT
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, Auckland 0632, New Zealand
(a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196,
South Africa
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, Auckland 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.
BLACK NIGHT
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Ace mass-market edition / August 2011
Ace mass-market edition / August 2011
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.
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN : 978-1-101-52923-2
ACE
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Please visit http://www.Demonoid.me for more books from our generous members.
Baileyd
For Mom and Dad, with much love
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Much gratitude is due to Danielle Stockley, editor extraordinaire, who not only helped make
Black Night
a better book but patiently answered all my crazy questions. I could not do this without you, Danielle!
Black Night
a better book but patiently answered all my crazy questions. I could not do this without you, Danielle!
Lots of thanks to my publicist, Rosanne Romanello, for her dedication and hard work on behalf of the world of
Black Wings
.
Black Wings
.
Thanks to Kris Keller for his amazing cover art.
A very big thank-you to Nancy Holzner for her generous support and guidance. You rock, Nancy!
A special shout-out to Dimo, Cynthia and the rest of the crew at Einstein’s on Southport, who kept me in bagels and coffee while I wrote this book.
Many thanks to Sarah Kaiser, my “study buddy,” who listened to all my crazy ideas and thought they sounded great even if they made no sense.
Finally, I could not do this without the love and support of my husband, Chris, and son, Henry. I am so grateful for both of you every day.
1
I STOOD IN THE ALLEY BETWEEN DAMEN AND WOLCOTT in the recently trendy neighborhood of Wicker Park. There was a parking lot filled with cars directly across the alley from my position. It was bordered on the other three sides by four-story apartment buildings. Behind the wall that I leaned on, the clubs, bars and restaurants of Division Street did a brisk trade in liquor and lust for the upscale singles who had purchased all the new condos in the area. The cold November night was no deterrent to business. After all, if you lived in Chicago, then you understood that there are only two seasons—winter and construction. If you let a little cold slow you down, then you should probably move somewhere else.
I shifted a little, flexing my toes inside my boots in a vain effort to keep them warm. When I had died and been reborn a month ago, my human heart had been replaced by an angel’s heartstone. As a result, I was usually a little warmer than ordinary human beings, since angels’ hearts are made of the sun. But a half angel’s body is still no match for the Windy City.
My gargoyle, Beezle, poked his head out of the lapel of my wool peacoat. He’s the color of stone, about the size of an overweight guinea pig, and he’s got little wings, the better to flap around my head and annoy me with.
Before we had left the house he had trimmed a childsized scarf for his own use. He had a small strip of rainbowcolored wool wrapped around each horn and a longer piece wound several times around his lower face. The edge of his beak poked through the material. He mumbled something through the cloth and I glared at him.
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