As it is, we’re in the lead at Bitten by Books poll with 634 votes. Whether we win or not, I’m humbled by the voter turn out. Thank you so much.
Here is the promised prologue.
No matter how carefully I patted the chopped apples in place, the top crust of my apple pie always looked like I tried to bury a dismembered body under it. My pies turned out ugly but they tasted good. This particular pie was rapidly losing the last of its heat.
I surveyed the spread in my kitchen. Venison steaks, marinated in beer, lightly seasoned, sitting in a pan ready to be popped into the oven. I’d saved them for last – they wouldn’t take but ten minutes under the broiler. Homemade rolls, now cold. I had to bake them, because they rose too many times. Corn on the cob, also cold. Baked potatoes, yep, very cold. I’d added some sautéed mushrooms and a salad, just in case what I had wasn’t enough. The butter on the mushrooms was doing its best to congeal into a solid state. At least the salad was supposed to be cold.
I plucked a creased note from the table. Eight weeks ago, Curran, the Beast Lord of Atlanta, the lord and master of over fifteen hundred shapeshifters, and my personal psycho sat in the kitchen of my apartment in Atlanta and wrote out a menu on this piece of paper. I’d lost a bet to him, and according to the terms, I owed him one naked dinner. He’d added a disclaimer to the menu, explaining that he’d settle for bra and panties, since he wasn’t a complete beast, an assertion very open to debate.
He’d set a date, November 15th, which was today. I knew this because I had checked the calendar three times now. I called him that evening and set the place. my house near Savannah, and the time, five p.m. It was eight thirty now.
Food – check. My most flattering set of bra and panties – check. Makeup – check. Curran – blank. I drew my finger along the nacre blade of my saber, feeling the cold metal under my skin. Where was his Majesty, exactly?
Did he get cold feet? Mr. “You’ll sleep with me and say please before and thank you after?”
He chased a flying palace through an enchanted jungle and carved his way through dozens of rakshasa demons to save me. He pretty much told me he loved me. Dinner was a huge deal to shapeshifters. They never took food for granted, but making a dinner to someone you were romantically interested in took a simple meal to a whole new level. It was a pledge to take care of that person. Curran had fed me soup once, when I was half-dead, and the fact that I had eaten it, even without knowing what it meant, amused him to no end.
Something must’ve held him up.
I picked up the phone. Then again, he enjoyed screwing with me. I wouldn’t put it past him to hide out outside in the bushes, watching me squirm. Curran treated women like wonderful toys: he wined them, dined them, took care of their problems, and once they grew completely dependent on him, he became bored. Maybe whatever I perceived to be between us happened only in my head. He realized he won and lost interest. Calling him would only give him an opportunity to gloat.
I hung up the phone and looked at my pie some more.
If you opened a dictionary and looked up control freak, you’d find Curran’s picture. He ruled with steel claws and when he said, “Jump”, there was hell to pay if you didn’t start hopping. Curran and I mixed like oil and water. He infuriated me and I drove him out of his skin. Even if he wasn’t truly interested, he wouldn’t miss a chance to see me serve him dinner in my underwear. His ego was too big. Something happened.
Eight forty four. Curran served as the Pack’s first and last line of defense. Any hint of a significant threat and he’d be out there, roaring and ripping bodies in a half. He could be hurt.
The thought stopped me cold. It would take a bloody army to take Curran down. Of the fifteen hundred spree killers under his command, he was the toughest and most dangerous son of a bitch. If something did happen, it had to be bad. He would’ve called if he was delayed by something minor.
Eight forty nine.
Screw pride. I took the phone, cleared my throat, and dialed the Keep, the Pack’s stronghold on the outskirts of Atlanta. Just keep it professional. Less pathetic this way.
“You’ve reached the Pack. What is it you want?” a female voice said into the phone.
Friendly people, the shapeshifters. “This is Agent Daniels. Can I speak to Curran, please?”
“He isn’t taking calls right now. Do you want to leave a message?”
“Is he in the Keep?”
“Yes, he is.”
A heavy rock materialized in my chest and made it hard to breathe.
“Message?” the female shapeshifter prompted.“Just tell him I called, please. As soon as possible.”
“Is this urgent?”
Fuck it. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
“Hold on.”
Silence reigned. Moments dripped by, slow, stretching thinner and thinner…
“He says he’s too busy to talk to you right now. In the future, if you have any urgent concerns, you can discuss them over with Jim, our security chief. That number is-”
I heard my voice, oddly flat. “I have the number. Thanks.”
“Any time.”
I lowered the phone into the cradle very carefully. A tiny sound popped in my ears and I had the absurd idea that it was my heart forming hairline cracks.
He stood me up.
He stood me up. I cooked a huge meal. I sat by the phone for the last four hours. I put on makeup, my second time in the last year. I bought a box of condoms. Just in case.
I love you, Kate. I’ll always come for you, Kate.
You son of a bitch. Didn’t even have the balls to speak to me.
I surged off the chair. If he was going to dump me after all that shit, I’d force him to do it in person.
It took me less than thirty seconds to get dressed and load my wrist bracers with silver needles. My saber, Slayer, had enough silver in it to hurt even Curran and right now I very much wanted to hurt him. I stalked through the house, looking for my boots in a fury-steeped daze, found them in the bathroom of all places, and sat down on the floor to put them on. I pulled the left boot on, tapped my heel into place, and stopped.
Suppose I did get to the Keep. And then what? First, if he decided he didn’t want to see me, I’d have to cut my way through his people to get to him. No matter how much it hurt, I couldn’t do that. Curran knew me well enough to recognize that and use it against me. A vision of me sitting in the lobby of the Keep for hours popped into my head. Hell no.
If the asshole did condescend to make an appearance, what would I say? How dare you dump me before the relationship even started? I’ve travelled six hours to tell you how much I hate you because you meant that much to me? He’d laugh in my face, and then I’d slice him to ribbons and then he’d break my neck.
I forced myself to grope for reason in the fog of my rage. I worked for the Order of Merciful Aid, which together with Paranormal Activity Divison, or PAD, and Military Supernatural Defense Unit formed the law enforcement defense against the magical hazmat. I wasn’t a knight, but I was a representative of the Order. Worse, I was the only representative of the Order with Friend of the Pack status, meaning when I attempted to muscle my way into Pack-related issues, they didn’t tear me apart right away. Any issues the Pack had with the law usually found their way to me.
The shapeshifters broke into two categories: Free Men of the Code, who maintained strict control over Lyc-V, the virus raging in their bodies, and loups, who surrendered to it. Loups murdered indiscriminately, bouncing from atrocity to atrocity until someone did the world a favor and murdered their cannibalistic asses. The Atlanta PAD viewed each shapeshifter as loup-in-waiting and the Pack responded by ratcheting their paranoia and mistrust of outsiders to new and dizzying heights. Their position with the authorities was precarious at best, saved from open hostility by their record of cooperating with the Order. If Curran and I got into it, our fight wouldn’t be seen as a conflict between two individuals, but as Beast Lord’s assault on an Order’s representative. Nobody would believe that I was dumb enough to start it.
The shapeshifter standing would plummet. I had only a few friends, but most of them grew fur and claws. I’d make their lives hell to soothe my hurt. And I might not even get a chance to do that.
For once in my life, I had to do the responsible thing.
I threw the other boot across the room. It thudded into the wooden panel in the hallway.
For years first my father, then my guardian, Greg, warned me to stay away from human relationships. Friends and lovers only brought you trouble. My existence had a purpose and that purpose and my blood left no room for anything else. I ignored the warnings of two dead men. It was time to suck it up and pay for it.
I’d believed him. He was supposed to be different, to be more. He made me hope for things I didn’t think I’d ever get. When hope broke, it hurt. Mine was a very big, very desperate hope and it hurt like a sonovabitch.
Magic flooded the world in a silent wave. The electric lamps blinked and died a quiet death, giving way to the blue radiance of fey lanterns on my walls. The enchanted air in twisted glass tubes luminesced brighter and brighter, until eerie blue light filled the entire house. They called it post-Shift resonance: magic came in waves, negating the technology, and vanished as abruptly and unpredictably as it appeared. Somewhere gasoline engines failed and guns chocked in mid-bullet. The defensive spells around my house surged up, forming a dome and hammering home the point: I needed protection and I had neglected it.
I forced myself off the floor. I’d lived guarding myself against human interaction before. I’d do it again. I could shut myself off, until it stopped hurting, and when I ran into Beast Lord, as my job frequently required, the only thing he’d get from me would be painfully polite courtesy. I’d rather slit my throat then let him know what his stunt cost me.
I marched into the kitchen, trashed the dinner, and strode out. I had a date with a heavy punching bag and I had no trouble imagining Curran’s face on it.
Thank you Ilona.
My message to Curran (If you are reading this forum in the alternate world of Atlanta): How dare you? I trusted you!!! You’ve better have a really good explanation because once I figure out how to jump into your book. I’ll put peas in all your food. *rant rant rant*
Trust me.
Eek. Devastating. It sounds like Kate took one step forward and two steps back when it comes to opening herself emotionally. BUT – I’m proud of Kate, she has matured since Magic Bites.
Curran has a lot of catching up to do. Is that why Kate is avoiding his phone calls? (re: last snippet)
Of course I trust you. Please can you insert my virtual hand smacking his head in Kate 4? How’s rewrite going? when is it due? x
Oh dammit! I can’t wait until March!
damndamndamndamn
The suspense is going to kill me. I will just be an exploded pile of goo by March.
Great prologue though!
Could it be an agent of Roland is at the Keep or has been at the Keep asking about the woman The Beast Lord rescued and in order to keep Kate safe because he (they) is being watched he has to stand her up. He is also starting to wonder why Roland and company are so interested in Kate and how will this impact his people (in his everylasting mission to keep them safe) Remember he is Beast Lord first and man 2nd. He knows what this is going to do to her and maybe is betting on the fact that she is going to keep her distance from him for a while thus keeping her safe.
Just a thought
Thank you! The prologue is fantastic! If I were Kate, I wouldn’t be heading for a punching bag, I’d be searching for something to kill.
Awesome prologue, both unexpected and completely believable. The fact that Kate opened herself up like that–waiting dinner for him for hours in her UNDERWEAR–and was treated as superfluous and unworthy of a phone call…ouch. i’m certain that Curran had good reasons, but hurt and embarassment like that are not easy to overcome. Can’t wait for the rest of the book–you craft fantastic stories!
I agree with what Ying says
OMG
Thank you for the snippet!
Good you didn’t post this before that poll, or psychopath with a god complex wouldn’t get nowhere near 639 votes. (swear)
*heaves a sigh* I should have -not- read that…now March seems like its a million years away. It was very good though! *tries to wait patiently*
Thank you. snifle snifle
I am going to be a little itsy bit sad all day. Of course Curran will have to make it up to her-
and she’ll give him hell.
Just thinking since we didn’t get any Curran and as a member of your hopelessly devoted fans – can we get another Curran scene?
P – l- e-a-s-e.
I read everything from two perspectives — writer and reader. From a writer’s POV this prologue builds character, increases the tension between the hero/heroine and ends with a nice hook (what’s up with Curran and will Kate filet him the next time they meet?) From a reader’s perspective — it’s out of the ballpark.
Thanks for sharing!
Yes but the book is not out until March of next year. So an an unshamed mature adult I am willing to beg for a scape more – who is with me.
Ok as an adult who can not type “scrap more”
i feel like kicking curran in the b@%%$.
he better make up for this.
Thank you, Ilona!
*feels sufficiently inspired to go do some writing herself*
Wow, this prologue sounds like something out of FMyLife. People share their every day life unfortunate moments and other fail funny stories on the site. This one would be perfect.
Classic!
Well. I swore I was going to avoid these but I caved. CURRAN!! You’re a typical male. You think way to much with the downstairs brain and not enough with your heart OR the upstairs brain which if you hadn’t realized is bigger!
-huffs and grumbles- I feel better now…sort of….just a little. MEN!
How soon til march?
You know, thinking about that bit of phone conversation… it sounded like a veiled hint that she should call Jim. Like, Curran isn’t free to speak, so call Jim, who may be out of earshot of whatever is going on, and can fill Kate in.
Kate should just do what every woman should do when she’s been dumped. Take a vacation (I prefer the beach), start wearing your nicest clothes on a regular basis, immediately start dating other people, stop as much communication as you can with your ex, take all their crap out of your house and give it back to them as fast as possible, and act like being dumped didn’t hurt that much. The opposite of love is indifference. It’ll drive the ex absolutely crazy. I didn’t write this guide, but I agree with it 1000 percent. Karma has a way of kicking people in the rear end, and the best revenge really is living well.
Rave: The Ultimate Guide to Breakups
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/lax/961931977.html
I forgot one more thing that would drive Curran insane. She should get a boy toy and start sleeping together in the same bed with him as much as possible. She doesn’t even have to have sexual relations with the boy toy – pay a really good looking homosexual man and explain the situation. I’d love to see Curran’s reaction when he sneaks into her apartment one night and seeing the two of them in bed together. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that.
I agree with Melissa why would she get directed straight to jim… but then thats a bit of a kick in the face “If you have any urgent concerns”…
Fair enough this isnt an urgent situation… but y the hell woul Curran inciate something to blow it off… unless hes found out about the whole roland situation… but curran doesnt seem like the judgemental type and if he really gave a damn about kate i wouldnt of thought it would of bothered him….. somethings deffinatley goin down…
but from reading previous snippettes before this post it doesnt sound like this is the end of their firey relationship just another massive bump in the winding road….
I really cant wait for the next book
Aaaaaah.
Thank you. The prologue is amazing.
I just can’t wait for the fourth book. Think I’ll read the three others another time, just for fun.
I’m addicted. Ugh.
… MY DINNER ! *cries*
Maybe it’s better that way, though. This is much more fun !
(There might be mistakes, english is my second language, I’m still learning.)
Perfect! Far more interesting than if they would have actually had the dinner at this point. But I still think Curran will try to collect at a later date.
Anybody else hungry after reading about Kate’s dinner? That all sounded really, really good.
Silly Curran. I am very impressed and proud of Kate’s self-control, though I wish she wouldn’t jump straight to the worst case scenario. At least wait until Curran tells her himself. I never got the impression that Curran would shirk anything he thought as a duty.
Thank you! OMG it was awesome, poor Kate, finally opening herself up and this happens. Curran better have a damn good reason ( I am sure he does) and do alot of groveling!
I am not above groveling myself for more!! March is sooooo long to wait, can only read the first 3 over so many times, the poor spines are breaking!
Be kind to all of us addicts!
This breaks my heart… I haz a sad.
Thanks tho, I can’t wait for the rest of the book. Boo to later realease date, your publishers are not funny.
Ok, so my day is already horrible with my gma ending up in the hospital because she smashed her face into cement…and then i come home to read this. The tears i had been holding back all day finally hit the desk when i read this. Why oh why?
What else can go wrong?
Tell the publishers that we are throwing ourselves on their mercy and the only way that we can survive is if they move the release date up, not back!!!! Your publisher could arrange an online poll and we could all voite on the release date??? I think that since The Edge is coming out this Fall that Kate 4 should come out this winter if it is not to be next spring . . .
Thanks for posting that it was amazing, makes me want more and more and more though!
Oh, thank you for sharing! And poor Kate… Curran had better have a damn good reason for standing her up! Though I have no doubt that the “make up” session will be more than worth it! So excited for this book… I certainly hope your publishers don’t push back the release date! March is far enough away as it is… having to wait any longer? Well, honestly I dont’ think that’s a good idea for the sanity of your fans! Once again, thank you for sharing!!!
This is such a great snippet!! Please give more!! I really can’t wait till March and if it’s later I’ll probably go into madness. =(
Maybe Curran will make dinner for Kate instead.
i loved the snippet, but i felt so bad for kate. but you cant leave kate like that and then move back the release date! plz plz dont move the release date later. ealier is always better!!!!!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
that was a horrific scream, with a HUGE smile! that was GREAT!!!! I LOVE KATE!!!!!! I love curran too…he must have a good excuse…he HAS to! I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK! i have already re-read magic strikes 10 times! the next months are gonna be slow!!!!!!!! I NEED IT NOW!!!!!!
Tears are falling in sympathy for poor Kate (must be these pregger hormones of mine). You guys have done it again in one short prologue you all have managed to shock us, make us sad, and leave us desperately yearning for more Kate and that a$$ Curran (whom I still love (sigh)). Please please don’t make us wait until 2010 for the next Kate book. Love the snippets despite the emotional rollercoaster they put us through. thanks.
*flails about helplessly* So great! I’m sure Curran has a good reason for this. *sharpens carving knives* He’d better.
So…the next day when Kate’s at work Curran tries to call her and she tells Maxine to hold all calls from the Beast Lord? I’m trying to piece this together lol
Thanks for the snippet
I hope Kate’s going to give him lots of hell for standing her up – well deserved hell!
As the others have said, wow. It was really amazing. Not what I was expecting, but realistic. I was a little upset at Curran at first, but I really believe that he would never stand Kate up without a super good reason. He loves her, so he must know that what he did would have serious consequences and that is why I believe he has a good reason. He’s going to have a hard time getting Kate to be open to him again, so I wish him luck.
One of the things that I absolutely love about your books is the way you handle romance. Kate is a strong character, and I love that she doesn’t lose her strength over a man. She doesn’t drop to her feet in adoration or worship, she doesn’t lose control and throw herself all over Curran in desperation, and she doesn’t become *dependent* on him either. I think it’s great that she speaks her mind and doesn’t let him overpower her or force her to abandon her principles. I have read a lot of books in the urban fantasy genre where the female lead meets her love interest and 200 pages later she’s entirely devoted and completely in love with him, and a good deal of it is based on how hot her lover is and how fantastic the sex can be. I love that Curran has to actually *work* for Kate instead of showing up on the scene being dazzling and sweeping her away with him.
I can’t wait until the next book comes out! Your books are amazing
I know that Curran has to have an explanation for what he did, but I think Kate needs to make him grovel. Beast Lord or not, he hurt Kate and he should be made to make amends.
That was….that was so good. Kate rocks. And of course Curran has a good excuse. But he owes her so bad now. I’m seeing…a massage. Perhaps a bubble bath. Kate doesn’t get enough TLC. The Beast Lord is just the one to provide some.
Ooooh! You sure know how to torture your characters. I’m really, really looking forward to Magic Mourns.
im quite a easy going person but in kate place even i would be pissed not even a phone call for me theres only one excuse there was no phone but he cant even use that even if someone else told her would have been better then nothing.i hope kate gives that arrogent fool hell make him suffer anyway thank you sooo much ….
Uh…has it occured to anyone that Curran might not have anything to apologize for?
Noone but her and Curran knew about the dinner date. And I seriously doubt that Curran would have mentioned to Jim or anyone else about it. Kate’s rather private and I really can’t see her gossiping to Jim or Derek or even Andrea bout the dinner date. I really don’t see Curran explaining to anyone where he was going. I do see him saying…”I’ll be back tomorrow. Hold down the fort until then” and maybe…maybe telling Jim where to get in touch with him at.
So if Curran was hurt or excessively busy with something really sensitive he might just assume that Kate would understand and from the prologue it sounded like she would have.
And as for the phone call, AGENT Daniels called. Not Kate. And I can think of quite a few reasons why a good or new secretary might not want to pass on or even bother Curran for an AGENT of the Order.
Otherwise…I vote we make the man grovel.
I wonder if Kate likes cake?
Well, we know she likes cookies
And I was also wondering about the ‘agent’
I need to stop reading it… *heart slowly breaking* Oh curran how could you??
Please have a reason! *on knees begging* you love her…
I love your books Iiona… im addicted! Cant wait to read Number 4
The only thing that would keep Curran from trying to jump in Kates pants would be he would have to be in serious trouble…..I cant wait to find out what kind.
Oh boy, Curran has some major making up to do!! I have faith, he must have a really, really good reason for this…right? He has to!! He’d better!!!!!!
I can’t wait to get my hands on this book, thanks for the preview! =)
He’d set a date, November 15th, which was today. I knew this because I had checked the calendar three times now. I called him that evening and set the place. my house near Savannah, and the time, five p.m. It was eight thirty now.
she had called him!!!!! That afternoon….. whats going on? why would he do that?
Oh curran how could you!!! ahhhhhh
I really… really cant wait for the fourth book lol