by L. A. Banks
Praise for
L. A. Banks
The Crimson Moon series
BITE THE BULLET
“The second book of Banks’s electrifying werewolf saga [is] part special ops thriller, part supernatural adventure…Utilizing her storytelling flair, Banks imbues her characters with both nobility and kick-ass attitude. It doesn’t get much better than this!”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4½ stars)
“Tension, lots of action, and a current of sensuality…a novel that will provide hours of electric entertainment.”
—Singletitles.com
“Filled with action, this fast-moving read is as powerful as the first, and will keep fans coming back for more.”
—Darque Reviews
BAD BLOOD
“Super-talented Banks launches the complex and darkly thrilling new Crimson Moon series, which bursts with treachery and supernatural chills. The plot intricacies are carefully woven throughout, but Banks piles on the danger, making this one exciting thrill ride!”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4½ stars)
“Banks takes on werewolves and makes them her own…A blast to read.”
—Kelley Armstrong
“Shadowy, sexy, intense.”
—Cheyenne McCray
“An action-packed thrill ride!”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Vampire Huntress Legend™ series
THE CURSED
“A wild amalgam of Christianity, vampire lore, world myth, functional morality, street philosophy, and hot sex…fans couldn’t ask for more.”
—Publishers Weekly
THE WICKED
“A complex world of Good vs. Evil…The story is so compelling, the whole series must be read.”
—Birmingham Times
THE FORSAKEN
“Readers already enthralled with this sizzling series can look forward to major plot payoffs.”
—Publishers Weekly
“In the seventh book in her incredibly successful series…Banks presents interesting myths—both biblical and mythological…with prose that’s difficult to match—and most certainly just as difficult to put down.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4½ stars)
THE DAMNED
“All hell breaks loose—literally—in the complex sixth installment.…stunning.”
—Publishers Weekly
“In [The Damned], relationships are defined, while a dark energy threatens to destroy the entire squad. Banks’s method of bringing Damali and Carlos back together is done with utmost sincerity and integrity. They have a love that can weather any storm, even when dire circumstances seem utterly overwhelming. Fans of this series will love The Damned and, no doubt, will eagerly await the next book.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
FORBIDDEN
“Passion, mythology, war and love that lasts till the grave—and beyond.…fans should relish this new chapter in a promising series.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Superior vampire fiction.”
—Booklist
THE BITTEN
“Seductive…mixing religion with erotic horror dosed with a funky African-American beat, Banks blithely piles on layer after layer of densely detailed plot…will delight established fans. Banks creates smokin’ sex scenes that easily outvamp Laurell K. Hamilton’s.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The stakes have never been higher, and the excitement and tension are palpable in this installment of Banks’s complex, sexy series.”
—Booklist
“Duties, pain, responsibilities—what this duo does in the name of love is amazing.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews
THE HUNTED
“A terrifying roller-coaster ride of a book.”
—Charlaine Harris
“Hip, fresh, and fantastic.”
—Sherrilyn Kenyon, New York Times bestselling author
of Dark Side of the Moon
THE AWAKENING
“An intriguing portrait of vampiric society, reminiscent of Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton.”
—Library Journal
“Again, Banks brilliantly combines spirituality, vampires, and demons (and hip hop music) into a fast-paced tale that is sure to leave fans of her first novel, Minion, panting for more, but nothing seems quite as hot as the steamy, often tense relationship between Damali and Carlos…a newcomer to the vampire genre…[Banks] lends a fresh and contemporary voice.”
—Columbus Dispatch
MINION
“[Minion] literally rocks the reader into the action-packed underworld power struggle between vampire rivals with a little demon juice thrown in. Nothing less than the future state of the universe lies in the balance…Cutting-edge wit and plenty of urban heat flies from the pages of this quick read.”
—Philadelphia Sunday Sun
“[A] tough, sexy new vampire huntress challenges the dominance of Anita Blake and Buffy…Damali is an appealing heroine, the concept is intriguing, and the series promising.”
—Amazon.com
St. Martin’s Paperbacks Titles by
L.A. BANKS
The Crimson Moon Novels
Cursed to Death
Undead on Arrival
Bite the Bullet
Bad Blood
The Vampire Huntress Legend™ Novels
The Thirteenth
The Shadows
The Darkness
The Cursed
The Wicked
The Forsaken
The Damned
The Forbidden
The Bitten
The Hunted
The Awakening
Minion
Anthologies
Stroke of Midnight
Love at First Bite
Cursed To Death
A Crimson Moon Novel
L.A. BANKS
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
CURSED TO DEATH
Copyright © 2009 by Leslie Esdaile Banks.
Excerpt from Never Cry Werewolf copyright © 2009 by Leslie Esdaile Banks.
All rights reserved.
Cover photography © Barry David Marcus
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-0-312-94299-1
Printed in the United States of America
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / October 2009
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PROLOGUE
New Orleans . . . French Quarter
Sir Rodney took a sip of Fae ale, feeling the buzz of the lager hit his bloodstream. The thick malt caused a pleasant hum that finally began to lift his spirits. Under the circumstances, it was good to see Ethan McGregor’s establishment filled with happy patrons. The Fair Lady was a good place for his constituents to see their king out and about enjoying life as though he hadn’t a care in the world . . . as though nothing was amiss.
It was important to keep up appearances even as darkness crept upon them. In the three hundred years he’d ruled, he’d never seen anything as devastating. Fae magick was under attack and not even his top advisors could stop it. Even his most trusted investi
gator had come up empty-handed. But it had to be dealt with and eradicated before the Midsummer Night’s Ball a few evenings hence. It had to be or everything would fall to ruin.
His personal bodyguard, MacDougall, inclined his head closer, pulling him from his thoughts.
“Milord,” the bodyguard murmured in a discreet tone. “The young lady is trying to get your attention.”
“Indeed,” Sir Rodney said quietly as he made eye contact with the gorgeous redhead across the room. Clearly she was performing tonight; her low-cut semi-sheer red costume told him that. He watched her saunter over, her large breasts swaying with each step. Despite her delicate bone structure, her body was lush in all the right places. Red stilettos made her long legs seem to go on forever and a flicker of flame haunted her pretty green eyes. Something settled into place within him. This was what he needed. To lose himself, to completely drown himself in the fire and passion of a lovely Phoenix.
“Desidera,” he said with a gallant smile as he stood when she arrived at his table. Rich, dark hair spilled over his broad shoulders as he leaned forward to kiss her gently at the corner of her mouth.
He frowned and MacDougall gave him a sidelong glance. Something was wrong.
“Sir Rodney,” she said calmly, but he could hear the agitation beneath it, “please sit down or you’ll cause a stir.”
If anyone was causing a stir it was she, but he could see that Desidera was in no mood to tease.
“Desi, what—”
She looked him right in the eye and said, “Foul magick is afoot, is it not?”
Sir Rodney froze and his bodyguard went on full alert. He felt his best man step forward, but Sir Rodney made a slight gesture with his hand telling his guard to stand down.
“What are you talking about?” he said, his face giving nothing away.
“Please, Your Highness,” she said softly and she touched his arm gently. “Sit.” Her eyes held fear; this was no game.
This time he slowly complied, folding his athletic build back into his chair. She slid into the seat opposite him.
Desidera glanced nervously around the crowded room before leaning forward and speaking to him in a private murmur. “Rodney, I must talk to you in secret tonight. It is of the utmost importance.”
“Tell me now,” he said, his voice soft but dangerous.
She shook her head. “Too many eyes and too many ears . . . What I have to say is crucial, but it cannot be done here out in the open.”
His gaze was hard as he stared at her. “Tell me where and when I can meet you, then.”
“At my apartment,” she said.
“No, if it is a matter of such urgency,” Sir Rodney said, “then I will have one of my guards relay a message to Ethan McGregor that I needed to meet with you. It will be a king’s request for his—”
“No, Rodney, please. I have to dance tonight. Everything has to appear as it always has been. But bring a guard with you when you come . . . I don’t know if I’ve been discovered, and if anything happens to you—”
He reached out and took her hand, suddenly seeing how distressed she was. “I’ll meet you at the end of your shift and we will escort you home. You can tell me then.” He squeezed her fingers. “It will be fine.”
Desidera nodded as two large tears rose in her glittering green eyes before she blinked them away. She stood with great flourish, gathering the brightly colored plumes of her dancing costume about her. She leaned down, placing a hand on his shoulder, and brought her lips close to his ear. It looked like an intimate exchange between lovers. “I have hidden it in the wine cellar,” she murmured. “I’ll collect it then will meet you in the dressing room.” She squeezed his shoulder, then leaned back and smiled at him. “And I appreciate the escort.”
Sir Rodney looked up at her, his expression serious. “Desi, you’re in danger. I can take you back to the Sidhe immediately. Know that you have amnesty at the castle. As a matter of fact, tell me why I shouldn’t do it right now?”
She gave him her first true smile. “Relax, Your Highness. I’ll be fine on stage. I already feel better that you’re here.”
“You trust me?”
“Without fail,” she said, then leaned down again and this time kissed him for real. It was a passionate kiss, just like the woman, but over all too quickly.
Sir Rodney licked his lips. He could taste her fear. “Desi—”
“Later,” she said, caressing his cheek. Then she turned with a flourish and walked away.
Sir Rodney watched her go. He clenched his fist on the table before forcing his hand to relax. Only his bodyguard noticed the slight trembling in his fingers.
CHAPTER 1
Sasha stooped down and kept her fingers just above the ashes at her feet. Still warm. The acrid scent of burned Phoenix flesh stung her nose as she surveyed the charred remains.
This was so not how she wanted to return to New Orleans, but she’d do anything to help Sir Rodney the way he’d helped their Wolf Clans. And as tragic as it was, what had happened in Ethan’s wine cellar gave her a cover for the nervous energy she’d been feeling ever since the invitation came. Shogun would also be here for the annual Midsummer Night’s Ball, and her jumpiness wasn’t appreciated by Hunter. It had taken everything within her to hide her excitement, as well as the guilt that went along with it. However, this new situation made all that go away.
Without her having to evade his razor senses, Hunter now assumed her previous nervousness had to do with somehow picking up on what lay at her feet. Which sucked, on a variety of levels.
A twinge of guilt twisted in her side as Sasha looked up at Ethan McGregor. “Who found the body?”
“Sir Rodney and his best man,” Ethan McGregor said quietly.
“We’re going to need to talk to them more thoroughly,” Hunter said in a low rumble. “Where is Sir Rodney?”
“In my office . . . after he witnessed this, we necessarily removed our monarch from this . . . this awful sight. He is up there with his bodyguard.”
Sasha gave Hunter a glance. “Did she say anything about why she was down here? Is there anyone you know of who might have wanted to hurt her?”
The establishment owner shook his head and let out a weary sigh. “I don’t know why she came down here, but I do know that she wouldn’t hurt a fly, and everyone loved Desi. She was well liked by everyone here at The Fair Lady. Everyone. Desi had been working for me for over ten years . . . I’ve never seen anyone who got on so well with others. That was Desi. She and Penelope, my other Phoenix dancer, came to town together and are from the same rookery. They were like sisters. I don’t even know how to begin to tell Penelope.”
Sasha listened as she stared at the body, going over each detail of the intact ash, and then an eerie symbol on the victim’s body drew her attention. Was it a tattoo or some other strange marking on Desidera’s belly that, for some reason, hadn’t burned?
Moving carefully so as not to disturb the ashes, Sasha pulled out a small notepad from her jeans’ back pocket and extracted the small pen that had been wedged in the spiral at the top of it. She sketched the symbol quickly and then placed her hand inches above the symbol, trying to feel any vibrations that might have been coming off of it. But just as suddenly as she’d reached out to cover it, the symbol collapsed in on itself, making her jerk back her palm.
“Where’s Penelope?” Sasha said, glancing up at Ethan.
“Every other night she works at the teahouse. It closed at ten.”
“So she’s probably home in bed,” Sasha said, now glancing at Hunter. She returned her gaze to Ethan. “So nobody called her yet to tell her what happened?”
“No. I wanted to wait until you had a chance to . . .” Ethan motioned to where Desidera’s body lay on the floor and then brought his fist to his mouth for a moment. “I wanted to see if there was anything I could tell Penelope that would make sense of this.”
“You’re sure no one else went by there or spoke to her? They were coworkers,
” Hunter said flatly, crossing his arms over his stone-cut chest. “You said Desidera was well liked, others would know Penelope would be—”
“No. We’re the only ones, save the king and his best man, that know. We didn’t want to start a panic . . . Rumors would fly, and if there is a killer in our midst, we need him to be comfortable, not go into hiding.” Ethan said quickly, “I’ve been sworn by oath before the king not to divulge any of this to a soul . . . as it could hamper the investigation. But eventually it will leak out. I must tell Penelope, as well as the rest of the staff here, and Sir Rodney understands the need for this.”
“All right,” Sasha said. “I understand, but I’d like to talk to Penelope first thing in the morning, if not tonight.”
“Of course,” Ethan said, nodding.
Sasha let out a hard breath and stood, stretching her cramping legs and back. “Then was she dating anyone? Any current or ex-boyfriends?”
“No . . . not really,” Ethan replied carefully. “She hadn’t been dating anyone for some time . . . However, she and Sir Rodney sometimes got together.”
