Haunted

by Kelley Armstrong

  Clay's chuckle floated back to us, and he quickened his pace to a fast walk. Jeremy glanced over his shoulder, estimating werewolf hearing distance, then lowered his voice.

  "Paige called while you were out," he said.

  Clay stopped and wheeled. Jeremy grimaced.

  "You tried," I murmered. "Does she want me to call her back?"

  "No, actually she was just relaying a message. Someone's been trying to reach you. Xavier Reese."

  "Reese?" Clay said, striding back now. "The guy from the compound?"

  "That's the only Xavier I know."

  "What the hell does he want?"

  I had my suspicions "Did he leave a number with Paige?"

  "You're not going to call him back, are you?" Clay said. "After what he--"

  "He saved my life."

  "Yeah? Well, if it hadn't been for him, your life wouldn't have needed saving. And I'm sure you didn't need rescuing anyway. You'd have been fine. The only reason he jumped in there to 'save' you was so he could hold a marker over you--" He stopped, jaw setting. "That better not be why he's calling."

  I took the paper from Jeremy's hand. "I'll know in a few minutes."

  "Hey, Elena!" the voice crackled across a weak cellular line. "Remember me?"

  "Uh-huh."

  I settled onto the sofa and pulled my legs up under me. Clay sat on the other end, leaning my way, making no effort to look like he wasn't eavesdropping. I didn't care. If I did, I wouldn't have let him in the room in the first place.

  "Uh-huh?" Xavier said. "That's all I get after three years? We spent a harrowing week together, locked in an underground prison, fighting for survival--"

  "I was fighting for survival. You were drawing a paycheck."

  "Hey now, in my own way, I was just as much of a prisoner as you."

  I snorted. "A prisoner of your own greed."

  "Trapped by my shortcomings. It's tragic really."

  "Know what'd be even more tragic? If you teleported into the middle of a wall and got trapped by your shortcomings there. Does that ever happen?"

  "My momma taught me to always look where I'm going."

  "Damn."

  "Ouch. What did I ever do to you--er, better not answer that."

  I glanced over at Clay, who motioned for me to hang up.

  "What do you want, Xavier? I was just about to head out for ice cream."

  "And that's more important than talking to me? No, wait, don't answer that either. Since you're obviously not going to play nice, I'll cut to the point. You owe me a favor."

  "No, you said I owed you. I never agreed. As I recall, you offered the trade in return for giving me two pieces of advice about the compound, but you hightailed it out of there yourself before telling me the second."

  "It was dogs. They had trained bloodhounds and attack dogs."

  "Really? Oh, right, that's what attacked me and nearly ripped my throat out. Left a nice scar on my shoulder, too. Thanks for the warning."

  "Okay, so you only owe me half a favor. And you could argue that one, too. I'm really only using that as an opener for a fresh deal. The beginning of what I hope will be a long and mutually profitable relationship. I'm a useful guy, Elena. I could really help you out."

  "Uh-huh. So who's chasing you?"

  "No one. Let me finish. Last year I started thinking about this. That I should get in touch with you and renew our acquaintance."

  "Uh-huh. And who was chasing you then?"

  "A Cabal, but that's not the point."

  "I'm not a bodyguard for hire, Xavier."

  "And that isn't what I have in mind. This particular proposal has zero violence potential. It involves another of your...specific skills. In return, I can tell you where you'll find that rogue wolf you've been hunting."

  I glanced over at Clay. "What rogue--?"

  "David Hargrave. Killed three women in Tennessee. Your Pack has been hunting for him for a couple of months now."

  "Who told you--"

  "Contacts, Elena. I'm a regular Rolodex of supernatural contacts. Point is, I know where Hargrave is hiding out. That got me thinking. If I gave you that information, you might be willing to do a little something for me in return."

  "So I do this 'little something' for you, and you give me an address, and I show up to find Hargrave cleared out a week ago..."

  "Uh-uh. If you agree to the deal, I tell you where to find Hargrave right away. Not only that, but I wait until you have him, and then you do the favor for me. Everything's on the up and up with this one. I don't con anyone who can rip out my liver with her bare hands."

  "What's your end, then? What do you want?"

  "It...takes some explaining. Come to Buffalo tomorrow and I'll tell you."

  "Buffalo? Too far. Meet me halfway, in Rochester."

  "Buffalo is halfway. I'm in Toronto. Your hometown, if I remember the compound records. Hey, maybe you can recommend a good sushi--"

  "What are you doing in Toronto?"

  "That's were the, uh, service would take place. Should make it easier for you, right? Operating on familiar ground? Anyway, I'm here setting it up, so I'll meet you halfway, in Buffalo, tomorrow. Got a place all picked out. Nice and public. A daytime meeting. Absolutely nothing for you to worry about...so there's no need to bring the boyfriend."

  "Uh-huh."

  "I like all my limbs where they are."

  I rolled my eyes. Clay mouthed something, but I waved him off and took down the time and address from Xavier.

  Also by Kelley Armstrong

  BITTEN

  STOLEN

  DIME STORE MAGIC

  INDUSTRIAL MAGIC

  Praise for Kelley Armstrong

  Bitten

  "Frisky...Tells a rather sweet love story, and suggests that being a wolf may be more comfortable for a strong, smart young woman than being human."

  --New York Times Book Review

  "Modernizes and humanizes an age-old tale."

  --New York Daily News

  "Graphic and sensual, an exciting page turner...[Does] much the same thing for werewolves that Anne Rice did for vampires in her Interview with the Vampire."

  --Rocky Mountain News

  "Armstrong is up with the big girls of the genre like Laurell K. Hamilton."

  --Kansas City Star

  "For readers who like a twist of the supernatural, Kelley Armstrong's Bitten may just be the right trick and treat...It's enough fun to make you howl for the sequel."

  --New Orleans Times-Picayune

  "Sometimes there's nothing more fun than an excellent debut novel, and Kelley Armstrong's Bitten fits the bill. It's witty, suspenseful, and a well-paced tale. [Armstrong] spins an intricate but comprehensible plot around compelling characters and produces a book that will both thrill and absorb you. Bring on the sequel, we're ready for more."

  --Houston Chronicle

  "It's terrific. The heroine is the most appealing I have come across in ages. It's clever, quirky, hip and funny, skating between genres with style and grace. More please!"

  --Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat

  "[T]his debut novel from a Canadian writer proves that solid storytelling and confident craftsmanship can rejuvenate one of the hoariest of all horror cliches...Armstrong's true achievement is her depiction of werewolf nature in believably human context...the sensuality of Elena's transformations and the viciousness of her kills mesh perfectly with her tough personality...Filled with romance and supernatural intrigue, this book will surely remind readers of Anne Rice's sophisticated refurbishings of the vampire story."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "With a howl, Kelley Armstrong's Bitten plunges headlong into a murderous plot rife with violence, lust and intrigue.... Armstrong has created a breathless, sexy story...gorgeous and grotesque in the best sense of the word. Rumors of a sequel have never been better news."

  --Boulder Weekly

  "Kelley Armstrong's debut novel, Bitten, combines hints of the strong decadent sexuality and cool
-outsider mystique of Interview with the Vampire with the creepy hominess of Stephen King.... Realistic details...complement a convincing portrait of werewolf society and its intricate codes of behavior.... Bitten will satisfy genre fans and those who like their thrills served up with literary savvy."

  --Quill and Quire

  "It's as smooth as cream all the way, sure to gain fans."

  --Kirkus Reviews

  "There's nothing overtly gothic about this fast-paced, sexy thriller and its model contemporary heroine--it's just that she's a werewolf who is trying to make a go of things among humans. When her pack is threatened by a new group of violent psychotic werewolves, she is drawn back into the old ways."

  --Bookseller

  "Brings a new brand of ferocity to horror literature...Bitten is a lightning-paced, violent and completely readable entertainment that entertains loudly and abundantly."

  --Hamilton Spectator

  "Wicked writing gets noticed, and first-time novelist Kelley Armstrong has written a deliciously wicked book.... This is no ordinary werewolf tale, but a werewolf mystery with a huge dollop of romance thrown in."

  --Toronto Star

  "The plot of Bitten has echoes of the best crime thrillers...the story is fast and entertaining. But what makes the novel so gripping is Armstrong's talent for vivid description and her interest in both the sensuality and psychology of werewolf-hood, a fascination that greatly enhances the world she creates while never slowing down the breakneck plot. At every turn, her depiction of physical sensation is precise and compelling.... Surely one of the sexiest, most energetic novels published in a long time...[A] Canadian mother of three who hails from rural southwestern Ontario has created a smart, original thriller, destined to keep people reading on into the night."

  --The Gazette

  "Armstrong has a definate talent for sensual descriptions. The wolf creatures are vividly created in gestures and behaviour, and most of the sexual encounters would knock one's socks off (not to mention other things)."

  --National Post

  "Bitten is hip and postmodern.... Those who enjoy the vampire books of Anne Rice, or Canadian vampire writer Nancy Kilpatrick, will love it."

  --Globe and Mail

  "An impressive debut thriller...Kelley Armstrong is very good on the sheer exhilaration of shape-changing, of running on four feet through forests, suburban greenery and urban back alleys."

  --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.com

  "A very contemporary, funky supernatural thriller with a particularly provocative heroine."

  --Hello

  "A hair-raising story for the she-wolf in us all."

  --Shannon Olson, author of Welcome to my Planet "Entertaining new take on an old thriller story form. Makes Buffy look fluffy."

  --Daily Express

  "A tasty confection of werewolves, sex and vendettas...after the first nibble it's quite hard to stop...Elena and her acid repartee successfully steal the show throughout, she has bags of charm. Gory, sexy fun."

  --SFX

  "A thrilling adventure...who'd want to be human? Great fun."

  --Big Issue

  "Good slick fun; expect the television series soon."

  --Guardian

  Stolen

  "[A] fast paced story."

  --Orlando Sentinel

  "Demonstrates a sharpening of Armstrong's narrative skills."

  --Rocky Mountain News

  "A sure-footed follow-up to Bitten."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "Richly done."

  --Kirkus Reviews

  "In Stolen, Kelley Armstrong delivers a taut, sensual thriller that grips from the first page. Elena Michaels is at once sublime and sympathetic, a modern heroine who shows that real women bite back."

  --Karin Slaughter, New York Times best selling author of Indelible

  "Like Bitten, Stolen paints a perfectly convincing portrait of a woman who quite literally runs with the wolves.... Armstrong has created a persuasive, finely detailed otherworldly cosmology--featuring sorcery, astral projection, spells, telepathy and teleportation--that meshes perfectly with the more humdrum world of interstate highways and cable news bulletins.... More than just a thriller with extra teeth, Stolen is for anyone who has ever longed to leap over an SUV in a single bound, or to rip an evil security force to shreds, or even just to growl convincingly."

  --Quill & Quire

  "The narrative veers between clever, scholarly distinctions among different sorts of magical powers, and a lot of action-movie-style sex and violence.... What's interesting are the twists and turns along the way, boosted by bits of philosophy and arcane knowledge Armstrong adds to her strange brew.... We meet enough truly entertaining creatures along the way to make us wish that this will not be the last romp for Elena and her pack."

  --Toronto Star

  "Armstrong is a clever writer.... [and Stolen] grabs you at the outset."

  --Winnipeg Free Press

  "Stolen is a delicious cocktail of testosterone and wicked humour.... too earnest to attempt parody, [Armstrong's]take on the well-travelled world of supernatural beings is witty and original. She's at her best when examining the all too-human dilemmas of being superhuman...[Stolen] bubbles with the kind of dramatic invention that bodes well for a long and engrossing series.... This can only be good news for the growing Michaels fan club."

  --Globe and Mail

  "Mesmerizing...the 'otherworldly' atmosphere conjured up by Armstrong begins to seem strangely real. Armstrong is a talented and original writer whose inventiveness and sense of the bizarre is arresting."

  --London Free Press

  "Elena Michaels, the only known female werewolf, cavorts on a more fully cultivated supernatural playing field in this sure-footed sequel to Bitten...[Stolen is] a prison-break story spiffed up with magic...Armstrong leavens the narrative with brisk action and intriguing dollops of werewolf culture that suggest a complex and richly imagined anthropologic back story. The sassy, pumped-up Elena makes a perfect hardboiled horror heroine...This novel will please not only horror fans but also mainstream readers who like strong female characters."

  --Publishers Weekly

  Dime Store Magic

  "[A] sexy supernatural romance [whose] special strength lies in its seamless incorporation of the supernatural into the real world. A convincing small-town setting, clever contemporary dialogue, compelling characterizations and a touch of cool humor make the tale's occasional vivid violence palatable and its fantasy elements both gripping and believable."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite writers."

  --Karin Slaughter, author of Indelible

  "From the first page, Dime Store Magic captures the attention and never lets go. Magic, mayhem and romance all combine to create a novel that pleases on every level. The pace is fast, the dialogue witty, and the characters totally unique and enjoyable. From the villains to the good guys, each is fully developed, entertaining and believable...A tale that will have you reading long into the night and keep the adrenaline flowing, Dime Store Magic is the perfect read.... First-rate suspense, action packed, and an all round terrific read, I highly recommend Dime Store Magic and proudly award it RRT's Perfect 10!"

  --Romance Reviews Today

  "There are so few authors out there who can write this well and it makes the perfect read for a few hours of escapism. If you enjoyed the first two books, Dime Store Magic is a refreshing change of direction that looks set to keep the series going for a good few books yet."

  --SFCrow's Nest

  "After only three books, Kelley Armstrong has proven her talent in creating a truly imaginative and trendy realm. If you're into supernatural stories with a fresh twist, Dime Store Magic is just what you're looking for."

  --BookLoons

  "Kelley Armstrong continues to dazzle readers with Dime Store Magic, her latest addition to the 'Women of the Otherworld' series. Plenty of characters populate this novel, new ones and old, and t
here's conflict between and within these powerful magical beings. Armstrong's portrayal of her characters, especially Paige and Savannah and their troubled relationship, is utterly lifelike, passionate and captivating. By setting the story and characters in a current context, Armstrong makes the magical happenings look and feel natural and plausible. Paige's growing dissatisfaction with the increasingly narrow-minded Coven and her struggles to master the grimoires and keep Savannah safe are depicted with sensitivity and an intense depth of feeling. Savannah is a typical teenager with fantastic magical powers, and this combination of immaturity and massive potential proves to be deadly. The book abounds in exciting moments, such as when a necromancer brings the dead to life or when the protagonists are involved in a midnight chase through the graveyard pursued by police and spirits alike. With such crisp, stylish writing and a tautly suspenseful, well-crafted plot, this new installment in the 'Otherworld' series showcases Kelley Armstrong at her best."

  --CurledUp.com

  "Dime Store Magic is the best book in this series that has been excellent since Book I. Light humor makes the dramatic ending stand out in sharp contrast. Most laudable is the fact that each book in this series stands alone and complete, so that you can enter it at any point; and though eager for the next book, readers are not left dangling in mid air."

  --Huntress Reviews

  "A terrific contemporary fantasy that makes sorcery and witchcraft seem genuine...The action-packed storyline is fast-paced and provides strong characterization."

  --Midwest Book Reviews

  Industrial Magic

  "Set in a supernatural but credible underworld of industrial baron sorcerers and psychologically crippled witches...breakneck action is tempered by deep psychological insights, intense sensuality and considerable humor."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "Dark, snappy and consistently entertaining...Armstrong never loses the balance between Paige's sardonic narration, the wonderfully absurd supporting characters and the nicely girlie touches that add a little lightness to the murder and mayhem...Armstrong knows how to keep the reader constantly engaged. There's never anything that could be described as a dull moment or filler and for nearly 600 pages, that's quite an achievement. The series, in general, is developing into something more interesting and less predictable with every installment."

  --SF Crow's Nest