Demon Marked

Table of Contents

 

 

“Brook brings together two broken heroes in the high-stakes sixth Guardian paranormal romance . . . Fiery attraction and steamy love scenes . . . Fans won't be disappointed.”

—
Publishers Weekly

 

“An excellent Guardian thriller that stars two delightful heroes . . . Set aside time to read this wonderful tale in one sitting, because Meljean Brook has her fans hooked from the Bedtime Story summary of the past to the powerful finish.”

—
The Best Reviews

 

“Brook's characters leap from the page. Deacon is the perfect hero, tortured but worthy, and Rosalia is just the woman to save him.”

—
RT Book Reviews
(★★★★★)

 

 

“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

 

 

“An excellent entry in a great series . . . Another winner as the multifaceted Guardian saga continues to expand in complexity while remaining entertaining . . . As complex and beautifully done as always.”

—
Book Binge

 

“Be prepared for more surprises and more revelations . . . Brook continues to deliver surprising characters, relationships, paranormal elements, and plot twists—the only thing that won't surprise you is your
total
inability to put this book down.”

—
Alpha Heroes

 

“Raises the bar on paranormal romance for sheer thrills, drama, and world-building, and hands down cements Brook's place at the top of her field.”

—
Romance Junkies

 

DEMON NIGHT

 

“Meljean is now officially one of my favorite authors. And this book's hero? . . . I just went weak at the knees. And the love scenes—wow, just wow.”

—Nalini Singh

 

“This is the book for paranormal lovers. It is a phenomenal book by an author who knows how to give her readers exactly what they want. What Brook's readers want is a story that is dangerous, sexy, scary, and smart.
Demon Night
delivers all that and more! . . . [It] is 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. You'll fall in love with Charlie, and Ethan will cause your thermometer to blow its top. An excellent plot, wonderful dialogue . . . Don't miss reading it or any of Meljean Brook's other novels in this series.”

—
Fresh Fiction

 

“An intense romance that will leave you breathless . . . I was drawn in from the first page.”

 

DEMON MOON

 

“The fourth book in Meljean Brook's Guardian series turns up the heat without losing any of the danger.”

—
Entertainment Weekly

 

“A read that goes down 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

 

“Fantastically drawn characters . . . and their passion for each other is palpable in each scene they share. It stews beneath the surface and when it finally reaches boiling point . . . OH WOW!”

—
Vampire Romance Books

 

 

“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

 

“Brook has crafted a complex, interesting world that goes far beyond your usual . . . paranormal romance.
Demon Angel
truly soars.”

—Jennifer Estep, author of
Tangled Threads

 

“I can honestly say I haven't read many books lately that have kept me guessing and wondering ‘what's next,' but this is one of them. [Brook has] created a unique and different world . . . Gritty and realistic . . . Incredibly inventive . . . This is a book which makes me think and think about it even days after finishing it.”

—
Dear Author

 

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

—
The Best Reviews

 

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

—
The Romance Reader

 

“A surefire winner. This book will captivate you and leave you yearning for more. Don't miss
Demon Angel
.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

DEMON ANGEL
DEMON MOON
DEMON NIGHT
DEMON BOUND
DEMON FORGED
DEMON BLOOD
DEMON MARKED

 

THE IRON DUKE

 

 

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)

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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.

 

DEMON MARKED

 

A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author

 

PRINTING HISTORY

Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / September 2011

Copyright © 2011 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.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

ISBN : 978-1-101-54379-5

 

BERKLEY SENSATION
^®

Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

BERKLEY SENSATION
^®
is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

 

 

Ash hadn't meant to frighten the girl. She hadn't even noticed the little blonde until after the subway train pulled away. The disembarking crowd quickly dispersed, leaving the underground platform empty but for Ash and a few other waiting passengers. In a blue princess's costume and a plastic tiara, the girl stood next to her mother, clutching a bag of party favors to her small chest. Though her face was turned away and Ash couldn't see the girl's smile, she could
taste
the happiness emanating from her, unsurprisingly sweet.

Had Ash ever felt that much joy as a girl? She couldn't remember. Emotions must have touched her deeply at some point in her life, because she recognized how little they touched her now—as if her ruined memory hid enough data to compare an
After
to a
Before
that she couldn't recall. And though she knew those emotions were missing, Ash didn't feel their loss like a hacked-off limb. Even her sense of emptiness remained on the surface, no different from noticing a bruise on her knee and idly wondering when she'd gotten it.

With the same idle interest, Ash observed the girl, who lifted the side of her hem and twirled around her mother as if circling a ballroom. The tiara's paste jewels flashed beneath the fluorescent lights, and a name leapt into Ash's mind—
Cinderella
—but there was something else, an impression just beyond it, like lightning seen from the corner of her eye, like a word at the tip of her tongue.