The Path of Razors
Read The Path of Razors Online
Authors: Chris Marie Green
The Path of Razors
Book Jacket
Book Jacket
Series:
Vampire Babylon [5]
Vampire Babylon [5]
SUMMARY:
Mean girls come in all forms—including undead. London couldn’t be further from L.A., but stuntwoman-turned-vampire hunter Dawn Madison knows that her job hasn’t changed—find the local vampire Underground and wipe it out. She and her team have located the vamps’ lair at a private girls’ school and now they have the undead on the run. But the vicious pack is starting to realize that its greatest threat may be from within its own ranks. Meanwhile, Dawn finds her psychic powers—and urge to hunt—growing. And as unrest rocks the Underground, Dawn begins to fall prey to her own dark desires.
Mean girls come in all forms—including undead. London couldn’t be further from L.A., but stuntwoman-turned-vampire hunter Dawn Madison knows that her job hasn’t changed—find the local vampire Underground and wipe it out. She and her team have located the vamps’ lair at a private girls’ school and now they have the undead on the run. But the vicious pack is starting to realize that its greatest threat may be from within its own ranks. Meanwhile, Dawn finds her psychic powers—and urge to hunt—growing. And as unrest rocks the Underground, Dawn begins to fall prey to her own dark desires.
Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR
MIDNIGHT REIGN
MIDNIGHT REIGN
“A dark, dramatic, and erotic tone ... Fans of Charlaine Harris and Jim Butcher may enjoy.”—
Library Journal
Library Journal
“An exciting, high-tension horror thriller with enough unresolved trust and family issues to make it credible, a hint of romance for spice, and a bit of black humor to lighten up the often dark tone, this is a nicely conceived modern vampire tale that will keep readers guessing.”—
Monsters
and Critics
Monsters
and Critics
“Green writes a complex story featuring well-defined characters and more than enough noir mystery to keep readers enthralled.”
—
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
“An intriguing world that becomes more complex with every turn of the page ... kick-butt action.”—
Huntress Book Reviews
Huntress Book Reviews
“Green has given her fans an inside look at the Underground culture and social class system, from the powerful Elite, bitten by the Master, to the lowly Guards, bitten by the Groupies ... [a] fun urban fantasy mystery.”—
Alternative Worlds
Alternative Worlds
“A fast-moving urban fantasy filled with murder, mystery, and a large dose of the supernatural. The vivid characterization and danger at every turn will keep readers engaged.”—
Darque Reviews
Darque Reviews
“A dark, edgy, and complex series.”—
Romantic Times
Romantic Times
“A dark and thrilling paranormal tale ... a gritty and suspenseful ride.”—
Romance Reviews Today
Romance Reviews Today
PRAISE FOR
NIGHT RISING
NIGHT RISING
“A book to die for! Dark, mysterious, and edged with humor, this book rocks on every level!”
—Gena Showalter, author of
The Vampire’s Bride
The Vampire’s Bride
“If you like your fantasy with an edge, then you’ve struck gold. There is a ring of truth to the biting—no pun intended—allegory. This is a fantastic start to a new series.”—
The Eternal Night
The Eternal Night
“Chris Marie Green does a wonderful job of bringing this gritty, dark novel to life ... I can’t wait to see where [she] takes the rest of the books.”—
The Best Reviews
The Best Reviews
“An exciting, action-packed vampire thriller ... a fantastic tale that ... provides book lovers with plenty of adventure and a touch of romance.”—
Midwest Book Review
Midwest Book Review
“Dawn makes a spunky vampire slayer.”—
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
“An interesting take on the vampire world ... well written and exciting. I look forward to the next book.”
—
The Romance Readers Connection
The Romance Readers Connection
“A killer mystery ... Bring on book two!”
—Kelley Armstrong, author of
Men of the Otherworld
Men of the Otherworld
Ace Books by Chris Marie Green
NIGHT RISING
MIDNIGHT REIGN
BREAK OF DAWN
A DROP OF RED
THE PATH OF RAZORS
MIDNIGHT REIGN
BREAK OF DAWN
A DROP OF RED
THE PATH OF RAZORS
Anthologies
FIRST BLOOD
(with Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, and Meljean Brook)
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada
(a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
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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, North Shore 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 an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.
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.
All rights reserved.
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ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTING HISTORY
Ace trade paperback edition / August 2009
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Green, Chris Marie.
The path of razors / Chris Marie Green.—Ace trade pbk. ed.
p. cm.—(Vampire babylon ; bk. 5)
The path of razors / Chris Marie Green.—Ace trade pbk. ed.
p. cm.—(Vampire babylon ; bk. 5)
eISBN : 978-1-101-10460-6
1. Madison, Dawn (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Vampires—Fiction. 3. Americans—
England—Fiction. 4. London (England)—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3607.R4326P38 2009
813’.6—dc22
England—Fiction. 4. London (England)—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3607.R4326P38 2009
813’.6—dc22
2009015589
To Kaela and both Marias—
thank you, thank you, and thank you! In your own ways,
you’ve each pushed me onward.
thank you, thank you, and thank you! In your own ways,
you’ve each pushed me onward.
Once more, thank you to everyone listed in
A Drop of Red
for the information that shaped the opening of this trilogy and influenced this installment. And again, a nod goes out to “C.S.” because Queenshill remains on what is probably your land.
A Drop of Red
for the information that shaped the opening of this trilogy and influenced this installment. And again, a nod goes out to “C.S.” because Queenshill remains on what is probably your land.
Additional mentions also to Jack Zipes for editing
The Trials & Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood,
and Ginjer Buchanan, Cam eron Dufty, and the wonderful staff at Ace. As always, everyone at the Knight Agency gets my thanks for all their support, as well as Judy Duarte and Sheree Whitefeather for their continued input and encouragement.
The Trials & Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood,
and Ginjer Buchanan, Cam eron Dufty, and the wonderful staff at Ace. As always, everyone at the Knight Agency gets my thanks for all their support, as well as Judy Duarte and Sheree Whitefeather for their continued input and encouragement.
And, like last time, I’ve taken advantage of fictional license regarding some locations and historical details for the benefit of telling this story. All errors are my own.
Enjoy the continuation of the London hunt....
ONE
ONCE UPON A SHADOW
THE
London night was giving way to a hint of morning as the shadow eased open the seventh-story window of the hotel room just enough to slip inside, roll to the carpet, and come to a crouch.
London night was giving way to a hint of morning as the shadow eased open the seventh-story window of the hotel room just enough to slip inside, roll to the carpet, and come to a crouch.
After scanning the area, the shadow flipped up a pair of night-vision goggles and rose to a stand, revealing the streamlined figure of an Underground caretaker who aided in keeping the community of vampires secure.
This was the newest
custode,
just activated a week past, due to the death of a previous keeper.
custode,
just activated a week past, due to the death of a previous keeper.
Body and mind becoming more attuned to the job with each passing hour, the caretaker now blended with the angles of darkness in the modest hotel room while extracting a strange, black, weblike instrument from a belt compartment. Then the custode crept over to the sleeping schoolgirl lying on the bed next to another binge-resting female vampire.
Della,
the keeper thought, attaching the instrument—the tuner—to the young female’s temples.
the keeper thought, attaching the instrument—the tuner—to the young female’s temples.
The caretaker donned the connecting end of the tuner, concentrating, eyes closed for the few moments it would take to transfer the information.
The vision/tales.
A flock of subconscious nightmares.
Minutes later, the
custode
disconnected, tucking both ends of the tuner back into the belt compartment.
custode
disconnected, tucking both ends of the tuner back into the belt compartment.
Yet before departing, the caretaker leaned over to the still-resting Della and whispered into her ear, taking care not to disturb the other three schoolgirls who binge rested in the hotel room, which served as the vampires’ temporary haven.
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