The Devil's Playground
Book 5, coming March 23, 2010
Morgan Kingsley, a kick-ass exorcist, can deal with Lugh, the super-sexy demon living inside her, but does he have to moan softly during her intimate moments with her mortal lover? Understandably, Brian is reluctant to share the pleasures of Morgan's flesh with a gorgeous rogue from the Demon Realm.
But personal matters will have to wait when the opportunistic owner of The Seven Deadlies demon club in Philadelphia enlists Morgan's help in heading off a crisis: It seems that demons have started showing up at the hot spot in alarming numbers and in the unwilling bodies of rough trade club-goers. Morgan is sure that Dougal, Lugh's sworn enemy, is behind this, but why? To find out Morgan must summon every ounce of power at her command—or risk becoming just another casualty in an all-out demon war.
For a kick-ass exorcist, it’s all about staying alive . . .
Morgan Kingsley, America’s most successful exorcist, is paying the price for an exorcism gone wrong. The victim’s family is suing the daylights out of her, the Exorcism Board has suspended her, and now she’s living on a diet of ramen noodles and bad coffee. But Morgan has a few good men at her side. One is her current boyfriend, nice-guy legal-eagle Brian, who’s starting to reveal his inner bad boy. The other is Philly cop Adam White, who’s trying to help Morgan find out who sent her a little present—a severed human hand—and why someone seems determined to destroy her.
As her stalker turns more violent, leaving dead bodies in his wake, Morgan turns to the dark side of her life: a group of demons seeped in secrets, sinful eroticism, and otherworldly family feuds, including one sexy beast who shares Morgan’s body—and some X-rated fantasies. Soon Morgan must choose between her friends, her enemies, and her libido: to escape a mad demon determined to destroy her completely.
Trust or die, That's the choice Morgan Kingsley, exorcist, is given by the gorgeous rogue demon who's gotten inside her. The truth is, Morgan has dozens of reasons not to trust anyone, from the violence that torched her house and killed her father to a love-life that's left her questioning her relationship with her erstwhile boyfriend, Brian. But Lugh, a King among demons, won't take no for an answer. He's prying into her body, mind, and even her sex life. And he's just pulled Morgan into a power struggle that could have devastating consequences for both the human and demon worlds.
But Morgan still has a job to do: Investigate the highly bizarre possession of the son of a wealthy Philadelphia couple. That hunt leads Morgan into a realm of sexual depravity, then a terrifying kidnapping. Now, a woman who makes her living prying demons from their hosts finds her day job colliding with the night: a darkness that is attracting demons of the damnedest sort, including the one who's about to demand his ultimate due.
Some people worship them. Some people fear them. And some people—like Morgan Kingsley—go up against them toe-to-toe, flesh-to-flesh, and power against power. An exorcist by trade, Morgan is one of the few humans with an aura stronger than her possessor, even though her demon can tease her body senseless. She's also a woman who has just discovered a shocking truth: everything she once believed about her past, her identity, may have been a lie…
With a family secret exploding around her and with a full-scale demon war igniting, Morgan is a key player in an unsettled world. Then a rogue, sociopathic demon enters her life with a bang. His name is The Hunter. And since she is the prey, Morgan has only one choice: to hunt The Hunter down—no matter what heartbreaking truths she uncovers on the way…
Hear a dramatized reading from The Devil You Know. (Think of it like an old-fashioned radio show). Click on the arrow below to hear the scene. (Don't be fooled by the link to YouTube. This isn't really a video--it's just an audio file with the cover image in the background.)
"A winning heroine, a well-crafted contemporary world where demonic possession is just a part of life, and a nice balance of mystery, action, and sex. . . . An urban fantasy series kickoff full of promise." —Publishers Weekly
“An exorcist with an attitude, Morgan Kingsley is sure to win Black a legion of fans.” — Kelley Armstrong, author of No Humans Involved
“A sassy heroine who's not afraid to do what it takes to get the job done or to save a loved one’s life. Add to that a sexy hero, great secondary characters and a storyline that keeps you reading, and this one is definitely a keeper.”
— Keri Arthur, New York Times bestselling author of Tempting Evil
POSSESSION. MURDER. MAYHEM.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN….
Exorcism isn’t a job, it’s a calling—and a curse. Just ask Morgan Kingsley, a woman who has a stronger aura than any demon. Or so she thought. Now, in a pair of black leather pants and a kick-ass tattoo, Morgan is heading back to Philadelphia after a nasty little exorcism—and her life is about to be turned upside down…by the demon that’s gotten inside her.
Not just any demon. Six feet five inches of dark, delicious temptation, this one is to die for—that is, if he doesn’t get Morgan killed first. Because while some humans vilify demons and others idolize them, Morgan’s demon is leading a war of succession no human has ever imagined. For a woman trying to live a life, and hold on to the almost-perfect man, being possessed by a gorgeous rebel demon will mean a wild ride of uninhibited thrills, shocking surprises, and pure, unadulterated terror…
Unlike the Guardians of the Night, Drake feeds on human blood, choosing victims who deserve to die. He also works with the Guardians to protect humans from other Killers.When Gabriel, the leader of the Baltimore Guardians, mysteriously disappears, Drake finds himself in charge of a small band of inexperienced fledgling vampires. But then a delegation of European Killers arrives in Baltimore hunting for Gabriel, and Drake must call on all the savagery of his sordid past to keep the Guardians in line—and to protect them from the delegation.
Forced to confront a past he has tried so hard to outrun, Drake risks losing his humanity once and for all. His only hope is Faith, the French Seigneur’s concubine, who desperately needs his help to rescue her human sister from the Seigneur’s clutches. Will Drake be saved by love, or will he lose everything and become a Killer without a conscience?
"Dark, magical and deliciously brooding, just how I like them!"
Gena Showalter, author of The Nymph King
"Black hits a note-perfect combination of romance, vengeance and passion. Her best book to date!" Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine, 4 1/2 star Top Pick
The baddest of the bad boys . . .
Gabriel is a five-hundred-year-old vampire with the soul of a Killer. He has defeated his mother in a battle for the territory of Baltimore, and vowed to take vengeance upon his father, the Master of Philadelphia, for a centuries-old betrayal.
Jezebel, Gabriel's new fledgling, is a soul as scarred as his own, yet Gabriel finds that the ice around his heart slowly melts when she is near. But one of Gabriel's ancient enemies has targeted her--and if Gabriel wants to save her, he will have to abandon his plans for revenge and join forces with his father.
The question is not whether or not Gabriel can redeem himself from his past, but whether he can ever forgive himself.
"Paranormal romance at its finest!Black writes the kind of hero I want to date!" Gena Showalter, author of The Nymph King
Vampires
They hunt in every major city, hidden by the crowds, shielded by disbelief. They are Killers, and their prey is human.
Not all vampires are Killers. The Guardians of the Night sacrifice the superior physical and psychic strength that comes with feeding on humans to protect them. But the Guardians walk a thin line, for even a single kill could leave them helplessly addicted to murder.
Jules Gerard has vowed that he will never become a Killer. But when he discovers that the man who turned him into a vampire is dead and kicking in Baltimore, the allure of extra power is tempting.
Standing in his way is a human, spitfire Hannah Moore, who has followed him to Baltimore to help him confront his past. Hannah doesn't seem to realize how dangerous vampires can be--and despite his façade of disdain, Jules has a real soft spot for the petite P.I.
Jules is going to have to choose: vengeance or love? Damnation or redemption?
Vampires. They hunt in every major city, hidden by
the crowds, shielded by disbelief. They are Killers, and their
prey is human.
Not all vampires are Killers. The Guardians of the Night sacrifice
the superior physical and psychic strength that comes with
feeding on humans to protect them. But the Guardians walk a
thin line, for even a single kill could leave them helplessly
addicted to murder.
When detective-turned-P.I. Carolyn Mathers was left at the
altar, she never once thought her fiancé had been turned
into a vampire. Two years later, Gray reappears, bringing murder,
mystery, and an unbelievable tale of Guardians, blood-thirsty
Killers, and his own transformation with him.
And he's been accused of murder.
A first-rate P.I., Carolyn is determined to help. Gray won't
allow what he is now to taint her--but Carolyn vows never to
let him go again.
But will helping Gray mean becoming a creature of the night?
This was my first book, in my earlier incarnation as
Jennifer Barlow. It's not a romance, although the romantic relationship
between the hero and heroine is pivotal to the plot. According to
Midwest Book Review, "No reader will want to miss this unusual
and compelling novel." It's available from all the usual places,
but if you order from the publisher, Aardwolf
Press, you can request a signed copy.
What if you could control your dreams?
What if your dreams controlled you?
Zac has always thought himself master of the Other
Place, the fantasy world he visits in his dreams. But when Zac falls
in love with Cecile and decides to forsake his fantasies, he angers
the power behind the Other Place: someone--or something--that won't
let him leave.
Trapped in an unearthly dream, Zac must confront horrors
spawned deep within his mind. At risk is his own life, and also Cecile's--for
the bridge between reality and fantasy goes both ways.
Hamlet
Dreams 