Diana Pharaoh Francis - Bitter Night: A Horngate Witches Book

Praise for BITTER NIGHT

This lush urban fantasy populated with witches, angels, Sunspears, and Shadowblades contains all the decadent delight of dark chocolate. One taste, and youll devour this book.

Ann Aguirre, national bestselling author of Blue Diablo

In Bitter Night, Diana Pharaoh Francis has created a dark, unique, and electrifying world in the urban fantasy genre... Max is a Shadowblade warrior to die for.

Faith Hunter, author of Skinwalker

...And for the Novels of Diana Pharaoh Francis

An original world, real people, and high-stakes intrigue and adventure. Great fun!

New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs

Francis grabbed me with her very first sentence and didnt let go.

Lynn Flewelling, author of the Nightrunner series

Diana Pharaoh Francis caught me with a compelling story, intrigued me with the magic ...and swept me away with her masterful feel for the natural world.

Carol Berg, author of Breath and Bone

Well-plotted and exhibiting superior characterization.

Booklist

As tasty as toasted almonds.

Speculative Romance Online Magazine

One of fantasys most promising new voices.

David B. Coe, award-winning author of The Horsemens Gambit

BITTER NIGHT

A HORNGATE WITCHES BOOK

Diana Pharaoh Francis

Pocket Books A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2009 by Diana Pharaoh Francis

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Pocket Books paperback edition November 2009

POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com.

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Designed by Jacquelynne Hudson Cover illustration by Chad Michael Ward

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 978-1-4165-9814-5ISBN 978-1-4165-9819-0 (ebook)

To Tony, Q-ball and Syd.

Acknowledgments

AS USUAL, I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK FOR HELP-ing me create Bitter Night. So many, in fact, that I may have inadvertently forgotten someone. If so, I apologize and please know it was not intentional.

To start with, I want to thank Lucienne Diver and Jennifer Heddle for believing in this book and giving me the chance to tell this story. Without them, you wouldnt be reading this book right now.

Next, I want to thank those of you who helped me in my research. First off, thank you, Traci Castleberry. She kindly went and took pictures of locations in San Diego and also gave me a great deal of information about the place. Thanks also to Maryelizabeth Hart, Anne Ugaretechea and Jessica DeMilo. Thanks also to Fighter Guy for his usual amazing help with fighting and guns.

Next, I have to thank those of you who read this book in draft and gave me brilliant feedback to improve it: Missy Sawmiller, Megan Schaffer, Christy Keyes and Kenna. But most of all Ilona Andrews, whose feedback gave me the tools to dig much deeper into my characters and make this book so much better.

I want to thank also those people who read my blog and answer my desperate calls for information. You have been invaluable, and not only for information, but also for encouragement and support. Writing is a lonely business and you have made it far less so.

As always, my family has been incredibly giving and supportive and amazingly patient with me and I thank them with all my heart.

Finally, thank you, my readers. Thank you to all who picked up this book and gave it a chance. I really hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear from you. Please visit my website and leave a comment on the blog or send me an email: www.dianapfrancis.com.

BITTER NIGHT

MAXS PHONE RANG. IT WAS SET TO A HIGH-pitched tone that most humans couldnt hear. But being human hadnt been Maxs problem since 1979. She eyed the cell, then reluctantly picked it up out of the console. The caller ID said it was Giselle. Instantly Maxs body seized tight. All the Zen detachment shed scraped together on the long drive from the covenstead in Montana shattered apart as craptastic reality returned in a shitflood.

She drew a deep breath. Her lungs felt like rocks. She exhaled slowly before flipping open her phone. Yeah?

Where are you?

Max grimaced. Just the sound of the witchs voice ignited familiar hate in her gut. It was like a bottomless volcano. She swallowed the heat down, tasting its bitterness with determined satisfaction. She banked it like a campfire. It belonged to herthe only thing that did, and the witch-bitch could never take it away. Coming into Barstow. Why?

I want you to go check out a nasty little murder near Julian. It tastes of both the Uncanny and the Divine.

Dont you think thats a little stupid? You cant just go fucking around in another witchs territory. It could mean war if I get caught. Are you ready for that?

Giselle didnt hesitate. Its a risk I have to take. The vision was

She broke off and Max wondered what it was shed stopped herself from saying.

It was too powerful to ignore, Giselle continued. I have to know whats going on there. Just look around and get out. She gave a pained sigh. And, Max, I shouldnt have to tell you this, but do not accidentally on purpose let anyone see you.

Why would I do that? Max replied all too innocently. I couldnt anyhow. You tied me up in compulsion spells. They would never let me do anything you didnt want me to do, right? Except there were ways around the spells. And Max had made herself an expert at them. Besides, you know how I feel about you. Your wish is my fondest command.

Silence. Then I wish you wouldnt be such a pain in my ass all the time. Stop trying to sabotage everything I do. This is important, Max. Dont screw it up.

The tense uneasiness in Giselles voice triggered a cascade of alarms inside Max. It was like a switch was flipped inside her as her compulsion spells took over. Her anger cooled instantly and every one of her magically heightened senses strained to hard alertness. She sat up in her seat. If one thing was true about Giselle, it was that the witch-bitch didnt get nervous. As far as Max knew, she didnt have the gene. Just what had been in that vision? What sort of apocalypse was going down in Julian?

There wasnt any point in asking. Giselle would already have told her if she was going to say anything. Anything else I need to know? Max asked, turning businesslike as she allowed the predator inside her to take over. Cold detachment slid over her like armor, and her mind focused into sharp, clear lines. It wasnt that she couldnt feel. She just didnt want her emotions to interfere with what she might have to do. She gave a slight shake of her head. No, it was that her spells wouldnt allow her feelings to get in the way, which only made doing what she had to do that much worse. Better to become ice and deal with the thaw later. Much later.