Gena Showalter - Heart of Darkness: The Darkest Angel; Love Me to Death; Lady of the Nile  

Three New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling masters of their craft in one terrific volume!

Praise for
GENA SHOWALTER

Dark and tormented doesnt begin to describe these cursed Lords of the Underworld. This is darkly satisfying and passionately thrilling stuff.

RT Book Reviews , 4 stars, on The Darkest Knight

Talk about one dark readIf there is one book you must read this year, pick up The Darkest Kiss a Gena Showalter book is the best of the best.

Romance Junkies

A fascinating premise, a sexy hero and nonstop action, The Darkest Night is Showalter at her finest.

New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning

Praise for
MAGGIE SHAYNE

Maggie Shayne is better than chocolate. She satisfies every wicked craving.

New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Forster

Suspense, mystery, danger and passionno one does them better than Maggie Shayne.

Romance Reviews Today on Darker Than Midnight

Maggie Shayne delivers romance with sweeping intensity and bewitching passion.

New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz

Praise for
SUSAN KRINARD

Susan Krinard was born to write romance.

New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick

A master of atmosphere and description.

Library Journal

With riveting dialogue and passionate characters, Ms. Krinard exemplifies her exceptional knack for creating an extraordinary story of love, strength, courage and compassion.

RT Book Reviews on Secret of the Wolf

GENA SHOWALTER

MAGGIE SHAYNE

SUSAN KRINARD

HEART OF DARKNESS

CONTENTS

THE DARKEST ANGEL

Gena Showalter

CHAPTER ONE

FROM HIGH IN THE HEAVENS, Lysander spotted his prey. At last. Finally, I will end this . His jaw clenched and his skin pulled tight. With tension. With relief. Determined, he jumped from the cloud he stood upon, falling quicklywind whipping through his hair

When he neared ground, he allowed his wings, long and feathered and golden, to unfold from his back and catch in the current, slowing his progress.

He was a soldier for the One True Deity. One of the Elite Seven, created before time itself. With as many millennia as hed lived, hed come to learn that each of the Elite Seven had one temptation. One potential downfall. Like Eve with her apple. When they found thisthing, this abomination, they happily destroyed it before it could destroy them.

Lysander had finally found his.

Bianka Skyhawk.

She was the daughter of a Harpy and a phoenix shape-shifter. She was a thief, a liar and a killer who found joy in the vilest of tasks. Worse, the blood of Luciferhis greatest enemy and the sire of most demon hordesflowed through her veins. Which meant Bianka was his enemy.

He lived to destroy his enemies.

However, he could only act against them when they broke a heavenly law. For demons, that involved escaping their fiery prison to walk the earth. For Bianka, who had never been condemned to hell, that would have to involve something else. What, he didnt know. All he knew was that hed never experienced what mortals referred to as desire.

Until Bianka.

And he didnt like it.

Hed seen her for the first time several weeks ago, long black hair flowing down her back, amber eyes bright and lips bloodred. Watching her, unable to turn away, a single question had drifted through his mind: Was her pearl-like skin as soft as it appeared?

Forget desire. Hed never wondered such a thing about anyone before. Hed never cared. But the question was becoming an obsession, discovering the truth a need. And it had to end. Now. This day.

He landed just in front of her, but she couldnt see him. No one could. He existed on another plane, invisible to mortal and immortal alike. He could scream, and she would not hear him. He could walk through her, and she would not feel him. For that matter, she would not smell or sense him in any way.

Until it was too late.

He could have formed a fiery sword from air and cleaved her head from her body, but didnt. As hed already realized and accepted, he could not kill her. Yet. But he could not allow her to roam unfettered, tempting him, a plague to his good sense, either. Which meant he would have to settle for imprisoning her in his home in the sky.

That didnt have to be a terrible ordeal for him, however. He could use their time together to show her the right way to live. And the right way was, of course, his way. Whats more, if she did not conform, if she did finally commit that unpardonable sin, he would be there, at last able to rid himself of her influence.

Do it. Take her .

He reached out. But just before he could wrap his arms around her and fly her away, he realized she was no longer alone. He scowled, his arms falling to his sides. He did not want a witness to his deeds.

Best day ever, Bianka shouted skyward, splaying her arms and twirling. Two champagne bottles were clutched in her hands and those bottles flew from her grip, slamming into the ice-mountains of Alaska surrounding her. She stopped, swayed, laughed. Oopsie.

His scowl deepened. A perfect opportunity lost, he realized. Clearly, she was intoxicated. She wouldnt have fought him. Would have assumed he was a hallucination or that they were playing a game. Having watched her these past few weeks, he knew how much she liked to play games.

Waster, her sister, the intruder, grumbled. Though they were twins, Bianka and Kaia looked nothing alike. Kaia had red hair and gray eyes flecked with gold. She was shorter than Bianka, her beauty more delicate. I had to stalk a collector for daysdays!to steal that. Seriously. You just busted Dom Prignon White Gold Jeroboam.

Ill make it up to you. Mist wafted from Biankas mouth. They sell Boones Farm in town.

There was a pause, a sigh. Thats only acceptable if you also steal me some cheese tots. I used to highjack them from Sabin every day, and now that weve left Budapest, Im in withdrawal.

Lysander tried to pay attention to the conversation, he really did. But being this close to Bianka was, as always, ruining his concentration. Only her skin was similar to her sisters, reflecting all the colors of a newly sprung rainbow. So why didnt he wonder if Kaias skin was as soft as it appeared?

Because she is not your temptation. You know this.

There, atop a peak of Devils Thumb, he watched as Bianka plopped to her bottom. Frigid mist continued to waft around her, making her look as if she were part of a dream. Or an angels nightmare.

But you know, Kaia added, stealing Boones Farm in town doesnt help me now. Im only partially buzzed and was hoping to be totally and completely smashed by the time the sun set.

You should be thanking me, then. You got smashed last night. And the night before. And the night before that.

Kaia shrugged. So?

So, your life is in a rut. You steal liquor, climb a mountain while drinking and dive off when drunk.

Well, then yours is in a rut, too, since youve been with me each of those nights. The redhead frowned. Still. Maybe youre right. Maybe we need a change. She gazed around the majestic summit. So what new and exciting thing do you want to do now?

Complain. Can you believe Gwennie is getting married? Bianka asked. And to Sabin, keeper of the demon of Doubt, of all people. Or demons. Whatever.

Gwennie. Gwendolyn. Their youngest sister.

I know. Its weird. A still-frowning Kaia eased down beside her. Would you rather be a bridesmaid or be hit by a bus?

The bus. No question. That, Id recover from.

Agreed.

Bianka did not like weddings? Odd. Most females craved them. Still. No need for the bus , Lysander wanted to tell her. You will not be attending your sisters wedding .