Laurell K. Hamilton

Faerie princess-turned-detective Meredith Gentry desperately tries to outwit a clever killer sent by her rival for the dark throne of an exotic kingdom, an investigation that plunges her into the seedy underworld of Los Angeles and the faux glamour of Hollywood, where an unexpected proposition from the Faerie king puts her life in further danger. By the author of A Kiss of Shadows. Reprint.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Meet Merry Gentry, paranormal P.I., and enter a thrilling, sensual world as dangerous as it is beautiful, full of earthly pleasures and dazzling magic, and ruled by the all-consuming passions of immortal beings once worshipped as gods . . . or demons. "I've never read a writer with a more fertile imagination."--Diana Gabaldon Merry Gentry, princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, working as a private investigator specializing in supernatural crime. But now the queen's assassin has been dispatched to fetch her--whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Merry finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt's plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. The reward: the crown--and the opportunity to continue to live. The penalty for failure: death.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Stroke of Midnight comes " a] sexy, tension-charged dark fantasy mystery" (Locus). "I've never read a writer with a more fertile imagination."--Diana Gabaldon "I am Princess Meredith, heir to a throne--if I can stay alive long enough to claim it." After eluding relentless assassination attempts by Prince Cel, her cousin and rival for the Faerie crown, Meredith Gentry, Los Angeles private eye, has a whole new set of problems. To become queen, she must bear a child before Cel can father one of his own. But havoc lies on the horizon: people are dying in mysterious, frightening ways, and suddenly the very existence of the place known as Faerie is at grave risk. So now, while she enjoys the greatest pleasures of her life attempting to conceive a baby with the warriors of her royal guard, she must fend off an ancient evil that could destroy the very fabric of reality. And that's just her day job. . . .

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "Stunning . . . steamy . . . an exciting and original world."--San Jose Mercury News Meet Merry Gentry, paranormal P.I., and enter a thrilling, sensual world as dangerous as it is beautiful, full of earthly pleasures and dazzling magic, and ruled by the all-consuming passions of immortal beings once worshipped as gods . . . or demons. Merry Gentry, princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, working as a private investigator specializing in supernatural crime. But now the queen's assassin has been dispatched to fetch her--whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Merry finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt's plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. The reward: the crown--and the opportunity to continue to live. The penalty for failure: death. Praise for Laurell K. Hamilton and A Kiss of Shadows "One of the most inventive and exciting writers in the paranormal field."--Charlaine Harris "Sexy . . . Merry's adventures are engaging and keep the reader turning the pages."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch "I've never read a writer with a more fertile imagination."--Diana Gabaldon

I am Meredith Gentry, princess and heir apparent to the throne in the realm of faerie, onetime private investigator in the mortal world. To be crowned queen, I must first continue the royal bloodline and give birth to an heir of my own. If I fail, my aunt, Queen Andais, will be free to do what she most desires: install her twisted son, Cel, as monarch . . . and kill me. My royal guards surround me, and my best loved-my Darkness and my Killing Frost-are always beside me, sworn to protect and make love to me. But still the threat grows greater. For despite all my carnal efforts, I remain childless, while the machinations of my sinister, sadistic Queen and her confederates remain tireless. So my bodyguards and I have slipped back into Los Angeles, hoping to outrun the gathering shadows of court intrigue. But even exile isn't enough to escape the grasp of those with dark designs. Now King Taranis, powerful and vainglorious ruler of faerie's Seelie Court, has leveled accusations against my noble guards of a heinous crime-and has gone so far as to ask the mortal authorities to prosecute. If he succeeds, my men face extradition to faerie and the hideous penalties that await them there. But I know that Taranis's charges are baseless, and I sense that his true target is me. He tried to kill me when I was a child. Now I fear his intentions are far more terrifying.

I've never read a writer with a more fertile imagination' DIANA GABALDONAn Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, novella from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author.FOR FANS OF CHARLAINE HARRIS AND ANNE RICE.My name is Anita Blake. I'm a U. S. Marshal for the Preternatural Branch, and I always have my friend's back. Even when they ask me to risk everything...Rafael, king of the wererats, is facing a challenge to his crown. He wants me, one of his closest allies, to help him take down a dangerous opponent unlike any he's fought before. But some of the wererats fear that Rafael is too dependent on me and my ties to the vampire world. They believe that there is only room in America for one supernatural king, and that Rafael will abandon them as prey for the bloodsuckers.A new challenger has arisen among Rafael's enemies... one who is younger, hungrier and has dark secrets that could destroy both the wererats and the vampires. Now, my friend must go into the magical heart of his people to find the power and violence that he needs to save them all - or die trying.Readers can't get enough of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series:'Anita Blake novels are my addiction''Vampires, zombies and guns, oh my!''I have loved every single book in this amazing series, have fallen in love and lust with many characters and desperately hope that there will be more''I am hooked''I couldn't love Anita and her adventures with the supernatural community any more

Rafael, king of the wererats, must fight to the death to defend his crown. He wants Anita Blake, one of his closest allies, with him as he faces an opponent unlike any he's faced before. He will ask Anita to risk everything to be at his side.... But some of the wererats fear that Rafael depends too much on Anita and her ties to the vampires. They believe that there is only room in America for one supernatural king, and Rafael will turn them into nothing more than food for the bloodsuckers. Among his enemies, a new challenger has arisen who is younger, hungrier, and has dark secrets that could destroy both the wererats and the vampires. Rafael will go into the magical heart of his people to find the power and violence that he needs to save them all, or die trying.

"Enjoying pain with your pleasure is something you either get, or you don't. If you get it, then you don't really need it explained, because you know how good it feels, and if you don't get it then no amount of talking is going to convince you it makes sense." But sometimes you have to explain the unexplainable, especially if the love of your life needs to understand, or she'll leave you. Jason Schuyler is one of Anita Blake's best friends and favorite werewolves, with benefits. J.J. is his lady love, an old flame from childhood who dances at one of the top ballet companies in New York. She's accomplished, beautiful, and she's crazy about him, too. Neither of them wants to be monogamous, so what could go wrong? J.J. is enthusiastically bisexual, with an emphasis on the female side of things. She plans to keep sleeping with women, because Jason can't meet that need, just like she can't meet Jason's need for rough sex and bondage. J.J. doesn't understand why Jason isn't content to go elsewhere for a need she can't fulfil, so Jason asks Anita to help him explain. Anita is having her own relationship growing pains with her only female lover ever, Jade. Jason suggests that J.J. might be able to help Anita with her girl problem, while she helps him with his kinky explanations. With some encouragement from a few other lovers in Anita's life she reluctantly agrees, and J. J. makes plans to fly into town for an experience that none of them will ever forget.

I am Princess Meredith, heir to a throne of faerie. My day job, once upon a time, was as a private detective in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, princess has now become a full-time occupation. My aunt, Queen Andais, will have it no other way. And so I am virtually a prisoner in faerie-trapped here with some of the realm's most beautiful men to serve as my bodyguards . . . and my lovers. For I am compelled to conceive a child: an heir to succeed me on the throne. Yet after months of amazing sex with my consorts, there is still no baby. And no baby means no throne. The only certainty is death at the hands of my cousin Cel, or his followers, if I fail to conceive. Now Mistral, Queen Andais's new captain of the guard, has come to my bed-defying her and risking her terrible wrath in doing so. But even she will hesitate to punish him in jealous rage, because our joining has reawakened old magic, mystical power so ancient that no one stands against it and survives. Not even my strongest and most favored: my Darkness and my Killing Frost. Not even Mistral himself, my Storm Lord. But because Mistral has helped to bring this magic forth, he may live another day. If I can reclaim control of the fey power that once was, there may be hope for me and my reign in faerie. I might yet quell the dark schemes and subterfuges surrounding me. Though shadows of obsession and conspiracy gather, I may survive.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author's short story collection-including an all-new Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter story-now in paperback. From a woman who marries into a family of volatile wizards to a couple fleeing a gang of love-hungry cupids, from a girl who seeks sanctuary in the form of a graceful goose to the disgruntled superhero Captain Housework, readers will revel in the many twists and turns of fortune in these fantastical fairy tales and lush parables. Even hardened vampire hunter and zombie animator Anita Blake gets blindsided by the disturbing motives of her clients in the new "Those Who Seek Forgiveness" and in "The Girl Who Was Infatuated with Death."

Dark, sexy and addictive, this novella features characters from the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series by Laurell K. Hamilton, 'one of the most inventive and exciting writers in the paranormal field '.

I am Meredith, princess of faerie, and at long last, I am with child-twins, fathered by my royal guard. Now I must stay alive to see my children born, as conspirators from every court plot against me and mine. They seek to strip my guards, my lovers, from me by poisoned word or cold steel. But I still have supporters, and even friends, among the goblins and the sluagh who will stand by me. Those who would defy and destroy me are destined to pay a terrible price. To protect what is mine, I will sacrifice anything-even if it means waging a battle against my darkest enemies and making the most momentous decision ever made as princess of faerie.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author's spellbinding debut novel? now available in trade paperback for the first time. Author of the hugely popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Laurell K. Hamilton has brought the supernatural to light?and has given readers a vision of a world aflame with electrifying suspense and violent passions. In this, her debut novel, her rich imagination spreads its wings to fly?in a tale of a woman known as sorcerer, prophet, and enchantress. The mark of a demon can open the door to undreamed-of powers and possibilities?or expose a soul to the darkest and most forbidden forces of sorcery. Now Keleios wears the mark?and the time of avenging her mother's death is at hand.

For the first time in trade paperback: the fifth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Laurell K. Hamilton. When Branson, Missouri, is hit with a death wave 'four unsolved murders' it doesn't take an expert to realize that all is not well. But luckily for the locals, Anita Blake is an expert in the kinds of preternatural goings-on that have everyone spooked. And she's got an 'in' with the creature that can make sense of the slayings-the sexy master vampire known as Jean-Claude.

When Vampire Hunter Anita Blake confronts her ultimate challenge in The Harlequin, terrifying, powerful creatures feared even by the centuries-old vampires, rivals Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City, and Richard, the alpha werewolf, must become allies, while shapeshifters Nathaniel and Micah, and Edward, the man who has always been there for her, must also join in the fight. Reprint.

The time has come for Meredith Gentry to put aside her detective work and fulfill her ultimate obligation to the world of Faerie - where her efforts to conceive an heir to the throne of the Unseelie Court are crucial to restoring magic, and life itself, to the Fey kingdom.

Anita Blake is worried that her careers as a Federal Marshal who raises the dead and as a vampire executioner may be jeopardized when she realizes that she may be pregnant and the father could be a vampire, a werewolf, or someone else entirely. Reprint.