Firewalker Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-one

  Twenty-two

  Twenty-three

  Twenty-four

  Twenty-five

  Twenty-six

  Tweenty-seven

  Twenty-eight

  Teaser chapter

  Praise for the novels of Allyson James

  Stormwalker

  “Boasts a colorful cast of characters, a cool setting, and a twisty mystery.”

  —Emma Holly

  “From start to finish, Stormwalker is an electrifying read—hot, thrilling, tremendous fun—with characters who burn the page with so much chemistry, between themselves and the reader, that you’ll be begging for more after the last word.”

  —Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling author

  “James is on a hot streak as she launches an amazing new series with a book that is sexy and dynamic. This heroine has baggage galore, but also guts to spare. The mix of kick-butt action, fiery passion, and serious drama ensures readers will want to revisit this world ASAP.”

  —Romantic Times (Top Pick)

  “An exciting start to a new series with an electrifying blend of paranormal and real world . . . A fun read!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Addictively compelling . . . I can’t wait to read more about [Janet and Mick] when Firewalker comes out.”

  —All Things Urban Fantasy

  “If you’re looking for a book that packs romance, adventure, passion, and magic, then pick up Stormwalker and ride the lightning.”

  —Dark Wyrm Reads

  “WOW!! That was my primary reaction after turning the last page in this paranormal gem by Allyson James. Stormwalker grabbed me from the first page and took me on one wild and crazy roller-coaster ride.”

  —The Romance Dish

  “Allyson James weaves a wonderful story full of intrigue, mystery, suspense, and romance while at the same time tempting the reader with what might be next for Janet and Mick.”

  —Romance Novel News

  Mortal Seductions

  “This story will hook you from the first word to the last one . . . A very tempting read.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  “Mortal Seductions does an excellent job developing Demitri’s story, and showing the depth of feeling between himself and Val . . . Very interesting love scenes . . . I loved watching Val and Demitri try to work out their issues. Excellent job!”

  —Romance Junkies (five stars)

  “A very modern story with lots of homages to ancient cultures and lots of hot, powerful men. Amazing characters kept me involved from beginning to end. Ms. James brings the heat, adventure, and juicy surprises that readers are demanding. The sex is smokin’ hot . . . both sensual and amusing.”

  —Just Erotic Romance Reviews (five stars)

  Mortal Temptations

  “The balance of intrigue, romance, and unbridled sexual fantasies makes James’s story of gods, demigods, and mortals a sizzling page-turner. This book is the start of a series featuring these delicious partners.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Hot! Hot! Hot! It doesn’t get much hotter than this one . . . If you enjoy stories full of action, both in the bedroom and out, this is one story you will want to read.”

  —The Romance Studio

  The Dragon Master

  “Superb . . . A masterful tale.”

  —Alternative Worlds

  “If you’re looking for a book that’s full of passion, characters who’ll capture your heart, and some truly great storytelling, look no further: The Dragon Master is here. Get your copy today!”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “For a fantastic romantic fantasy suspense with a delightful ethnic twist I recommend The Dragon Master.”

  —ParaNormal Romance

  “Allyson James does an amazing job blending paranormal elements and enough heat to keep the reader turning the pages. I had a hard time putting this story down as the fiery passion that Seth and Carol have will leave you wanting more and more of these dragons! The Dragon Master will make you want your very own dragon to curl up with and keep you warm.”

  —Two Lips Reviews

  “There are two stories going on simultaneously in this book. One is about a dragon master no one knows about and a demon god. The other is the love story between Seth and Carol. Both are good stories but together and intertwined they are fantastic. Readers can enjoy the mysteries of one and the tender love scenes of the other. The action concerning each never slows down.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  “I have loved every one of Allyson James’s stories so far and have to say this one was no different. You are brought into a world just this side of reality, and you really don’t want to leave. My favorite part of these books (aside from the dragons of course) is their entwining story lines and characters . . . I look forward to seeing what else is in store for us from Ms. James.”

  —Fallen Angel Reviews

  The Black Dragon

  “One of my favorite authors. A unique and magical urban paranormal with dragons, witches, and demons. Will keep you enthralled until the very last word!”

  —Cheyenne McCray, New York Times bestselling author

  “A fabulously delicious read.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “Begins with a bang and the action never lets up, not for one single, solitary, wonderful moment. I devoured this book in just a few hours . . . So overwhelming that I couldn’t even consider putting this book down. The story is unusual, wonderfully original, and filled with intriguing characters . . . Dragons, magic, and a fight to save the world—Allyson James has a winning combination that makes The Black Dragon a story to remember!”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  “A book destined to leave a smile on your face and dragons in your dreams. Get your copy today.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “[Allyson James] keeps the sexual tension up to the point of boiling . . . Such an incredible talent.”

  —TwoLips Reviews

  Dragon Heat

  “[A] delightful romantic fantasy . . . A fun tale of life between a mortal and her dragon.”

  —The Best Reviews

  “Ms. James’s imaginative story is exceptionally intriguing . . . Highly sensual.”

  —The Eternal Night

  “This story has a wonderful fairy-tale feel about it. Allyson James does an outstanding job of creating and bringing these mystical creatures to life with characteristics and emotions that you can’t help but fall deeply in love with; even the so-called evil Black Dragon with his cocky, bad-boy qualities will make the reader hum in pleasure and clamor for his story.”

  —TwoLips Reviews

  “A sizzling paranormal romance. Ms. James pens a riveting story that’s brimming with action, sinfully sexy characters, and the beautiful gift of love. A magical and thoroughly enchanting read.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “A sexy, funny romantic romp . . . A truly mesmerizing read. The chemistry between Caleb and Lisa is searing and the love scenes are wonderfully entertaining.”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  Titles by Allyson James

  DRAGON HEAT />
  THE BLACK DRAGON

  THE DRAGON MASTER

  MORTAL TEMPTATIONS

  MORTAL SEDUCTIONS

  STORMWALKER

  FIREWALKER

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  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.)

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  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

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  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 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.

  FIREWALKER

  A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / November 2010

  Copyright © 2010 by Jennifer Ashley.

  Excerpt from Shadowwalker by Allyson James © by Jennifer Ashley.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-44493-1

  BERKLEY® SENSATION

  Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. BERKLEY® SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-44493-1

  http://us.penguingroup.com

  Acknowledgments

  I would like to thank my editor, Kate Seaver, for supporting this series, her assistant, Katherine Pelz, for all her hard work, and the wonderful publicists at Berkley: Kathryn Tumen and Erin Galloway, for their support and behind-the-scenes greatness. Also to my readers, who took a chance on this new direction for Allyson James and encouraged me to continue.

  One

  I knew she was a Changer the minute she walked into my little hotel. Wolf, I thought from her gray white eyes, but her human features were Native American. Her dark skin and black hair made her incongruous eyes all the more terrifying. So did the fact that she was shifting even as she raced across the lobby, grabbed me by the shirt front, and slammed me against the polished reception counter.

  I looked up into the face of a nightmare. Half-changed, her nose and mouth elongated into that of a wolf’s, fangs coated with saliva jutting from bloodred gums.

  I had no defenses. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, no storm to channel to fight her with. The wards in my walls functioned to keep evil beings like skinwalkers and Nightwalkers from entering the hotel, but Changers weren’t inherently evil, just arrogant. But when provoked, they tended to attack first, ask questions of the shredded corpse later.

  I brought up my fist to slam her jaw, but she shook off the punch and hung on to me. I couldn’t scream for Mick, because Mick had vanished into the night three weeks ago, and even the magic mirror didn’t know where he was.

  There was no one was in the hotel but me and my new manager, Cassandra, in her neat turquoise business suit, her blond hair in a sleek bun. The tourists were out or not yet checked in, the saloon closed. It was just us girls: a crazed Changer, a powerless Stormwalker, and a witch who stared across the reception desk in shock.

  “Janet Begay,” the wolf-woman said, her voice clotted with the change.

  “Who wants to know?” I tried to kick her off, but she held on to me, claws poised to tear out my throat.

  On the other side of the desk Cassandra crossed her arms, placed her palms on her shoulders, and started to chant. An inky cloud snaked out of her mouth, shot across the counter, and wrapped around the Changer. The Changer snarled. She shoved away from me and leapt over the counter at Cassandra.

  Cassandra went down with the wolf-woman on top of her, the two grappling in a tangle of raw silk and black leather. I charged behind the counter and grabbed the Changer by the hair, her sleek black braid giving me something to grip. I pulled, but she was damn strong. She had Cassandra’s head in her hands, ready to beat her skull on the Saltillo tile.

  I grabbed a talisman from my pocket, clenched it in my hand, and screamed, “Stop!”

  The Changer halted in mid-slam. Cassandra’s head fell from her slack grip and bumped to the floor.

  I waved the talisman—a bundle of rosemary bound with wire and onyx—in the Changer’s face and said in a hard voice, “Obey.”

  The Changer straightened up, fangs and claws receding, her face becoming human again. Her eyes remained gray, the fury in them electric.

  Cassandra rose beside her in the same rigid compulsion and fixed me with a frustrated stare.

  Oops. But I couldn’t release Cassandra without also releasing the Changer. Mick and I had made this spell for emergencies, such as a horde of skinwalkers attacking. It was a blanket spell that wouldn’t stop the attackers entirely but might at least slow them down until help arrived.

  “In there,” I panted, pointing at my little office behind reception. “Go in. Sit down.”

  The Changer marched inside, still growling softly. Cassandra followed her like a robot.

  The Changer and Cassandra sat next to each other on my new sofa, both women radiating fury. They looked odd together, the sophisticated hotel manager, only a little disheveled in spite of the fight, and the Changer in black leather pants and jacket. Both struggled to break the spell, bodies swaying a little as they willed their muscles to obey. But the talisman held both Mick’s dragon magic and my Stormwalker magic, a potent combination, so they’d have to put up with it.

  “Who are you?” I asked the Changer.

  “Pamela Grant.”

  “Cassandra Bryson.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Cassandra started telling me about whatever job she’d been doing before the Changer attacked, but Pamela said, “I was sent.”

  “Who sent you? To do what?”

  They both started talking at once. I tuned out Cassandra and focused on Pamela. “I have a message for you, Stormwalker.”

  “Is that all? Then why did you attack me?”

  While Cassandra protested that she had no intention of attacking me, Pamela said, “I had to, to pass on the message. Then this Wiccan bitch tried to paralyze me.”

  “What the hell is this message? You couldn’t just tell me?”

  For answer, Pamela pulled out a short-bladed knife. My eyes widened, and I shook the talisman. “Stop! Obey!”

  Cassandra went rigid. Pamela came at me, her eyes fixed, as though she listened to a voice more distant than mine. I realized as she jumped me that she was under another compulsion spell, one strong enough to cancel out mine. That couldn’t be good.

  I fought. Cassandra remained s
eated, eyes fixed in agony. Pamela pinned me to the desk with her strong body and extended my left arm across the top of it.

  “Cassandra, get her off me!” I shouted.

  Cassandra sprang to her feet but fell back as though an invisible hand had shoved her. At the same time I smelled a bite of sulfur, hot wind, fire—the scents of dragon magic.

  I stared at Pamela in shock as she nicked my palm with her knife. She flipped my hand over and squeezed a puddle of my blood onto a pristine piece of Crossroads Hotel note-paper. Dipping my forefinger in the blood, she forced me to write the words, Help me.

  As soon as we’d formed the last “e” in “me,” Pamela went limp, and her eyes rolled back in her head. I lowered her slumped body to the floor, my palm stinging where she’d cut it. As the compulsion spell released her, the Changer woman drew a peaceful breath.

  I straightened up. My veins burned like fire, and my temples started pounding as the compulsion spell latched onto me. I understood now why Pamela hadn’t simply relayed the message verbally or at least reached for something as conventional as a pen. She’d needed to transfer the spell through my blood.

  Help me. The words screamed at me from the paper and brought my own fears boiling to the surface. I’d been worried sick about Mick, even though I’d told myself he’d simply gone off to do whatever dragon thing he needed to do. Mick came and went as he pleased, he always had, although lately he’d been nice about telling me where he was going.

  Pamela’s message meant that Mick was in trouble. Trapped. Ill. Maybe dying. If Mick was begging for my help, he was in deep shit, indeed.