Christina Henry - Black Howl

“We can only do as much as we can,” I said. “We saved the cubs. We saved the people in the warehouse. We can’t save everyone.”

“But we should be able to,” he said, brooding.

I knew he was thinking of Gabriel, but I wasn’t ready to talk about that. Part of me resented J.B. for not warning me, for not helping me avert Gabriel’s death. I didn’t want that tiny part to fester and grow. I knew why J.B. had made his choices.

I went home. I slept a lot more than I normally did for the next few days. I didn’t miss a soul pickup. I watched movies with Beezle and Samiel when they wanted to try to cheer me up, and sometimes I even allowed myself to be cheered for a moment.

I cried when I thought they couldn’t see. I wouldn’t take the two coffee mugs out of the dish rack. At night I slept in Gabriel’s shirt so that it felt like I was sleeping in his embrace again.

On the fifth day after Azazel had killed my first and only love, Lucifer rang my doorbell.

I knew it was him at the bottom of the stairs. I can feel his presence, the call of blood to blood. Funny how I’d never felt that way about Azazel.

I threw a sweater over my shirt and went down to answer the door. Lucifer stood on the porch, looking solemn. I’d never invited him inside.

I opened the outside door and leaned in the jamb. “Back from Aruba, are you?”

“Will you come out and speak with me?” he said.

“Sorry—all my coats were destroyed suppressing the rebellion,” I said, anger rising up at the sight of him standing there. All this could be laid at his door, every bit of it.

Lucifer sighed impatiently and snapped his fingers. A black wool overcoat appeared, much like the one that Gabriel used to wear except that it was smaller and cut for a woman. It was also a lot more expensive than anything I could have afforded for myself.

“Will you come out, please? I would speak with you about Gabriel.”

I stepped out of the doorway and took the coat. “What do you want to say?”

“I am sorry,” he said. “I am sorry that you lost Gabriel. I am sorry that I was not there to assist you.”

“I find that very hard to believe,” I said coldly. “The best chance you had of finding out who was plotting against you was to disappear.”

“Yes,” he admitted.

“So you did take yourself out on purpose. I thought as much,” I said. “Can you see the future?”

Lucifer looked as though he wasn’t certain whether he should answer that question.

“Can you?” I persisted.

“I cannot see the future the way you may imagine. I can see…possibilities. Implications.”

“So you knew there was a possibility that Gabriel would die,” I said. “But you never thought it necessary to mention it to me. Why? Why did you give him to me only to take him away?”

Lucifer put his arm around me. It felt like the comforting of a parent, a parent I’d always wanted—a father. The air filled with the scent of cinnamon. It reminded me so strongly of Gabriel that the tears that always hovered beneath the surface spilled over.

Lucifer said nothing, only held me as I wept. After a long while, it felt like there were no more tears to be cried. I lifted my head and saw Lucifer watching me with great compassion in his eyes.

“If there is one human emotion I truly comprehend, it is grief,” Lucifer said. “I lost Evangeline and my children so long ago, and I never stopped grieving for them.”

“So it doesn’t stop hurting, then,” I said dully.

“The pain becomes, perhaps, not quite so sharp. In the future, you may find that days may pass when you do not think of him at all, but when you do there will be a tenderness there, like a bruise that has never healed.”

I didn’t need Lucifer to tell me that. A piece of me had been taken forever when Gabriel died. You can’t replace the missing parts of your heart.

Lucifer released me. I felt lost again, empty, except for the flame that burned bright with anger at the thought of Azazel. He would not be able to run far enough.

“Still, all is not lost. Gabriel lives on inside you,” Lucifer said.

“Yes, I’ve heard all the clichés.” I sighed. Beezle and Samiel had been repeating them ad nauseam.

“No, I mean Gabriel really does live on inside you,” Lucifer said. “Here.”

He put his hand on my abdomen, and I looked up in shock.

Far below, deep inside, I felt it.

The beating of tiny wings.

“A fun, fast ride through the gritty streets of Chicago, Black Wings has it all: a gutsy heroine just coming into her power, badass bad guys, a sexy supernatural love interest and a scrappy gargoyle sidekick. Highly recommended.”

—Nancy Holzner, author of Bloodstone

“An entertaining urban fantasy starring an intriguing heroine…The soul-eater serial-killer mystery adds to an engaging Chicago joyride as courageous Madeline fears this unknown adversary but goes after the lethal beast.”

—Midwest Book Review

“Fast action, plenty of demons and a hint of mystery surrounding the afterlife make for an entertaining urban fantasy populated by an assortment of interesting characters.”

—Monsters and Critics

“Henry shows that she is up to the challenge of debuting in a crowded genre. The extensive background of her imaginative world is well integrated with the action-packed plot, and the satisfying conclusion leaves the reader primed for the next installment.”

—Publishers Weekly

“I love the world-building…The take on demons and angels is sufficiently different to separate Black Wings from the recent spate of tales in that milieu…I do recommend Black Wings if just for the unusual world and enjoyable plot and characters.”

—Errant Dreams Reviews

“Readers will enjoy a fast-paced adventure with an interesting cast, especially Beezle, the gargoyle, and be ready and waiting for a future still yet unwritten. Pick up your copy of Black Wings today, and stay tuned for Black Night.”

—Romance Reviews Today

“A fast-paced first novel… Black Wings is a lot of fun.”

—Fresh Fiction

“Henry does an excellent job of unveiling the first layers of her unique world and its fascinating inhabitants. There’s plenty of kick-butt action and intriguing twists to ensure that this story grabs you from the very first page. One to watch!”

—RT Book Reviews (4 stars)

“The story was a nonstop action blast full of smart-alecky gargoyle guardians, devilishly handsome (and enigmatic) love interests, arrogant demons, wicked witches and more jaw-dropping revelations than a Jerry Springer show. I barely had time to catch my breath between chapters.”

—All Things Urban Fantasy

“Fast-paced, action-packed and hard-core—breathing new life into the vast genre of urban fantasy…Black Wings is intense, dark and full of surprises.”

—Rex Robot Reviews

“Amazing…Henry’s pacing is incredible and keeps you absorbed; plus the characterization is fantastic…I strongly urge all you [urban fantasy] fans to get this book!”

—Read All Over Reviews

“I finished this book in one sitting and will definitely look out for more by this author.”

—Bibliophilic Book Blog

“A fast-paced book that I had a hard time putting down…I can’t wait to read Black Night and find out where Gabriel, J.B., Antares and Beezle all stand in Maddy’s world.”

—A Romance Review

“Black Wings was one of the better beginnings to a series that hit every point that it needed to hit. This is a series that I plan to continue [reading] and will continue to enjoy if Christina Henry maintains this caliber of writing.”

—Books By Their Cover