Christina Henry - Black City

I stumbled backward, Nathaniel’s hands on my shoulders, gasping for breath.

Alerian stared at Nathaniel. His face was impassive. I couldn’t tell whether he was shocked or impressed that Nathaniel had pulled me away. Puck and Lucifer both appeared stunned.

“Yes,” Alerian said finally. “I will be spending some time with the two of you. But for now, I must speak with my brothers.”

We were dismissed. I can’t say that I was sorry to go. I wasn’t sure what had happened there with Alerian, but it was as if I were being drawn inside him, smothered by the sea.

Nathaniel was quiet as we flew home. I wasn’t feeling particularly chatty myself. We had been through a lot in the last few days, even for people who were accustomed to being in constant mortal peril.

We landed on the front lawn. I looked at him, and he at me.

“Now what?” I said.

“Now we eat pancakes,” Nathaniel said.

“You can cook pancakes?” I said as we walked inside. There was no noise from Samiel’s apartment.

“Who said anything about cooking them?” he said.

I gave a short laugh as we climbed the stairs. “That’s not usually the way you ask a woman to cook for you.”

He stopped me with a tug on my arm. His eyes were full of heat. “I could convince you, I am sure.”

“I’m sure you could,” I said breathlessly. “But if you do that, I’m not sure how much cooking would get done.”

“Oh, there would still be pancakes,” Nathaniel said. “Eventually.”

I tried not to be sad, not to think about Gabriel, not to think about the fact that Nathaniel didn’t smell like Gabriel, that cinnamon sweetness that was always in the air around him. Couldn’t I forget for a little while? Wouldn’t that be all right, for me to stop hurting every second of the day?

I pulled Nathaniel up with me, almost broke down the door trying to open it. We had just stepped inside when the phone rang.

“Let it go,” Nathaniel murmured.

“It might be…” Samiel. Beezle. I didn’t need to say it.

Nathaniel nodded, and I went to the side table to pick up the phone.

“Maddy,” J.B. said. He was breathless. He sounded like he was running.

“What do you want?” I said.

“You have to get out of the house—now,” he said.

“Why?”

I was facing the front window, the portable phone tucked under my ear. A strange black shadow slid across the surface of the glass, like an oil slick.

“Sokolov has sent the Retrievers after you,” J.B. said. “You have to go. You have to go now.”

The side window in the living room was drenched in the same shadow. So were the ones in the dining room. I ran through the house, looking for an escape, but there was none. The things looked like nothing more than black liquid, but I could feel their hate. They wanted me, and they would not leave without me.

“It’s too late,” I said, backing into the dining room. I felt Nathaniel’s arms close around me.

“They’re already here.”

“Maddy is a strong female heroine…The ending of Black Howl will probably leave you shocked…and dying for the next.”

— Fresh Fiction

“A roller coaster of emotions…An incredible read from start to finish that only further cemented my love for this series, and I highly recommend it.”

— A Book Obsession

“This series reminds me of the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher or Rachel in the Hollows series by Kim Harrison…It has enough action, suspense and sarcasm to keep my attention. I look forward to seeing where Christina Henry takes us next.”

— Dark Faerie Tales

“Action packed. You are sucked in from page one and set on a roller-coaster ride of action till the end.”

— Paranormal Haven

“A riveting adventure of a novel… Black Night has within its pages the most utterly believable and wonderful depiction I’ve ever seen of a character forced to face her darkest fears.”

— Errant Dreams Reviews

“Madeline Black is back and super badass in her second installment…If you’re looking for a brilliant urban fantasy with page-turning action, witty dialogue and fun characters—this is your book.”

— Rex Robot Reviews

“The style of this book is just like the first book in the series—playful and light, yet also adventurous and dark…The bottom line is that if you enjoy adventure stories, you will enjoy this book, especially if you’re a nonstop action junky.”

— SFRevu

“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 Darklands

“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

“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

“I read Black Wings in one day, and I loved spending that time with Madeline (and Beezle). I recommend Christina Henry to readers who enjoy the dark humor of Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series and the demon politics of Stacia Kane’s Megan Chase series.”

— Fantasy Literature

BLACK WINGS

BLACK NIGHT

BLACK HOWL

BLACK LAMENT

BLACK CITY