DEMON BOUND - Meljean Brook
The Guardians, Book 7
Berkley Sensation
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-22453-3
November 2008
Paranormal Romance

Caelum; Hell; Kansas, and Other Spots throughout the World - Present Day

It has been more than a hundred years since Alice Grey (Guardian, archivist, and the woman known as the Black Widow for her associations with the dangerous spiders) made a deal she’s regretted nearly every moment since she made it. A deal with the demon Teqon to deliver the heart of the original Guardian and the leader of them all, Michael. Alice’s attempt to find a way out of the deal have never waned, but the time has come, Teqon wants the heart now or she’ll face eternal torment in Hell.

Jake Hawkins is one of only three Guardians with the Gift of teleportation, something that could make the novice very valuable to Alice in her search for a way out of her bargain. Unfortunately, Jake is creeped out by Alice, with her clockwork-like moves and many legged friends. However, when Jake unexpectedly finds himself in tight quarters with Alice, he discovers that in her own unique way, she’s quite desirable. Suddenly, he can’t imagine why he hasn’t spent more time with her since becoming a Guardian, and he wants to help this enigmatic woman escape the bargain she made.

Many of the books in The Guardians series have brought together some very unexpected couples; DEMON BOUND is certainly no exception. Jake is handsome, impulsive, and lacks a filter for the thoughts that run through his brain, making him both entertaining and offensive. Alice is the epitome of cool control. She doesn’t care what people think of her, and with her long skirts, high collars and habit of distancing herself from the people around her, she ensures she has the isolation she prefers. However, once this pair get to know each other a bit better, they start to understand that, maybe, a life spent with a partner (even a partner one would normally never consider) is preferable to one spent alone. Jake may be erratic, but he’s no boy, and though Alice comes off as cold, she’s got a very warm heart. Together this pair will win each other (and the reader) over. But, can they find a way out of the bargain Alice made, or will someone’s death be the only possible outcome to their search?

Most of the secondary characters in this book will be familiar to readers of this series, having starred in books of their own, or having appeared in others. Readers will be happy to reconnect with Charlie (a vamp) and her mate Ethan (a Guardian and Jake’s mentor); Lilith (now human, once a demon) and her man Hugh (a human who was once a Guardian), oh, and Lilith’s “puppy”, a Hellhound, Sir Pup; Selah, one of the three teleporters in Guardian ranks, and of course there’s Michael (the leader of the Guardians, the one whose heart Teqon covets). Irena is a Guardian with a strong Gift for making weapons. She also is one of the few who know of Alice’s bargain. Alejandro is another Guardian; he works with Jake on his sword skills and argues with Irena quite a lot (their history would be interesting to learn, I hope to hear more about them in future books). Teqon supports Belial in his fight against Lucifer for control of Hell. He’s dangerous and definitely unlikely to let Alice out of her bargain. Remus, Romulus, Lucy, and Nefertari are some of Alice’s “pet” spiders. Nefertari is definitely the biggest, but all of them are unique and aid Alice in her work. All of these characters add greatly to this story, and though some of them are hiding secrets that may change the world of The Guardians as we know it, it only makes this series more fascinating.

Funny, sexy, interesting and thought provoking, DEMON BOUND is the latest in a long line of imaginative, incredible work by a great author. Don’t even think of missing it! And yeah, it is part of a series and as such will be better appreciated if you’ve read them all. Get a complete list at www.meljeanbrook.com. Money may be tight these days, but DEMON BOUND is one purchase you won’t regret.

Lori Ann