Embrace of the Damned
Read Embrace of the Damned Online
Authors: Anya Bast
“Anya Bast is a professional at writing stories that
keep the reader in a … state of suspense. Her
reputation is well deserved.”
—Romance Junkies
“The atmosphere that Anya Bast portrays is
intricate, dark, and highly erotic.”
—Just Erotic Romance Reviews
PRAISE FOR
“When I was first introduced to Anya Bast a couple of years ago, I quickly became enchanted with her work. It seems that I cannot read her work fast enough to satisfy the need.
Dark Enchantment
… holds the reader spellbound while in its pages … Like all her books,
Dark Enchantment
is well put together and a pleasure to read. I hope you take the time to get lost in a ‘Dark Enchantment’ yourself—you will not be disappointed.”
—
Night Owl Reviews
“Readers will recognize many characters. Bast has created a charmed world of faeries, brownies, witches, goblins, and more. You won’t want to leave this beautiful world … Seriously sexy.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“This is the third installment in the Dark Magick series and it does not let you down … Charlotte is surprisingly sassy [and] Kieran is droolworthy! … As with Bast’s previous novels, there is plenty of action in this novel as well … You will not be disappointed or bored!”
—
ParaNormal Romance
“Full of action, excitement, and sexy fun … Another delectable tale that will keep your eyes glued to every word.”
—
Bitten by Books
“Hot romance, interesting characters, intriguing demons, and powerful emotions. I didn’t want to put it down, and now that I’ve finished this book, I’m ready for the next!”
—
Night Owl Reviews
“[A] fabulous tale … The story line is fast paced from the onset … Fans will enjoy the third bewitching blast.”
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Genre Go Round Reviews
“Smart, dangerous and sexy as hell, the witches are more than a match for the warlocks and demons who’d like nothing more than to bring hell to earth and enslave mankind. Always an exhilarating read.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“A story that will captivate its readers. It will hook you from the first few pages and then take you on a wild ride. It is a fast-paced story but it is also a story that will make you feel emotion. Anya Bast uses words like Monet used paint. It’s vibrant. It’s alive. Readers will be able to see the story come to life as it just leaps out of the pages.”
—
Bitten by Books
“Any paranormal fan will be guaranteed a Top Pick read. Anya has provided it all in this hot new paranormal series. You get great suspense, vivid characters, and a world that just pops off the pages … Not to be missed.”
—
Night Owl Reviews
“Gritty danger and red-hot sensuality make this book and series smoking!”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Deliciously sexy and intriguingly original.”
—Angela Knight,
New York Times
bestselling author
“Sizzling suspense and sexy magic are sure to propel this hot new series onto the charts. Bast is a talent to watch, and her magical world is one to revisit.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“A sensual feast sure to sate even the most finicky of palates. Richly drawn, dynamic characters dictate the direction of this fascinating story. You can’t miss with Anya.”
—
A Romance Review
“Fast-paced, edgy suspense … The paranormal elements are fresh and original. This reader was immediately drawn into the story from the opening abduction, and obsessively read straight through to the dramatic final altercation. Bravo, Ms. Bast;
Witch Fire
is sure to be a fan favorite.”
—
ParaNormal Romance
“A fabulously written ultimate romance. Anya Bast tells a really passionate story and leaves you wanting more…. The elemental witch series will be a fantastic read.”
—
The Romance Readers Connection
“A terrific romantic fantasy starring two volatile lead characters … The relationship between fire and air … makes the tale a blast to read.”
—
The Best Reviews
Titles by Anya Bast
WITCH FIRE
WITCH BLOOD
WITCH HEART
WITCH FURY
WICKED ENCHANTMENT
CRUEL ENCHANTMENT
DARK ENCHANTMENT
MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT
EMBRACE OF THE DAMNED
THE CHOSEN SIN
JEWELED
JADED
RAVEN’S QUEST
OF THE DAMNED
ANYA BAST
BERKLEY SENSATION, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
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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.
EMBRACE OF THE DAMNED
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / May 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Joanna Mackens.
Cover art by Tony Mauro.
Cover design by Rita Frangie.
Interior text design by Tiffany Estreicher.
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.
ISBN: 978-1-101-58513-9
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
®
is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is
stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the
author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
ALWAYS LEARNING
PEARSON
For James
A.D. 1012, NORWAY
Other people’s blood seeped into Broder’s wounds, making every slash and scratch on his body burn.
He was alive. He’d survived.
His muscles were weak from disuse, but the drive to live—the drive for revenge—had made him deadly for the time he’d needed to wreak this carnage. Now that it was over, the will to kill leaked slowly from him, not unlike the last decade of his life.
It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. The moment he’d set foot in this enclave his life had been worth nothing. Before then, even….
Ignoring the fiery pain of his injuries, his chest heaving and his eyes wild, Broder turned in a circle, a sharp sword clenched in one sticky hand, an ax in the other, and surveyed the bodies around him. The sight gave him no pleasure, no peace, but he didn’t regret any of it. He’d do it again if given the chance, even though the act itself was more blur than memory.
He’d delivered retribution.
He barely remembered it. He’d heard tales of men caught up in battle carnage, wild with bloodlust, unknowing of the deeds they committed. Man, woman, child, it mattered not to them; all fell beneath the crazed warrior’s blade. That
was how he’d spent the last five minutes … had it been ten? Or had it been an hour? He wasn’t sure. Images flashed through his head—blood, bone, flesh—the sharp, silver edge of his blade rendering it all into so much meat.