Jaded

Table of Contents

 

PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF ANYA BAST

 

“A powerful novel about trust, love, and change with sexy characters a reader can’t help but fall in love with. A great read!”

—
Fresh Fiction

 

“Anya Bast delivers a superb, heartfelt story. I truly didn’t expect this erotica to be so emotional . . . I was engrossed.”

—
Bitten by Paranormal Romance

 

“The story is one that just draws you into its depths and makes you turn the pages as fast as you can . . . I would expect no less from the extremely talented Anya Bast . . . If you have never had the pleasure of reading one of her books, then I would greatly suggest that you start with her brand-new book
Jeweled
.”

—
Night Owl Reviews
(Top Pick)

 

 

“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 Romance Reviews

 

 

“[A] fabulous tale . . . The story line is fast-paced from the onset . . . Fans will enjoy the third bewitching blast.”

—
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

 

“
Witch Heart
is 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 Romance Reviews

 

“Gritty danger and red-hot sensuality make this book and series smoking!”

—
Romantic Times

 

 

“Deliciously sexy and intriguingly original.”

—Angela Knight,
New York Times
bestselling author

 

“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

 

MORE PRAISE FOR ANYA BAST AND HER NOVELS

 

“Had me sitting on the edge of my seat from page one.”

—
The Road to Romance

 

“A lovely erotic tale . . . This unique and passionate story is filled with humor, fire, and heartwarming emotion.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

 

“Anya Bast pulled another winner out of her pocket.”

—
Night Owl Romance Reviews

 

“An entertaining erotic romantic suspense tale.”

—
Midwest Book Review

THE CHOSEN SIN
JEWELED
JADED

 

WITCH FIRE
WITCH BLOOD
WITCH HEART
WITCH FURY
WICKED ENCHANTMENT
CRUEL ENCHANTMENT
RAVEN’S QUEST

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

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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 book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

 

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.

Copyright © 2011 by Anya Bast.

 

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.

HEAT and the HEAT design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

PRINTING HISTORY

Heat trade paperback edition / June 2011

 

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

 

Bast, Anya.

Jaded / Anya Bast.—Heat trade pbk. ed.

p. cm.

eISBN : 978-1-101-51553-2

1. Triangles (Interpersonal relations)—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3602.A8493J33 2011

813’.6—dc22

2010036501

 

 

 

 

 

 

T
he problem was expectations.

Lilya Orensdaughter sat in an outdoor café in downtown Milzyr, sipping a cup of black coffee and watching a family at another table. The man held a small child on his lap while laughing and talking with his wife. They looked happy, in love.

Even though Lilya had long since put aside such expectations, once in a while they reared their heads. For a moment, watching the young family, she was swamped with a wish and woeful longing—a partner with whom to share her life. Just that. No more. She knew better than to add a child to her yearning. Children would never be for her.

Neither was a man. Not like that. Not one who loved her the way she loved him, wholly, completely, and reciprocally, the way that couple seemed to love each other.

She turned her face and mind away, looking down the crowded street of Milzyr. The city had changed so much since the revolution, yet in many ways remained the same. Pleasant autumn weekends still thronged the cobblestone streets with milling couples who spent the afternoon window-shopping and talking with each other as they strolled. Unless one of the odd contraptions that was meant to replace the horse-drawn carriage rumbled past belching smoke, one couldn’t see any difference now that the Edaeii and their royal court had been toppled from power.

Yet the differences were there. The Jeweled, or those magicked ones who’d been formerly called such, were mostly in hiding now, afraid to face a populace that had murdered them on sight just a few short years ago. Every face that Lilya gazed upon made her wonder: Where were the magicked? It was a sore in her heart that they hid from the world. Things were better for Milzyr apart from that lack—the country needed its magick back.

A hand touched her shoulder. She looked up, smiling into her best friend’s face. Evangeline’s belly was round as a ball these days. Grimacing from the effort it took to move in such a condition, Evangeline lowered herself into a chair opposite Lilya.