Gunmetal Magic
Authors: Ilona Andrews
Praise for the Kate Daniels novels
MAGIC SLAYS
“Delivers nonstop action and a few surprises while adding considerable background and depth to Kate’s character as she begins stretching her magic usage…top-notch urban fantasy.”
—
Monsters and Critics
“Fast, witty, and descriptive. Kate is a strong female lead and Curran is perfect for her.”
—
LoveVampires
“Simply amazing. The Kate Daniels series honestly gets better with each new release. I had high hopes for this book, and the authors simply blew me away with the quality and depth of this story.”
—
Night Owl Reviews
“It takes both talent and hard work to keep a series consistently high quality…Andrews’s intricate, detailed world-building provides such a rich backdrop for the story that it nearly becomes a character itself. Add in clearly defined and layered characters, not to mention amazing kick-butt action, and you’ve got one unbeatable series. No one does it better!”
—
RT Book Reviews
(4½ stars, Top Pick)
“The conclusion is heart-stopping as Kate fights to secure Atlanta’s survival in a dramatic finale that left me satisfied but ready for book six. Ilona Andrews once again hits a game-winning home run with
Magic Slays
.”
—
Smexy Books
MAGIC BLEEDS
“At times I felt like I needed to take a break from the book due to [its] just being too engrossing, too brilliant for my little heart…
Magic Bleeds
is the best yet of this series!”
—
Night Owl Reviews
“Ilona Andrews is one of the few authors whose books just keep getting better…It’s books like
Magic Bleeds
that make television and movies seem like an inferior form of entertainment.”
—
Romance Reviews Today
“I have read and reread this book, and it’s perfect. The action, the romance, the plot and suspense…I cannot wait for the fifth in the series.”
—
Smexy Books
“Balancing petrifying danger with biting humor is an Andrews specialty, leaving readers both grinning and gasping. Put this on your auto-buy list immediately!”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Delivers on the promise of ‘One hell of a good read.’ You will not be disappointed!”
—ParaNormal
Romance.org
MAGIC STRIKES
“Andrews’s crisp dialogue and layered characterization make the gut-wrenching action of this first-person thrill ride all the more intense…mesmerizing.”
—
RT Book Reviews
(4½ stars, Top Pick)
“Andrews blends action-packed fantasy with myth and legend, keeping readers enthralled.
Magic Strikes
introduces fascinating characters, provides a plethora of paranormal skirmishes, and teases fans with romantic chemistry.”
—
Darque Reviews
“Ilona Andrews’s best novel to date, cranking up the action, danger, and magic…Gritty sword-clashing action and flawless characterizations will bewitch fans, old and new alike.”
—
Sacramento Book Review
“Doses of humor serve to lighten the suspense and taut action of this vividly drawn, kick-butt series.”
—
Monsters and Critics
“From the first page to the last,
Magic Strikes
was a riveting, heart-pounding ride. Story lines advance, truths are admitted, intriguing characters are introduced, and the romance between Kate and Curran develops a sweetness that is simply delightful.”
—
Dear Author
“Write faster…I absolutely love the relationship between Curran and Kate—I laugh out loud with the witty sarcasm and one-liners, and the sexual tension building between the couples drives me to my knees, knowing I’ll have to wait for another book.”
—
SFRevu
MAGIC BURNS
“Fans of Carrie Vaughn and Patricia Briggs will appreciate this fast-paced, action-packed urban fantasy full of magic, vampires, werebeasties, and things that go bump in the night.”
—
Monsters and Critics
“With all her problems, secrets, and prowess both martial and magical, Kate is a great kick-ass heroine, a tough girl with a heart, and her adventures…are definitely worth checking out.”
—
Locus
“With a fascinating, compelling plot, a witty, intelligent heroine, a demonic villain, and clever, wry humor throughout, this story has it all.”
—
Fresh Fiction
“A new take on the urban fantasy genre, the world Kate inhabits is a blend of gritty magic and dangerous mystery.”
—
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
“If you enjoy Laurell K. Hamilton’s early Anita Blake or the works of Patricia Briggs and Kim Harrison, you need to add Ilona Andrews to your reading list.”
—
LoveVampires
“Andrews…demonstrates her mastery at balancing dark humor, clever mystery, and supernatural jeopardy. Andrews is the total package!”
—
RT Book Reviews
(4½ stars, Top Pick)
MAGIC BITES
“Treat yourself to a splendid new urban fantasy…I am looking forward to the next book in the series or anything else Ilona Andrews writes.”
—Patricia Briggs, #1
New York Times
bestselling author of
Fair Game
“Andrews shows a great deal of promise. Readers fond of Laurell K. Hamilton and Patricia Briggs may find her work a new source of reading pleasure.”
—
SFRevu
“Andrews’s edgy series stands apart from similar fantasies…owing to its complex world-building and skilled characterizations.”
—
Library Journal
Ace Books by Ilona Andrews
The Kate Daniels Novels
MAGIC BITES
MAGIC BURNS
MAGIC STRIKES
MAGIC BLEEDS
MAGIC SLAYS
The World of Kate Daniels
GUNMETAL MAGIC
The Edge Novels
ON THE EDGE
BAYOU MOON
FATE’S EDGE
eSpecials
MAGIC MOURNS
MAGIC DREAMS
GUNMETAL
MAGIC
ILONA ANDREWS
ACE BOOKS, NEW YORK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
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 • Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) • Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) • 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
“Magic Gifts” was previously published on
www.ilona-andrews.com
.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imaginations 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.
GUNMETAL MAGIC
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with Ilona Andrews, Inc.
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Ace mass-market edition / August 2012
Gunmetal Magic
copyright © 2012 by Andrew Gordon and Ilona Gordon.
“Magic Gifts” copyright © 2011 by Andrew Gordon and Ilona Gordon.
Fractal series illustration by Ilona Gordon.
Cover illustration by Tony Mauro.
Cover photograph of rusted metal © Péter Gudella/Shutterstock.
Cover design by Judith Lagerman.
Interior text design by Laura K. Corless.
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 authors’ 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: 978-1-101-58519-1
ACE
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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
authors nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
ALWAYS LEARNING
PEARSON
To the fine people of Texas,
who have taken us in and treated us as their own
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
At the core,
Gunmetal Magic
is a book about a deeply damaged person finding her place in life, and in the beginning stages, it was also a very damaged book in need of help. We would like to thank Anne Sowards, our editor, for once again making it better, and our agent, Nancy Yost, for invaluable advice and friendship.
We’d like to thank the following people for making the book a reality: Production editor Michelle Kasper and assistant production editor Andromeda Macri for overseeing the production and putting up with our craziness, and editorial assistant Kat Sherbo for her patience and attention to detail. Special thanks to the long-suffering art department, cover designer Judith Lagerman, and artist Tony Mauro. We deeply appreciate everything you’ve done on our behalf. We’re grateful to the interior designer Laura K. Corless for making a manuscript into a beautiful book, and to publicists Rosanne Romanello and Brady McReynolds for tirelessly promoting the book.
In addition, we owe thanks to Marsheila Rockwell, Sue Staltare, Susann Max, and Shannon Martinez for their expertise with reclamations, construction, and fallen buildings. Thank you to Shiloh Walker for her knowledge of snakebites and explanation of medical terms, and to Cassandra Brulotte for her legal expertise. Any errors of law, medicine, or construction found in this book are due purely to us and not to them.
Thank you to our beta readers for suffering through the first draft.
Thank you to Jeaniene Frost for being there and to Jill Myles and Meljean Brook for the tea war.
Finally, we’d like to thank our readers—thank you for making it all possible.