A little riffle of panic shot through my chest. He shouldn’t know I used to be a Hunter. I was retired. New last name. New hometown. This was bad. And his words concerned me a heck of a lot more than the kill-fever I saw in his eyes.
I didn’t have time to worry about it, though, because the guy was shifting his hands from my wrists to my neck, and I had absolutely no intention of getting caught in a death grip.
As he shifted his weight, I pulled to the side, managing to free up my leg. I brought it up, catching his groin with my knee. He howled, but didn’t let go. That’s the trouble with demons; kneeing them in the balls just doesn’t have the effect it should. Which meant I was still under him, smelling his foul breath, and frustrated as hell because I didn’t need this shit. I had a dinner to fix.
From the living room, I heard Timmy yelling, “Momma! Momma! Big noise! Big noise!” and I knew he was abandoning the video to come find out where the big noise came from.
I couldn’t remember if I’d closed the baby gate, and there was no way my two-year-old was going to see his mom fighting a demon. I might be out of practice, but right then, I was motivated. “I’ll be right there!” I yelled, then pulled on every resource in my body and flipped over, managing to hop on Pops. I scraped at his face, aiming for his eyes, but only scratched his skin.
He let out a wail that sounded as if it came straight from the depths of hell, and lurched toward me. I sprang back and up, surprised and at the same time thrilled that I was in better shape than I realized. I made a mental note to go to the gym more often even as I kicked out and caught him in the chin. My thigh screamed in pain, and I knew I’d pay for this in the morning.
Another screech from the demon, this time harmonized by Timmy’s cries and the rattle of the baby gate that was, thank God, locked. Pops rushed me, and I howled as he slammed me back against the granite countertops. One hand was tight around my throat, and I struggled to breathe, lashing out to absolutely no effect.
The demon laughed, his eyes filled with so much pleasure that it pissed me off even more. “Useless bitch,” he said, his foul breath on my face. “You may as well die, Hunter. You surely will when my master’s army rises to claim victory in his name.”
That didn’t sound good, but I couldn’t think about it right then. The lack of oxygen was getting to me. I was confused, my head swimming, everything starting to fade to a blackish purple. But then Timmy’s howls dissolved into whimpers. A renewed burst of anger and fear gave me strength. My hand groped along the counter until I found a wineglass. My fingers closed around it, and I slammed it down, managing to break off the base.
The room was starting to swim, and I needed to breathe desperately. I had one chance, and one chance only. With all the strength I could muster I slammed the stem of the wineglass toward his face, then sagged in relief when I felt it hit home, slipping through the soft tissue of his eyeball with very little resistance.
I heard a whoosh and saw the familiar shimmer as the demon was sucked out of the old man, and then the body collapsed to my floor. I sagged against my counter, drawing gallons of air into my lungs. As soon as I felt steady again, I focused on the corpse on my newly cleaned floor and sighed. Unlike in the movies, demons don’t dissolve in a puff of smoke or ash, and right as I was staring down at the body, wondering how the heck I was going to get rid of it before the party, I heard the familiar squeak of the patio door, and then Allie’s frantic voice in the living room. “Mom! Mom!”
Timmy’s yelps joined my daughter’s, and I closed my eyes and prayed for strength.
“Don’t come in here, sweetie. I broke some glass and it’s all over the floor.” As I talked, I hoisted my dead foe by the underarms and dragged him to the pantry. I slid him inside and slammed the door.
“What?” Allie said, appearing around the corner with Timmy in her arms.
I counted to five and decided this wasn’t the time to lecture my daughter about listening or following directions. “I said don’t come in here.” I moved quickly toward her, blocking her path. “There’s glass all over the place.”
“Jeez, Mom.” Her eyes were wide as she took in the mess that was now my kitchen. “Guess you can’t give me any more grief about my room, huh?”
I rolled my eyes.
She glanced at the big picture window behind our breakfast table. The one that no longer had glass. “What happened?”
“Softball,” I said. “Just crashed right through.”
“Wow. I guess Brian finally hit a homer, huh?”
“Looks that way.” Nine-year-old Brian lived next door and played softball in his backyard constantly. I felt a little guilty blaming the mess on him, but I’d deal with that later.
“I’ll get the broom.”
She plunked Timmy onto his booster seat, then headed for the pantry. I caught her arm. “I’ll take care of it, sweetie.”
“But you’ve got the party!”
“Exactly. And that’s why I need to be able to focus.” That really made no sense, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Listen, just put Timmy to bed for me, then head on back to Mindy’s. Really. I’ll be fine.”
She looked unsure. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. It’s all under control. Why’d you come back, anyway?”
“I forgot my new CD.”
I should have guessed. I picked Timmy back up (who, thankfully, was quiet now and watching the whole scene with interest). “Put the munchkin down and you’ll be doing me a huge favor.”
She frowned, but didn’t argue as she took Timmy from me.
“Night, sweetie,” I said, then gave both her and Timmy a kiss.
She still looked dubious, but she readjusted her grip on Timmy and headed toward the stairs. I let out a little sigh of relief and glanced at the clock. I had exactly forty-three minutes to clean up the mess in my kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party. After that, I could turn my attention to figuring out what a demon was doing in San Diablo. And, more important, why he had attacked me.
But first, the rigatoni.
Did I have my priorities straight, or what?
Grab your copy now: Carpe Demon
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J. Kenner Series In KU
Check out these blurbs for KU first-in-series books
by J. Kenner!
So (Very!) Much More than
the Girl Next Door
With her X-ray vision and super-senses, Zoe Smith is about as far from normal as a girl can get—and she intends to stay that way. Half-mortal and half-superhero, Zoe is determined to help save the world. But first she has to pass her upcoming tests and avoid having her memory and powers erased through “mortalization.”
An ex-cop turned private investigator, George Taylor craves a normal life with a normal wife in a normal neighborhood. The typical American dream—and when he meets Zoe Smith, he’s certain she’s one-hundred percent “the girl next-door”.
With her super powers, Zoe can do just about anything … except make Taylor fall in love with her. For that, they’re both going to need a different kind of magic …
Carpe Demon
Kate Connor is your average, everyday mom with two kids, a husband, and one very big secret ... she used to be a Demon Hunter for a secret arm of the Vatican. Now retired, she's more interested in the domestic than the demonic. So when she catches sight of a demon in Wal-Mart, she tells herself it's some other Hunter's problem. But when that demon attacks her in her kitchen, retirement is no longer an option.
Now Kate has to kick a little demon butt, figure out why the creatures are trying to take her out and take over her home town, and at the same time take care of her 2 year old, deal with a hormonal 14 year old, get the family to Catholic Mass on tim
e, and try to keep her past a secret from her daughter and her husband.
She's a little out of practice, but hey ... if she can juggle two kids and an impromptu dinner party, ridding the town of demons should be a piece of cake. Like the saying goes, Carpe Demon ... and Kate intends to do just that.
Down On Me
With his tight muscles and vibrant ink, certified bachelor Reece Walker is the kind of man who’s used to having any woman he craves in his bed—except Jenna Montgomery. She’s been his best friend for years, and that’s a line he just can’t cross.
Until a wild, stolen kiss changes everything. Now anything goes, and Reece is determined to use every wicked skill in his sensual repertoire to claim Jenna as his friend, his lover, his everything.
Born in Darkness
Fight and redeem myself … refuse and suffer an eternity of torment.
I intended to kill him—to avenge my sister by destroying the vile human who’d tortured and broken her. My plan was simple. Foolproof.
Except somehow I ended up dead.
Now the joke’s on me, because I’ve been resurrected as an assassin and given a choice: Fight the forces of darkness and redeem myself … or refuse and suffer an eternity of torment.
The choice seems clear. But I’m unprepared for the depth of the evil I must face. And I’m unsettled by my attraction to the darkly sensual man whose words seduce me, but who is hiding secrets of his own.
All I know is what I’m told. I’m afraid I’m a pawn in a much larger game where I can’t tell my enemies from my allies. I just hope it’s a game I can win.
Also by J. Kenner
Click here for a printable booklist
J. Kenner KU Titles
(At the time of publication, the following titles were in Amazon’s KU program. There is no guarantee that they will remain there continuously.)
Man of the Month
Who’s your man of the month …?
Down On Me
Hold On Tight
Need You Now
Start Me Up
Get It On
In Your Eyes
Turn Me On
Shake It Up
All Night Long
In Too Deep
Light My Fire
Walk The Line
Man of the Month Box Sets
Winter Heat (books 1-3)
Spring Fling (books 4-6)
Summer Love (books 7-9)
Fall Fantasy (books 10-12)
*Bar Bites: A Man of the Month Cookbook(by J. Kenner & Suzanne M. Johnson *not in KU)
Extraordinarily Yours
Sexy paranormal rom-coms!
So (Very!) Much More than the Girl Next Door
The Charmed Affair of an Invisible Bodyguard
The “Super” Secret Life of an Accidental Daddy
Never Trust a Rogue on a Magical Mission
Mayhem, Matchmakers, and a Bit of Bewitching (novella)
How a Sexy Hero and a Marvelous Makeover (Sorta!) Saved the World (novella)
The Seductive Charm of a Sexy Shifter (prequel)
The Redemption Chronicles
A sexy apocalyptic urban fantasy trilogy!
Born in Darkness
Lost in Shadows
Surrender to Dawn
Demon Hunting Soccer Mom
Like Buffy … grown up!
Carpe Demon
California Demon
Demons Are Forever
Deja Demon
The Demon You Know (short story)
Demon Ex Machina
Pax Demonica
Day of the Demon
Other titles in KU
Wild Thing
’Til Death Do Us Part
Other J. Kenner Titles Not In KU
The Stark Saga Novels:
Only his passion could set her free…
Meet Damien Stark
The Original Trilogy
Release Me
Claim Me
Complete Me
And Beyond…
Anchor Me
Lost With Me
DAMIEN
Stark Ever After
(Stark Saga novellas):
Happily ever after is just the beginning.
The passion between Damien & Nikki continues.
Take Me
Have Me
Play My Game
Seduce Me
Unwrap Me
Deepest Kiss
Entice Me
Hold Me
Please Me
Indulge Me
The Steele Books/Stark International:
He was the only man who made her feel alive.
Say My Name
On My Knees
Under My Skin
Take My Dare (includes short story Steal My Heart)
Stark International Novellas:
Meet Jamie & Ryan-so hot it sizzles.
Tame Me
Tempt Me
S.I.N. Trilogy:
It was wrong for them to be together…
…but harder to stay apart.
Dirtiest Secret
Hottest Mess
Sweetest Taboo
The Dark Pleasures Series:
Sexy immortal paranormal romance
Caress of Darkness
Find Me In Darkness
Find Me In Pleasure
Find Me In Passion
Caress of Pleasure
Rising Storm:
Writing as Julie Kenner
Small town drama
Rising Storm: Tempest Rising
Rising Storm: Quiet Storm
Devil May Care:
Writing as Julie Kenner
Sexy immortal paranormal romance
Seducing Sin
Tempting Fate
Stand alone novels:
Most Wanted:
Three powerful, dangerous men.
Three sensual, seductive women.
Wanted
Heated
Ignited
Wicked Nights (Stark World):
Sometimes it feels so damn good to be bad.
Wicked Grind
Wicked Dirty
Wicked Torture
Stark Security:
Charismatic. Dangerous. Sexy as hell.
Meet the men of Stark Security.
Shattered With You
Broken With You
Ruined With You
Blackwell-Lyon:
Heat, humor & a hint of danger
Lovely Little Liar
Pretty Little Player
Sexy Little Sinner
Additional Titles
One Night (A Stark World short story in the Second Chances anthology)
About the Author
J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A six-time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Saga) and another RITA trophy for Wicked Dirty in the same category in 2017.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a lawyer in Southern California and Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
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