Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Colletion_ Books 6-10 - Laurell K. Hamilton [556]
Marianne tells me that I have the tools to survive in the tri-umverate. Until I feel confident in those tools, I’m avoiding the boys. Three months of not touching either of them. Of no one sharing my bed. Three months of not being lupa. I had to leave the pack to leave Richard. But I couldn’t leave the wereleopards. They don’t have anyone else but me. So I’m still Nimir-ra. Marianne is even teaching me how to forge the leopards into a healthy unit. She and Verne.
I’ve abandoned as much of the preternatural stuff as I can. I have to find out what’s left of who I thought I was.
I faced a demon with my faith and prayer. Does that mean God has forgiven me my sins? I don’t know. If He has forgiven me, He’s more generous than I am.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either 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.
OBSIDIAN BUTTERFLY
A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2001 by Laurell K. Hamilton
This book may not be reproduced in whole or part, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.
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ISBN: 1-101-14639-7
A JOVE BOOK®
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Electronic edition: November, 2002
This one is for all the Edward fans, who by their letters, questions, and sheer interest let me know that they were as interested in knowing more about him as I was.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Michael Miller who told me more about guns, and weapons in general, than I’d ever hoped to know. To Masaad Ayoob, who caught last-minute gun mistakes. He did not have the opportunity to read the entire book before final edit, so any missed gun mistakes are mine and mine alone. Steve (S. M.) and Jan Stirling, who read the book over to make sure I’d captured the flavor of the Santa Fe area. To all the people who made me feel so welcome in Santa Fe and Albuquerque while I wandered around asking questions and absorbing the atmosphere. And for my husband, Gary, who took care of our daughter Trinity while I was in New Mexico. And for Trinity, who shared my office chair while I finished the last third of this book. Chuck Holmes of the Bernallio County Sheriff’s Department, who answered my last-minute questions. To Deborah Millitello, who deserves special thanks for braving the wilds of New Mexico with me, sprained ankle and all. As always to my writing group, the Alternate Historians, who have been with me from the beginning: Deborah Millitello, Mark Sumner, Sharon Shinn, Marella Sands, Tom Drennan, N. L. Drew, and W. Augustus Elliot. Due to time constraints not everyone got to read this book, so it will be new to you guys, as well. What a switch.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
For those of you who have never read an Anita Blake novel before, let me tell you a bit about her world.
It’s just like the world we all live in—except that the creatures of the night—vampires, werewolves, zombies and such—are not the stuff of fiction. They are here-and-now. We co-exist with them—not always happily, not always peacefully.
And sometimes we get to know them all too well . . .
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
AUTHOR’S NOTE
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