Generation 18 Read online

  PRAISE FOR KERI ARTHUR

  Nominated for Romantic Times 2007 Reviewers’ Choice Awards for Career Achievement in Urban Fantasy

  Winner of the Romantic Times 2008 Reviewers’ Choice Awards for Career Achievement in Urban Fantasy

  “Keri Arthur’s imagination and energy infuse everything she writes with zest.”

  —CHARLAINE HARRIS

  Praise for Full Moon Rising

  “Keri Arthur skillfully mixes her suspenseful plot with heady romance in her thoroughly enjoyable alternate reality Melbourne. Sexy vampires, randy werewolves, and unabashed, unapologetic, joyful sex—you’ve gotta love it. Smart, sexy, and well-conceived.”

  —KIM HARRISON

  “Full Moon Rising is unabashedly and joyfully sexual in its portrayal of werewolves in heat…Arthur never fails to deliver, keeping the fires stoked, the cliffs high, and the emotions dancing on a razor’s edge in this edgy, hormone-filled mystery…A shocking and sensual read, so keep the ice handy.”

  —TheCelebrityCafe.com

  “Keri Arthur is one of the best supernatural romance writers in the world.”

  —HARRIET KLAUSNER

  “Strong, smart and capable, Riley will remind many of Anita Blake, Laurell K. Hamilton’s kick-ass vampire hunter…Fans of Anita Blake and Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse vampire series will be rewarded.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Unbridled lust and kick-ass action are the hallmarks of this first novel in a brand-new paranormal series…‘Sizzling’ is the only word to describe this heated, action-filled, suspenseful romantic drama.”

  —Curled Up with a Good Book

  “Desert island keeper…Grade: A…I wanted to read this book in one sitting, and was terribly offended that the real world intruded on my reading time!…Inevitable comparisons can be made to Anita Blake, Kim Harrison, and Kelley Armstrong’s books, but I think Ms. Arthur has a clear voice of her own and her characters speak for themselves….I am hooked!”

  —All About Romance

  Praise for Kissing Sin

  “The second book in this paranormal guardian series is just as phenomenal as the first…I am addicted!!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Arthur’s world building skills are absolutely superb and I recommend this story to any reader who enjoys tales of the paranormal.”

  —Coffee Time Romance and More

  “Fast paced and filled with deliciously sexy characters…readers will find Kissing Sin a fantastic urban fantasy with a hot serving of romance that continues to sizzle long after the last page is read.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “Keri Arthur’s unique characters and the imaginative world she’s created will make this series one that readers won’t want to miss.”

  —A Romance Review

  Praise for Tempting Evil

  “Riley Jenson is kick-ass…genuinely tough and strong, but still vulnerable enough to make her interesting….Arthur is not derivative of early [Laurell K.] Hamilton—far from it—but the intensity of her writing and the complexity of her heroine and her stories is reminiscent.”

  —All About Romance

  “This paranormal romance series gets better and better with each new book….An exciting adventure that delivers all you need for a fabulous read—sexy shapeshifters, hot vampires, wild uncontrollable sex and the slightest hint of a love that’s meant to be forever.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Pure sexy action adventure…I found the world vividly realized and fascinating….So, if you like your erotic scenes hot, fast, and frequent, your heroine sassy, sexy, and tough, and your stories packed with hard-hitting action in a vividly realized fantasy world, then Tempting Evil and its companion novels could be just what you’re looking for.”

  —SFRevu

  “Keri Arthur’s Riley Jenson series just keeps getting better and better and is sure to call to fans of other authors with kick-ass heroines such as Christine Feehan and Laurell K. Hamilton. I have become a steadfast fan of this marvelous series and I am greatly looking forward to finding out what is next in store for this fascinating and strong character.”

  —A Romance Review

  Praise for Dangerous Games

  “One of the best books I have ever read….The storyline is so exciting I did not realize I was literally sitting on the edge of my chair….Arthur has a real winner on her hands. Five cups.”

  —Coffee Time Romance and More

  “The depths of emotion, the tense plot, and the conflict of powerful driving forces inside the heroine made for [an] absorbing read.”

  —SFRevu

  “This series is phenomenal! Dangerous Games is an incredibly original and devastatingly sexy story. It keeps you spellbound and mesmerized on every page. Absolutely perfect!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  Praise for Embraced by Darkness

  “Arthur is positively one of the best urban fantasy authors in print today. The characters have been well-drawn from the start and the mysteries just keep getting better. A creative, sexy and adventure filled world that readers will just love escaping to.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “Arthur’s storytelling is getting better and better with each book. Embraced by Darkness has suspense, interesting concepts, terrific main and secondary characters, well developed story arcs, and the world-building is highly entertaining….I think this series is worth the time and emotional investment to read.”

  —Reuters.com

  “Once again, Keri Arthur has created a perfect, exciting and thrilling read with intensity that kept me vigilantly turning each page, hoping it would never end.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Reminiscent of Laurell K. Hamilton back when her books had mysteries to solve, Arthur’s characters inhabit a dark sexy world of the paranormal.”

  —The Parkersburg News and Sentinel

  “I love this series.”

  —All About Romance

  Praise for The Darkest Kiss

  “The paranormal Australia that Arthur concocts works perfectly, and the plot speeds along at a breakneck pace. Riley fans won’t be disappointed.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  Praise for Bound to Shadows

  “The Riley Jenson Guardian series ROCKS! Riley is one bad-ass heroine with a heart of gold. Keri Arthur never disappoints and always leaves me eagerly anticipating the next book. A classic, fabulous read!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  Praise for Moon Sworn

  “Huge kudos to Arthur for giving readers an impressive series they won’t soon forget! 4½ stars, top pick!”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “The superb final Guardian urban fantasy saga ends with quite a bang that will please the fans of the series. Riley is terrific as she goes through a myriad of emotions with no time to mourn her losses….Readers will enjoy Riley’s rousing last stand.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  Praise for Darkness Unbound

  “A thrilling ride.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  Praise for Darkness Rising

  “Arthur ratchets up the intrigue…in this powerful sequel.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  Generation 18 is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2004, 2014 by Keri Arthur

  Excerpt from Penumbra by Keri Arthur copyright © 2005, 2014 by Keri Arthur

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Dell, an imprint of Random House, a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York.

&n bsp; DELL and the HOUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC.

  Originally published in different form in paperback in the United States by ImaJinn Books, Hickory Corners, MI, in 2004.

  This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming novel Penumbra by Keri Arthur. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming edition.

  ISBN 9780440246596

  eBook ISBN 9780804179553

  Cover design: Lynn Andreozzi

  Cover illustration: © Juliana Kolesova

  www.bantamdell.com

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  By Keri Arthur

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Penumbra

  BEING A SPOOK WASN’T AT all what Samantha Ryan had expected. Long nights, sleepless days, yes—she’d faced that, and worse, during her ten years as a state police officer. In her time with State, the agents of the Special Investigations Unit had breezed in and out of situations, always on edge, always on the move, always looking like they loved what they were doing. So the sheer and utter boredom that filled ninety percent of her new job with the SIU had come as something of a shock.

  She sighed and shifted slightly, trying to find a comfortable position on the icy metal step. Watch the back door, Gabriel had said. Make sure the vamps don’t hit the blood bank from the alley. This despite the fact that, in the five previous robberies, the vampires had always gone in through the front door.

  So why the hell would they change a successful MO now?

  They wouldn’t. He knew that. She knew that.

  She rubbed her eyes wearily. She could hardly argue, though, as he was her senior and in charge of the investigation. And with intel stating that this blood bank would be the next one hit, she couldn’t argue with orders that were little more than covering all the bases.

  What the intel wasn’t saying was whether it was actually vampires doing these robberies. Hell, with recent estimates saying that at least thirty percent of newly turned vampires were unable to control their bloodlust, human blood had become a hot commodity. Combine that with the recent spate of deaths brought about through infected blood in all the major hospitals—leading to a proliferation of private blood banks where people could stockpile their own blood—and you had the perfect opportunity for those wanting to make a quick buck.

  So here she sat, in the cold night, on a cold step, waiting for robbers who weren’t likely to appear, while her goddamn partner watched the front door from the warmth of the car.

  Bitter? Oh yeah.

  He was certainly making good on his statement that he would never work with a partner. Whenever possible, he left her in her box of an office doing paperwork, or sent her on inane errands. This was her first “real” duty in the three months since her transfer, and she suspected she was here only because Byrne had given him a direct order to take her.

  The wind picked up, running chilly fingers through her hair. She shivered and flicked up the collar on her coat. Overhead, the starlit sky was beginning to cloud over. The rain they’d been predicting for days was finally on the way. She could smell the moisture in the breeze, could feel the tingle of electricity running through the night air, charging her body with an odd sense of power.

  Why she could feel these things was another point of concern, though it was one she kept to herself. There were only two people she trusted enough to sit down and talk to, anyway. The first was Finley, who was the head researcher for the SIU. While she didn’t really know him all that well—the only time they’d ever crossed paths was when he was doing either tests or research on her—he probably knew more about her than anyone else alive. Or, at least, knew more about her biology. If anyone had any chance of understanding why these things were happening, it would be him. But Finley was still on leave, recovering from the injuries he’d received in the bomb blast three months ago. The second person was her goddamn partner, and he was harder to nail down than a snowflake in a storm.

  And he wasn’t just keeping his distance on a professional level, but on a personal one as well. Given how well they’d gotten on during their investigations of her former partner’s disappearance, she’d thought they could at least be friends. Obviously, she’d been very much mistaken.

  God, how bad was it when he wouldn’t even go for a cup of coffee with her?

  “Sam, you there?”

  His warm voice whispered into her ear, so close she could almost feel the caress of his breath across her cheek. Except that he was tucked nice and warm in the car half a block away.

  She was tempted, very tempted, to ignore him. But she’d spent ten long years as a cop doing the right thing, following all the rules—including keeping in constant contact when on watch. Even when her partner was being a bastard and deserved to suffer, it was a hard habit to break.

  “What?” But her tone left no doubt of her mood. He’d left her sitting here so long her butt was almost frozen to the step. If he expected civility, he needed a brain transplant.

  “Just checking if you’re still awake.”

  Yeah, right. Like she was the one sitting in the nice, warm car. “The cold’s doing a fine job of that, thank you very much.”

  He paused. “Do you want to swap for a while?”

  She raised her eyebrows. Just for an instant, the compassion in his voice reminded her of the man she’d known before she’d become his partner. “You got coffee onboard?”

  “Freshly brewed.”

  And he hadn’t offered her any until now? It was lucky he’d equipped the two of them with only stun rifles, because she was very tempted to march right over and shoot him. “Sure you can spare a cup?” she said tightly. “I mean, you oldsters need some sort of stimulant to keep you awake at this hour of the night, don’t you?”

  “Do I take that as a yes or a no?” His warm voice held an undertone of annoyance.

  But she was way past caring at this particular moment. “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On whether you intend to freeze me out, figuratively or literally.”

  He made no immediate reply and she waited, wondering what he’d do now that she’d finally called him out. Down toward the Main Street end of the alley, she heard a soft thump, as if someone had jumped off a rooftop, and a dog yelped somewhere to the left of that—a short, sharp sound that spoke of fear. She frowned and stared into the darkness. The electricity filling the night stirred, running over her skin, standing the small hairs at the back of her neck on end. Heat followed quickly. Then her senses exploded outward, and she was tasting the night.

  A kite creature walked toward her.

  “Sam—”

  She jumped and quickly pressed the earphone, cutting him off. He’d once told her the kites hunted by sound and movement. She wasn’t about to chance the creature hearing his voice, no matter how unlikely that might be.

  The kite came into view. It almost looked like a large white sheet, except that it had feet and talon-like hands. The creature hesitated as it neared the steps, sniffing the night like a dog. It turned milky-white eyes in her direction. She controlled the urge to reach for the stun rifle and remained still.

  After a moment, it lumbered past, moving to the other end of the alley. Avoiding the yellow wash of the streetlight, it slunk around the corner and disappeared. She rose and picked up her rifle before switching the earpiece back on.

  “A kite just made an appearance in the alley. I’m about to follow.”

  “Negative. You’re not equipped—”

  Sam snorted softly. “Neither are you, partner. You continue to keep watch on the blood bank, and I’ll see what the creature is up to.”

  “Stun guns won’t—”

  “Gabriel, remember imperative one?” The SIU had become aware of the kites only five months ago, but since then, the creatures had reached the top of the SIU’s extermination list. With an edge in her voice that imitated his own, she continued, “Find and stop all kites, regardless of the cost.”

  “That doesn’t mean you have to do a suicide run when you’re not properly equipped to deal with them.”

  “Please credit me with a little bit of sense. I’m merely going to see what the thing is up to.” She stopped at the end of the alley and carefully peered around the corner. The kite lumbered across the road.

  “I’m calling for backup,” he said, his voice terse.

  The kite disappeared around the corner of the opposite street. She ran across the road and then edged forward, keeping to the shadows of the three-story apartment building.

  “Fine.” It only made sense. “I’ll keep in contact.”

  “You’d better,” he growled.

  She grinned. She might well pay for it later, but damn, it felt good to annoy him.

  She reached the corner, but the kite was nowhere to be seen. Wondering how the creature could have moved so fast, she frowned and glanced up—and found it. The loose skin around its arms flapped lightly as it climbed crablike up the wall.

  The wind tugged at her hair, throwing it across her eyes. She brushed it back and listened to the sounds beneath the soft cry of the wind. Two men were talking, their voices harsh and grating. A radio near the top of the building played classic rock. Between the two came the squeak of a bed and a whispered good night. These were all sounds she wouldn’t normally have heard but now did thanks to the odd sense of power flowing through the night.