Inferno's Kiss
Authors: Monica Burns
Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR THE ORDER OF THE SICARI NOVELS
ASSASSIN’S HEART
“Uniquely smart, erotically sexy.”
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Fresh Fiction
“The emotional tension between Lysander and Phaedra keeps the pages turning. I finished this read in one sitting . . . Monica Burns is a masterful storyteller.”
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The Season
“This is a series where I find myself anticipating the next one.”
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Smexy Books Romance Reviews
“Keeps you caught in the tangled web it weaves.”
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Night Owl Romance
“[Burns] has . . . me impatiently waiting for my next fix!”
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The Romance Dish
“Packed with action and intrigue. But it’s the romance that really spoke to me. I eagerly look forward to more in this exciting series.”
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Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
“Burns doesn’t disappoint!”
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RT Book Reviews
(four stars)
“An exciting adventure with a heart-wrenching love story . . . An excellent series.”
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Romance Novel News
ASSASSIN’S HONOR
“Another winner [for Burns] and most definitely a must-read.”
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TwoLips Reviews
“Monica Burns weaves a wonderful tale, building a mythical world and blending it beautifully with modern civilization. I loved her voice, it was so full of passion and adventure.”
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Night Owl Romance
“A spellbinding tale.”
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The Best Reviews
“Monica Burns pulled me in and kept me reading . . . I want more. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.”
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Southern Musings
“A fantastic blend of paranormal and romantic suspense.”
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Romance Novel News
“Sizzling . . . A great start in a very promising series!”
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RT Book Reviews
Berkley Sensation titles by Monica Burns
KISMET
PLEASURE ME
Order of the Sicari Novels
ASSASSIN’S HONOR
ASSASSIN’S HEART
INFERNO’S KISS
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.)
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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 Kathi B. Scearce.
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.
BERKLEY SENSATION
®
is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation trade paperback edition / October 2011
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Burns, Monica.
Inferno’s kiss / Monica Burns.—Berkley Sensation trade paperback ed.
p. cm.—(Order of the Sicari novels ; 3)
ISBN : 978-1-101-54502-7
1. Female assassins—Fiction. 2. Imaginary wars and battles—Fiction. I. Title. PS3602.U’.6—dc23 2011025931
For Kati and Scott.
May your happily ever after be filled with joy,
love, laughter, and everything romance.
ACKNOWLEDMENTS
I would like to express my thanks to Sensei Flavio Matias and Master Steve Turkington of the Action Martial Arts studio in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, for providing information on martial arts pressure point techniques, sometimes referred to as the “death touch.” I would also like to thank K. T. Grant for reading and dissecting Cleo and Dante’s story. You gave me insight when I had none.
Finally, for all my Facebook reader friends who encouraged me to trudge on in the creation of this book. You will never know how much your words of encouragement helped me push on to finish this book. Thank you for you support.
Chapter 1
“I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me.”
Atia heard the angry confusion in her daughter’s voice and trembled at the wave of grief and fear welling up inside her. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever envisioned being backed into a corner so bleak and inescapable twice in a matter of hours. First Gabriel and now Cleo. She didn’t think she could bear losing both of her children in the same day.
Images from the Pantheon flashed through Atia’s head. The vivid memory of Gabriel attacking his father and Marcus being forced to kill their son still filled her with horror. The terrible moment had played over and over in her head ever since their return to the safe house.
Then there was Phaedra and her sacrifice. First she’d saved Marcus from certain death, only to do the same for Lysander before lapsing into a coma. Atia had never seen Lysander so distraught, and with Ares’s help, he’d taken Phaedra to the Order’s private hospital in Genova. Outside the study window of the Rome installation, the city was starting to stir. But she wasn’t ready to face the new day. Nor was she ready to face the inevitable now.
“Tell me why, Mother.” Cleo’s voice was soft, yet inflexible. “Why didn’t you tell me I had a brother?”
“Because it was too painful.” Atia knew the question was her chance to tell Cleo the truth, but her courage was wafer thin. “The Praetorians . . .”
She looked at Marcus as her voice trailed away to nothing. His features were rigid with his own grief and guilt. A guilt she wanted to tell him not to feel. He looked at her for a long moment before he turned to Cleo.
“The Collegium kidnapped Gabriel before you were born. He was two when they took him and trained him to hate the Sicari,” Marcus said quietly with a grief that tugged at Atia’s heart.
She could feel the anguish and sorrow vibrating off him, but she didn’t know how to comfort him. Perhaps she never would. Yet despite all he’d been through tonight in the Pantheon, there was a strength flowing from him that bolstered her flagging spirits.
It reminded her why he was the reigning Sicari Lord. She wanted to reach out to him but bowed her head with grief instead. The emotion battered every inch of her as she struggled to retain her composure. The loss of Gabriel and all that might have been if she’d kept him safe consumed her with sorrow. She shuddered, and an instant later, Cleo’s arms were wrapped around her.
“I’m sorry, Mother.”
The simplicity of her daughter’s words and the warmth of her hug reminded Atia just how big her daughter’s heart was. Despite her tough exterior, Cleo had a soft side she didn’t display often. Now the heartfelt sympathy of her daughter’s embrace pushed tears against her eyelids, but Atia refused to cry. She needed all her wits about her for what was to come. Cleo released her and looked in Marcus’s direction.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Eminence, and the manner in which you lost your son.” Cleo’s gentle sympathy made Marcus flinch.
Atia drew in a sharp breath at the pinched look on his face. He’d been forced to kill their son, and it was her fault. She’d not done what she should have done all those years ago. As a result, her penance might very well be the death of her relationship with Cleo. And it was more than possible Cleo wouldn’t forgive her for hiding the truth.
