The Trouble with Demons

Table of Contents

Armed & Magical

“Fresh, original, and fall-out-of-your-chair funny, Lisa Shearin’s
Armed & Magical
combines deft characterization, snarky dialogue, and nonstop action—plus a yummy hint of romance—to create one of the best reads of the year. This book is a bona fide winner, the series a keeper, and Shearin a definite star on the rise.”

—Linnea Sinclair, RITA Award-winning author of
Hope’s Folly

 

“An exciting, catch-me-if-you-can, lightning-fast-paced tale of magic and evil filled with goblins, elves, mages, and a hint of love interest that will leave fantasy readers anxiously awaiting Raine’s next adventure.”

—
Monsters and Critics

 

“The kind of book you hope to find when you go to the bookstore. It takes you away to a world of danger, magic, and adventure, and it does so with dazzling wit and clever humor. It’s gritty, funny, and sexy—a wonderful addition to the urban-fantasy genre. I absolutely loved it. From now on, Lisa Shearin is on my auto-buy list!”

—Ilona Andrews, national bestselling author of
Magic Strikes

 

“
Armed & Magical
, like its predecessor, is an enchanting read from the very first page. I absolutely loved it. Shearin weaves a web of magic with a dash of romance that thoroughly snares the reader. She’s definitely an author to watch!”

—Anya Bast, national bestselling author of
Witch Heart

 

“Intriguing.”

—
SFRevu

“Shearin continues to demonstrate her marvelous gift for balancing offbeat humor with high-stakes adventure and paranormal thrills in book two of her high-octane, first-person suspense ride. You don’t get much better than this imaginative and hilarious book.”

—
Romantic Times

 

“One of the best reads I’ve had in a long, long time. There are twists, turns, shocks, and surprises—all contained in a fast-paced story. ‘Unpredictable’ would be an understatement, and the witty dialogue, both spoken and internal, is exceptional . . . If you love an imaginative fantasy romp with a winning blend of laugh-out-loud humor and chilling suspense, this novel is a must-read.”

—
The Toasted Scimitar

 

 

“Take a witty, kick-ass heroine and put her in a vividly realized fantasy world where the stakes are high, and you’ve got a fun, page-turning read in
Magic Lost, Trouble Found
. I can’t wait to read more of Raine Benares’s adventures.”

—Shanna Swendson, author of
Don’t Hex with Texas

 

“A wonderful fantasy tale full of different races and myths and legends [that] are drawn so perfectly readers will believe they actually exist. Raine is a strong female, a leader who wants to do the right thing even when she isn’t sure what that is . . . Lisa Shearin has the magic touch.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

“Shearin serves up an imaginative fantasy . . . The strong, well-executed story line and characters, along with a nice twist to the ‘object of unspeakable power’ theme, make for an enjoyable, fast-paced read.”

—
Monsters and Critics

“Lisa Shearin turns expectation on its ear and gives us a different
kind of urban fantasy with
Magic Lost, Trouble Found
.
For once, the urban is as fantastic as the fantasy, as Shearin
presents an otherworld city peopled with beautiful goblins,
piratical elves, and hardly a human to be found. Littered with
entertaining characters and a protagonist whose self-serving
lifestyle is compromised only by her loyalty to her friends,
Magic Lost
is an absolutely enjoyable read. I look forward to
the next one!”

—C. E. Murphy, author of
The Pretender’s Crown

 

“Lisa Shearin has the potential to become the Janet Evanovich of fantasy. She writes with a fun, unpretentious style, and she has mastered writing with humor.”

—
SFFWorld.com

 

“[An] edgy and fascinating first-person adventure. In her auspicious debut, Shearin populates her series with a variety of supernatural characters with a multitude of motives. Following along as this tough and feisty woman kicks butt and takes names is a most enjoyable way to spend your time.”

—
Romantic Times

 

“Nicely done. I actively enjoyed the characters and their banter.”

—
Critical Mass

 

“Fun, fascinating, and loaded with excitement!
Magic Lost, Trouble Found
is a top-notch read of magic, mayhem, and some of the most charming elves and goblins I’ve ever encountered. Enthralling characters and a thrilling plot . . . I now need to cast a spell on Ms. Shearin to ensure there’s a sequel.”

—Linnea Sinclair, RITA Award-winning author of
Hope’s Folly

 

“A friendly romp, a magical adventure story with a touch of light romance.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND
ARMED & MAGICAL
THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS

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, North Shore 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

 

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.

 

THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS

 

An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author

 

PRINTING HISTORY

Ace mass-market edition / May 2009

Copyright © 2009 by Lisa Shearin.

Map illustration by Lisa Shearin and Shari Lambert.

 

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.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-04422-3

 

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.

 

 

 

 

To God, who makes all things possible and who made my dream come true.

To Kristin Nelson, who in my opinion is the best agent on the planet. Period. And to Nelson Literary Agency assistant Sara Megibow, who always gets me what I need even before I know I want it.

To my fabulous editor, Anne Sowards. You share my vision for Raine’s stories and probably know what I’m thinking before I write it down.

To Aleta Rafton, my amazing cover artist. Thank you for bringing Raine to demon-butt-kicking life.

To Cameron Dufty, Ace editorial assistant (and in my opinion the best editorial assistant in New York), and my new Ace publicist, Rosanne Romanello. Thank you both for all of your hard work and endless energy.

To Shari Lambert, for bringing artistic flair to the map of Raine’s world. I can’t draw a tree or mountain to save my life.

To Todd and Elyse, my splendid webmaster and designer. Thank you for making
www.lisashearin.com
such a cool place to visit and hang out.

To the cherished members of my Yahoo! Group fan club—Raine’s Rangers. I can always go there for support, encouragement, and a good laugh. You guys are the best. And
mucho
thanks to David, Marie, Megan, Patty, and Renee—the moderators who keep the party under control. Save me a bar stool in the tavern and pour me a pint.

To simply the best fans any author could ever hope for. Your e-mails, blog posts, cards, and endless enthusiasm keep me going. These books are for you.