Wealthy club owner and convicted dark wizard Devin Rayne is sure someone is trying to kill him. Only his old friends, Quinn and Mondragon, Magicians for Hire, can help him find out who.
In a world where magic is an everyday profession, people are getting pretty tired of being pushed around by magicians, and the Bureau of Magical Affairs is trying to force magicians to wear scarlet letters, Alexandra Quinn and Sho Mondragon have found their niche. But their Magicians for Hire business becomes a little less ordinary when Devin Rayne, Sho’s childhood friend, suspects someone is trying to kill him and hires them to help him find out who. Quinn, though, has a few bones to pick with Devin, such as their extremely complicated history and the fact that his father murdered the man she loved ten years ago. But when she finally agrees to help him, she is thrust into a world of dark magic, subtle seduction, terrible memories, painful revelations, and murder.
Excerpt
Rayne scowled and caught her arm, tugging her away from the other dancers.
“Hey!”
“Shouldn’t you be worrying about who is trying to kill me, rather than flirting with my cousin?”
Quinn’s eyes ignited; she tilted her head back to glare up into his face. “Flirting? It is none of your business what I do or with whom, Devin Rayne!”
“It is when I’m paying you!”
Her lip curled. “You’re not yelling at Sho for seducing Cordelia.”
“This has nothing to do with Sho!”
“Fine! You’re the one who called us here so we could all meet up like old friends. If you don’t like the outcome, you should have been more specific about your expectations!”
His sapphire eyes glittered angrily. “Is this specific enough? Stay away from Johnny and get to work.”
She let out an outraged noise, yanking her arm from his grasp. “Gah! It’s no wonder someone’s trying to kill you!”
Alexandra “Lexie” Quinn and Sho Mondragon went to the Academy of Magic together. Lexie is now a hex breaker. Sho deals with emotional magic, especially love magic. Today they are partners: Quinn & Mondragon, Magicians for Hire. Lexie’s closest friend over the last five years has been Aine Cavanaugh. Aine is an alchemist and sells potions in her store. If not for Aine, Lexie would never go out just for fun. The grand opening of the new nightclub, Slither, is the perfect opportunity to draw Lexie out of the office. Lexie is dressed and ready to leave for Slither when Sho calls her to come in to the office. Upon arrival, Lexie learns they have a new client, Devin “Dev” Rayne. But Lexie wants nothing to do with Dev, who happens to own Slither. She still blames Devin for his part in the death of Adam Hale, her boyfriend back in the Academy. Ten years ago Devin’s father, Aidan, and his partners were selling dark magic to normals. Devin was the best talisman maker in school. Dev was making the talismans for his father, who was selling them as weapons. Though it was Aidan who killed Adam, his cause of death was a talisman of Dev’s.
Devin has done his time in prison. A condition of his release is that he is not allowed to use magic. But Devin is very intelligent when it comes to investments, so he is in no way poor. However, bad things have been happening ever since his lucky talisman was stolen. Believing someone is trying to kill him, Dev wants to hire Lexie and Sho. Locating and retrieving the lucky talisman is pretty easy. But finding out who hexed Dev is not going to be. This would require Lexie and Dev to plunge back into their painful pasts. And the past is a very dangerous place to visit.
**** FOUR STARS! Though I have not been informed of this being the first of a new Paranormal Mystery series, I do believe it is. From the beginning of this story there are scenes revealing how wary the “normals” are of those able to use magic. So much so that the normals are trying to pass some unethical laws against all magic users. There is even a special law enforcement branch that keeps tabs on magic users. (Already, Quinn & Mondragon must send in weekly reports to it.)
Author Stella Drexler has done a terrific job of creating several intriguing characters, with well developed backgrounds, that I am eager to see more of. One visit to Lexie’s amazing world is simply not enough. The only real downside is that there are several jumps into the past; however, I honestly cannot think of any other way that the author could have revealed the information that readers needed to know. If the past, of ten years prior, had been revealed in a prologue, major spoilers would have been revealed. And believe me, there are a few twists and surprises scattered throughout this story to make the flashbacks worth it. All-on-all, Stella Drexler has a winner on her hands. I hope to revisit this magical world in the near future. Stellar! ****
Psychic wiccan Deja Hamilton pulls shapeshifter Lincoln McCabe from the lake, and the two form an alliance against the covetous older brother who wants Lincoln dead.
