"Book Four in the Demon Underground Series is a Must-Read for Fans"
Reviewed by Diana Troldahl
Posted May 10, 2012
Fantasy Urban | Young Adult Science Fiction | Young Adult
A few short months ago Valentine Shapiro's life changed.
She
had been satisfying the hungers of her succubus demon half
(which Val has named Lola) for years by slaying would-be
rapists and vampires but the night before her 18th birthday
her mother insisted she leave the only home she's known to
protect her younger sister from Val's influence. (Bite
Me)
That very day Val found Fang, a mind speaking terrier-
Hellhound mix and job with the San Antonio Special Crimes
Unit. Within a very short time she also found a gig with
the
head of the local 'good guy' vein of vampires and tracked
down a dangerous set of three books called the Encyclopedia
Magicka. (Try Me and Fang Me).
Book four in the Demon Underground series, MAKE ME, opens
soon after Val loses her virgin Succubus powers that gave
her such a strong physical advantage over the rogue
vampires
she hunts (speed, strength, rapid healing) and with her
struggle to adapt to her new roles of Keeper of the
Encyclopedia Magicka and steady girlfriend to hottie demon
Shade.
Keeping her word to work for the 'good guy' vampire
Alejandro until they come out of the closet bites now that
Val has lost her super strength. The only weapon that
remains until she learns how to gain the powers provided by
the Encyclopedia Magicka is Lola and her ability to control
men with the power of their own lust. Can you say 'ick'?
The former Keeper of the books, Jack, seems much more
interested in feeding his face than in helping Val. Of
course being trapped in an alternate dimension for decades
would make anyone hungry.
The Encyclopedia Magicka exacts a steep price for any power
it grants, but when Micah (Val's incubus cousin)and Gwen
(Val's innocent human roommate) are kidnapped and held for
ransom (the ransom being the books) Val is left in a very
difficult position. Saving Gwen and Micah's life at the
expense of the world is not an option.
MAKE ME continues to contain Val's irreverent take on
situations that would send others screaming but there are a
few differences in Parker Blue's methods. For one thing,
the
action is split between Austin and San Antonio, and also
told alternately between Val's and Micah's points of view.
It is a pivotal book that shifts the path of the series
from
the initial trilogy covering Val's transition from hapless
(even if powerful) teen to self-determining adult and
changes the focus of Val's quest from mostly personal to a
wider viewpoint.
I was enjoying MAKE ME as much as I had the first three
books until the author had Val make a fairly large error in
logic that seemed to have happened simply to provide fodder
for advancing the next scene. I kept reading, wanting to
learn how the story ended and hoping beyond hope that the
book would redeem itself. Instead, Parker Blue used the
revelation of the information Val had missed in an even
more
effective way, making my respect for her work rise higher.
MAKE ME is a must-read for fans of the series, especially
because it ends leaving plenty of fodder for book five,
name
and release date not yet known.
Learn more about Make Me
SUMMARY
Book 4 of the bestselling DEMON UNDERGROUND series. Rave
reviews and top ebook sales have built momentum for this
crossover YA series about a half-demon vampire hunting girl
in San Antonio, TX. 18 year old Val and her faithful part-
demon hellhound Fang are caught between the feuds of the
local vamps, demons, and others.
ExcerptCHAPTER ONEI crouched in the darkness of an ancient live oak, armed
with only my wits, listening for any sign of the vampire.
Nothing but the rattling of branches and the soughing of
the wind through the leaves here on the longest night of
the year.
Creepy.
I wasn't hiding out of fear. I just wanted to get a bead
on him before he found me first. Now that I'd lost my
strength, speed, and healing ability, and I hadn't seen
hide nor hair of any of my new powers as keeper of the
Encyclopedia Magicka, I needed any advantage I could get.
The live oak, with its leaves and gnarled branches as big
around as my waist, shaded me from the revealing flood of
moonlight.
"Val Shapiiiro," he crooned, the eerie mocking sound
seeming one with the breeze. "Come out, come out wherever
you are . . . "
Too close! He'd found me.
Lust for the hunt sizzled through my blood and I whirled
toward the sound. "Make me," I growled.
He rushed me, inhumanly fast.
I leapt up to one of the low branches hugging the ground
and lashed out with a savate kick, hoping to score a field
goal with his head. He ducked.
Too slow, damn it. I stumbled for a nanosecond on the
uneven surface, then regained my balance as he appeared on
the bough beside me. His infuriating grin flashed in a
sliver of moonlight. I struck out with my fist, hoping to
smash the fangs off his face. Blocked.
I couldn't let him take the offensive. And though I
might have lost my speed and strength, I still had my
martial arts training. I battered him with a series of
blows, but he was so fast, none of them connected where I
wanted. I tried a low blow—a kick to the 'nads, but
he stopped that, too.
Frustrated, I leapt up to grab the branch above me,
planning to swing up and over it and use the momentum to
knock him off his perch. Instead, he tackled me. I lost my
grip and we both hit the hard–packed earth, knocking
the wind out of me.
Taking advantage of my momentary pause and gasp for air,
he straddled my waist and hooked his legs over mine so I
couldn't move, then grabbed my wrists and pinned them above
my head.
Crap. He was too strong—I couldn't get free, no
matter how hard I struggled.
He grinned, looking way too happy with the
situation. "Yield, darlin'?"
Never. I still had one weapon left. I hated to use it,
but I hated to lose even more. I called on the succubus
inside me and she leapt to the fore, eager for action. The
purple eye flash that came with the use of my demonic
powers reflected in his eyes as my succubus Lola surged
forth and slammed into his chakras, instantly making him my
slave.
His lust for Lola made it impossible to disobey me. I
paused for a moment, trying to catch my breath enough to
tell him to shove off.
His smile turned wicked as he released my wrists and his
hands started to wander where only one man's hands had gone
before.
This was so wrong. "Get off me," I yelled, shoving
against his shoulders.
He took his time rolling off, his lascivious gaze and
knowing smile never leaving my face as he hooked his thumbs
in the belt loops of his jeans.
I scrambled to my feet, releasing him from Lola's
clutches so fast it made us both stagger. "Seriously,
Austin?"
He looked different without his Stetson . . . edgier,
more dangerous.Alejandro's cowboy lieutenant ran a hand
over his face and chuckled softly. "Hey, you were the one
who played your ace in the hole . . . darlin'."
My face heated. Crap. He always made me feel young and
foolish. No matter that at eighteen, I'd been slaying
vampires for years. No matter that I could make any man
alive do whatever I wanted. No matter that brave cops,
vampires, and demons feared me as the Slayer. None of it
mattered when Austin gave me his knowing look, reminding me
he had at least a hundred years more experience than I did.
It was as if he gazed deep into the insecurities of my soul
and laid them bare.
I averted my gaze and pretended I was absorbed in
brushing twigs and leaves from my shirt and jeans. "I had
to," I muttered. "It was the only way I could win." He'd
already beaten me once. I couldn't let him win two out of
three.
"I know," he said softly. "Took you long enough."
I shrugged. "I don't like to use my powers unless it's
absolutely necessary."
"And that's why you lost the first time. If I'd really
been out to get you . . . " He shrugged.
"I know, I know." I'd be dead. Thank goodness this was
only practice. I didn't want the word to get out to the
general vamp population that the Slayer had lost her
powers, or I'd be challenged by every one of them not
affiliated with the New Blood Movement. And maybe even some
in the Movement.
"Best two out of three?" I asked. This time, I'd be
faster on the draw with my secret weapon.
"I'll pass," he drawled. "Now that you've figured out
when to play your trump card . . . well, let's just say I
don't think either of us would be comfortable doing that
again."
Boy, make me squirm, willya?
Someone slammed into me from the side, taking me down
again. Another vamp—Luis. I shoved Lola into him so
fast, he didn't get a chance to try anything.
"Stop. Don't move." I scrambled to my feet and, just in
case Austin tried anything more, I hooked him with one of
Lola's energy tendrils as well. "You, too."
I'd learned my lesson and wasn't about to—
Wham. I was down on the ground again. A third vamp?
You're kidding me.
I shook my head. No problem. I could handle three
without even breaking a sweat. I lunged out with Lola to
take care of numero tres, and got nothing but a hard slap
across the face.
Crap. It was Rosa. Lola wouldn't work on her. "Stop
her," I gritted out, sending a surge of power along Lola's
energy strands.
My two marionettes obeyed instantly, grabbing Rosa and
pulling her off me. They looked murderous, so I
added, "Hold her—don't hurt her." Alejandro wouldn't
be pleased if he found out I'd let two of his lieutenants
tear the third limb from limb.
Rosa—smart girl—didn't fight them. She just
smirked at me.
"Lucky hit," I said, raising up on one elbow to feel my
jaw. She packed quite a wallop.
"Not lucky," she spat. "You, you call yourself the
Slayer? If I used my knife, you'd be dead right now.
Muerta."
I could have pointed out that she'd be one dead undead
bloodsucker with a single word from me, but kept my trap
shut. After all, they were helping me regain some skill and
confidence by sparring with me in private. It was my own
damned fault that I'd assumed they'd come at me one at a
time. The least I could do was act grateful.
And I was, I really was. I hadn't known until tonight
that the Movement used the clearing in the center of the
woods around the mansion as their private training grounds.
But I'd ignored their suggestion to stick to the open
space. Instead, I'd taken to the trees, hoping it would
give me some advantage. Not so much.
I cast around with my senses but didn't detect any more
bloodsuckers. "Any others waiting in the wings to take a
swing at the Slayer?" I asked before I got up again. I
didn't want to meet the ground up close and personal for a
fourth time.
"No," Austin and Luis answered in unison.
Good. I got slowly to my feet. The adrenaline was gone,
so I was starting to experience the pain of tonight's
punishment. Dang, it sucked to feel human. It was times
like these that I regretted giving up my powers. "Why do
you care anyway?" I asked Rosa. She'd sounded so pissed.
Still held captive by the other two vamps, she rolled
her eyes. "Because you need to protect Alejandro."
"Why? I'm not his bodyguard. Doesn't he have, like, a
whole vein of bloodsuckers to do that for him?" I knew he
thought of me as his personal talisman, but sheesh, that
was taking it too far.
"For when he goes to Austin," she clarified.
I glanced at the cowboy vamp, confused. "Goes to Austin
for what?" And, realizing the two guys were both still in
Lola's thrall, I let them go, despite Lola's protest.
Rosa rubbed her arms and sulked. "Stupid chica. Not him,
the city. Maybe you've heard of it? The capitol of Texas?"
Oh. But . . . "Since when are we going to Austin, where
I'll apparently have to watch his back?" I asked.
Luis folded his arms. "Alejandro hasn't told her yet."
He and the cowboy vamp exchanged an unreadable
glance. "Better take her to him," Austin said.
I heaved a sigh. Secrets. I hated secrets.
Luis nodded briefly, and the three of them headed back
to the house. They didn't even look back, just assumed I'd
follow them like a good little girl. Hell with that. They
could keep their secrets.
Fang finally trotted up from his place on the sidelines.
Part scruffy terrier, part telepathic hellhound, part
smart–aleck–bane–of–my–existen
ce, he sat on his haunches and grinned up at me. POUT MUCH?
We'd decided to have him sit this one out to see what I
could do without him. I thought he'd be upset that he
couldn't mix it up with me, but with that snarky comment, I
wondered . . . "Did you enjoy watching them beat the crap
out of me?" I asked.
He snorted. NOT SO MUCH. BUT IT WAS NECESSARY.
"Maybe," I muttered. "But is this meeting necessary? Not
so much."
YOU DID AGREE TO WORK FOR HIM UNTIL THE BOOKS WERE FOUND
AND HE COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET.
I know. I'd found the books, but he hadn't done the
second part yet.
SO, THIS IS PART OF YOUR JOB. WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU'VE
ALWAYS WANTED TO TRAVEL MORE.
Yeah, but not as a bodyguard. Okay, yes, I was pouting.
So sue me.
Fang didn't say a word, just looked at me with
reproachful brown eyes framed in his adorably fuzzy face.
Dang. He'd pulled out the big guns. I gave up. "Okay, okay.
I'm coming."
I hobbled toward the house, feeling every ache and pain
the vamps had hammered into me. More like eighty than
eighteen.
NEXT TIME, WEAR SILVER, my unfeeling hellhound advised
me.
I'd thought of that, but it seemed like cheating when
the vamps were supposed to be helping me. Then again, being
a vampire was kind of cheating, too, wasn't it?
Fang just snorted, which I took to mean he agreed with
me.
Alejandro's people had been careful not to create any
paths into the woods that would reveal the location of
their training ground, but it was easy to follow the lights
to the house. I trudged up to their back door where Austin
waited for me, holding open the door. He'd put his hat back
on, too, so he looked more like himself.
"I'm coming," I muttered.
"I know." He grinned again, but didn't move when I
passed him.
Our energy fields intersected in the close confines of
the doorway and Lola licked into him. I didn't pull
back—he deserved a good licking.
The tall, lean cowboy didn't react, though. He just
raised an eyebrow as if to say, "You really want to go
there?"
POINT TO AUSTIN, Fang said with a laugh.
Shut up. I shoved past Austin into the kitchen,
disappointing Lola once more. "In his study?" I asked
without looking back.
"Yes, ma'am." Austin didn't bother to hide the amusement
in his voice.
I tried not to stomp out my frustration as we headed to
find Alejandro. Luis gestured me into the room I'd visited
far too often. Very masculine, very Mediterranean, very
dark . . . except for the sun–drenched mural of a
beach scene covering the wall across from Alejandro's desk.
Then again, if I'd been unable to see the sun as long as he
had, I'd probably want a view like that, too.
I flopped into a chair across from Alejandro and his
massive wooden desk and said, "So, boss, what's this I hear
about you going to Austin?"
Luis scowled. He hated it when I treated Alejandro so
informally. That's why I did it, of course, and Alejandro
didn't mind. Luis and Austin took up positions behind their
boss and I wondered where Rosa was.
MAYBE SHE WAS PUT IN A CORNER FOR SPILLING THE BEANS,
Fang suggested.
"I am afraid our trip to Austin is necessary," Alejandro
said.
"Why?"
The vamp leader absently rubbed the bust of Cortes he
kept on his desk. "The situation in the state capitol has
changed. The legislation we were counting on to protect us
when we come out and keep the unaffiliated ones in their
place is stalled."
I grimaced. I hated politics as much as I hated secrets.
MAYBE BECAUSE THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
Probably. "What does that mean, stalled?"
Alejandro shook his head, a puzzled expression on his
face. "I wish I knew. My calls are not being returned, and
there has been no communication from my supporters. We
shall have to go there to see what is happening."
I was all for getting those laws in place so the
Movement could come out and I could satisfy my contract
with Alejandro, but . . . "Why do you need me?"
"Because you can go where I cannot," Alejandro said with
a smile.
Who was going to keep a vampire out of anywhere he
wanted to go? "Like where?"
Austin's mouth quirked up. "Like daylight."
Oh.
"Indeed," Alejandro agreed. "You are the only one I can
trust to protect my interests while I'm there, to live in
my world and not reveal what you discover, to act for me
during the daytime."
Fang huffed with amusement. HE WANTS YOU TO BE HIS
RENFIELD.
I didn't find that at all funny. It was a pretty tall
order. But, unfortunately, I couldn't argue with the vamp
leader's logic. "Rosa seemed to think you wanted me to be
some kind of bodyguard."
Alejandro waved away my objection. "Rosa is overly
protective. We cannot invade another vampire's territory
without permission. Without it, we risk much. I have gained
that permission, but have agreed to bring only four with
me. I shall take Austin and Vincent, and leave Luis and
Rosa in charge here."
No wonder Rosa was peeved, with only two vamps to guard
her boss's back. "If I'm the third, who's the fourth? Fang?
Does Fang count?"
FANG ALWAYS COUNTS.
"No, Fang does not count as the fourth," Alejandro said
with a smile, "though I see no reason why he cannot come.
The fourth will be Jack Grady."
Grady? The former keeper of the Encyclopedia Magicka was
an odd choice. "Why him?"
"The encyclopedia can be a powerful weapon in our favor.
He knows how to wield it, and you do not. We need him to
get you up to speed as fast as possible."
Good luck with that. I'd tried with no luck. He was
supposed to be training me on how to tap the magick
potential in the books, but the only thing he'd done the
past few days was pig out on Gwen's food and hog Shade's
bed.
"I have already spoken with Mr. Blackburn and the Demon
Underground has agreed to let me take both of you,"
Alejandro said. "I have made arrangements for a place to
stay so we can leave tomorrow night when the sun goes down."
Why not? I'd only been to Austin a few times, and it
would be something different than the same old, same
old. "Do you have any idea how long we'll be gone? Mom will
kill me if I miss Christmas." And since Mom and I had kind
of a truce going on, I didn't want to screw that up.
"It's little more than an hour away," Austin drawled. "I
think you'll be able to come home to Mommy when you need
to."
I clamped my lips on an unwise comeback and resolved not
to let him get to me. "Okay. Should I pack?"
"Yes," Alejandro said. "Pack for a couple of weeks.
It'll make it easier than returning here for a change of
clothing or necessities. You may go now if you wish."
I definitely wished, though I didn't care for his master
to servant phrasing. Glancing down at Fang, I asked, You
ready?
In answer, he got up and trotted away, pausing in front
of the study door to glance expectantly over his shoulder
at Austin.
The cowboy rolled his eyes, but followed Fang's unspoken
bidding and opened the door for him.
How do you do that?
CHARISMA, BABE, SHEER CHARISMA.
Shaking my head, I followed him down the hallway and out
the front door. I straddled my Valkyrie motorcycle and
waited for him to jump up into his own leather and
sheepskin seat, then helped him on with his goggles.
I sped home on the dark, silent streets of San Antonio.
There weren't many people out in the early hours of the
morning, so I was able to drive on autopilot and make plans
for the unexpected free time. I could take a hot bath to
soak out my aches and pains, maybe even get some extra
sleep before I had to show up at Alejandro's tomorrow.
After all, who knew what awaited us in the state's capitol?
When we arrived home, I took off Fang's goggles and he
jumped down.
"Hungry?" I asked. Usually, he'd be pestering me for
food right about now.
SORRY, BABE.
"For what?"
A dark cloth fell over my head and someone grabbed me,
trying to pin my arms. What the . . . ? I struck out with
my foot, connecting with someone who let out an "oof."
YOU'LL HAVE TO SEDATE HER, Fang said, and I felt the
sudden prick of a needle in my arm.
My mind grew fuzzy. Fang? What's happening?
No response.
"Thanks, Fang," a man said. "We owe you one."
I had only one thought as I lost consciousness. Traitor.
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