Gabrielle Cody has a mission in life; a destiny laid out the day she was born. Taken in by a Catholic priest until his death, Gabrielle found a friend, a parent, a man who understood why she was different and what she needed to learn.

Now 21, Gabrielle, known as Gaby, endures the physical pain that takes over her body as God's calling sends her out into the city to kill a demon. Her vision alters, her focus sharpens and once the demon is in her sight, she sees its nasty aura and ugliness in a way no other can. Her job is to send them to Hell, a job Gaby does effectively and thoroughly using a large knife, cutting them to shreds.

In the supposed name of research, someone is torturing cancer victims, turning their tormented bodies into horrific creatures that prey on people. Gaby knows she must find the root of this evil. Having lost the priest to cancer, she will not see another agonized soul at the hands of some psychotic person.

Gaby has no friends. She cannot befriend anyone, or at least she does not think God wants her to have friends. Her life is to be solitary. She's never known romantic love, never experienced a kiss. However, life as she has known it is about to change. Her landlord, Morty, has taken an interest in her. He longs for her friendship, never giving up even though Gaby is rude and extremely private around him. She also draws the attention of a sharp-as-a-tack detective named Luther Cross. He's seen her take out a drunk who made the mistake of grabbing her; he's seen her rather large knife; and he's seen her near a murder victim who just happened to have been cut to ribbons. He's interested in her as a police officer, but he's more interested in her as a man.

Luther has never known a woman so strong, yet so vulnerable. Even though he has a job to do, wanting to protect Gaby comes natural to him. When Gaby asks him about sex, Luther is thrilled to be the one to teach her. She's under his skin, but Gaby pulls away. Whenever she's around Luther or Morty, the calling that pulls her to the demons is compromised. She cannot seem to keep the focus. Realizing that their friendship is the issue, Gaby knows she must leave, never to see them again. Nevertheless, Luther, being a good detective, finds her. That's the point where this story ends and the next one will begin.

Lori Foster is one of my favorite authors. Writing SERVANT: THE AWAKENING under the name L.L. Foster, she leads the reader into a world where God's will triumphs over evil, a woman's strength has no boundaries, and the temptation of love and friendship creates heartache. One who's never known those feelings cannot miss them, but a woman once touched by forbidden love and destined to live alone has the knowledge of a heart cut deeply, as if a knife has sliced right through.