Unfallen Dead (39 page)

Joe popped in, humming with a particularly proud and smug look on his face.

“I take it the mission was a success?” I asked.

He snapped his fingers. “It was a cinch.”

“And no one saw you?”

He thumped his chest. “No one sees a flit when he doesn’t want to be seen.”

I’d worked with Keeva long enough to fake her handwriting to the casual eye. I couldn’t wait to see what happened when her boyfriend showed up at the Guildhouse board of directors meeting tomorrow wearing the good-luck gift “she” had left in his office. The only downside was I wouldn’t see Ryan macGoren’s face when he realized he was proudly wearing an expensive gold torc that had been stolen from the New York Met.

I smirked. “Good man. I’d say this calls for a drink.”

He grinned back. “No port.”

It’s been a century since the peoples and magic of the Faerie realms mysteriously appeared in our world, an event known historically as Convergence. Humanity has learned to coexist with fairies and elves, but sometimes it seems Convergence has only brought new breeds of criminals—and new ways to fight them.

In Washington, D.C., Laura Blackstone is the public relations director for the Fey Guild. Janice Crawford is a druid who helps out when the D.C. SWAT team needs magical backup. Mariel Tate is a lead investigator for an international intelligence agency. But what most people don’t know is that they are all the same woman.

Laura has been juggling different identities for years, using her ability to disguise herself with magical glamours to gather intelligence. Now, as “Laura” puts together publicity for a special fey exhibition at the National Archives, “Janice” is almost killed in a drug bust gone bad . . . and “Mariel” discovers a possible connection between the drug raid and threats against the opening of the exhibition.

Laura’s different worlds are about to collide, and if she can’t keep it together, she’ll have more to worry about than having to retire an identity. She may lose her life.

Look for the first Laura Blackstone novel

SKIN DEEP by Mark Del Franco

Coming in August 2009 from Ace Books