Magic Bites

Magic Bites is the first novel of the Kate Daniels Series and the first novel by Ilona Andrews. It is followed by Magic Burns and is set in the first year of the series.

Publisher's Summary
Ilona Andrews invites you to experience the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring the intriguing fantasy world of mercenary Kate Daniels…

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires (The People), and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way...

Plot Summary
Kate is at her home outside Atlanta drinking Boone's Farm Hard Lemonade, eating a sandwich, and watching the news, which warns viewers that summoning or confronting magical creatures can be hazardous to one's health. She's interrupted when she senses an undead presence, using the bottle to see the vampire on the ceiling behind her.

Whirling around, she threw a dagger, which landed in the creature's throat. Ghastek, the necromancer piloting the vampire, scolded her for damaging it since he'll have to feed it. He asked her when she last saw her guardian, Greg Feldman, and she asked him if he used a vampire instead of calling just to mess with her, to which he responded in the affirmative. After he left, she knew he had to have had the vampire outside her wards waiting for the next tech wave so it wouldn't have to deal with her protections.

The last time she saw Greg was two weeks prior when he'd encouraged her to join the Order, even though she had hated her time in the Order's Academy because she disliked the hierarchy and bureaucracy. Senses prickling, she called the Order of Merciful Aid and asked to speak with Greg.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Kate Daniels
 * Ghastek Stefanoff
 * Maxine
 * Ted Monahan
 * Greg Feldman
 * Nick
 * Unidentified Order Member
 * Morgue Clerk
 * Julianne
 * Dr. Crest
 * Jim Shrapshire
 * Sergio
 * Bono
 * Annette Fiore
 * Curran Lennart
 * Saiman
 * Grace
 * Charles Cole
 * Rowena
 * Derek Gaunt
 * Mik
 * Jennifer
 * Mahon
 * Corwin
 * Sam Buchanan
 * Nataraja
 * Wiggles
 * Red
 * Mike
 * Olathe
 * Dr. George Doolittle
 * Mila
 * Madam Emerson
 * Aivisha
 * Jennifer Ying
 * Aunt B
 * Arag
 * Detective Gray