Waking up in a motel room with no memories and surrounded by dead bodies, the woman knows only to run. She does, and that night she tries to break into the hero's car but he finds her convinces her, almost extremely reluctantly, to come back with him she we can care for her wounds. The hero lives his life in complete disguise. He's actually a gargoyle and to hide his true form he wears a mask of magic and keeps his wings tightly bound. Together they go on the road to discover who the woman is and on the way learn to trust each other and confront their mutual loneliness. The hero is kindhearted to a fault and it resulted in his capture and imprisonment but a witch years ago. Though he escaped, he's still traumatized y his ordeal but it doesn't stop him from helping the woman. He's very in tune with how the woman thinks and why she thinks the way she does, so when it takes some time and a lot of effort to get her to trust him, he's patient and allows it. The heroine is possessed by a spirit who's on a murderous rage of revenge but other than that, has zero memories of her own life. She's resourceful and strong in her survival and slowly she starts to truly care for the hero even though he isn't human. When he's her and she tends to him, she isn't disguised when she discovers his wings. This is a traditional Marjorie M Liu book, meaning it has the same plot of having two strangers go on an adventure together while struggling to trust and love each other. Though I didn't feel as much love for this story as for her other books, you can't fault Mrs. Liu's writing as anything other than poetic. ( )

I can tell that I missed a book or two in between. I'm thinking that there is a book out there about Charlie, it might even be the one I have still to be read. This was a library book and it came in faster than expected in my queue. It was able to stand on its on despite these clues. Mystery was interesting, romance a little lacking, more tidbits about Dirk & Steele added. I have forgotten though if there are things I should know about Riktor. ( )

Done 3.3 stars-
A woman, wakes up to find herself in a room, filled with smoke, she is covered in blood and there are three dead men on the floor, she has a gun and a note pinned to her shirt that says 'RUN". She does and on her run she meets a man, who is not exactly like other men, he is a gargoyle, with a damaged soul. She does not remember anything before the moment she woke, but somebody is hunting her. These two lost people start a journey of death, fear, mystery and discovery.
More story based than romantic, the sex was earned not instant, the female was not an idiot, and the Gargoyle was hot, overall enjoyable. I still will not search out books by this author, she just doesn't excite my senses with her writing, but if one falls in my hands I'll probably read it someday. ( )

A good story but it was a bit long and there seemed to be some questions left unanswered or maybe I just didn't understand. ( )

I had forgotten just how much I love Marjorie M. Liu's books. This is a great addition to her Dirk and Steele series. The storyline is fast paced and the characters are enjoyable. Even the amnesia sub-plot is done well. ( )