Demon Thief duology

Duncaster is ruled by a king who despises magic. Anyone with latent talent is consigned to the Brotherhood of Righteous Light, where they are raised to be weapons for the kingdom. Freedom isn’t an option for mages. After discovering his first wife–and, by extension, the crown prince–harbored magical talent, King Sten sent the church to eradicate any House with a trace of magic–human, fae, demon, or otherwise.

Connor Reed–once Prince Riven–faked his own death to escape the church. Upon discovering the fate of both his mother and their House, he swore vengeance against his father. Connor has spent every moment of the last twelve years building contacts, orchestrating events, honing his magic and setting his plans in motion–all with little concern for his own well-being. Now, he resides in Duncaster as a carefree lesser noble. But beneath this facade lies a sharp mind fixated on the ruination of the king.

Valentine, the Trow of Duncaster, has spent his life on the streets following the destruction of the royal demon House Sandoval. Though raised to rule his people, he has learned to accept his circumstances and revels in his notoriety as an accomplished thief and assassin. Filling his nights with illicit jobs and feeding the magic-hungry beast under his skin, his only problem is the tie he still has to the human gang leader, Hess.

When Connor maneuvers Valentine into accepting a contract to discredit the Brotherhood, their lives become indelibly linked. Connor finds himself drawn to Valentine in ways even he couldn’t have foreseen. Lured by his own innate curiosity, Valentine can’t help but want to unravel the mystery of the mage who seems hells-bent on provoking him at every turn.

Magic, attraction, and a quest for revenge bind them together–saints preserve anyone who stands in their way.

After the chaos wrought at the cathedral of the Brotherhood of Righteous Light, Valentine and Connor have all but gone into hiding. Between the increased guard presence and Nessa’s capture, the city and its future are shrouded in uncertainty.

Together, they must face an enemy from Connor’s worst nightmares, seek aid from unlikely allies, and see each of their plans to fruition–all while remaining beneath the notice of the city watch. With his identity compromised, Connor’s options are limited and he can do little to move his plans ahead. Instead, he must rely almost entirely on Valentine to gather information. A feat that would prove easier, if he could get the saints-forsaken demon to sit down and talk without devolving into sniping or giving in to the attraction between them.

Valentine, in possession of both his relic and the truth of Connor’s past, is determined to change the fate of his people. With the help of his brother, he intends to call the fae and demons back to Duncaster and take control–with or without Connor’s willing assistance. His dream of restoring his people to their proper place is, perhaps, finally within his ability.

Their futures are tied together by more threads than either is willing to admit. Emotions and magic pull them into a bond that goes deeper than either is willing to confront, yet neither can deny its existence. But completing that bond and cementing their relationship is only the first step and even the best laid plans–of which theirs are assuredly not–are like to go awry.