Samples of The Preludes of Illumination vol 1: CursedThey have a secret. We all have wished upon a star, had a dream, or secret desire, but beware demons lurk in our mist willing to grant them for a price. As these young witches come into their powers the demons are looking to take their souls. Beware who you express your hidden desires to; you never know what might go wrong with the phrase "I Wish." These witches are hiding in plain sight as our neighbors, friends, and family. These tales show young witches as they learn the secrets and dangers in their world while learning to control the magic that flows in their veins. Loves will be lost, deals will be made, and family members will have accidents because they did not heed the warnings. You never know which one of them has made a deal and are willing to make you the next course for the local demon. Will these young witches be next?

Devil worship, black magic, and witchcraft have long captivated anthropologists as well as the general public. In this volume, Jean La Fontaine explores the intersection of expert and lay understandings of evil and the cultural forms that evil assumes. The chapters touch on public scares about devil-worship, misconceptions about human sacrifice and the use of body parts in healing practices, and mistaken accusations of children practicing witchcraft. Together, these cases demonstrate that comparison is a powerful method of cultural understanding, but warns of the dangers and mistaken conclusions that untrained ideas about other ways of life can lead to.

Burning alive is nothing compared to the heat of his touch. Roasted at the stake as a witch while her lover watches, Ysabel sells her soul to the devil in return for revenge. A fair trade until her ex-boyfriend escapes the bowels of Hell and she's forced to team up with a demon to fetch the jerk back. Remy's seen a lot of things during his tenure in Lucifer's guard, but nothing can prepare him for the witch with the acerbic tongue - and voluptuous figure. Her mouth says 'Screw you,' but her body screams 'Take me.' What's a poor demon to do when his heart makes things even more complicated by goading him to make her his...

244 representations, symbols, and manuscript pages of devils and death from Ancient Egypt to 1913. Fascinating graphics depict demons, witches, and warlocks, more. Works by Dürer, Cranach, Holbein, Rembrandt, others.

Jack Long owes everything to his older brother, so when his brother has to give up one dream to protect another, Jack steps in. He doesn't have much, but a friend's inspiration has Jack taking a huge leap of faith and doing something he never thought he'd do--a ritual. During the ritual in a graveyard, Jack ends up with far more than just the help he came for. With a demon for a house guest, he has no idea what to expect, especially because this demon is hotter than hell.

One chance. That's all I'll have. Along with a choice I can't possibly make. In just a few weeks, I've gone from living in a psychiatric hospital, to learning I have magic, to joining a secret society of witches. I've also had to come to terms with both what I am and where I came from. Half demon, half witch, born in the demon real-a magical mutation created for sacrificial purposes. It's so nice knowing that the woman who raised me only did so because she was planning to spill my blood on her sacrificial altar. So, yeah. No wonder I went crazy. Since joining the ranks of the Shadow Order, I've made friends and enemies. I also fell in love with a kind and sexy guy named Kai. Now, that love has been stolen from me by the same monsters that want to steal my magic. With the clock ticking down on what's left of Kai's life, I need to come up with a solution fast. So far, I've got nothing. Meanwhile, werewolves and vampires are turning up dead, seemingly at the hands of witches. Not surprisingly, those other tribes are calling out for blood. Like that's not enough, witches are being exposed and threatened by a new group calling themselves the Hunters. And what do they want, exactly? Just the eradication of our kind entirely. Then there's the deal I make with a Fae goddess, which at first looks like it might provide me with what I need to defeat my enemies. Instead, it leaves me facing an impossible choice. I'll have to either leave Kai to his fate or doom everyone else. Crossroads Witch is a fast-paced, unpredictable new urban fantasy series that readers are calling "amazing," "with strong female leads," and "full of excitement!" If you like snarky kickass heroines, fast-paced action, magic, witchcraft and romance, then grab it today!