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Death Scream
Elise Kavanagh has been hired to exorcise a castle in Ireland. Easy job. But her partner, James Faulkner, thinks they aren't dealing with a demon -- and if he's right, then what they're facing is far rarer and more dangerous than anything they've fought before...
This is a 14,000 word short story (about the length of 3-4 chapters in my novels) that takes place before the events of The Descent Series.
This is a 14,000 word short story (about the length of 3-4 chapters in my novels) that takes place before the events of The Descent Series.
50 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
6 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Reine
114 books2,006 followersHi everyone! My name is Sara, and I write urban fantasy and paranormal novels as SM Reine. I collect swords, cat hair, and typewriters (which I do use for writing!). It's a good day when those three things have nothing to do with each other.
If you would like to know the instant my next book is available, you should enlist in my Army of Evil! We have a wicked cool secret handshake, but you'll have to sign up to learn it. ;) Check it out -- http://smarturl.it/armyofevil
If you would like to know the instant my next book is available, you should enlist in my Army of Evil! We have a wicked cool secret handshake, but you'll have to sign up to learn it. ;) Check it out -- http://smarturl.it/armyofevil
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 22, 2017
So this is me when I received S.M. Reine's newsletter announcing the release of a new short story in the
Descent series
:
The last instalment in the series was published in 2013 and although Elise's adventures continue in Ascension, the idea of reading about Elise & James back in the good old exorcizing days had me jump up and down like a maniac. That's the Elise Kavanagh Effect.
What I love about this short story is that it's surprisingly funny. It's the last thing I would have expected from Reine. Her Preternatural Affairs has lots of humour in it but Descent was always very dark. The beginning of Death Scream is pretty hilarious: the description of the boring, decrepit Irish castle with its fictional ghosts, drunken visitors and disenchanted tour guide is priceless.
But as this is a Descent short, demons make an appearance and all hell breaks loose. In this case we have a shrieking, teleporting demon (it's a sidhe Fever Freaks!) who happens to feed on corpses. Fights! Violence! Gore! Yay! Butt-kicking Elise with her falchion! James with his papers, runes and power words! Man I love this series!
There are some pretty great non-demon related scenes too: Elise and James' conversation in their rented apartment. Elise + an Irish pub + Guinness = not what you'd expect. The hospital gown. Pretty cool.
I always love to read about Elise & James' pre-retirement days, especially knowing what we know now that the series is finished. It gives a very different perspective on their personalities and relationship.
Death Scream is a real treat and makes me want to reread Descent. But I really should read Ascension first. How could I put it off for so long? I need more Elise in my life! Sacrificed in Shadow here I come!
The last instalment in the series was published in 2013 and although Elise's adventures continue in Ascension, the idea of reading about Elise & James back in the good old exorcizing days had me jump up and down like a maniac. That's the Elise Kavanagh Effect.
What I love about this short story is that it's surprisingly funny. It's the last thing I would have expected from Reine. Her Preternatural Affairs has lots of humour in it but Descent was always very dark. The beginning of Death Scream is pretty hilarious: the description of the boring, decrepit Irish castle with its fictional ghosts, drunken visitors and disenchanted tour guide is priceless.
But as this is a Descent short, demons make an appearance and all hell breaks loose. In this case we have a shrieking, teleporting demon (it's a sidhe Fever Freaks!) who happens to feed on corpses. Fights! Violence! Gore! Yay! Butt-kicking Elise with her falchion! James with his papers, runes and power words! Man I love this series!
There are some pretty great non-demon related scenes too: Elise and James' conversation in their rented apartment. Elise + an Irish pub + Guinness = not what you'd expect. The hospital gown. Pretty cool.
I always love to read about Elise & James' pre-retirement days, especially knowing what we know now that the series is finished. It gives a very different perspective on their personalities and relationship.
Death Scream is a real treat and makes me want to reread Descent. But I really should read Ascension first. How could I put it off for so long? I need more Elise in my life! Sacrificed in Shadow here I come!
April 2, 2016
Oh how I have missed Elise and James! I love these stories set before the Descend series. The glimpses of a better (well maybe not better but most definitely simpler) life before all the pain and betrayal. They hit me particularly hard now that I know how things end, now that I know how many lies had been said in those days, how many feelings had been suppressed and how many things had been left unsaid. Here Elise is still broken from her time in the garden, still detached and barely human, but a badass demon hunter and exorcist. No wasted words - Elise goes straight for the kill. And then goes to a pub and tries to outdrink a bunch of Irish university students. The scene where she realizes she's drunk is hilarious and her reaction is typical Elise - punch someone. And when she wakes up in a hospital she doesn't whine just gets up, pulls the IV out and goes to save James's ass in a hospital gown. And she fights with the beansidhe all over that castle in the same hospital gown. With my vivid imagination that made for a hell of a visual. It takes a special kind of badassery to go against a sihde basically naked and not to give a damn and Elise has it. This story had it all - the great fight scenes nicely decorated with lots of blood and gore, the strange but fascinating communication between James and Elise, James's magic and Elise's unique sociopathic worldview. It was a treat.
August 18, 2024
No crazy context added but a fun little side quest showing some other species rather than just angels/demons was fun!
January 14, 2015
I love love love Elise and James and their fantastically complicated relationship. I mean, when you kill a person and/or will follow them into a literal hell, there's a little baggage there.
This short story gave us another look at just how loaded down these two are. Young-Elise is mercenary and hard (oddly enough, she gets harder as the series progresses. Understandable, I guess, given everything she has to fight through in the course of her journey.) while younger-James tries his hardest to push down the uncomfortable feelings Elise rouses in him. In some ways, it's hard to see how much she meant to him back then because he does his level best to keep it hidden as their story goes on.
Bottom line, these two (and this world) always make me giddy. They fight dark things and they rarely walk away without spilling any blood. Which I'm cool with. I loved seeing them in action again and I'm totally willing to read plenty more of their crazy, bloody shenanigans.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
This short story gave us another look at just how loaded down these two are. Young-Elise is mercenary and hard (oddly enough, she gets harder as the series progresses. Understandable, I guess, given everything she has to fight through in the course of her journey.) while younger-James tries his hardest to push down the uncomfortable feelings Elise rouses in him. In some ways, it's hard to see how much she meant to him back then because he does his level best to keep it hidden as their story goes on.
Bottom line, these two (and this world) always make me giddy. They fight dark things and they rarely walk away without spilling any blood. Which I'm cool with. I loved seeing them in action again and I'm totally willing to read plenty more of their crazy, bloody shenanigans.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 9, 2015
I read this free little short on the author's website. It was short, quick, and... fun. I thought I was done reading James and Elise, so I will gladly gobble up any additional stories the author puts out there.
This story takes place while James and Elise are still traveling and hunting evil together. James is still wonderfully in love with Elise, but diligently hiding his feelings. Elise is still adorably young and trying to find a way to be a woman in a field of all men. The two of them are such a wonderful pair that they communicate without any extra words or discussions.
The main story is a paying gig from a castle owner. He's been subject to a haunting and wants the spook gone (no matter how much business he's getting from it). While James and Elise follow through to banish it, neither feels the job is really done. Obviously, nothing can ever be easy for them. This one ends very messy, even for James and Elise, but a lot is learned along the way.
This story takes place while James and Elise are still traveling and hunting evil together. James is still wonderfully in love with Elise, but diligently hiding his feelings. Elise is still adorably young and trying to find a way to be a woman in a field of all men. The two of them are such a wonderful pair that they communicate without any extra words or discussions.
The main story is a paying gig from a castle owner. He's been subject to a haunting and wants the spook gone (no matter how much business he's getting from it). While James and Elise follow through to banish it, neither feels the job is really done. Obviously, nothing can ever be easy for them. This one ends very messy, even for James and Elise, but a lot is learned along the way.
January 4, 2015
Peek at a moment in time of when Elise and James were still hunting and exorcising together. You get to see Elise and James in vulnerable moments... Elise and James.. ugh... love them together but they just kill me with their lack of honesty. James is true to form.. I want to smack him yet root him on to get the girl in the end and Elise is still stubborn Elise.
June 25, 2020
I enjoyed the secondary characters and Irish setting, but really wish I hadn't been told to read this story after the end of the Descent series. It's sort of ruining where the last book landed. Still, that's no commentary on the writing.
February 14, 2022
This is a short story within the box set I have, which deals with Elise and a haunted castle.
It gives more background to Elise and her personality. It's fast-paced and well-written. It's nasty and gory but certainly in keeping with the Descent series.
Worth a look.
It gives more background to Elise and her personality. It's fast-paced and well-written. It's nasty and gory but certainly in keeping with the Descent series.
Worth a look.
January 6, 2019
That was fast.
September 3, 2019
I'd forgotten how cold and aloof Elise can be. She and James have such an unhealthy relationship.
March 15, 2020
The Irish castle was a pretty boring place to visit. No historical events, no famous occupants, not even a haunting... Right?
TW: death, violence, drinking to the point of blacking out
TW: death, violence, drinking to the point of blacking out
January 6, 2021
We get some sidhe in this book chased down in a castle by Elise and James adventures in Ireland.
April 13, 2018
A Quick trip to Ireland
Elsie and James take a job at O'Reilly Castle that turns into a mess. A simple haunting turns out to be an ancient and Powerful creature. After the failed exorcism the duo don't really have a clue how to get rid of it. A quick alcohol-fueled trip to the hospital for Elsie and a castle full of Blood, the team once again wing their way through it. James is madly in love with Elsie and trying like hell to fight it.
This is a short story part of The Descent collection. Just a quick look at Elsie and James not in a world altering battle.
If you're familiar with James and Elsie story then this will fit right in. If your not this still gives you like a tiny peek at vast and fantastic story.
Elsie and James take a job at O'Reilly Castle that turns into a mess. A simple haunting turns out to be an ancient and Powerful creature. After the failed exorcism the duo don't really have a clue how to get rid of it. A quick alcohol-fueled trip to the hospital for Elsie and a castle full of Blood, the team once again wing their way through it. James is madly in love with Elsie and trying like hell to fight it.
This is a short story part of The Descent collection. Just a quick look at Elsie and James not in a world altering battle.
If you're familiar with James and Elsie story then this will fit right in. If your not this still gives you like a tiny peek at vast and fantastic story.
January 15, 2015
James and Elise fix!
I can never get enough of them, it was a nice surprise getting to read of their past adventures. I've missed them. As always the books are well written and you can visualize every detail as you're reading.
I can never get enough of them, it was a nice surprise getting to read of their past adventures. I've missed them. As always the books are well written and you can visualize every detail as you're reading.
February 1, 2015
Well, that was a quick read. I guess this is the only way I like short stories. I already know the main characters and how this world works. Instead, this was a fun extra ride. Elise and James in Ireland.
Still, I think it was too short as I wanted to see what happens next.
Still, I think it was too short as I wanted to see what happens next.
October 7, 2016
I really like this short. It opened up a bit more of Elise and James' relationship. It is frustrating though. There's something holding James back from Elise. I'm sure it will all be revealed in the coming books.
February 14, 2015
So nice to have another Elise and James book Even if it was a short.
April 15, 2015
Short story
Love the short stories about Elise and James and their history of fighting demons and such. ! ! ! !
Love the short stories about Elise and James and their history of fighting demons and such. ! ! ! !
October 10, 2018
Loved it.
September 5, 2015
interest to read great storyline throughout the series
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews