A blade wanted his soul...but she wanted his heart.Gwen Badura lives by instinct, tied to the pendant she has worn since she was a child. Michael MacKenzie is driven by the demon blade he carries, his soul slowly poisoned by its demands. They are both drawn to the city of Albuquerque by forces they do not understand...forces that require their submission - or their death. Thrown together by violence in a city being driven mad with hate, their connection - emotional and physical - is immediate, and fierce. They don't know the rules of this deadly game, only the penalty for losing. Gwen and Mac need to trust each other to survive - but the secrets they carry may destroy them first.Darkest Blade is the third of the Demon Steel stories, the world of heroes and living steel. Originally published as Claimed by the Demon