An Unexpected Guest

Guild Hunter #9.3

by Nalini Singh

Short story that features in the December 2016 newsletter complementing the Guild Hunter series.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Angels, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires

5 pages, ebook

First published December 28, 2016

About the author

I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.


I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.

Reviews

[εllε · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raphael sure knows how to make an entrance...
This series is everything!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st Read - February 2017
2nd Read - September 2020

Elena and Raphael are so cute together and I love seeing how much he has changed since the beginning of the series. This was a fun scene with Raphael making a surprise appearance at a Guild Hunter party and he sure does know how to make an entrance!

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like how Elena helps "humanize" Raphael.

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quien iba a decir que los Guild Hunters celebraban una fiesta por todo lo alto una vez al año? Y que Rafael iba a atender con Elena?
Por supuesto, fue una pequeña escena, sin muchos detalles, lo que me deja queriendo saber que mas pudieron hacer esos dos en la fiesta los pocos minutos que pudieron estar.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angelic plus-ones, vampire employees: Guild Hunter parties will never be the same again.

Bottoms up!

Disclaimer *No guild hunters were smitten but Raphael in the making of this short story*

[Aly is so frigging bored · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st book in 2017... if only GR would cooperate :))

In the last few years I always started my reading with a Nalini story

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought I'd see Raphael in such a light. Who knew he had it in him!

[lisa 🍂 (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORE ELENA AND RAPHAEL!! 😍

I love how Elena brings out the humanity and love in Raphael!! ❤️

I love how she makes him better and how he makes her feel happier and better as well!! 💕

I love that Elena wanted to take Raphael to the Guild Hunter party because she just loves him and her guild! 💕 And Raphael does know how to create a impact upon his arrival!! 🥰 Loved the comments the hunters made after Raphael’s entrance; ‘’This is officially the best party in New York!’’ 💗

[Miriam Bucknell · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit slow and the drama the main character had experienced in the past i didn't think warrented her reaction.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little story that makes you wish you were at the party too!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea why I didn't read this when it was published in the December 2016 newsletter, but there you go.

This is a short snippet of where Elena takes Raphael to a Guild Hunter's party for the first time, despite its length it definitely conveys the anxiety of introducing your boyfriend to your group of friends for the first time.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that was fun. Elena brings Rafael to a Guild Hunter party.

[Zen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little short that shows a blending of Elena's two worlds. I enjoyed seeing Raphael begin to loosen up and be comfortable with the hunters.

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder how Elena is going to cope as her mortal hunter friends start ageing and dying... that's going to be so sad... I hope Ms Singh stops the series before then.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short story, 9.1, that came free with Singh’s December 2016 newsletter and is in the Guild Hunter paranormal romance series, revolving around angels who rule our world. The couple focus is on Elena and Raphael. Sign up for Singh's newsletter for more free stories in any of the series Singh writes.

My Take
It’s almost 1,300 words long (and five pages) with a look at Elena attempting to bridge her new life and her new man with her old life and her human friends.

Raphael is becoming so much easier and more "human", and that bit of past history he relates to Elena at the end cracked me up. Seems we're all the same...no matter where we come from.

I know, I know, it’s a free story so I shouldn’t whine. However, I would have liked this one to be a little longer with more depth. It’s good enough that Singh does convey the essence of this encounter…and I’m probably whining only because I do enjoy this series and am greedy for more.

The Story
It’s a scary night for Elena, for she is so very anxious to bridge the gap between her old life and her new. And when you’re bringing the Archangel of New York to a party of humans, well, the results could end in the total annihilation of all you hold dear!

The Characters
Elena Devereaux had been a Hunter until events in Angels' Blood , 1. Now she’s Raphael’s winged Consort. Raphael is the Archangel who rules New York.

Guild HQ was…
…once Elena’s home-away-from-home. Hunters in this story include Ransom; Demarco; and, Ashwini and her husband, Janvier, a vampire (Archangel's Shadow, 7).

Hbeebti is an endearment.

The Title
The title is exactly what Raphael is, “An Unexpected Guest”.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahhh... Christmas gifts from Nalini :D

my favourite Angelic couple.

Rapheal is just the most awesome Archangel

Elena-mine.” Raphael stroked his thumbs over her cheekbones. “I promise not to smite your friends to dust.”

I mean - sigh!

and onto my next Newsletter story #NaliniBingeSession

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a similar scenario to this one in either one of the main books or a different short story. I don’t think this added anything special.

[Merve Özcan Özkan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nalini yine tatlı bir hikaye yazmış. Nasıl kaçırırım?! :P Raphael ve Elena hakkında kısa bir hikaye. Okumak isterseniz kitabın bilgi kısmında link vermişler. Çok tatlılar.

[Debrac2014 · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read this short story in Nalini's newsletter, I didn't expect to see it on Goodreads!

[Paulina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another sweet short story. I like how human Elena makes Raphael.

[clarkeackerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nalini is the best writing short stories! They're all wonderful :)

[Noemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can we get more of this playful Raphael? I wouldn't even be opposed to read more stories of his wild childhood. 😂

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t really enjoy this short story that much. I don’t really feel as if much happened which is a bit of a shame

[Cas ♛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This event is mentioned in Archangel's Heart, I believe, but An Unexpected Guest explains the scene of Raphael crashing a Guild Hunter party in full. This story describes the reactions of Elena's friends.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story, really enjoyed reading it!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guild Hunter #9.1
An Unexpected Guest by Nalini Singh was our Christmas gift from the author in her December 2016 Newsletter. It's a scene alluded to in Archangel's Heart, Guild Hunter #9. Enjoy!

Read:
May 3, 2017 - FREE in December 2016 newsletter
October 16, 2017 - FREE link on the goodreads page
October 24, 2019 – FREE link on the goodreads page
October 16, 2021 – FREE on the author's website
October 19, 2022 – FREE on the authors website

Just in case you want to know how this story fits into the timeline of the books/novellas/short stories set in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter world, I have provided a complete list below. And so you don’t get confused, you’ll notice that each entry on the list is numbered in two ways. The 1., 2., 3.… Etc. numbering at the beginning of each entry is mine and denotes the chronological reading order. The – Guild Hunter #?.? – numbering you see immediately following each title is the number they are on the series reading list provided by the goodreads website. Enjoy!

Guild Hunter series chronological reading order:
1. One Night at the Refuge - Guild Hunter #0.2 (FREE in the April 2016 newsletter) - Illium (Angel and one of Raphael’s Seven) and Aodhan (Angel and one of Raphael’s Seven)
2. Angels' Dance - Guild Hunter #0.4 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Jessamy (Angel, teacher of angelic young and historian of the angelic race) and Galen (Angel, Raphael’s Weapons Master and one of his Seven)
3. Angels' Judgment - Guild Hunter #0.6 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Sara (human Guild Hunter) and Deacon (human Guild Hunter)
4. Angels' Pawn - Guild Hunter #0.8 (found in the Angels Flight collection) - Ashwini (human Guild Hunter) and the Janvier (Vampire)
5. A Little Bakery – Guild Hunter #0.9 (from the December 2019 Newsletter) – Illium
6. Angels' Blood - Guild Hunter #1 - Elena Devereaux (Hunterborn human Guild Hunter) and Archangel Raphael
7. Archangel's Kiss - Guild Hunter #2 - Elena (new made Angel and Guild Hunter) and Archangel Raphael
8. Weapons Training - Guild Hunter #2.5 (FREE on the author’s website) - Jessamy and Galen - takes place during “Archangel’s Kiss” after Elena finishes training with Galen
9. Archangel's Consort - Guild Hunter #3 - Elena and Raphael
10. Angel's Wolf - Guild Hunter #3.5 (found in the Angel’s Flight collection) - Noel (vampire) and Nimra (Angel)
11. Archangel's Blade - Guild Hunter #4 - Dimitri (vampire, Raphael’s Second and one of his Seven) and Honor (human Guild Hunter)
12. Archangel's Storm - Guild Hunter #5 - Jason (Angel, Raphael’s Spymaster and one of his Seven) and Princess Mahiya (Angel, who is Archangel Neha’s niece)
13. A Wedding Breakfast – Guild Hunter #5.1 – EVERYONE
14. Knives and Sheaths - Guild Hunter #5.5 (FREE in the author’s WELCOME Letter for signing up for her newsletter) - Elena and Raphael
15. Archangel's Legion - Guild Hunter #6 - Elena and Raphael
16. Zoe's Workshop - Guild Hunter #6.5 (FREE on the author’s website) - Sara (human Guild Director), Deacon (human, former Guild Slayer, Sara’s husband and Master Weapons Maker for humans and immortals alike), Zoe (human daughter of Sara and Deacon) and Slayer (dog)
17. Archangel's Shadows - Guild Hunter #7 - Ashwini and Janvier, with side jaunts to Elena and Raphael
18. A Walk on the Cliffs - Guild Hunter #7.5 (FREE in the July 2015 newsletter) - Montgomery (vampire and Raphael’s butler) and Sivya (Angel and Raphael’s chef)
19. A Sip of Eternity - Guild Hunter #7.3 (FREE on the author’s website) - Dimitri and Honor
20. A Small Fairy Tale - Guild Hunter #7.7 (FREE on the author’s website) - Talu (a human girl living on the streets of NYC), Sina (one of the fairies carved by Aodhan), Elena and Honor
21. Archangel's Enigma - Guild Hunter #8 - Naasir and the Angel Andromeda
22. Secret Things – Guild Hunter #8.3 (FREE in the February 2018 newsletter) – Naasir and Andromeda
23. Fairy Balloons - Guild Hunter #8.7 (FREE on the author’s website) - Talu (a human girl rescued from the streets by Archangel Raphael’s Consort, Elena) and the Angel Izzy (the first member of Consort Elena’s Guard)
24. Archangel's Heart - Guild Hunter #9 - Elena and Raphael
25. An Unexpected Guest - Guild Hunter #9.3 - Elena and Raphael
26. Elena's School of Horror – Guild Hunter #9.7 (FREE in July 2018 newsletter) – Elena & Aodhan
27. Archangel's Viper - Guild Hunter #10 - Venom (a vampire and one of Raphael’s Seven) and Holly Chang (the previously human girl who survived Uram’s rampage)
28. Archangel's Prophecy – Guild Hunter #11 – Elena and Raphael
29. Archangel's War – Guild Hunter #12 – Elena and Raphael
30. Archangel's Sun – Guild Hunter #13 – Archangel Titus and Sharine (The Hummingbird)
31. Archangel's Light – Guild Hunter #14 – Illium and Adohan
32. Archangel's Resurrection – Guild Hunter #15 – Archangel Alexander and Archangel Zanaya

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Just imagine bringing an archangel to a party as your date...



Elena ran her hand through Raphael’s hair, then across the muscled breadth of his shoulders. “Now, what did I tell you?”
Her consort did that thing he was starting to do—he smiled. Except this smile was more than a little wicked. “Do not be scary,” he said, managing to mimic the stern tone in which she’d given the order.
Scowling at the violently powerful archangel who was her eternity, Elena pointed a finger at his magnificent chest. “No joking. You will do your best to be non-scary.” As far as most mortals were concerned, he couldn’t ever be totally non-scary.
He was an archangel, power fused into his very cells. He had the ability to topple skyscrapers, destroy entire cities, crumple empires. He would never be anything but Raphael, the Archangel of New York. But, extraordinary as it was, he was also Elena’s.
“Elena-mine.” Raphael stroked his thumbs over her cheekbones. “I promise not to smite your friends to dust.”
“Raphael!” She slapped his chest when he burst out laughing. “This new sense of humor of yours needs serious work.” But her lips tugged up because this man was real in a way the archangel she’d first met had never been. Remote and cold and cruel, he’d lived high in his Tower above New York, distant and dangerous.
He remained as dangerous, but he now had a vein of mortality in him formed of his love for Elena. That mortality scared her at times because it made him vulnerable…but it also made him her Raphael.



“Ellie!” Demarco lifted her up in a bear hug. “I thought you were bringing a date?” It was a laughing comment, no one having taken her seriously when she’d RSVP’d a plus one on the electronic invite.
Elena grinned, returned the hug, then looked up.
Raphael came down in a glory of wings that glittered in the light thrown by the braziers.
“Fuck me.” Demarco’s mouth fell open.
It wasn’t the only one.

I get such a kick out of Ellie and Raphael...

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guild Hunter party that Raphael and Elena attended where Ransom won the betting jackpot mentioned in Archangel Heart.
Loved it, absolutely loved it.
I also love that Raphael is acting more mortal. He smiles, laughs and has a sense of humor.
Raphael’s mother thanks Elena for making her son laugh as mentioned in Archangel Heart was lovely. I think daughter and mother in law will eventually become friends.

[Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that Raphael one of the strongest beings on the planet went to a Guild party for his consort, the love of his life Elena was just so precious.
And I absolutely love the fact that Nalini explained how his power just radiates off him and that’s why he could stay for about 20mins max.
These little outtakes and details just make me love this series more and more.

[Payne’s Bookworm Reviews (Samantha Payne) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a short little story about the Guild Party that is mentioned in Archangels Heart.

Yes a Guild Party!! Nothing says fun like taking a bet on wether or not an Archangel will attend.

Demarco and Ransom are so freaking hilarious. I love the guild family and though they are mortal they are just as special and a part of the group.