Page 22

Rasmus smiled, looking as content as I’d ever seen him look.

“The cost of ascension is the loss of physicality, yet physicality within a single incarnation is fleeting. I did not wish my true essence to join the human life cycle because I knew Aran O’Malley would never be reborn again as the same being. I accepted what time you choose to give me in your current incarnation and count myself blessed to spend even the briefest of time being physical with you.”

I ran a hand through my hair and chuckled without humor. “That’s a lot of decision making for a morning. No wonder it took us so long to move to the next level of our relationship. Did I prompt yer acceptance of me by helping Bo the troll with his lesser-being love life?”

“Someone with your power always is a god-like being. Added to that, you are intervening to change the fate of one of their kind. Your actions might inspire Bo and his people to want to grow into a higher form of themselves.”

An image of Bo wearing glasses and talking in complete and intelligible sentences rolled through my head. It made me want to laugh but not in a good way. I understood what Rasmus was saying about the differences between Bo and me, but I was not doing anything to accelerate a species. I was just helping one troll earn his way into the love of his life’s heart.

At the same time I was helping Bo, I was also looking to arrest two others. For sure, I was no neutrality-loving guardian. I was a warrior witch who loved a good fight if it meant I could stop the bad guys from hurting innocents.

Rasmus normally thought the worst of my interference. If the guardian currently had me on some kind of pedestal, it was probably the sex talking. Our parts fit together well. There was no denying it. What satisfied woman would?

I sipped my coffee to keep from chuckling at my thoughts. I had a one-track mind lately and not about work. It probably didn’t help that I wasn’t the only one living in my house with a happy sex life.

“If Conn and Mulan end up spending the day in bed, we may have to collect the troll animal breeder by ourselves.”

Rasmus shrugged and smiled. I was pretty sure he was reading my mind again.

Chapter Eight

Conn and Mulan both finally put in an appearance. Mulan surprised me by carrying a pet cage containing the kitten, yowling in protest. It was sized to contain an adult tiger cat. Maybe Conn had sensed the change coming.

I said nothing as we got into our respective cars with our respective animals. We drove to the site and made the trek into the field again. The area looked the same as yesterday. I called a sword and some armor. This time the sword was red and so was my chain mail that covered me from head to toe.

I looked down at myself while the others stared at me. “This can’t be good.”

Conn morphed into his kingly demon form sans crown. He stood twelve feet tall with fangs that could rip any creature apart. His size would help him stop a troll, but he would not fit through the lair’s entry in his shifted form.

I raised my foot and took a step.

“No,” Conn growled. “Let the demon wolves go in. The troll will think they are animals seeking shelter.”

I looked down at the wolves who blinked up at him in shock. “I don’t think they like the idea of being bait.”

“Earn your keep,” Conn said to them, pointing at the hole.

The wolves looked at each other, snorted in disgust, and reluctantly trotted toward the opening.

I looked at Conn who showed me his sharp demon teeth. I had no idea what he was smiling about but I got the feeling he was bragging about getting the demon wolves to do what he said.

Moments after the wolves entered the lair, I heard a yelp. The ground shook as both demon wolves ran full speed by us as they exited. Right behind them slithered the biggest black snake I’d ever seen and it was moving at a speed that its non-mutated self never would have achieved.

My sword blazed. Now the full body armor made perfect sense as the snake immediately struck out at me. Instead of chopping off its head, I lunged out of reach to study it.

“Don’t be coward. Kill it,” Mulan ordered.

I didn’t look away from the snake who was eyeing me for a second strike. “I want to look at it first.”

“Kill that thing. It’s not Hisser,” Conn growled.

“Yes, I can seethat,” I answered, calmly walking around the snake. “But why is it going after me and not the rest of ya?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re dressed in red armor and carrying a red sword. Magickal creatures are drawn to that color,” Rasmus offered.

I walked along its side and the snake coiled on itself to follow me with its head. I hated snakes—all snakes. I didn’t like dealing with snake shifters, nagas, or gorgons either, though the latter worried me the least. Gorgon snakes had manners and were as well-behaved as their owners. But I had no use for snakes who tried to bite my head off.

I was ready when the giant snake hissed and struck out at me a second time. My sword sliced through the air to end the threat. The snake’s body writhed even after its head rolled across the ground. Blood sizzled and evaporated as it flowed from the creature’s neck into the dirt.