The Gathering by Jennifer Ashley

Author:Jennifer Ashley [Ashley, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-9898677-8-8
Publisher: JA / AG Publishing

Leda screamed as the crack in the street sealed itself. She ran onto the asphalt and fell to her knees, Mukasa roaring behind her.

A female demon stood with spike-heeled shoes planted on either side of the closed crack. She was laughing, her gold satin dress bloodstained.

Septimus hovered inside the shadows of the club doorway, shouting at his human thugs, who fanned out to point weapons at the demon woman. The demon drew back a dainty hand and threw thick death magic at Septimus’s men. They choked and dropped instantly to the pavement, unconscious or dead, Leda couldn’t tell.

The demon floated to where Leda knelt and stood in front of her, black leather stilt-heeled shoes nearly touching Leda’s knees.

“He was good, little witch,” the demon said. “Very, very good. I can see why you liked him.”

“Bitch,” Leda said, tears clogging her voice. “Bring him back.”

The demon woman kicked her, catching Leda in the face with a razor-sharp heel. Mukasa sprang at the woman with a snarl, but the demon woman lifted him with a tendril of magic and threw him aside. Mukasa landed heavily on the pavement, groaned once, and went still.

Leda scrambled to her feet, blood dripping to her shirt, and ran to Mukasa. The lion was unmoving, not breathing that Leda could see, and Leda’s heart wrenched with more grief.

From the club’s doorway, Septimus raised a rifle and shot the demon in her side. A dart embedded itself halfway into the demon’s flesh before she grabbed it and pulled it out.

Leda sensed her death magic dim slightly, not enough to weaken her, but enough to make her take a step back. The demon glared at the dart, threw it away from her, spat a foul word, and vanished with a bang. The breeze stirred the litter on the street and Mukasa’s mane, but other than that all was silent.

“Interesting weapon,” Leda heard Fulton say nervously to Septimus. “What is it?”

“Air gun,” Septimus said, sounding calm. “After the last time the Old One insinuated herself into my club I had a witch give me darts spelled against demons, even though they can only slow something that powerful a little. Very helpful against lesser demons who occasionally gain entrance to the club and cause trouble.”

Samantha impatiently pushed past the two men and hurried to Leda. Leda was stroking Mukasa’s mane, tears falling freely to his tawny coat.

“Oh, no,” Samantha said, dropping to her knees beside Leda. “Leda, is he . . .”

Under Leda’s hand, Mukasa gave a sudden heave, and rolled to his belly, opening his eyes and blinking in the afternoon light. Then he yawned, gums drawing back from his huge red mouth.

Samantha put her hand over her nose. “Lion breath. Great.”

Leda laughed and threw her arms around Mukasa, hugging him before she remembered he was still a wild animal. Mukasa gave a little grunt but didn’t seem to mind Leda’s clinging.

“I think he was playing dead,” Samantha said. “I didn’t know lions could do that.”

Leda released Mukasa, pressing her hands to her face in joy.

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