“I have an easier solution. Come with me.”
“No.”
Saxton muttered something in an ancient language. Azh sensed it had something to do with pig-headed dragons.
“Do you want to find your female or not?” the leech demanded.
Azh held his ground. “Where do you intend to go?”
“Back to my lair.” Saxton sent Azh a glare before he could protest. “The demon we’re searching for has a dozen different estates spread through England. The fastest way to find him is tosend out my servants to track him down. Once we have his exact location you can do all the rescuing you want. Deal?”
Did he have a choice? Without a trail to follow, Azh would be wandering the streets with no clue where to even start his search. In the meantime Wynn would be alone and at the mercy of whatever creature had kidnapped her.
“Let’s go,” he snapped.
Chapter 13
Tia was concentrating on her mental connection to the male stretched next to her as he battled against the nasty slime. She was weary to the bone, but then she sensed she was no longer alone in the mist. Shoving away the weariness that pressed against her with a tangible force, she watched a shadowed form begin to creep toward Joe.
Refusing to panic, she sucked in a slow, deep breath and reached up to touch the choker around her neck. She’d infused each pearl with an extra boost of magic that would help her trap whatever or whoever had been sneaking around. Or maybe she would just destroy the creature, she decided as a heavy throb of power pulsed through the air. A swift, killing blow might be her only hope of defeating it.
Silently mouthing a spell designed to strike with lethal force, Tia clenched her teeth as the power gathered inside her, feeling like sharp shards as it fused into a knot in the center of her being. The magic was warning her that it was dangerous to use. Both for her and her intended victim.
Waiting until the form passed close enough for her to see a vague outline of a tall, slender figure, Tia released her spell.
The magic flared with a blinding brightness, aiming straight for the intruder like an arrow. A second later she heard a low growl. It sounded as if it came from an animal, assuring her that she’d hit the mark.
“Gotcha,” she rasped, leaping to her feet.
As quick as the light had flared, it was gone. In fact, everything including Tia was plunged in an impenetrable darkness. It had to be magic, but Tia didn’t recognize the spell. Was it connected to the strange creature attacking Joe?
Expecting a retaliatory attack, Tia silently moved to the side, preparing a spell. She didn’t have enough magic left for a second strike, but she could wrap the creature in a snare. It might be enough to hold them so she could call for backup.
The mist rippled, as if the creature was moving away. Tia prepared to release her spell. She couldn’t let the thing escape.
“You think you can defeat me, worthless mortal?” a harsh voice whispered behind her.
Tia swiveled, the hair on her nape rising. How did the creature move so fast?
“I’m going to feast on your bones.”
Tia released the snare, backing toward Joe as she heard an unnerving chuckle echo through the darkness. The sound began to fade away, but Tia wasn’t taking any chances. It might be trying to fool her into lowering her guard only to circle back.
She was close enough to Joe to feel the creepy pulses of power from the evil pool of slime when an agonizing pain exploded in the back of her mind. At first she assumed the creature was attacking her. She couldn’t see the aggravating intruder, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t lurking in the mist.
Squeezing her head in her hands, she tried to locate the source of the pain. It wasn’t until she heard the scream from downstairs that she realized she wasn’t the one being hurt. It was Maya.
With a hiss of fear, Tia shut off her mental connection to Joe, feeling disoriented as she opened her eyes and glanced around the empty apartment. She was still kneeling next to the unconscious male, her legs numb and her neck muscles cramped from sitting in one position for so long. She needed a mattress and blanket if she was going to stay for another night.
Another scream interrupted her foggy thoughts, and forcing herself to her feet, Tia stumbled out of the apartment and down the outside stairs. It was light enough to easily see the alleyway was empty, but she could hear heavy traffic out front. It had to be evening rush hour. Raising her hand, she sent out a pulse of magic, busting through the back door of the pawnshop.
Another scream ripped through the air, and without pausing to see if she was rushing into a trap, Tia ran through the storage area and into the front shop. The space was empty. There was nothing to see beyond a shabby counter and one metal stool.
With a frown, Tia darted toward the counter, at last finding Maya on the filthy floor, curled into a tight ball as a reddish magic surrounded her like a blanket. Dammit. Tia glanced toward the counter, relieved to spot Maya’s satchel. Her own magic had been depleted by her attempt to kill the mysterious attacker. She needed help.
Lunging toward the satchel, she shoved her hand in to grab the first vial she could wrap her fingers around. Without bothering to glance at it, she tossed the potion toward the magic. Maya’s screams warned her that the spell was doing serious damage. She couldn’t worry whether the potions might cause additional injury or not.
There was a sizzling sound as the vial burst against the malicious magic and the glow momentarily dimmed. Without hesitation Tia grabbed another vial and tossed it. This one coated Maya in a layer of ice.
