Chynne rolled his eyes, flicking sparks from a paw.
Oh, yeah. Right. Magic. Piers wanted Jess free.Reallywanted her free. He wanted her free so badly spots formed in front of his eyes—until he remembered to breathe. Nothing.
George stalked over, lifted Jess, chair and all, brought her back, and sat her down next to Piers. The duct tape fell away without ripping off the skin. About damned time.
Jess flung herself into Piers’ arms. “Oh, thank God. I was so fucking scared.” She didn’t seem to notice the self-removing duct tape.
“Did they hurt you? Threaten you?” He looked her over as best he could while being smothered by a human boa constrictor.Breathe! I need to breathe!
“No. They’re so stupid I thought they’d kill me by mistake. The short one carried me over his shoulder.” Jess jerked her head in the direction of the hellhounds, easing her grip enough for Piers to inhale. “Must’ve hit my head on every doorframe we passed through.”
“Hey!” one of the hellhounds shouted.
“Get them!” yelled another. “Who’re you calling short?” Yeah. At only seven feet or so, definitely the runt of the litter.
Then again, Jess saw only humans.
“Piers, we should run now. There’s no time to open a portal.” Chynne swished his tail back and forth, growling low in this throat.
“Where to?” Could they go anywhere these guys couldn’t find them?
“I don’t care, just grab the bag and run!” Chynne swiped a paw in Piers’ direction.
A blast of wind blew him back at least ten feet, along with Jess. The backpack slammed against his chest. George hadn’t moved. “C’mon, Jess.” Piers struggled into the backpack straps, grabbed Jess’s hand, and bolted. Let the cat and the ogre deal with the big bads. Out of the building, down the deserted street, around the corner. Could Piers hide from a hellhound nose?
People. They needed people. The hounds wouldn’t attack with an audience who’d see them only as humans and call the cops, would they? But where was anyone?
“The park,” Jess shouted, taking the lead and dragging Piers along. His pounding footsteps sounded too loud in his ears. How were they not a hellhound snack by now? Chynne must have some powerful mojo.
If it didn’t violate the treaty.
Panting sounded behind them. Oh, crap! Piers chanced a glance over his shoulder. George’s heavy footfalls pounded the sidewalk, catching up fast. “Move your asses!” he bellowed. He grabbed Jess in a bridal carry off her Doc Martins without pausing, passing Piers in a flurry of thumping feet.
“Let me down!” Jess shrieked.
On panted breaths, Piers yelled, “He’s a friend. He’s helping. Don’t fight it.” No time now to explain. She’d been kidnapped, and those boots didn’t look too comfortable for running. Besides, George ran damned fast.
“Yoooowwwlll,” came the cry of a pissed-off cat. Piers couldn’t afford to look, so he kept going. Some part of him knew Chynne now kept pace. A feeling. Weird. They ran past a deserted playground. A few yoga-pants-wearing women jogged around the walking trail.
Promising. Every last one of them probably carried pepper spray to jog at night. One by one, the street lights went out. “What the hell?” a woman exclaimed.
Crap. The hellhounds must be close. Piers put on a burst of speed, closing distance with George.
“Can’t do magic here,” Chynne panted, “too many nonmagicals.”
Piers couldn’t see in the dark and didn’t try to call on his magic. George’s grunting gave him a direction to follow.
The footsteps stopped. “Oof!” He slammed into a body—a big warm body. “Why’d you stop, George?” Then Piers saw. Red eyes emerged from the darkness, hellhounds hemming them in. Please let the joggers have gotten to safety. Maybe coming around people had been a terrible idea.
Then again, a pissed-off jogger might totally kick the ass of the creature who dared interfere with her workout.
As Piers’ eyes adjusted, the hellhounds came fully into sight. George sat Jess down. By unspoken agreement, the four of them formed a circle, standing back-to-back: George, Jess, Piers, and Chynne.
“What can we do, oh wise talking cat?” Piers asked.
George moved, the rest going with him.
“I believe, oh powerful sorcerer, that we’re being herded,” the talking cat answered.
