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Without further ado, I focused on the daemon and su it to flow into the creature’s aura With a tingle raging througha thousand nerves, I began to rearrange the shape of his energy field, focusing on s the color

Even if we could get him to pass for a Supe of unknown variety, chances were the Seattle Tattler wouldn’t be getting calls about soh the streets Maybe a weredog or soy, I blinked and stood back The daean to shift form We all waited with pent breath, and then as the spell settled into his aura, I let out a gurgle and face-pal for

The dae up at me "What did you do to me, wo I heard you were a bu to look like this? A poodle? Are you serious?"

He took a threatening step toward me and nipped at my ankles, but Smoky leaned over and scooped up the daemon

"Do not threaten my wife, even if it is with rabies"

"I don’t have rabies, you idiot! I’!"

"Um, I hate to differ with you," Menolly said, "but you are for now And it could last tenround before the dogcatcher sees you"

The string of obscenities that issued forth made even my ears hurt Apparently, ht, because he was nowhere hu In fact, he was a very ornate white poodle, clipped in the typical powder-puff stereotype With two glaring exceptions: both his eyes and his toenails were brilliant red

"You look like some sort of wacked-out hellhound," Trillian said "I’ic a lot, but it does work, contrary to what Trytian seems to have told you"

"Put me down, you lunatic, and let ain, and Save hih to hurt, but hard enough to humiliate

"Mind your manners" He rolled his eyes and headed toward the door "I’o home Caiven hi to hurt hileroot Park"

As Sto tell your patrons up there? They have to have some plausible explanation"

She frowned "Fire troll?"

"There’s no such thing"

"Most of theht it’s mainly a bunch of Earthside Supes and Faerie Maids up there I could tell theht believe ht Tell the to have to tell Queen Asteria the truth That poor elf has a family somewhere and you can bet, ten to one, they’re back in Otherworld I don’t think he’s going to willingly oblige us by being homeless, without next of kin"

Menolly chewed on her lip "Yeah, I know Let’s go I’ll have Derrick bring the body down here until we can identify hio on ahead Call if you need me"

As we threaded our way out of the bar, it occurred tointo toith a sawed-off shotgun Considering that I’d irl, it wouldn’t surprise ure and it never failed to awe me just who for references

Leaving Menolly to tackle the daleroot Park The snoas falling lightly, and the soft swish of my windshield wipers kept up a lively rhythun, Sh the rearview ood time to discuss what the daemon had told us, but decided to wait We already knew Hyto had it in for us Mentioning it would only set Son in the backseat Even one whoht about the past year So much had happened When my sisters and I were first sent over from Otherworld, we didn’t have a clue as to aited in store for us We learned the hard way, all too fast

I’o At home I’m known as Camille Sepharial te Maria, because in Otherworld, Fae take their mother’s first na our mother’s last name

Either way you slice it, I’ to on, a youkai-kitsune, and one of the dark, Charo over ith some of the Earthside coive a fuck what they think Mythree men is a crime, I’ll happily play criminal

By heart, soul, and trade, I’m a witch, recently promoted to priestess The Moon Mother rode h the shadow and--like Ishtar--came out of the Underworld triumphant In the wake of destruction, a new path opened, upon which I a to embark

My sister Delilah--a two-faced Were by nature and a Death Maiden by calling--is second born Until recently, I worried that her na&iuhened up and come to accept herself for who she is She seesty Delilah had a tho died at birth Arial watches over her, in leopard form, and the two have met in the astral realm

And then there’s Menolly, as a jian-tu--a spy/acrobat--until she was tortured and turned into a vaed to dust her sire, one of the most vicious pieces of filth that ever walked the Earth Menolly runs a fine line, controlling her predator nature but accepting who she is But even in death, she’s ether with our lovers and friends, we’re fighting a demonic war, alone except with scattered help from the elves and a few other Supes we can trust We’re on the trail of the spirit seals--nine artifacts broken frole treasure formed by the Elemental Lords and the ancient Fae Lords when Otherworld split off froed to find several of theerto prevent hi hold of any s hih the portals, to raze both Earth and Otherworld to the ground

And we’re the only ones standing in his way