Back and a snippet

by | May 4, 2009 | Uncategorized

Revisions for Claimed by the Wolf are gone and I’m back in the Real World, as opposed to that other world, and in this world somehow laundry and dishes and other things piled up. Also, there are other things to get out the door now that Top Priority Project is gone. So in lieu of a better blog plan, here’s a snippet.

CLAIMED BY THE WOLF
St. Martin’s Dec. 09

Sybil rubbed her arms. “Do you have any idea how to close this gate?”

“No, but while you’re trying to find the user’s manual, I’ll deal with that.” Abaran motioned towards the dark swarm materializing almost on top of them. Sybil shrieked and jumped back. Her ankle shrieked louder but held.

She closed her eyes, since the sight of oncoming death was distracting. Besides, she couldn’t actually die, right? “We live through this and the good guys win,” she muttered, hoping it was true. Then she looked for the key inside her. If the gate opened with a demon spell, another should close it. Or maybe not another; maybe the first spell worked two ways? The difference between open and shut was a swing of the hinge, a click of the latch.

Words and magic boiled up. She chanted them and prayed that she wasn’t wrong, that she wasn’t compounding their problems by opening another gate.

The spell consumed her, and when she gave breath and power to the final syllable, it ended and she collapsed onto the ground.

She opened her eyes and found Abaran busily fighting three demons. Moments later their forms lay still on the ground, then evaporated while she watched. “That’s just creepy.”

“Sybil.” He wrapped his arms around her and then she felt his head jerk up. He swore and before she could react, leathery wings cocooned her in safety. “Missed a few.”

Something struck them. Make that somethings, she realized as his words sank in. More demons. Stragglers left on this side when she closed the gate.

“Abaran, let go! You’re leaving yourself vulnerable!”

“Hush.” She felt his tattoo heat and pulse. Power went out in a shockwave. Then he opened his wings and she blinked at the dark forms on the ground.

“It’s like pouring salt on slugs,” she muttered. Her hands clung to Abaran’s waist while she stared at the dissolving demons.

“Don’t watch if it bothers you.”