"
Ash gave him a droll, blank stare. "No, thanks. The last thing I want is to catch parvo from you, or some other freaky dog disease that makes me lift my leg around hydrants."
Vane smacked his brother on the back of the head. "Next time I'm leaving you home."
"Hey, that hurt," Fang said, rubbing his head.
"Yes, but not as much as this will." The disembodied voice came out of nowhere.
Talon heard something whirling through the air. He moved his head sharply to the left to avoid its trajectory and caught it as it started past his shoulder.
Arching a brow at the huge medieval throwing ax he held, he passed it over to Vane.
Vane curled his lip. The Katagari looked less than amused. "Hey dickhead, you should know something." Vane tested the edge of the blade with his thumb. "You attack my brother, you really piss me off."
Vane tossed the ax back at the one who'd thrown it.
Talon heard a groan an instant before searchlights pierced the darkness.
Talon and Ash hissed in pain, ducked low, and shielded their eyes.
In the next second, something crackled and the lights went out.
Ash tossed a lightning bolt into a corner where it must have hit its mark, since Talon heard someone shriek. The odor of burning flesh wafted through the room.
Then, Daimons came out of the darkness, attacking. Talon caught the first one to reach him, and flipped
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) him to the floor. He toed the release for the blade in his boot, but before he could use it to kill the Daimon, another one caught him about the waist and shoved him back.
"Hot damn, Daimon food," Fang said with a laugh. "Hey Vane, you want the white meat or dark?"
Vane caught one of the Daimons in the chest with a knife, right in the heart. The Daimon disintegrated.
He laughed at his brother who was slugging it out with another Daimon. "How about I grab one leg, you grab the other and we make a wish and pull?"
Talon rolled his eyes at them, then he spun around and used the toe of his boot to finish off the Daimon who had grabbed him.
He went after the first Daimon, who was making his way toward Fang's back. Talon caught him just before he reached the Katagari.
The Daimon turned on him with a hiss, and tried to stab him. Talon turned his wrist under and snapped the knife out of his hand.
"Bad move, inkblot," Talon said, slugging the vampire.
The demon staggered back. Talon used the knife to finish him off. The Daimon disintegrated as the stolen souls ran free of his body and drifted up toward the ceiling.
Something out of the corner of his eye caught Talon's attention. He turned his head to see Ash being mobbed by a group of Daimons.
Ash was fighting them off with his staff, but there were so many of them attacking that it was like trying to brush ants off while standing in the middle of an anthill.
Talon went to help.
Where had all the Daimons come from?
They usually congregated inNew Orleans this time of year, but damn… it looked like half their world population was here in this room.
Working together, Talon, the Katagaria, and Ash finished them off.
"Thanks," Ash said as the last one disintegrated.
Talon nodded and folded up his srad into a single dagger, then returned it to his boot.
"Well," Fang said, mimicking a thick Southern drawl. "I have to say it's mighty nice of them Daimons to clean up after themselves when you kill them. It's much better than slaying an Arcadian." He held his hands up to them. "Look, Ma, no mess."
"Does Fang, have an off switch?" Talon asked Vane.
Looking a bit apologetic, Vane shook his head no.
But Talon was no longer paying attention to them.
He had far more important things to focus on. "We have to find Sunshine," he said, heading for the stairs.
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"Wait," Ash called. "You have no idea what's up there."
Talon didn't slow at all. "And I won't know until I get there.
"
With no thought except to save her, Talon followed the thumping noise to a door at the far end of the upper hallway. By the time he reached it, Vane, Fang, and Ash had caught up to him.
Talon flung open the door, ready for battle.
Instead of another group of Daimons, what they found was Sunshine tied on a bed in a room that was lit by a small lantern. Moaning, she was writhing and twisting as if she were on fire.
Terrified something was wrong with her, Talon rushed to her side while Vane and Fang searched the room for more Daimons.
What had they done to her?
If they had touched or harmed her, he would hunt them down and tear them to pieces.
As soon as Talon released her from the bed she latched onto him with a viselike grip.