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“Seems the kittens stowed away in the back of Jill’s truck,” he said, eyes dancing with amusement. “She drove them straight to the middle of the mutagen.”
Jill smacked him on the arm, grinning. “Not on purpose!”
“Oh no,” I groaned. “And they didn’t have makkas, so they mutated.” Holy shit, that was fast. If we hadn’t shut down the flow, the world would have been unrecognizable in a matter of days.
“Are they still friendly?” I asked. “And where’s the other one?”
“I’ll show you!” Michael dashed down the steps and peered into the bushes. “C’mon out, Squig! Peoples here to see you.”
Out of the bushes stalked a winged catlet covered with furry green scales, tail straight up in the air. A tail covered with needle spikes instead of fur. I had the awful suspicion that she just might be able to hurl them.
“Good girl, Squig.” Michael scooped her up and cradled her close, the biggest grin ever plastered on his face. “See, Kara?”
I grinned right back, relieved that Squig had flattened the needle spikes to avoid injuring Michael. “I see.”
Szerain draped his arm over my shoulders. “Just wait ’til they grow up.”
“I almost feel sorry for Fuzzykins,” I said, giving a mock-shudder.
Ashava tugged on Jill’s hands. “Mom, can I play with Fillion? Pleeeeeease?”
“Sure, sweetie. Just be careful with . . .” She trailed off as Ashava ran and made a flying leap off the porch, transforming midair into a blue and silver dragonet about twice the size of Fillion. “Alrighty then,” Jill choked out then laughed as Ashava and Fillion started a game of aerial tag.
Szerain’s arm tightened around me. I looked over to see tears gleaming in his eyes as he watched the young qaztehl play.
“She’s beautiful,” he said in a cracked whisper. “So free.”
The pain and envy in his voice tugged at my heart. He’d been crippled and enslaved for thousands of years. How could he dare to believe he might someday be truly free?
I pulled him close. “You’ll join her up there soon. I promise you that.”
He gave a shaky smile, hope flickering weakly behind the despair in his eyes.
Jill peered toward the sky. “Ashava, dinner in ten minutes! No wings or claws at the table!”
The dragonet bugled an acknowledgement then did a neat barrel roll around Fillion.
“Spaghetti and meatballs, with green beans from Rhyzkahl’s garden,” Jill announced to the rest of us as she pushed off the rail. “If y’all behave, Ashava and I will make chocolate donuts for dessert.”
I sucked in a breath. “Real chocolate donuts?”
“Real chocolate donuts.” Her eyes sparkled. “I made sure to get all the ingredients during my pre-summoning errands.”
“Sounds like heaven,” I said, sighing happily. I placed my hand over the leaf and Mzatal’s ring, pressed both tight over his sigil, and willed an impression of this one perfect moment to him. Later, I’d tackle demon pacts, lordy machinations, alien antics, and the billion other issues that weighed on my heart and mind.
But for this little slice of now, I planned to enjoy the company of family, friends, and demonic battle kittens.
Glossary
Terms Related to the Demon Realm
Anomaly: A tear in the dimensional fabric. Various causes. Effects can be catastrophic. Repairs done by demahnk, demonic lords, and (for small anomalies) syraza.
Blade (verb): To stab a being with an essence blade. With rare exceptions, results in permanent death and a scattering or consumption of the target’s essence. The body of one killed by an essence blade will not discorporeate.
Demon realm and demon language: The world of the demons and demonic lords. The demon language has never been fully mastered by a human because of the verbal complexity and telepathic component. The same sound may have a multitude of different meaning depending on the telepathic pattern behind it. The demon word for their world is heavily telepathic and seventeen syllables.
Demahnk: Non-corporeal beings who take on demon and human forms. Their demon form looks like a large syraza with ridges on the torso and skull. Sometimes called “Elder syraza.” Each of the eleven is ptarl bound to a lord, with the exception of Zakaar. The lords are half demahnk, half human.
