Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            But I didn’t see how. “Get up!” I shouted, my gaze darting across the circle to Mrs. Sarong, wishing she’d call a foul so I could step in. But she didn’t. No one said you had to be in fur to fight an alpha challenge.

            “Why is she shifting?” David agonized. I could see why. Cassie was a breath away from being a fox, twenty pounds soaking wet to Parker’s hundred and fifty. Parker towered over her as she paced forward, and, grinning, the scarred woman picked her up by the neck, shaking her by the throat as Cassie’s muzzle elongated and wicked teeth showed.

            “Yield, you fool of a bitch!” Parker shouted, her hands around Cassie’s throat as she hung, helpless in her grip, a feathered tail and hind feet curled up. “This is your one chance. Yield, and live to watch your alpha die.”

            David groaned, his grip on her shoes becoming white-knuckled.

            But then Cassie’s eyes opened, and with a wild twist, she flung her clawed back feet at Parker’s face.

            Screaming, Parker flung the small fox away.





CHAPTER


            23

            The crowd howled as Cassie rolled, found her feet, and stood, tail switching. A tuft of her fur was clenched in Parker’s hand, and the woman lurched across the pavement, bare feet slapping and hands reaching, an eerie howl rising from her throat.

            Cassie, though, had finished her shift, and with a cackling chuckle, the fox jumped at her, latching onto Parker’s hand and biting down.

            Screaming, Parker tried to push her off.

            Cassie let go, her black feet barely touching the earth before she jumped again, snapping at Parker’s neck and ears as her back feet raked Parker’s chest.

            “Get her!” Jenks shouted, but the crowd was going silent, an eerie quiet beginning to spread. Cassie chittered as she sprang at Parker once more, and the woman swung, scoring on the fox to send her spinning to the ground.

            “I’m going to fucking squish your neck!” Parker shouted as she went for her, and then I started as David swore, lurching away as Al was suddenly behind me.

            “It’s just Al,” I said, and the imposing demon glowered.

            “Just Al,” he muttered, giving his exquisitely patterned gray and black scarf a twitch. “Rachel, we need to work on that. There is no just when it comes to demons.”

            “Just say no,” Jenks said. “Just a pain in the ass. Just what the hell do you want?”

            “Al, what are you doing here?” I said as a ripple of unease passed over the nearest watchers, carried by the light scent of burnt amber.

            Al huffed, adjusting his blue-smoked glasses on his nose as he glanced at my book-heavy bag. “You are five steps from my ley line. Did you not think I’d notice?” he said dryly, his attention returning to Parker and Cassie. “Isn’t subduing psychotic city rulers your job?”

            I tensed, but Cassie stayed clear of Parker’s reaching hands, snapping at her fingers and ankles. Death by a thousand nips. “Cassie took it from me.” Parker thundered after Cassie, her ham-handed swipe missing again. Cheat, Parker, I thought. Give me an excuse.

            “Throw me a gun!” Parker kicked at Cassie, missing. “I’ll shoot the little bitch.”

            But even Parker’s second shook her head, and for the first time, David’s terrified expression began to ease. “You have teeth and claws,” the large woman said, and a nervous murmur thickened from the watchers pressing in.

            “And hands,” Parker said, frustrated and hunched as she reached for Cassie. “Come here, you little rag.”

            Ears pinned, Cassie chittered, daring her.

            Bent double and breasts hanging, Parker lurched forward in a last bid.

            It was a mistake.

            Cassie jumped at Parker’s face, feet clawing. Howling, Parker caught her, then screamed as Cassie’s teeth found her ear, shredding what was left of it as Parker flung her off.

            The crowd was silent as Al applauded, his gloved hands unheard as Parker bellowed in anger, blood dripping. I felt ill as Cassie found her feet and spit out a chunk of Parker. “Tink’s titties, she’s fox chow,” Jenks swore in admiration.