and the windows were up on the cars going by. I was glad that Jenks would be overwintering with Trent, exchanging room and board for positive PR opportunities apparently. I was going to miss him, though.
Hunching deeper into my dark green leather coat, I stared up at a few yellowed leaves still clinging to the street trees. Everything would have been different if the insurance money for the church had come through. But I scuffed to a stop, eyes narrowed as I stared at a straggly blackbird watching me from the dark branches. Hodin.
“You.” My pulse hammered, and the man in a suit coming toward me started in surprise. “Not you, him!” I said, pointing at the bird, and the man halted, clearly unsure if he should turn around or cross the street.
“Don’t you fly away from me,” I demanded as Hodin cawed as if it was all a big joke. “Is this you? Are you targeting people?”
He opened his wings, and I tapped a line, fingers tingling as it rushed in. “Hodin!”
When he hopped to the outer branches as if to leave, something in me snapped.
“Move,” I said to the man in the suit, staring at me. “Too late,” I said when he froze, briefcase clasped before him. “Don’t move.” My gaze narrowed on Hodin, now in the air and struggling for height. I flicked a gaze up and down the street, imagining a circle that wouldn’t impact the oncoming traffic. The timing would have to be perfect, though, and the circle really big.
“Rhombus!” I shouted, hand outstretched as I wrestled a huge amount of line energy into a barrier. Yes! I thought, elated when Hodin hit the inside of the circle with an indignant squawk and fell. Feathers leaking, he slid down the barely visible barrier until I dropped it. The passing cars continued on, never knowing it had been there, but Hodin, who’d regained the wind under his wings, awkwardly landed on a light pole and shook off the hit.
“I said I want to talk to you,” I said, and the businessman, who was still standing next to me, began to inch away.
Hodin cawed again, the harsh, dangerous sound echoing between the buildings. Red goat-slitted eyes fixed to me, he dropped to the ground, misting out halfway down to land as a big, black, straggly, malnourished wolfhound. Growling, he began to pace forward.
“What is it with the dogs,” I muttered, pushing the businessman behind me. “Bring it on, big boy,” I mocked, feet spread wide and pulling on the ley line until my hair began to float. Damn it, people were noticing, gathering at the crosswalks and stopping their cars right in the middle of the street to watch. “I’ve tangled with Ku’Sox and run him to ground. You’re nothing but a big puppy with slobbery kisses!”
He barked, a low, threatening growl that reached deep into my gut and pulled on my fear.
“Holy shit!” the man behind me swore, and I yanked him back to me as Hodin sprang.
“Rhombus!” I shouted, imagining a much smaller circle this time.
Yelping, Hodin skidded to a stop, nails scraping on the sidewalk and all four feet splayed awkwardly to avoid hitting the outside of my circle this time.
“Watch this,” I whispered to the terrified man with me. “Arrado!” I shouted, throwing the curse right at him. Hodin, more concerned with not slamming into my circle again, didn’t react. My magic tore through my bubble as planned, dropping the barrier and adding to its own strength before hitting Hodin.
“Whoops,” I said, jerking the man with me out of the way as Hodin slid over the sidewalk right where we had been—only now he had absolutely no hair. “Oh, that’s nasty.”
Denuded, Hodin the dog gave a startled yelp, immediately vanishing into a pearly mist of unfocused magic.
“Okay. Now you can go,” I told the guy with me, and he ran down the sidewalk in a fast staccato of dress shoes, pushing past the few watchers to beat a quick retreat.
Hodin, once again tall, dark, and pissed, touched his head to make sure his long wavy hair was back. He looked wildly demonic there in the sun with his narrowed eyes, stiff posture, leather jacket, and all-around-threatening presence, and I strengthened my hold on the ley line. Attractive or not, he was a demon, and that meant he was more dangerous than a weaving snake.
“You circled me,” he said, hands clenched and a murderous expression in his red eyes.
“I circled us!” I exclaimed, tired