Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,60

Maybe."

A chair flew through the window of the bistro and Candace hopped down onto the concrete in front of us, Charlie screaming her name from inside. Candace gave me a once over, to make sure I was okay, and then turned to face the angel. I was getting ready to scoop her up and run away when she bent at the waist and unleashed a blood curdling scream at the arch angel.

Ignoring Yuki, it turned its head and the searing hatred in its eyes ebbed, just as my vampire sliced through its robes with sharpened nails, spilling silvery blood in a spray across the street. It frowned at the wound and kicked Yuki in the chest, launching her at the brick wall beside the bistro window. Concrete and bone crunched as she slid down the wall and landed in a heap on the sidewalk.

The angel turned to Candace, took a cautious step forward and stopped. Uncertainty held it in place for a moment until it finally spread its wings and launched itself into the sky.

Dar and I stared as Candy straightened herself, paused a moment before turning around and giving us a sad look before collapsing not far from Yuki.

"What the hell just happened?" I started walking toward them.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say it was…afraid?"

"No. It couldn't have been," I answered certainly. Candace was many things. Frightening wasn't one of them.

Chapter 17

"You know, I'm going to have to start sending the public works bills to you if you don't stop destroying the center of town." Sherry, Jimmy's cousin and Mayor of Cedar Falls, ran her foot over the hole from the angel's sword and grimaced at the Yuki sized dent in the concrete wall.

"Well, I'll come by tonight, when nobody is around, and fix it all up." I wiggled my fingers in the air.

"An angel. Came down from heaven. With a flaming fucking sword. And proceed to bat the three of you around like a cat with a mouse. You're going to tell me you're worried about you performing magical street repairs?" She eyed me incredulously.

"Good point." I slammed my hand on the ground and canted, "A bheith mar a bhí tú." The concrete rippled and reformed, fully unscathed as the magic traveled up the wall of the bistro, filling in the cracks and healing the brick.

"Okay. That was fucking cool." Sherry stared in open amazement.

I turned and saw at least ten people milling around to watch the show. They shook their heads and carried on with their activities, pretending not to notice the magical road and building repairs. One little girl, about five or six, wasn't old enough to pretend not to stare and grinned at me from across the street, waving. I couldn't help but chuckle as I waved back.

"Looks like you have a fan." Sherry stifled a giggle behind her hand.

"Don't make fun. She's my first one."

"Well, if you're done and can keep out of trouble, I'm going to head home," Yuki said and straightened her back. She had definitely taken a wallop from the building and was still moving funny while her body healed itself.

"I think I can manage. Thanks for the save, Yuke."

"My pleasure." She rolled her eyes and started walking away, as best she could. Her massive limp impeded her exit.

"You good?"

"Yeah. I'll live."

"Dar, can you make sure she gets home okay?" I leaned in a little closer. "Make sure she's eaten, too… She seems to be healing a little slower than usual."

"Yes, Master." He bowed and hurried away, ducking under the arm Yuki was holding her back with.

"Is she going to be okay?" Sherry whispered her question, not knowing Yuki could still hear her.

"She'll be fine after a good meal," Yuki answered with a wave over her shoulder. I didn't elaborate.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, Sherry, I need to pay for my lunch." I patted her hand and opened the door to Charlotte's.

"I've been eating here for years. I've never seen you in there once. You trying to get away from your mayoral scolding?"

I chuckled. "No Blackwell backs away from a good fight with the mayor. Ask my mother." The truth was, I loved Sherry to death. The odds of her ending up with a horse's anus magicked to her forehead were less than zero.

"Well, it's too late for lunch and too early for dinner. But a nice hunk of French bread and some tea might be nice." Sherry ducked inside.

Candace was gone. Of course. Her lunch break was short, and