Fang took up the position on the left-hand side of Sera’s body. “As you can see, we like our Dragonbane. He goes really well with the furniture.”
Sarcastic applause sounded, breaking the tension. “Nice.” From the rear of the Arcadians, a demon stepped forward. He wasn’t Kessar, but there was something remotely familiar about him. Max tried to remember where he’d seen him before.
Definitely gallu. The stench was unmistakable.
The demon stopped in front of Fang and raked him with a sneer. “However, you’re all forgetting something. While you are bound by the laws of your Omegrion, we are not. Do you really want me to unleash my warriors here? How long do you think you and your animals will stand?”
Fang didn’t miss a beat. “Long enough to mount your head to my wall.”
The demon opened his mouth to speak, then began a strange gurgling noise.
Sera and Illarion stepped back. As did Nala. Max closed the distance between them to protect his family.
Quicker than he could blink, Dev grabbed a mop bucket and had it in front of the demon in time to catch him as he unloaded the contents of his stomach. Grimacing and cursing, he glanced over to Sam. “Yeah, you raise as many nieces and nephews as I have and run a bar, you learn that attractive I-ate-too-much sound, so-grab-a-bucket-uncle-I-gotta-hurl.” Making an even worse face, he turned back toward the demon. “You through? ’Cause dude, this is some nasty stuff you got going on. And I really hope this shit ain’t contagious.”
Instead, the demon fell to his knees in agony. He was in so much pain, he couldn’t talk.
Dev set the bucket aside as they all stared at the demon in stunned silence. “Anyone know a demon doctor?”
“What’s wrong with him?” Nala asked.
Fury shrugged. “I’m thinking his last victim didn’t go down right. Who’d you eat?”
Dev snorted sarcastically. “Judging by the contents of the bucket, I’d say a Muppet. Looks like Kermit.”
Sam let out a sound of extreme pain. “Y’all are all so gross.”
With an exaggerated gesture, Lia nodded her complete agreement.
And still the demon convulsed and gagged. Wheezed and sputtered.
Then burst apart.
In unison, everyone stepped back from the spot where he’d been as if afraid that, too, was contagious.
“Holy shit,” Dev breathed.
Fury took Lia’s hand. “My freakin’ giddy aunt.”
Fang and Vane toed the smoking remains of the demon before they swept their gaze around the room.
“Savitar?” Vane called.
Fang scowled. “Thorn?”
No one answered. His features pale, Fang met Max’s gaze. “Have you ever seen or heard of anything like this?”
Before he could answer, Nala gasped in alarm. Then she cried out in pain.
Sera stepped toward her. “Basilinna?”
She held her hand up to show that it was slowly turning gray. “I think I’m returning to stone… you?”
Horrified, Seraphina examined her own body. “I don’t think so.”
Her breathing ragged, Nala shook her head. “What is this?” Shrieking, she vanished, and took her Amazons with her.
Fang and Vane turned to the Arcadians, but without their demon and Amazon warriors, their bluster faded.