Page 42 of Secondhand Garagyre

Outof the corner of my eye,Iwatch as three luminescent tendrils extend fromLaithog’schest and reach out towards me,MerryandPippin.Flickingmy blinker on,Imake the left turn onto the dirt road that leads to my house, slowing the truck as we rattle over the cattle-guard.Oncewe are safely on the caleche road,Iturn my head to the right and shock fills me whenIsee a sky-blue tendril emerging fromMerryand a sea-foam green coming fromPippin.

Dartinga look back towards the dirt road, to make sureIdon’t wreck the truck,Islow down further.Fullyinvested in whatever the hellLaithogis doing,Iease my pickup to a stop right before the road narrows at the creek crossing, putting it in park before turning to the right to faceLaithog.

I’mbeyond curious right now.

Unexpectedly, a golden light appears from between my breast and extends out towardsLaithog.Oneof the colorful coils darts towards me andIwatch in awe as he weaves the silver and gold like braiding hair.Oncehe’s entwined the silver and gold, he drags them both towards the blue and green colors belonging toMerryandPippin.

Laithog’ssilver and my golden braided tendrils reach out and twine with the blue and green emanating from my dogs, creating a colorful triangle where all four colors are interwoven together, creating a four-strand braid.IobserveLaithogas he inspects theweave between the four colors.Witha decisive nod, he appears pleased with…whatever it is that he’s doing.

“Ligatus, anima ad animam.Utfiat fiat.”

Themoment the last word leaves his lips, the silver, gold, blue and green colors surge in brightness, so brightIhave to close my eyes against the brilliance of the strands.Crackingmy eyes open,Icheck to see if the radiance has faded any, only to see that it has, and watch as the colors slowly fade out of sight. “Laithog, sugar…what did you just do?”

“Ibound yourdog’ssouls to ours.”Thewords sound like he’s forcing them out from behind clenched teeth.Gazingover atLaithog,Isee that his jaw is, in fact, clenched.Thetendons in his jaw pulsing with his irritation.

“You…didwhat?!”

“Thereis naught wrong with your hearing, little one.Ibound their souls to ours.Now, if the worst were to happen andIfall, taking you with me.Theywill follow us into whatever afterlife awaits us.Iwill be stuck with them for all eternity.”Hefinished with a long-suffering, heavy sigh, his tone resigned.

Asthe realization of what he just did washes over me,I’mfilled with joy.Unbucklingmy seatbelt,Ilaunch myself over the console and wrap my arms around his neck, raining kisses down on his beloved face.

Beloved?

Yes, after the selfless thing he just did for me…a task that gains him nothing whatsoever,Ican feel the love welling up from deep within me and filtering along the soulbond tying me toLaithog.Iknow the second he feels my love for him because his eyesfill with wonder, before a wave of his love washes over me.Thetender moment breaks, however, by the sound of someone…or something bellowing.

“LAITHOG,COMEOUTANDFACEME,THIEF.”

Inunison,LaithogandIturn to look out the windshield to seeRulzikilluminated by the headlights in his horrifying natural form.

Chapter Forty-Three

LAITHOG

Blasted.Fucking.DOGS.

Stoppingto soul weave the dual vexations to myself andPaisleyallowed the demons following us to catch up.Andnot only did they catch up, they’ve maneuvered themselves around thepickupin a loose circle surrounding us.

It’sless than ideal.

Thedry creek bed is the boundary of my mate’s property and the edge of the wards.Atiny bridge, if it can even be called that, is the tangible marker of the boundary.IfIhadn’t been so focused on protecting her dogs,Iwould have noticed her stopping short of the protective barrier.

Now,Rulzikand his demons are betweenPaisleyand safety.

Ican sense several of the same energy signatures from town…which meansRulzikpossesses a healing relic.There’sno way the lesser demons left thetown squareunscathed from the sunlight spell.Myplan to remove the lesser demons from town failed.

Itis of no matter.I’llkill them all.

AndthenI’mgoing to killRulzik, permanently this time.

Rulzikdoesn’t know that drinking fromPaisley’smade me twice as strong asIwas the last time we clashed.

AfactIam most thankful for.Especiallynow.

I’moutnumbered and have a mate to worry about.

Sensingthe tension between their beings, the vexations release tiny whines of apprehension. “Shhhh.Allwill be well,”Imurmur absently asIassess the best way to handle our situation.

“Laithog…what are we going to do…?” her words trail off.Ican smell the fear rolling off her.

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