Page 15 of Kiss of Magic

“It’s out of our hands,” said Kam. “All we can do is hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Ruth, get some rest. And my thanks, dear friend. I’m sorry for the strain this is putting on you and your kind.”

“We’ll keep fighting, your Majesty.” Ruth bowed deeply. “We’ll keep the seal shut for as long as we can.”

She walked away wearily. Ren turned to Kam, her face stricken.

“I can’t believe this is happening. People are going to be so scared. All those horror stories from five thousand years ago, the terrible things our ancestors went through… it’s all going to repeat itself.”

“We were taken by surprise back then. We know what to expect now.”

“But we had the angels, Kam. The angels helped us defeat them. Without the angels…”

Kam took her in his arms and soothed her.

“All is not lost. The seal hasn’t opened yet. There’s still hope.”

“There’s still hope,” she echoed bleakly. He kissed the top of her head.

“Arrange the meeting, my queen. It’s time to plan for a war.”

Seven

New York

The herbal remedies shop lurked down a side street in Chinatown, tucked between a diner and a liquor store. The windows were dark and dirty, covered in faded posters advertising cures for various ailments. Blake’s nose wrinkled as he caught the pungent odour of foreign spices.

“Looks empty,” he commented as they pushed their way in through the door. A bell tinkled somewhere in the distance.

“It always looks empty.” Tala headed for the counter. “Don’t touch anything.”

She stopped in front of a glass counter rammed with ornately carved bottles labelled in Chinese. An ornamental cat stared back at her, expressionlessly waving its paw back and forth. Gods, she hated that cat.

“Mama Xiaoling?” she called. Silence.

Blake wandered around the shop. The walls were lined with shelves stacked with jars full of powders and strange-looking roots.

“Maybe she’s not here?” he suggested.

“She’s here. She just likes sneaking up on people.”

Blake grunted. He reached out to pick up a glass bottle filled with what looked like white stalks. They seemed to be moving.

“Be careful with that, young man.”

Blake whirled round, automatically reaching for his Glock. He had to look down before he saw the owner of the voice. A small Asian lady of indeterminate age grinned up him. Her eyes were as black as coal.

“How the fuck did you do that?” he demanded. It had been a long time since anyone had sneaked up on him.

“No need for guns, hunter. I am nothing but a harmless little old lady.” Mama Xiaoling spread her arms to show just how unthreatening she was, her smile widening. Somehow Blake wasn’t reassured. Across the room, Tala snorted.

“Don’t listen to her. She’s as harmless as a rattlesnake.”

The wiccan turned to Tala.

“Hello, shaitun. It is nice to see you again. I see you survived your last bounty hunt.”

“No thanks to you. That weapon you sold me nearly killed me!”

“And yet you survived.” Mama Xiaoling sniffed. “So ungrateful. I am minded not to help you again, shaitun.”

---