Awakening the Demon's Queen by Calle J. Brookes Page A

sash.
    ****
    Kindara was arguing with Cormac when she
heard a tell-tale pop that signaled the demon had returned. She
instinctively stiffened, though she fought the urge to look at him.
What was it about him that drew her? Was it just because he was an
Incubus and preyed on females of any humanesque species? Or was it
him?
    The surprise and tension that encompassed the
occupants of the small garden house beside the helicopter pads had
her turning to him. Her eyes landed on the Dardaptoan who’d been
one of her daughter’s playmates Jierra’s entire life. “Jambu?
What--”
    The demon cut her off and then stopped her
when she stepped toward them. “Kindara, I thought you’d have left
by now.”
    The rebuke was clear for her to hear and it
had her ire returning to replace her surprise. “I make my own
decisions, demon. Don’t forget that.”
    “ Dammit, woman, it’s not
safe here anymore!”
    Dhar Rydere interrupted before she could reply. “Malickus, care to
explain why you have my young cousin with you?”
    “ Cousin? More like a traitor
to your kind.” The demon held Jambu with a hand wrapped around the
back of the boy’s neck. He shook him effortlessly. “Found him in
negotiations of a sort with the Redd Gothan pack.”
    Rydere’s face darkened, his anger rising just
like Kindara’s surprise. “What type of negotiations?”
    “ Seems the boy here paid
these Lupoiux to attack a blonde woman, wearing white, tied with a
green sash, in the gardens of your hotel.” The demon forced Jambu
to his knees in front of Kindara, Rydere, and Cormac, then shoved
him into a supplicant position. “I want to know who that woman
was.”
    “ Josey.” Cormac growled the
words as he reached for Jambu. Rydere held out a hand to stop
him.
    “ I don’t believe so.” Rathan
was shaking his head as he spoke. “Because apparently the Lupoiux
were paid a deposit five weeks ago. So the intended target was not
Josey.”
    “ But she was of Cormac’s
House, high enough to wear white. There’s only two,” Rydere said as
the sound of the helicopter starting up just outside the building
filled the small room. “Jambu? Anything you want to add in your
defense?”
    Cormac yanked Jambu from the demon’s hand,
shaking the smaller male viciously. “You threatened my family? My
sister or my niece? Tell me now and I won’t rip out your throat and
leave you here for those Lupoiux to eat your damned carcass.”
    “ Enough, Cormac.” Rydere
pulled his cousin from Cormac’s hands. “Now isn’t the time. He’ll
stand trial as soon as possible. In the meantime, we need to
evacuate now.”
    “ My House tribunal?” Cormac
wasn’t satisfied and everyone knew it. Kindara wasn’t
surprised--her brother was the head of their House and he was
extremely protective of his only close relatives--her, Jierra, and
now Josey.
    “ Mostly yours, and some of
mine will make the council. My Rajni was attacked that day, too.”
Rydere shot a glare at his cousin as he pulled Emily closer to his
chest. “I will not ever forget that.”
    Jambu was pale and silent as he stared at
their king and Cormac. Kindara almost felt sorry for him. Why had
he done this? He and Jierra had been playmates all their childhood,
had gone to school together--including the community college that
all recent Dardaptoan graduates attended. What had made him betray
them all?
    Cold howls split the air around them,
drowning out the helicopters’ blades. It told them their time was
up.
    Rydere gave the signal and Cormac pulled
Kindara in front of him. “Don’t stop until you and Ji are inside
the bird, understand?”
    Kindara nodded. She might hate to
fly--especially in the flimsy helicopters--but it was the lesser of
the two evils. She and Jierra went toward the helicopter seconds
after Mallory and Emily, all surrounded by the male Dardaptoans. A
hand grabbed Kindara’s and pulled her a step quicker. It was the
demon. He lifted her the distance into the helicopter,