Curse of the Nandi (Society for Paranormals Book 5) by Vered Ehsani

do I start?” the possessive husband mused.
    But before he could launch into his litany of complaints against Gideon, we entered Victoria Street and onto a scene that put all our petty differences aside.
    In a puddle of light cast by a lonely street lamp lay a corpse, headless and in a pool of red. Two dark forms hunched over it, lapping eagerly at the liquid. The horses pulled up short and refused to approach. At their nervous nickering, one of the two forms glanced up at us.
    “Yao,” I said with a touch of disgust.
    Yao licked his lips, unflustered and unrepentant. “Miss Knight,” he replied before returning to his feast.
    We descended from the wagon and approached the scene. I was only grateful that no other humans apart from John had noticed the occurrence. We would eventually have to summon the Chief Constable, a Scottish fellow with deep red cheeks that provided visual proof of both his temper and his liking for African brew. For now, though, we could study the situation at our leisure.
    “What manner of creatures are these?” Mr. Hardinge inquired.
    “Indeed,” Mr. Elkhart murmured.
    Yawa hissed. “You dare speak thus, Popobawa?”
    Mr. Elkhart started at that, for there weren’t many who knew of his mixed ancestry, and even fewer his ability to transform into a giant bat.
    “These are Adze,” Mr. Timmons said. “A sort of vampire sorcerer with an affinity for light, fire and trouble.”
    He proceeded to provide a round of introductions, for even in the presence of death, one must still uphold good manners and culture. Yao’s smile widened as he straightened from his crouch. “There’s plenty here. We can share.”
    “No, we can’t,” muttered Yawa, her face almost immersed in the puddle of blood.
    “Yes, we can,” her brother cooed as he stood up and licked around his lips. “I am full now.”
    “That is most generous of you,” Mr. Elkhart said with a gracious nod. “But we too have eaten our fill.”
    “Good,” Yawa said just as Yao said, “That is a pity.”
    “It’s not safe here,” Gideon warned me as he floated by my side.
    “And how is that different from anywhere else?” I quipped.
    “Is the Kerit still here?” Mr. Timmons asked, and we all tensed in preparation for an attack.
    “The lovely thing is gone,” Yao said with a dramatic sigh. “We would love to play with it. Wouldn’t we, Yawa?”
    His sister didn’t bother to reply. Drew however did, by shifting into wolf form with a snap and crackle of bones. He began sniffing about the site.
    “You have so many pretty pets, Miss Knight,” Yao crooned, while Yawa studied Drew with more interest than was appropriate.
    “He’s my brother,” I said.
    “Even better,” Yawa purred.
    Drew’s ears pricked up and he let out a howl before bounding off, heading toward the train station at the other end of Victoria Street. Mr. Timmons brushed a hand against my arm to draw my attention.
    “Is there any use for us being here?” Mr. Timmons inquired.
    “Not a bit,” I said, for I’d already studied the area. While the ground was too dry and hard to allow for impressions of the murderer’s path, I could see several red prints leading away from the body. They were roughly the shape of a hyena’s track but bigger, and leading in the direction of the station.
    “I need to summon the Chief Constable,” Mr. Hardinge said, his voice tight.
    “I’ll stay with you,” Mr. Elkhart said, eyeing the two Adze.
    “And you two had best be off,” I said, shaking my walking stick’s metal fist toward Yao and Yawa. “There’s enough here to fuel the rumor mill for days to come without adding you into the mix.”
    Leisurely, Yawa stood, stretched in such a manner as to leave the men somewhat breathless from the view, and sauntered away into the shadows beyond our street lamp. Yao grinned, performed a mock bow and followed his sister.
    With nothing more to discuss, Mr. Timmons and I began to walk down the quiet street.
    “Shout if