King of the Damned (League of Guardians 2)

A beat-up jeep was beside her rental, its rusted back bumper held tight with lime green twine. The faded red paint wasn’t much different in color than the rust that ate up a good portion of the side panels.

Shit, Abigail had been driving the damn thing since before college but then she was a girl who never threw anything away. Well, except for boyfriends. Those she went through on a regular basis, which made the thought of her settling down north of the border that much more interesting. As if it would have lasted.

“Oh God,” Hannah groaned and pointed.

Rowan followed her gaze and shook her head. “Great.” A large black donkey stood next to the largest RV, it swiveled its head slowly their way as they pulled in behind it.

“Well, they don’t usually leave home without it,” Hannah observed dryly.

“A warning?” she said pointedly to Azaiel. “Don’t piss that thing off.”

He looked at her as if she’d lost her marbles.

“It’s not just a donkey,” she reiterated.

Azaiel looked as if he was trying his hardest not to laugh. “It’s not,” he said carefully. “Just a donkey.”

“Nope,” Hannah answered. She pounded the seat in front of her, earning a growly acknowledgment from Nico. “That goes for all of you. The donkey needs to be treated with kid gloves, and if it talks to you . . .”

At the expression on Azaiel’s face, Rowan laughed, feeling a sense of lightness for the first time in days.

“If it talks to you,” Hannah continued, “ignore it.”

Nico turned around and gave her a “what the fuck” look, his eyebrows fierce in his rugged, handsome face as he glowered at the blond witch.

“I’m serious,” Hannah retorted, opening the door. She slid out and shrugged. “That donkey will fu—”—she grimaced—“will screw with you, and the damn thing has a nasty side that makes Lucifer look like a mother-truckin’ angel.” At Nico’s huff, she shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you”

“Warning noted,” the jaguar answered silkily. It was obvious he thought the girls were jerking him around.

“And I’m pretty sure Leroy doesn’t like cats.”

“Leroy?” Nico looked incredulous.

Hannah, blew out hot air. “The donkey? They call him Leroy, which is ridiculous considering he’s fecking Satan’s spawn.

“You two are serious.” Nico glanced from Hannah to Rowan.

“Dead serious.” Hannah arched a brow. “Don’t talk to it, don’t answer any of its questions, don’t humor the damn thing.” She bit her lip, brows furled. “Actually, don’t even look at it.”

“It’s a donkey,” Azaiel said.

Rowan snorted and shook her head. “It’s one mean son of a bitch. If I were you guys, I’d do as Hannah says and ignore Leroy.”

The SUV’s passenger door opened, and Rowan moved out of the way, sliding alongside Azaiel. She then turned and watched in silence as Marie-Noelle exited the large Suburban and stared up at the main house. Mikhail was at her side, and Rowan assumed by the way he hovered over her that their relationship was more intimate than watcher and . . . and what? What exactly was her mother to this creature?

Marie-Noelle turned then, and Rowan’s throat constricted as she observed the many emotions that ran across her mother’s face.

“Something’s wrong,” Marie-Noelle whispered harshly.

Rowan opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, her mother tugged her hand from Mikhail’s and ran toward the house, a tortured cry drifting back to them.

“Mother.”

The fist that had been playing havoc with Rowan’s guts all evening turned, sharply and with a heavy hand. She clenched her jaw tightly, hating the dread that now kept her company. She’d not told her mother about Cara.

Marie-Noelle yanked on the door and was immediately greeted by Cedric. The old man’s arms wrapped her in a hug that lingered, as if the woman were his own child. His gnarled hands held her tight, and he whispered into her ear, drawing her close when she would have collapsed.

The gargoyle stood to the side of the steps and seemed unsure, while Priest and Nico stood in silence beside him.