Saturday Snippet from TTWD Chapter 2

As promised, here is a snippet from Chapter 2 of The Trouble with Demons -- with Tam. Enjoy!

A voice brushed against my mind, its familiar intimacy like a caress of dark silk against bare skin. I didn't need to see him; I knew who he was.

Tamnais Nathrach. Goblin dark mage, former chief shaman for the royal House of Mal'Salin, ex-magical enforcer to the goblin queen -- but right now, Tam was a really pissed off father whose son was in mortal danger.

"Get behind the demon where he can't see you!" Tam commanded. "Quickly! He can't turn while the boys still have him."

Tam and I had spoken mind-to-mind many times, but never like this. Never this close. Tam wasn't just speaking to me; Tam was inside of me.

"How . . . what the hell are you -- " I blurted out loud.

"Just do it, Raine!"

Vegard glanced sharply at me.

"It's Tam," I told him.

We had a demon on a rampage; Tam was a dark mage; it was a match made in hell. I didn't know what he could do to help; but whatever it was, I was all for it.

"Tell Talon to stop," Tam ordered. "Then you can take the demon from Piaras."

"I can what?"

"I've fought demons before." His words came in a rush. "I can work through you; tell you what you need to do." Silence. "Raine, my power is your power."

I froze, thoughts running in panicked circles in my head. I knew what Tam was saying; worse yet, I knew what he meant.

Last week, when I'd used the Saghred to keep innocent people from being slaughtered, Tam and his potent black magic had been right there with me. We'd worked together, combining our power, doing what had to be done. That had earned us both a lot of unwanted attention and accusations. That six lives had been saved didn't mean a rat's ass to our high-ranking accusers.

"Raine!"

"I'm here," I snarled. My breathing was shallow and rapid. What I was about to do through Tam -- with Tam -- scared me more than the demon did. I didn't like being scared; it pissed me off. Tam was asking me to unleash some demon whoop-ass, and I had no idea how.

Piaras was weakening, the intensity of his notes wavered. The demon howled in gleeful anticipation.

"Tell me. Now!"

Tam did, and I understood. I didn't have the skill or experience to do it, but Tam did. He told me what to do, and if I used his power, I could.

In theory. I hated theories.

"Find a mirror, thick glass, something you can force him inside of," Tam ordered.

Mirrors were too dangerous to keep out in the open, but several of the shops had glass in their windows, diamond panes. I didn't need Tam to tell me that wouldn't work. Then I saw them. Some of the kids had gotten an early start on their drinking. They'd run, but they'd left two bottles of wine behind. Two empty bottles -- with corks. Let's hear it for partying college students.

"Would a bottle work?" I quickly asked Tam.

Silence and some fast thinking. "Yes. Is there a stopper of some kind?"

"Cork."

"Get it."

I snatched a bottle and cork off the table. The demon saw and laughed, a deep rumbling that vibrated through my chest all the way down to my toes.

"You are no demon master." He smiled, slow and horrible, and held out a clawed hand. "Come to me, elfling, and I will let the young ones live."

"Shove him in!" Tam growled.

"And just how the hell am I --"

"Visualize him flowing into the neck of that bottle and it will happen."

I froze. "Do I have to hold the bottle?"

"Yes!"

Dammit.

"Tell the boys to release him." Then Tam's voice turned imploring; Tam didn't implore anyone. "Raine, I will help you. You can do this. We can do this."

I felt like I was about to step off a cliff. I swallowed. "Talon, stop." I tried to keep my voice calm and rational. "Ease your song away from Piaras and run."

The kid looked at me like I had lost my mind.

I wasn't entirely sure I hadn't.