Saturday Snippet -- Raine & Tam

As promised, here's a short snippet from The Trouble with Demons featuring Raine & Tam. Next Saturday's snippet will feature Raine & Mychael.

I kept my mouth shut all the way upstairs to Tam's apartment above the theatre stage. I thought my restraint was nothing short of miraculous.

Tam walked in front of me, which gave me ample opportunity to stare daggers into his back--and to be reminded once again that Tam Nathrach had a great ass. Yes, I'd almost had my soul sucked out by one of Death's minions, but some things a woman just couldn't ignore. Tam was manipulative, secretive, and you couldn't get a straight answer even if you choked it out of him--but his his leather-clad posterior was without peer.

Tam spoke without turning. "Enjoying the view?"

I put a whole winter's worth of frost into my voice. "It's the first thing I've appreciated all day." I didn't appreciate being attacked, used, or threatened--and I despised being terrified. All of the above pissed me off in ways that I couldn't even begin to describe. Though when we reached the top of those stairs, I was going to give it a damned fine shot.

Vegard and Phaelan were going to wait on the landing below, and Uncle Ryn's six crewmen were standing guard at the foot of the stairs in the theatre. The moment we'd stepped across Sirens' threshold, Vegard expanded his job description to include chaperone. Mychael didn't want Tam and I in the same room. I understood his concern, but I needed to talk to Tam alone. I had some questions for him that I didn't want Vegard--but especially Mychael--to know the answers to yet. Vegard stayed on the landing, but he didn't like it.

I almost told him that Tam and I didn't need a chaperone, but I'd have been lying through my teeth. Tam and I have always needed a chaperone. He was a not-quite-recovered dark mage. Thanks to the Saghred, I was a dark mage magnet. The two of us were an apocalyptic, magical kaboom waiting to happen.