Repairer of the Breach (Stones of Fire Book 4) by Sarah Ashwood (reading eggs books .TXT) 📗

swept her hand in a circle, encompassing the threats on all sides. “Are you sure you want to play the hero here?”

“Go to hell,” Costas growled.

“I might,” the entertainer chuckled. “But, if I do, I’m taking you with me.”

She snapped her fingers. The world changed in an instant.

Chapter Thirty-One

All of the sudden, humans were animals or monsters or other unspeakable things Candace couldn’t identify. All of the sudden, there were terrifying flashes of black and orange. Of fur and claws and long, wicked teeth. Everything blurred into danger, adrenaline. The notion that they were being truly attacked, that their lives were on the line, had barely kicked in when Candace took aim, squeezing the trigger. She didn’t single out an animal. She didn’t even single out Adeola, who had shifted into some sort of monstrously huge cat that was nearly twice as large as the beasts he controlled. The idea had occurred that if she took him out, his animals might scatter. Quickly, she’d dismissed it, realizing there was a very good chance if she took him out that any control over the army of big cats would disintegrate and they might go berserk.

Right now, the cats were mainly focused on Sean Costas, so Candace took down some sort of shapeshifter with glowing green skin and scales. Her curves said she’d once been a human woman, but the fangs and tail replacing teeth and legs were more like some kind of snake-creature. Candace didn’t even feel bad about killing her. Maybe she should have, not knowing what the woman was in her human life, but the shifter form was frickin’ disturbing.

Besides, she comforted herself, the monster was coiling like it was about to strike, and the general direction had been Ellie.

She thought.

In the first few seconds of mass confusion, it was hard to keep track of who—really, what—was attacking who, or what. Right before her eyes, the detective was witnessing something few humans would ever get the chance to see. That didn’t make it more pleasant to be caught in the middle of. As the big cats swarmed towards Sean Costas, his shifters moved to defend him. Candace could never have begun to try and identify what they all were. Some kept a more or less human, upright appearance, and they were mostly the ones firing weapons, as well, instead of attacking the cats their own selves, throwing their own altered bodies into the fray.

Sean Costas himself had reverted back to his animal form. Candace watched in a sort of sick horror as one lioness, smaller and more agile than the rest, made it through the circle of his defenders and jumped onto the bull-man’s back. The Minotaur roared, a deep, bellow that could likely be heard for a mile, reached up and grabbed its attacker, throwing her off.

Directly towards Candace and Gary.

It wasn’t until the lioness was hurtling through space, coming towards them, that it even registered that Ellie was gone. In that split-second of terror, Candace had looked for Ellie to protect her, but Ellie wasn’t there. Gary dove out of the path, yelling something she couldn’t catch. Probably to get out of the way. However, taking the time to check on Ellie had proved costly. There wasn’t time for Candace to get out of the way. Sudden death registered in her brain as the lioness flew directly towards her, yowling an angry, vicious cry. Her mouth was open, showing her teeth, her claws extended, ready to rip into flesh as payback.

She braced for the strike, the pain, but it never came. A shadow moved, enormous yet agile, slamming into the lioness and knocking her midair out of flight, throwing her off to the side. She rolled into the darkness beyond the circle of the headlights, yowling, and Candace didn’t see her again. What she did see was Adeola, the massive cat the bartender had shifted into, land gracefully inside the circle of meager light. Despite its size, the beast was light on its feet. It turned to glance back over its huge shoulder, its eyes catching hers. On instinct, Candace raised her gun and took aim, holding it in a steady, two-handed grip. But the animal’s eyes captured hers, arresting her with their humanity. They weren’t yellow, slitted feline eyes. They were dark brown, human, and contained recognition as they held hers. Confused, Candace felt herself involuntarily lowering her weapon.

Did the bartender remember her from that night? Had their brief encounter made a big enough impression that he would’ve attacked one of his own beasts to defend her? She wasn’t exactly on his boss’s side, so it didn’t make sense that he would do that. Apparently, he had.

Candace blinked, trying to process it all, but in an instant the gigantic feline had spun about, bounding off its haunches, leaping back into the battle. More shots rang out. If somebody had taken it down, she couldn’t tell. Anyway, the moment had passed, and she had to look out for herself and her partner.

Confused about Ellie’s disappearance, Candace swung back around to where she’d last glimpsed the young woman, which had been right next to her. She was definitely not there. Where had she gone?

A glimpse of light reflecting on bronze drew her attention. There was Ballis, in his altered form, as the Talos. He’d gone straight for his boss, which was to be expected. Except for the fact that Ellie was here, as well. He had to have chosen between the two. Had he, in fact, gone with years of service over his heart and chosen his boss over his wife? But Ellie wasn’t with Ballis, either.

Candace searched for the girl, even as danger hurtled past all around. She’d largely forgotten her own safety, forgotten her partner. Not technically forgotten, but she was furious with him after Sean Costas’s little revelation tonight.

He can look after himself, just like I can look after myself.

Technically, Ellie could look after herself too. She could stand her ground. Nevertheless, Candace was