Katie's Hope

"You've been using the repellant," Ully said. His nose crinkled as he drew near. "You ready to run?"

"Not today, Ully," she said. "Your repellant doesn't work!"

"I tested it on one of the warriors. I know it works."

She held up her bloody arm. "I just got out of a fight with a demon. It didn't work." "It doesn't work on demons," he said. "Only on Immortals."

"What's the difference?"

"Demons are … demons, and Immortals are more closely related to angels. Completely different genealogical make-up. I can make you a demon repellant, if you want."

She gritted her teeth and wished she'd brought the cutting board with her to knock some sense into Ully. The bloodied arm was making her unusually lightheaded. She lowered it to her side and took a few deep breaths.

"Here, kitty, kitty!" Toby said in excitement. He barreled toward the forest, and she turned in time to see the black jaguar with the white eye patch seated at the edge of the park, tail flicking and intense green eyes on the approaching child.

"Toby," she called. He continued running. Alarm reignited her adrenaline. "Toby! Stop!"

Ully looked over at the child and jaguar curiously. Katie bolted for Toby, knowing the kid was too young to recognize Rhyn from any other demon-jaguar.

"Toby, if you don't stop, you're grounded for all eternity!" she shouted, running hard.

The child slowed as he neared the jaguar and turned, finally paying attention. The beast crouched, and she ran harder.

"Mama, I wanna play with Rhyn!" Toby whined. He looked at the jaguar again and took another two tiny steps, as if testing her resolve to ground him.

The jaguar launched itself at the child, and Toby's scream shattered the quiet morning as its jaw clamped on his arm. Toby began to panic and pull, and the jaguar lowered itself farther to the ground, planting its back legs and jerking the boy towards the forest. Katie's dormant maternal instinct roared to life, and she dived at Toby, snatching his legs to keep the jaguar from dragging him fully into the forest.

With his scream echoing in her head, she staggered up and started pummeling the jaguar's face, shouting for it to let the sobbing baby angel go. The jaguar winced but kept its grip, and Toby's blood turned the snow beneath them red.

A blast of energy whipped by her, knocking her back, and the jaguar was sent flying. It smashed into a tree. Toby sagged. She looked up, shocked to see Sasha standing over them, his sharp gaze on the creature preparing itself for a second attack.