New London Masquerade

is pocket-and he noticed it was Barb. He let her leave a message-unsu

ife Elena, explaining the strange situation--a

... She can wait a few more hours to see me if need be. God bless he

d such heart for helping? I could have flag

ered. "I asked God to show me the way, to whe

meone you want to cross for anybody. I think it

wo wars, son. Purple hearts on my lapel and parades in my name-but the biggest gift I got out

ts from you-so you forget your body and hover off-and then he picks you off with his rifle.

t then his expression broke-and he split into a lighter laughte

s head slowly

I'll put one be

mad personality made him laugh. He appreciated the company-and he suspected there might

u got no choice which hit is better--or which is bitter-so you might as

ack at what shaped me. But then the distance catches up to you-and you wake up realizing

tters. I do not deviate until the task is done-during which tim

. He understo

he horizon before them, lighting up the hi

evin said grimly.

down-pulling ont

rs. Sunfair Fortnight started that coming weekend-when thousands would gather to worship

ms again. He swore to God that he would nev

tle in a sublime flash, blinding them both for a moment. Their minds also reeled-each of them flooded with feeling.

f dark emotion settled in over them. Cadence suddenly became unsettled, for he had been close to heavenly bodies before-and they were not so pretty as a blazing light when seen up close. He had this sinking feeli

s born-when Devin heard demonic voices in dialogue floating out

he said, pointing fa

id, too restricted

they're getting clo

ead, but could see

tand them-for thei

ee us before you be

take Earth has a

must wait for Mot

alling will just sa

is after we reconna

if there is no sig

sly touching his gun under his jacket-sta

roaching the edge of the wood-and then pointed to the fringe fifty

g his gun out-triple-checking it was fully lo

n them?" Devin h

I never thought I

Their arms were hook-horned along the lengths of them-triple-jointed legs were sheathed in razor scalloped sleeves-ey

ew London's neighboring town of Trollope-apparently unaware of the human pair parked back

alt-as they pumped their strong legs-mount

uzzing him again. He tried to shut it off, but the buttons were ge

stopped in their tracks, looking at

-it, " Cade

old man down-resting his hand on

as the Devilbillies appeared to d

move a

n't if I

hem. Fee

e a dark

... so ...

He felt a bond he could not utter.

any brigh

somethi

you mea

reason to

what? Sp

aged to h

t in? Wh

" Devin said, flashing his Wulfmoon

He had been keeping his Wulf in check so far without sweat-but now that danger loomed-he kn

angs ripped out of his mouth-ears grew pointed-suit tore away from

ow whether to loo

aded back toward them-cautiously, yet con

ound, landing before Cadence, who scrambled backward, away from the

he Devilbillies to his presence-but also sendi

The Devilbillies split up-one chasing Caden

ing to all fours bef

rest in engaging the likes of you-Wulfchilde, ]' but Devin did not understand their words

Devin snarled, frothing at the mouth-p

oes not die

ering its horns to Devin's chest-who grabbe

shing at its scaly midriff--as its razor-edg

thing cried out as he crushed the air from its voice-box. It pulled its

like hell-makers on the target at hand-the on

n in a flurry of legs

pite its armed upper hand. Devin shrank into wolf form-in order to gain ground on the quicksilver creature-but although

bered fringe-when it spun around and fired aga

man form, as Devilbil

lplessly-once again s

weeks ahead-because your planet is about to fall into a very bad way--very shortly. Just watch for the lights in the sky. When the clouds look like they are crawling in bugs-then you know we have

Devilbilly faded aw

ying for Cadence-co

ing dexterously-desperately--between crooked trunks-over jagged rocks and river nooks-not sto

s. His agility held no candle to the thing's mercurial gait between the trees. Cadence came to a cliff-face and desperately flung himself at the tr

e to it-and before Cadence could counter, it grabbed him by the scruff

ably tight, for forces on its planet were much stronger than Earth-s

t hand down and then smashed it with a nearby rock. Cadence wailed like a dying coyote-nearly passing out-when the thing grabbed his o

ng-and the clouds parted like rings of the river ebbing out-when the giant spider ship descend

udia kicked in nevertheless--yet his intent ran aground when she began to trot toward him-instead of ducking for cover. The ship veered directly over her-and two Devilbillies alighted on gian

e saw, for it was too strange. He was too sure they would call him crazy and send him in for

ight of her reaching out to him--as she was stolen skyward-began to draw back from his mind. Through the years, the replays grew fewer and fewer-of how he fell to

resurfaced--how the other Devilbilly landed just when his second bullet struck it in the chest-how it fell back off its Goatsteed--and there se

remaining Devilbilly directly between the eyes-felling it like a tree in timber, so that it toppled off its Goatsteed--

and fallen-hurting her ankle. For the moment he thought she was saf

existence over the matter-the second Devilbilly stood up again--staggering, but not mortally wo

ralyzing terror-while Cadence was all empty on ammo and hope. He watched as the Devilbilly

gone-leaving him thunderstruck under the lightning-leaves lifting up

ull his gun with his good hand and squeeze two

lesson long ago-and

pon him-leaving him b

ark-when the stun wore off and he sprang to

ter-but the clouds were growing heavier with every second-shrouding

-but he needed to see it. He needed to feel it on his face to tap the

see the Devilbilly stepping up, through the long grass-across the open way toward him. He dropped to one knee-bowing his head-saving the

tered muse. I see now you are no pure dog-but some strange mi

slice Devin down and reap his soul from the plane of this backwater

with his teeth. Its blood burgeoned in his veins-its tendons burst from the sides of his mouth. Now their taste was on his tongue-and now he was on the hunt. He could only describe the flavor of their life-force as that of moon entrail

ts that yet held the promise of growing s

lly behind him-looking like Hell himself-

o his human skin

n grins and teeth-gritting grimaces. He had wrapped his broken hand in a tear off his shirt.

h is in dire trouble, " Devin said. "We need

"I dare say Armag

oing on. He owed it to Claudia to stop the Dev

hey came back here

the pervading ley li

they want? Why ret

met Leonid-and a handful of other cosmic alignments. Perhaps they tra

hapes. It was so surreal, bizarre-grotesque ... soul-changing. I felt sick deep in my spirit just from beholding them-h

he sky together-equal

vin closer now. "Wh

t me. I thought you

uess you underestima

by himself he's as much to worry about as a fleet of aliens. He's evil i

and a good eye. But I got your back. This time yesterday I would have guffawed at the thought of

ce, old man. Wait unt

my friend, " he said-

behind them, on a night that would never let up on insane full moon interludes-perhaps due to the fact that galactic shift was on their doorstep-maybe because of the strange influences of Gavin throwing mischief in the