Night of the Tiger(71)

Roric kept his sword raised, but said nothing. Waiting. Watching.

Sandra stopped beside Marco and ran her fingers through his fur. The muscles beneath his skin rippled. His jaw opened, revealing long, white teeth. The bear emitted a low growl that made the demon laugh.

“Such spirit you all have. A pity it’s been caged all these years.” Sandra lifted her hand and the bear turned solid again, but this time Aimee swore she could see anguish in its eyes.

“What a horrible thing for your goddess to do to you after all those years of faithful service.” Sandra raised her hands above her head, catching the edge of the carousel top. The move stretched her lithe form, lifting her ample breasts for better viewing. “But in the end everyone always looks out for themselves.”

Aimee had no doubt the movement was a calculated one. She glanced at Roric and was pleased to note he was watching the demon’s face and not her boobs. Then again, he knew what she looked like without her glamour, and it wasn’t pretty.

Undaunted, Sandra slowly lowered her arms, running her hands over her breasts as she did so. “She imprisoned all of you for more than five thousand years.”

“She saved us from Hell.” Roric’s voice was hard and deep.

The demon shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion, I suppose. I wonder what your friends would say if they had the chance. Would they turn on your goddess?” She gave the wolf a speculative glance. “Would they turn on you?”

“Never.” There was not a single shred of doubt in Roric’s voice. Aimee admired his conviction even as she wanted to shake him for his pig-headedness. She knew he still didn’t believe that she’d talked to Mordecai. But deep in her heart, she knew she had.

Sandra laughed. The shrill sound sent shivers down Aimee’s spine. The air seemed to thicken around them. “So stubborn. So sure,” she taunted.

Roric’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the hilt of his sword. Aimee noted that, unlike the demons that had attacked them in her back yard, this one stayed just out of the reach of the razor-sharp blade. Smart demon.

Sandra smiled, her ruby-red lips tilting upward. She looked pleased. Like the proverbial cat who’d just eaten the canary. Aimee searched the area around her for a weapon, wishing now more than ever she’d insisted on bringing her maul.

“Phoenix wasn’t much fun. He went up in a ball of flames, taking the woman who’d freed him along for the ride. Not very nice of him,” Sandra pouted.

Aimee quickly glanced at Roric, not wanting to take her eyes from the demon for more than a split second. She was planning something. It was in her eyes, the way they were filled with malevolent glee. Roric could have been carved from stone. Except for the slight rise and fall of his chest, he didn’t move a muscle.

Sandra hopped onto the platform of the carousel, standing where the jaguar used to be. “Now Stavros was more of a challenge.” She licked her lips.

Aimee gasped when she saw the demon’s tongue. It was forked like a serpent.

“What about Stavros?” Roric took a step toward Sandra. Aimee wanted to grab onto the waistband of his pants and pull him back. The demon was distracting him on purpose, but he was too emotionally involved to notice.

“Mmm.” Sandra undulated her hips. “Now he would have been a challenging creature to ride.” Laughter rippled in the air as the demon twirled in a circle. “He did his best to protect the poor creature who freed him. Such a frail little thing she was.”

Aimee was getting sick to her stomach. All the women who’d freed the warriors had come to a bad end. She wasn’t sure which was worse, going up in flames or death by demon.

“But Mordecai was smarter.” Sandra hopped off the carousel, the slit of her dress falling back to reveal a shapely thigh and part of her bare buttocks. “He sacrificed the girl. Killed her himself as an act of good faith.”

“You lie.” Roric’s voice was rough as though the words were torn from his throat.

“Do I?” she mocked. “Why don’t you ask your little friend who she was talking to earlier today?” Sandra swiveled around to face her. “Didn’t you share your little visit with your warrior?” She made a tsking sound. “Shame on you, Aimee.”

Roric’s lips compressed into a hard line, but he said nothing.

Sandra smiled again, a calculating expression as she glanced from Roric to her. “Well, well. You did tell him, Aimee, but he didn’t believe you.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Aimee wished she’d kept her mouth shut. She was playing right into the demon’s hands by even answering her. She knew Sandra was goading them, but Aimee couldn’t seem to stop herself.