Free Wicked Waves: Solsti Prophecy #2 by Sharon Kay Page B

shadows. But she recognized those broad shoulders, and the eyes that flared with a dangerous dark-gold light.
    Kai.
    She tried to scream his name, but the Neshi kept its hand firmly over her mouth. Silver flashed as the Neshi used its fourth arm to produce a huge sword. It must have been strapped to its back. Her relief at seeing Kai was cut short as the Neshi tightened its grip on her.
    It advanced on Kai, who snarled something in a language she didn’t understand. Dear God . With all those arms, it could fight Kai and hold onto her at the same time. Or use her as a shield.
    She couldn’t get free of this thing on her own. Please, let Kai have a plan . She hated feeling helpless, but she had to trust him. Pinning her eyes on Kai, she stopped struggling. Maybe it would drop her and fight him instead.
    In a fluid motion, Kai pulled a sword from his back and struck at the orange demon, aiming for its side. The Neshi blocked it, and Kai darted to its other side. His blade plunged deep. Brooke’s body shook with a jarring thud as the Neshi’s body absorbed Kai’s blow.
    The beast howled, and through the screeching din she heard Kai say, “Hang on, Sprite. This might get sticky.”
    Sticky?   Before she could comprehend his words, she felt her captor stiffen, then let out another cry even louder than the first.
    It dropped her to the concrete. She pushed herself up from the ground, understanding what Kai meant. Blood coated the ground. Not hers, and it didn’t appear to be Kai’s.
    Brooke ran to the side of the alley, flattening her back against the bricks. She saw why the Neshi had released her: one of its arms dangled awkwardly, blood pouring from its shoulder. Kai lobbed a ball of demonfire at it, and she remembered Brenin’s description of its slow-burning skin. Orange flames licked up and down its arm, but it didn’t seem affected as it struck again and again at Kai. The smell of burning flesh mixed with the creature’s moldy reek churned her stomach.
    He knows what he’s doing . He’s fought Neshis before . So transfixed by the battle before her, she jumped and yelped when she heard a voice at her ear.
    “Are you okay?”
    Brooke spun to see a woman close to her own height, with huge green eyes. She wore black leather pants and a fitted leather jacket, auburn waves spilling over her shoulders. She exuded an ethereal yet predatory beauty. She also held a dagger in one hand.
    Brooke jumped back, her eyes flicking from the blade to the woman’s body. They had a similar build. Brooke’s muscles coiled. She could take this woman out.
    “It’s okay,” the woman said, “I won’t hurt you. I need to make sure you’re all right.”   She sheathed her dagger. “This is for Agent Orange over there. If I ran into him alone.”
    Brooke stared at her. Who on Earth expected to run into a Neshi demon in Chicago?
    “I’m Miranda,” the woman said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Her pointed ear. Brooke looked closer, her attention caught by a small horn above it. No wonder she looked otherworldly. She wasn’t human.
    “What are you?” Brooke asked in a shaky voice.
    Miranda smiled. “I’m a Deserati demon. We’re allies with the Lash demons.”   She frowned at Brooke. “You didn’t answer my question, but I guess you’re okay, because I smell only Neshi blood. Or…”   She trailed off, staring at Brooke. “What kind of fae are you?”
    Brooke hesitated, not sure if she wanted to divulge her species to this stranger. Miranda put up a pleasant facade, but if she was a demon, she probably had power that Brooke couldn’t imagine.
    “Shouldn’t we help him?” Brooke pointed to Kai.
    “Kai?” Miranda turned to the two demons fighting in the alley. The Neshi’s skin released a pungent smoke, all of its arms on fire now. “He doesn’t need any help. Now that I’ve established that you’re all right, we can sit back and watch the maestro at work.”
    Brooke stared at her. “You know