Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie

He tapped a taloned fingertip on the table to draw the attention of his tablemate. His smooth, ageless face didn’t show his years. A yokai sitting like an irritated teenager was a strange sight all on its own, but knowing Yumei was at least a thousand years old made it even more disconcerting. Across the room, Yumei-also known as the Tengu, Lord of Crows, and harbinger of war-sat with one elbow on the low table in front of him and his chin in his hand. Squinting in the dim light of the candles scattered around the circular room, she turned her head, but otherwise remained unmoving where she lay on the padding of blankets. The crimson markings on its face flashed brightly and it lunged for the three-tailed fox, turning the whole world into blue-white fire.Įmi’s eyes popped open, a silent gasp catching in her throat. The kyubi no kitsune loosed a deep growl that vibrated with feral rage and made every hair on her body stand on end, yet she still rushed toward it, one hand outstretched as she cried out a name. In its path, the wolfish fox cowered, three tails quivering. White-hot flames flickered beneath its huge paws as it stalked forward, turning the snow all around it into steaming water.

The massive white specter of fur and flame towered over her, eyes glowing like magma and nine tails of fire writhing behind it. In the clearing ahead, a creature of myth and nightmare awaited her. Heat blasted her like an open volcano, pushing her back. He vanished around a thick stand of spruce and she sprinted after him. Her sleeping consciousness recoiled against what would come next, yet in the dream she could do nothing more than chase him. Now the size of a lean and leggy white wolf, he dashed onward with three fox tails dancing in his wake.

His bushy tail flicked as he flashed in and out of sight through the trees, and when he reappeared, he had changed. She knew she wouldn’t catch him, but she had to try. Icy air numbed her throat with each gasping breath.Īhead of her, a white fox bounded through the snow.

Emi ran, shadows dancing across her path and snow flying behind her feet. Towering trees bowed beneath the weight of snow on their branches, and high above, stars glittered in the dark sky. Use the Table of Contents to visit the guide and glossary. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, or events is purely coincidental.Īrtwork Copyright © 2017 by Brittany JacksonĪ full glossary of names and terms is provided at the back of the book, which includes pronunciations and definitions.Ī spoiler-free Pronunciation Guide for character names and key terms, listed in order of appearance in the book, can also be found just before the full glossary. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations for review purposes.

Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie