Teaser Tuesday on Wednesday

My bad, I got caught up on other stuff yesterday and neglected to post the excerpt I'd promised from Mystic Taxi. The following is from the first chapter:

"No sense getting your monkey up, officer. I'll come in peaceful. No trouble." He didn't appreciate being lynched, but wasn't surprised by it, either. As a cab driver, he had a special permit granting him permission to be out past curfew, not that law enforcement always recognized that fact. Few people accepted Hellspawn because they were gifted in ways that challenged human understanding. They were different, and that in itself was a crime.

Arms held above his head, Henry waited for the cop to make a move. He heard a metalic click. His gaze zeroed in on Ned's trigger finger as it squeezed the lever.

Feinting to the right, Henry dodged a jet stream of salt water from the gun's muzzle, but reflexively shielded his face with one hand. The water sizzled over his skin, steam rising from the scorched flesh, and he cried out in pain.

Ned laughed.

Henry sucked in a breath, struggling to hold his temper. Jaw muscles flexing in time with his heartbeat, he stared at the cop with eyes he knew glowed red with rage.

"Woo-ee, we got us a mad one." Ned chuckled and aimed his gun at Henry again.

Mac stepped forward to grab his partner's arm. "Don't be stupid. He's Hellspawn, Ned! You don't know what you're messin' with."

Ned jerked away. "The hell I don't." The shit-eating grin dropped from the cop's face. "My mother was raped by one of these… things. They're monsters, Mac. Every one of 'em should be exterminated."