Teaser Tuesday - Mystic Taxi

The following is an excerpt from my steampunk urban fantasy novel, Mystic Taxi.

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Wanda bit her lip. Vox. They were the smartest ones. "They're evil creatures, Mr. Paine. The demons will destroy this world, and I mean to see them stopped before they do."

Henry laughed. He laughed so hard he started coughing and his eyes watered. In the kitchen, a mechanical arm covered in rivets and hinged by steel cables sprung up through a hole beside the sink. It filled a glass with water from the faucet. Henry grabbed the glass and downed it in two gulps.

Impressed by the gadget, Wanda pretended to watch with detached interest.

He wiped a tear from his eye and shook his head. "These demons you want to exorcise are harmless as house pets."

"Even dogs can go rabid, Mr. Paine." Her gaze roamed the room, scoping it out, looking for his little creature comforts. She touched the steel band around her neck to make sure it was clasped tight. The demon energy in here was strong.

They stood glaring at each other. Well, someone had to make the first move. Patience required stamina, and she had plenty to spare. But did he?

Henry Paine could almost pass for human. He was brutishly handsome, his features youthful though his terminal scowl had etched a severe dent between his eyebrows. His hairline met a patch of delicate scales that spotted the highest part of his forehead. There were lines of gray scales on both sides of his neck, and the bit of chest peeking from the open neck of his nightshirt showed the same delicate pattern of scales as those at his hairline. Fascinating.