I’m delighted to have Silas and Darien, Grim and Pip, and their new adventures, in readers’ hands again with Beset by Demons (Necromancer 5) – now available on all ebook vendors.
Find a copy here: [ Universal Book Link ]
I hope people who have loved the guys will enjoy watching them journey to dark places to protect their world. Jasper is here, and Magda, and new friends, allies, and dangers. Readers who haven’t met these two men and their familiars yet should start with book 1 which is FREE on all vendors – Marked by Death.
excerpt: Beset by Demons – Necromancer 5
An approaching clatter of canine toenails out in the hall heralded Darien’s favorite person in the world. Well, maybe after Silas. He allowed himself one fond look at his lover’s frowning face, then turned to the doorway. “Pip?”
His rat terrier familiar skidded on the floor, making the turn into the kitchen, and jumbled his words together. “GrimDarienSilas! It’s glowing a lot.”
Grim jumped off the table and stalked toward the pup. “Explain yourself. Clearly.”
“The map thing. In the basement. I went down to take a look— you said we should keep an eye on it— and it’s glowy.”
Silas shoved his chair back and jumped to his feet. Darien was left flat-footed as Silas and Grim both hurried out the doorway and down the hall with Pip scampering beside them, saying, “I’ll show you.”
“Map thing?” Jasper asked.
“Silas’s demon detector, I assume.” Darien knew he should be running after them, but his feet dragged like he was stuck in molasses. “His runework down in the cellar.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” Jasper turned to go, then glanced over his shoulder at Darien. “Are we going to follow them?”
Into the valley of death— He was being ridiculous, but he’d really hoped they were done with demons for a while, and could go back to Silas snacking on ghosts and Jasper crafting interesting spells. Apparently not. “Yes, of course. I’m coming.”
When they reached the bottom of the cellar stairs, Silas, Grim, and Pip were lined up on the edge of the shimmering map of chalk lines and symbols laid out on the floor. Darien could see two different locations on the map throbbing with a deep red glow, an ember sunk in darkness. “Those are demons, right?” he said, his voice echoing too loudly in that stone-walled space.
Silas glanced back at him, brows drawn down. “Yes.”
“Two of them.”
“I can count.” Silas sighed. “Sorry. On the plus side, they don’t feel all that strong.”
“On the minus side,” Grim said, “they weren’t there when I checked the map last night. And they’re in two different locations. Who’s out there calling demons like a two-for-one special? And why?”
“You don’t think that Seattle necromancer actually came after us, do you?” Darien ran a hand down his face. None of this made sense. “We’re not even done with breakfast.”
Before he could flush at that ridiculous statement, Silas barked a laugh and turned to nudge him lightly on the shoulder. “The essentials. Good man. We’ll eat and figure out what to do about this.” He pointed at the smaller spot of glowing darkness. “That’s a weaker trace, hopefully not more than a two-syllable demon. I could ask Worthington or Johanna Spry to take care of it.”
“Delegating,” Grim said, turning toward the stairs. “Will wonders never cease.”
“What?” Silas managed to sound hurt. “I know what delegating is.”
“But you never do it.” Grim bounded up the steps. “I agree with Darien, though. A nice bowl of cream and some bacon would go well, to help my thinking. Come along, necromancer, breakfast.”
“Butler to a cat,” Silas muttered. “Learn magic, they said. It’s so glamorous, they said.”
His unimpressed words let Darien breathe easier and even give Silas a hip bump as he walked past. “You can make me more bacon while you’re at it.”
Read more of the story in “Beset by Demons”