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    Trilogy: Court of Crows
    Trilogy: Court of Crows
    Trilogy: Court of Crows
    Ebook129 pages1 hour

    Trilogy: Court of Crows

    By Sadie Swift

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    About this ebook

    The Court of Crows is not something you want to experience more than once.

    But you have no choice if they want something from you.

    You have no say about where they send you,

    or even when they send you.

    Do the job they give you and hope they bring you back.

    The townsfolk turn a blind-eye to a lesbian couple (and their flying cat) living on the outskirts, but we’re the first they call if there’s a monster that needs killing.

    Life would be far sweeter if the Court also left us alone.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSadie Swift
    Release dateNov 7, 2015
    ISBN9781519962515
    Trilogy: Court of Crows

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      Book preview

      Trilogy - Sadie Swift

      Blackmailed

      Assassin

      ––––––––

      Who do the Court of Crows use to carry out their judgements?

      Me.

      Why do they use me?

      Because they know I will do anything to get Callie back.

      Killing monsters is all very well but you don’t understand the meaning of the word ‘monsters’ until the Court of Crows use you.

      The Court of Crows is not something you want to experience more than once. But you have no choice if they want something from you.

      You have no say about where they send you, or even when they send you.

      This time the Court is split on a judgement.

      Will I get Callie back?

      Does home still exist?

      Are you sure?

      One

      ––––––––

      Din’s name was well-earned as his clicking segmented tail was getting on my nerves, which were already on edge from having the pages turned too quickly for me to read them.

      Din! I said exasperatedly, after another click turned the page I’d barely started.

      Din looked at me as only a cat can – oh, it’s you, what do you want?

      Leaning forwards, I lifted his shiny segmented metal tail up and moved the pages back to where I’d lost the thread.

      Din’s eyes went back to looking out of the window past my pots of blue forget-me-nots into the moonlit evening. I hoped the rain stopping had helped Callie.

      They here again? I asked him, hoping, wishing, for a negative response.

      A particularly strong flick of his tail caught my hind and stung it. Yes, they were here again. It was going to be a long night.

      How long since last time? ‘Never long enough’ my subconscious informed me.

      I joined him in looking out the kitchen window. With it being winter the branches were bare of leaves, but strange upright silent black things seemed to be infesting the tree. I knew exactly what they were – crows. Nasty black birds that only meant one thing when they silently congregated outside your window – they wanted you for something and didn’t care who died, just as long as the job was done.

      Unfortunately, they knew exactly what to do to make me carry out their judgements. I just didn’t like what they did to Callie.

      I considered letting Din out to ‘play’ as he had a hate-hate relationship with all birds, and especially those crows, but I felt it better to keep him in reserve and see what was wanted of me.

      Glancing up at the clock, I saw Callie was getting late. I hoped she’d be back in time. I went back to looking at the book pages on the table but couldn’t focus on the words.

      Gah! I said frustrated and got up, startling Din, his grey furry wings ruffling annoyedly at me.

      Just then I heard the familiar sound of a motorbike and breathed a sigh of relief I hadn’t realised I’d been keeping in. Callie was back but if she got blood on the carpet again...

      The bike engine died with a rattle and I heard boots walking up the gravel path to the front door.

      Putting a day-glo orange post-it on the page I’d looked at but not read for I didn’t know how long I closed the book and said, Come on, Din.

      He looked at me, torn between the crows and greeting Callie. With a look of distaste at me for making him choose, he leapt off the windowsill, opened his wings and glided down to the floor, giving my ankle a painful slap with his tail in the process. Which reminded me – I’d have to do something about it before we left.

      When we got to the hallway Callie was leaning against the wall. Her black leather jacket and trousers were wet from the previous rain, her black helmet dangling from one hand, her sheathed Katana in the other, and her short ginger hair flat against her head. I started to smile until I saw red drip from her chin. She was injured.

      What happened? I asked, hurrying over.

      She turned to look at me, her make-up was smudged, and an angry red gash marred her left cheek.

      Jesus, Callie!

      She sighed and turned her face more so I could see the extent of the wound.

      Down by my feet Din pushed by me and rubbed himself against her heavy biker boots, purring.

      I held her chin and clucked at the sight of the thin slash from her ear to her chin. It looked clean which was always a good start - poison was such a pain in the neck to deal with.

      I’m sorry, Ev, she whispered, dropping her helmet to the floor with a bang, but carefully resting her katana against the wall.

      Claw?

      Tail.

      Brushing her wet hair back, I pecked her on her forehead and said, No worries. Let’s get it, and you, cleaned up.

      Making sure the front door was closed and locked I told my heart to slow down – she would be fine - and followed her and Din to the bathroom.

      All business-like I swept my shoulder-length black hair behind my ears and pulled out an antiseptic wipe from a box by the mirror. I ignored Callie’s hisses from the stinging it caused - it was for her own good.

      Thankfully I was right in thinking it was clean. When that was done I wiped her make-up off. I thought I’d better do it as she’d just use all the wipes up in one go.

      When she was as clean as I could make her I put some healing cream on the wound and started the shower running.

      All the time Din sat on the floor, his metal tail idly tapping it with metallic ping noises.

      Any other injuries I need to know about? I asked jokingly, hand on hip.

      She shook her head, no.

      Did you kill it?

      I wouldn’t be here otherwise!.

      She sounded offended at my query.

      That’s my Callie. I smiled and said, Ok, let’s get this gear off you then.

      I undid her knife belt, noting that they were still all clean and present and then helped her unzip her jacket and trousers. Underneath she wore a sports bra and leggings. The bra was necessary as I’d call her a ‘cuddly-sized’ girl and she didn’t want anything to get in the way while she was fighting.

      Steam from the shower filled the room and Din made himself scarce with an annoyed glance in my direction. I just stuck my tongue out at him. His tail was rustproof, so he really had nothing to worry about.

      How best to tell her about the crows?

      I let her undress the rest of the way and got some towels ready for when she finished.

      You coming in with me? she asked when she was finally naked.

      I’d love to but...

      What?

      We’ve got visitors outside.

      Looking at me her head cocked to one side.

      Crows?

      I nodded.

      A look of distaste crossed her face. Monsters I can deal with but those things give me the creeps. Why can’t they leave you alone?

      I shrugged a reply.

      I’ll be quick, she said.

      Thank you.

      I slid my arms around her, grabbing her ass cheeks and squeezing my more slender form in washed-out pale blue sweat top and black leggings against her gorgeous breasts and curvy body. I kissed her, pushing my tongue past her soft lips and finding her as eager for me as I was for her. Reluctantly I stopped and pulled away. My tongue promised her more, much more, later. Make yourself beautiful for me, I whispered.

      She smiled back, Ok.

      Two

      ––––––––

      By the time Callie had finished I’d cleared the books away except for one, making sure to put the one with the day-glo orange post-it on top of the pile. All the time Din had been sitting on the windowsill watching the crows congregate, his shiny tail flicking from side to side.

      The kettle came to the boil and I made us both cups of tea.

      She sat down at the table in a fluffy white robe, her hair wrapped in a white towel. My nose enjoyed her smell.

      "Any idea what they’re

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