Apocalyptic Mojo Read Free

intimidate her as he did his fugitives.
    The air thickened with leaking magic. His heat and scent infused his energy, making her traitorous body tighten with need. His finger remained pressed against her lips.
    Sirius whimpered.
    Finally Ardith opened her mouth and sucked the thick finger inside, pulling it deep. His icy glare widened in shock. A beat later she pulled away. “Not everything that comes out of my mouth is poison, hunter.” Turning away, she stalked toward the squat environs ahead. Smiling.
    Ardith one, hunter zero.
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
    In 2090, what was known as the Asian continent sent its first nuclear bomb winging its way toward the West, declaring a need to purge the world of the infidel. The resulting war touched every continent on Earth, razing most of them and sending the few inhabitants who’d seen it coming and were prepared, scurrying for their safe places. Mostly underground. However, those who could escaped through time to avoid death and the horrible aftermath of the event.
    Since that time—several decades earlier—the human race had recovered somewhat, but was changed for the foreseeable future. Starting each day with an overwhelming awareness of their vulnerabilities, civilized man had designed his new world with far less panache and glitz. Gone were the glass and stainless steel giants that had once fought for notice high above the streets. Instead, the main street Ardith and Draigh walked was lined with one- and two-story mud-colored brick buildings.
    Scarred by his history, modern man opted for low-profile and easily overlooked buildings rather than big and flashy. Construction in 2149 was inverted, with most of the structure below ground. Tunnels crisscrossed the city of Devil’s Glen, connecting the homes of the wealthiest inhabitants and the major centers.
    For obvious reasons, it was Ardith’s least favorite epoch. Having no such fear of the place, Sirius trotted out ahead of them, his sensitive nose scenting the air as he went, searching for magic or zombies.
    At mid-day, the shiny black streets of Devil’s Glen were filled with solar-powered cars and pale-skinned people who came above ground for an hour or two a day to consume the sun’s heat and drain it of its life giving Vitamin D.
    That was something else which had changed. Cancer and heart disease were no longer the main cause of death. As a side effect of man’s underground ways, bone disease had become the leading source of debilitation and death.
    “Are you sure this was the last place she was seen?” Ardith pulled the sun into her body through sheer force of will, trying to chase the slimy terror of her recent experience away and prepare for the next.
    With Ardith’s luck, she figured there was very little chance their target would be happily ensconced above ground creating havoc. Edwige was surely tucked into some hellish underground cave, grinning at the thought of Ardith having to descend into purgatory to find her.
    “This place, and this time. In fact one of her creations killed a man here only twenty-four hours ago.”
    “Witnesses?”
    “A sister. I know her location. I was about to visit her when I was recalled.”
    She ignored the venom in his words. She understood his frustration. The last thing she’d wanted was to be saddled with him. “Fine. That’s where we’ll start.”
     
    Draigh couldn’t believe he was being forced to work with a mage. He was fully capable of capturing the crone Edwige without an epoch mage tagging along. He’d hunted rogue magic users for centuries and needed no instruction from the young wench striding along beside him as if she owned the world.
    He cast her a sideways glance, taking in the long, well-toned limbs and the lush curves beneath the scant leather costume she wore. The ridiculous clothing barely covered her considerable assets. He wanted to be disgusted by the clothing, hating how it made him hard beneath his own leather breeches.
    Very