Page 81 of Arresting the Warlord

Jia climbed to her feet and shook her head as if to clear it.

The beastie let out a yelp as the monster’s claws raked across its back.

“Enough!”Her face a mask of rage, Jia scooped up her sword and with a full-throated banshee scream, beheaded the monster.

“I’ll be damned,”Uncle Jesse rumbled.

“Yeah, I didn’t think she had it in her.”A stroke of luck, or wasJia more than she appeared?

Jia picked up the beastie.“My little hero.”

I walked over to her.“You okay?”

“I’ll live. You said your uncle is a healer. Can he help him?”

The little beastie whimpered.

A golden light spun around Uncle Jesse. When it cleared, he was human again.

“You’re naked,”Jia exclaimed and squeezed her eyes shut.

I rolled mine.

“Yes, I am.”Uncle Jesse held his hands over the beastie.“Hozhq sitsiji shivaagi.”The gashes on the beastie’s back vanished. The little guy gratefully licked Uncle Jesse’s fingers. “Dii hastoi, small one.”

I rubbed the beastie’s ears and announced,“Your critter is as good as new.”

Jia opened one eye and gave a yip of relief.“Oh! Wow! He doesn’t have a mark on him.”

“It’s what I do,”Uncle Jesse said modestly.

Jia went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.“Thank you. I’m sorry I called you an old pervert.”

“I accept your apology.”

Jia petted the beastie.“Isn’t he beautiful?”

“Ah, yeah. Cute as a button,”I lied.

“Momma,”the beastie said, snuggling against Jia.

My eyes widened in disbelief.Whoa! He could talk. Giovanni had outdone himself.“What’s your name?”

“Mean little shit,”the beastie answered.

Jia hugged him.“No. You need a real name. I’m going to call you Pepe after my grandfather.”

Pepe’s black fur puffed up with pride.“Me Pepe.”

“Your grandfather must have been a great guy,”I said politely.

“No. My grandfather was a mean, old bastard.”

“Oh, good choice then.”

Storm clouds rolled down the passageway and explosions rocked the catacombs.

“Samuel has gotten stronger,”Uncle Jesse said.

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