About Chasing Tail
by Lorne Rodman
61 pages / 21800 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-752-7, 1-60370-752-2
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony-optimized pdf
Tony is an information gatherer, a low-level demon who likes his job and his perks on the earthly plane, thank you. He doesn't need human demon-hunters like Salter hanging around and making trouble, no matter how attractive they are. Or how capable. Or hot, with their leather and gun-toting ways.
Salter needs Tony's help, though, to find a demon even an experienced hunter can't take on alone. Both Tony and Salter are used to working solo, but they'll have to become a team to take on a demon like the Tail and his cronies. Can Salter convince Tony that it's worth his while to play along?
Review
Kiernan Kelly, author of Dancing on the Head of a Pin, writes: Tony is not your everyday demon. He works for a mysterious “Boss” tallying up human sins, and periodically works snitching on his fellow demons. All he wants out of life is a good cup of coffee, his Magic Fingers chair, and to -- pardon the expression -- stay the hell of out trouble.
Salter is a big, burly human, full of attitude, who makes his living as a demon bounty hunter. When his current quarry proves too elusive for him, Salter tags Tony for his snitching capabilities, and ends up involving Tony in his hunt.
The world in Lorne Rodman’s “Chasing Tail” is a wonderfully imaginative one, populated by fabulous characters of both the human and demon variety. Tony and Salter are sharp, witty, and passionate by turns, eventually steaming the pages with sex hot enough to scorch a reader’s eyelashes.
I loved their banter; their very distinct personalities made it a joy to
watch as they gradually closed the culture gap between them. All in all, I
greatly enjoyed “Chasing Tail” and hope Lorne will bring Tony and Salter out
to play again soon!
Sample
Gluttony. Lust. Envy.
Tony stifled a yawn and checked the various sins off the little list he'd had printed at Kinkos, every one with a neat little box next to it. So much easier than writing it out longhand, especially as he had the ancient demon symbols for each word printed there, too. The boss refused to learn anything newer than Hebrew.
The boss really preferred his languages, and humans, dead.
Tony thought humans were as intriguing as they were repulsive. Really, at least demons had an excuse for being awful to each other. They came from a dimension where everything burned, poked, scratched or tortured you. Humans had this amazing planet, and this supposedly loving God, and they screwed each other at every opportunity.
Literally and figuratively.
Sighing, Tony pushed his pen into his hair and scratched one of his horns. Really, he should get out of this bar and go to Starbucks.
The door opened, a large silhouette backlit in it.
As the door closed, the guy stepped out of the shadows. Tall, dressed head to toe in leather, with a full length duster, the man cut quite a figure.
Not that Tony was looking. Or admiring. Nope. Triple mocha latte was way more important.
Of course the long overcoat was making it hard to not look. It moved as the guy did. This guy was purely Alpha human male.
He was coming straight for Tony, too.
Shit. Tony folded his little notebook away, sitting up straight with his hands folded on the table. Might as well start out like he could hold out. Whether or not that was how it was going to end.
The guy sat one stool over from him, glancing briefly at him, before ordering a whiskey in a voice that was pure gravel.
Oh. Well. Good. Clearing his throat, Tony looked about to make sure no one had noticed what an idiot he was. Then he glanced back at tall, dark and leather, trying to read his sins.
The man's head slowly turned, eyes the color of the sky staring at him.
Tony recoiled, the weight of what this man had seen pushing against his chest like a giant hand. No. No, indeed. He didn't need to meet this person.
Those eyes narrowed, the man taking him in from head to toe. Tony had a hunch the man hadn't missed a single detail.
Very carefully, Tony got up, backing away until he knew he was out of arm's reach.
One eyebrow arched. "You got a problem with me?"