Excerpt: Sparrow On A Plank

Hajime landed on a rooftop where he had left his clothes, wings flapping to slow his descent, and quickly shifted back to human form. He liked his avian form, but you'd probably never see him don it at a party. Of course, the warm feathers were a definite plus, but the clothes were working solution for the cold air hitting his unclothed body. He grabbed a silver ring on a leather thong and put it around his neck. After a quick debate, he threw on some clothes. He grabbed his shoulder bag, withdrew some climbing gear, and started going down to ground level. Once there, he prayed thankfully that he had chosen the right dark alley (no traffic and, better yet, no hidden loiterers) and walked up the alley towards a small bookstore.

The bookstore was closed, so he made a mental note to be there in the morning. However, his appointment forced him to wait; Salmandra was always a few minutes late. She didn't disappoint; in a few minutes a leather-clad form with more weapons bristling from every gorgeous curve appeared from the shadows behind him. He turned slowly, knowing that if he spun around he might trigger some stupid trained reaction; he didn't want to experience her blades first hand.