~From Seduced by Moonlight, #1 in the Gargoyles of San DeLain
The air was thick with anticipation, or perhaps it was just the mist that clung stubbornly to the ground. And where had that come from?
He noticed the ceremonial stones laid out in a perfect circle, along with the four figures in dark robes chanting in an ancient tongue, one that he hadn’t heard in a considerably long time.
Sacrifice. Someone was committing a ritual sacrifice by black magic on his land. Why the hell had the wards not alerted him to the fact? They should’ve.
The chanting words were powerful and resonant, vibrating through the air. With each syllable spoken, the markings on the stones glowed softly at first, then brighter and brighter.
Within the circle stood a bound figure, struggling feebly against the ropes that bound their wrists. Ward froze when the person glanced right at him—her eyes were wide with terror, her mouth gagged to stifle any pleas for mercy.