Glory — Lazette Gifford

In the Great Smokey Mountains a creature of Egyptian myth, accidentally pulled into this world years before, has slowly been interacting and mutating with local Cherokee mythology. Amam is a shape-shifter who steals the form of humans he kills. He has been building circles of power, hidden in the forest as he prepares to bring more of his kind into the world. It's nearing the Egyptian New Year when his plans will be fulfilled....

The world has changed. Massive earthquakes, and dangerous wars brought civilization almost to an end. Small communities, mostly self-sufficient, have sprung up across the land. Lawlessness is slowly being quelled once more and connections reestablished.

Gloryanna Del Mar (Glory) is an Earth Security International (ESI) agent, whose usual job is to help the recovering local police forces with jobs which might need outside resources. She once lived in the area where Amam is building his circles of power, and when she sees the reports about earthquakes, rapes, murders and now human sacrifice, she knows she has to go back.

Glory knows magic is involved in these killings. She even has some association with it, having accidentally opened a door that brought an Egyptian goddess, Eset, back to the world. Eset is better known as Isis, and with Glory as her high priestess -- and only true follower -- she has been working in this reality again. Now Glory realizes Eset is not the only one of her kind in the world. With the Egyptian New Year only days away, she will not have much time to stop a problem she doesn't yet fully comprehend. Added to the problem is the arrival of another ESI agent, Talis Ford, from whom she must keep her secrets while trying to solve this dangerous assignment.