<Stop her, but don’t hurt her, not yet.>
<Can I bite her? She tried to hurt you.>
<No, we need her alive right now. Maybe later you can bite her.>
Peaches blinked out, taking her by surprise. He re-appeared a second later, tackling her down to the floor. She landed hard on her back with his jaws around her neck. She was good and kept it together, but the fear in her eyes betrayed her. I didn’t blame her—I’d be scared shitless, too.
“Feelds? Report,” I heard Douglas demand over the comms. “Is it done?”
I walked over to where Feelds lay, kicked her gun away, and drew Grim Whisper. The absence of blood or wounds on me only served to ratchet up her fear. I nodded to her and motioned for her to answer Douglas.
“He’s down, sir,” Feelds replied with a slight rasp. “Him and that dog of his.”
“Good job,” Douglas said. “Regroup at the trailer in ten.”
“Roger that,” Feelds said. “See you in ten.”
I removed Feelds’ comm and tossed it off the roof along with mine.
“I’m going to make this simple for you,” I said, my body hot from the healing. “I don’t like being shot, which means right now I’m in a bad mood. My hound doesn’t like people trying to hurt me, and he’s pissed. So pissed that he’s ready to bite through your throat.”
“How are you still alive?” she asked, fear gripping her words. “I shot you point blank. Three times. Your heart should be shredded right now.”
“I think the important question is: Do you want to see the sunrise?”
She took a few moments to consider the question, and then nodded.
“Yes,” she said. “What do you want?”
“Shadow Company is finished as of tonight,” I said. “I’m going to end them. Douglas said you belonged to another agency; I suggest you forget Douglas and Shadow Company and either retire or go back to your previous agency.”
“Sounds like…sounds like a solid plan,” she said. “You’re going to let me go?”
“I am, but understand me. If you come after me again…” I materialized Ebonsoul, and that caused her to lose all pretense, the fear clear on her face. “I will kill you without thinking twice. We clear?”
“Crystal,” Feelds said with a slight tremble in her voice. “Can you call off your demondog?”
“Let her go, boy,” I said. “She’s going to behave.”
Peaches stepped off her chest and Feelds got quickly to her feet. She stood still for a moment looking at us, and I wondered if she was considering throwing her life away by attacking. She shook her head and ran off the roof.
I looked through the scope again and saw that Douglas and Carlos were gone. Monty still lay on the ground near the Duezy. I scanned up West Broadway and saw the devastation. Most of the street two blocks away was gone. The facade of the TINY was obliterated. Beyond that I could see first responders on their way.
<Should I get big now?>
<I don’t know if the roof can handle your weight at XL. Stay this size for now. Unless you see a dragon.>
Peaches looked over the edge of the roof.
<The angry man is hurt.>
<We need to get to Monty, boy. Can you—>
I didn’t get to finish before my hellhound blinked us out. We reappeared next to Monty. He was still face down, and I dreaded turning him over.
“Monty?” I said, reaching to turn him on his back. My hand passed through his body. “What the hell?”
“Over here, Simon,” Monty called out from inside the Duezy. His face was pale and he spoke with a grimace. “That was…was an excellent shot. Thank you for not removing my head. I’m afraid I underestimated the force of the round. It appears I’m bleeding out.”
“Shit, Monty!” I yelled, applying pressure to his wound. “I don’t know a healing finger wiggle!”
“Ha…Haven,” he managed with effort. “Take…take Balfour, too. Can’t leave him here.”
“He wants to kill me,” I argued. “It’s clear you’ve lost too much blood.”
“We need him…need to take with us…take with us to Haven.”
“There’s no one at Haven,” I said my voice grim. “Douglas gave the order…they’re all dead.”
“No. I activated the Transporter as soon as you took the shot. Roxanne is still there, she’s in my room. Shadow Company sorcerers still there.”
“How could you possibly know that? Haven is across town.”
“Bond. Created a bond to monitor,” Monty said and coughed up blood. “We need to get to her before it’s too late. Before they kill her.”
“We won’t all fit in the Duezy,” I said, looking around for a solution. “We don’t have time for two trips.”
“Use…use your creature,”Monty said. “He can do it.”
The next moment, Monty’s head fell back as he lost consciousness. I stepped away from the Duezy and crouched down next to Peaches.
<You heard him. Can you do it? Can you take us all to Haven? To Roxanne, the scary lady who likes Monty?>
<I can take him and the dragon. I don’t know if I can come back to take you. I’m so tired.>
<Do it. Take them to the scary lady, now. I’ll get there on my own.>
Peaches hunched down and let out a low rumble, followed by a eardrum-shattering bark. The next second they were gone. I jumped into the Duezy, started the engine and floored the gas.
THIRTY
I made it to Haven in record time.
I parked the Duezy in front of Haven and got out. Douglas’ words came back to me: Imagine how many sorcerers it would take to wipe out the entire facility. I have twice that amount in there.
I wasn’t going to take any chances.
I pulled out the crow’s feather and held it in my hand as I whispered, “Ignisvitae.” The feather disintegrated in a violet flame. A second later, a presence of cold fear gripped me.
“Marked of Kali,” Badb said from behind me. “I am here.”
It took all I had not to run away from her screaming. I took a few deep breaths,
