For a Few Demons More

I lurched forward as Kisten sagged, almost pulling down the vampires who held him. 'You're nothing!' Sam shouted, furious. 'You never were! Everything was Piscary!'

Balance hobbling, Sam punched him again, and Kisten groaned.

'That's enough!' I shouted, ignored, and Jenks's wings hummed.

The angry vampire wiped the blood from his nose, marking Kisten's hair when he yanked his head up again. Kisten's eyes were shut, and I could see the breath passing his bloodied lip and his chest moving as he breathed. 'You were never anything, Felps. Remember that when you die. You were nothing alive, and you'll be less when you're dead.'

'I said that's enough!' I shouted, hearing the wail of distant sirens.

Sam glanced at me and smiled to show his teeth. 'Come see me when you need a little something, chicky witch. I'd love to give it to you.'

I took a breath to tell him to shove it, but the two vampires let Kisten go, and he slid down the side of my car. Balancing to keep the weight off his broken ankle, Sam leaned toward Kisten. Kisten jerked, and horror hit me when Sam straightened with the diamond stud earring from Kisten's ear.

'Piscary says you're going to be dead twice by sunup,' Sam said, head tilted as he put the earring in his own lobe. 'He doesn't think you've got the guts to see it through and redeem yourself. Says you've gone soft. Me? I think you never had it in you to be undead.'

The other two vampires started to hobble away, and after giving Kisten a last kick, Sam headed after them, leaving the last of them to stare at the sun.

Kisten barely moved, curling in on himself. Pulse fast, I went to him. This had been stupid. God! How stupid could men be? Beating each other up had done a helluva lot of good. 'Kisten,' I said, kneeling beside him. I glanced behind me at the road, wondering why no one had stopped. Kisten was a mess, his head hanging, bleeding all over from scrapes and contusions. His expensive slacks were scuffed, and his silk shirt was torn. Fingers fumbling, I got my pain amulet off my neck and around his, hearing him take a clean breath when I tucked it behind his shirt and it connected with his skin.

'It's going to be okay,' I said, wishing I could see the restaurant, but my car was in the way. 'Come on, Kisten. Help me get you up.' At least I wouldn't have to drag him to the car.

He pushed me off him, then leaned back and used his legs to push himself against my car to get himself upright. 'I'm okay,' he said, squinting at my worried face, then spitting blood onto the gravel. 'Give me… my… lucky stick.'

His eyes were on the broken cue, and my lips pressed together. 'Just get in the damn car,' I swore. 'We have to get out of here. It sounds like the I.S. is coming,' I fumbled for the door, Jenks getting in the way as he tried to help, dusting Kisten's cuts.

'I want my stick,' Kisten said again as he fell into the passenger seat, his bloodied hair smearing the window. 'I'm going to… shove it… up Piscary's ass.'

Yeah, that sounds likely. But after I put both of his feet into the car and yanked him upright, I scooped up the broken cue and set it next to him. I slammed the door shut, only now glancing at the restaurant. Fear hit me, and I held my arms around myself, feeling the wind tug at my hair. Ivy was down there, lost in the madness that was Piscary. And I was going to have to deal with him for Kisten as well as myself. My gaze went to Kisten, slumped in the front seat. I had to get Ivy out of there. This was insane. Stuff like this shouldn't happen.

The howl of sirens lifted through me, and as traffic passed at a hurried forty-five miles per hour, I paced to my side of the car. 'Rachel,' Jenks said, getting in my way, 'this isn't safe.'

'Gee, you think?' I said bitterly, reaching for the handle, but he got in my way again.

'No,' he said, hovering so close I was almost cross-eyed. 'I mean I don't think you're safe. With Kisten.'

I looked at Kisten slumped against the blood-smeared window, then yanked open my door. 'This isn't the time for pixy paranoia,' I said tightly.

Shedding a bright coppery dust that landed on my hand to make it tingle, he refused to move. 'I think Piscary told him to kill you,' he pleaded softly, so Kisten couldn't hear. 'And when Kisten refused, he threw him out. You heard what Kisten said about Ivy saying no and getting praised and him getting kicked out.'

I stopped, my hand on the open door. I felt cold. Jenks landed on the window before me, his wings never slowing. 'Think, Rachel,' he said, gesturing. 'He's been dependent upon Piscary for his entire life. Ivy isn't the only one Piscary's been screwing over, but Kisten has always been pliant, so it doesn't show. Killing you is the only way he might get back in with Piscary. Rache, this isn't safe. Don't trust this.'

Jenks's face was pinched in fear. The sound of sirens grew closer. I remembered what Keasley had said about vampires needing someone stronger than they were to protect them against the undead, and my resolve strengthened. I couldn't just walk away. 'Watch my back, okay?'

At that, Jenks nodded as if expecting it. 'Like you were my last seedling in the garden,' he said, then swooped into the car. Taking a last look at the restaurant, I gathered my resolve. I got in, feeling light and unreal. Beside me Kisten groaned.

'Where's my stick?' he breathed, and I jumped when the starter ground as I tried to turn the already-running car over again.

'It's at your feet,' I muttered, frustrated. I jammed it into first and lurched forward. I reached the exit before I remembered my seat belt, and I screeched to a halt at the entrance to fasten it. Sitting there watching the traffic pass, I felt my chest clench. I didn't have anywhere to go. In a sudden decision, I pulled out to go the opposite way from the church.

'Where are we going?' Jenks asked, dropping to land on my shoulder as the car settled into its new direction.

I glanced at my keys and Nick's apartment key. Nick had said he'd paid rent through August, and I was willing to bet the place was empty. 'To Nick's. I can't take him home,' I said, lips barely moving. 'Everyone knows that's where I'd take him.'

I snuck a glance at Kisten, his eyes swollen shut as he mumbled, 'I shouldn't have put in the light display. I should have left the kitchen menu alone.'

Jenks was silent. Then in a very small, panicked voice, he said, 'I have to go home.'

My breath caught, and I exhaled in understanding. Matalina was there alone. If someone showed up at the church looking for Kisten, Jenks's family might be in danger. 'Go,' I said.

'I can't leave you.'

Twisting, I grabbed my bag from the back and fumbled until I had my splat gun on my lap. Eyeing Jenks's expression, torn with indecision, I pulled to the curb and hit the brakes. Kisten weakly braced himself as he shifted forward and back. Horns blew, and I ignored them.

'Get your little pixy ass out of the car and get home,' I said, voice even and level as I rolled the window down. 'Take care of your family.'

'But you're my family, too,' he said.

My throat tightened. Every time I screwed up big time, Jenks was gone. 'I'll be fine.'

'Rache-'

'I'll be fine!' I shouted, frustrated, and Kisten turned to us, squinting and breathing hard. 'I'm a witch, damn it! I'm not helpless. I can handle this. Go!'

Jenks lifted into the air. 'Call me if you need me. I'll have my phone on.'

I managed a smile. 'Deal.'

He nodded, his face looking old and young all at the same time, and I froze when he flew close, his wings brushing my cheek for an instant. 'Thank you,' he said.

And then he was gone.

Thirty-one

As expected, I had found Nick's place empty. I didn't think anyone had noticed me helping Kisten inside and