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"So, do we go back and take down the rest of the Koyanni?" Roz leaned back against the seat and folded his arms.
"I'd like to put them out of commission. I'd also like to find out where that little gem of a weapon came from and see if we can do anything about getting them banned. That's fucking dangerous to any Supe out there, and I have the nasty feeling it would kil an FBH."
"Ten to one, our answers are going to be found at the Energy Exchange." Menol y leaned forward and peeked over my shoulder. "And that's Camil e's department if it's a magical club."
"Maybe, but she's been beat up a lot the past few days from the Wolf Briar." My cel phone jangled, and I flipped it on, adjusting the Blue Tooth in my ear.
I hated the damned thing, but it was the law, and it made sense. "Delilah here. Speak to me."
"Delilah, get your ass back home now. We've got trouble." Iris's voice sounded muffled.
"What's wrong?" I punched the button to put her on speaker.
"Something broke through the wards, and by the way the alarm is sounding, it's big and bad. This isn't any ghoul or zombie meandering through the woods. I put Maggie in Menol y's lair, and I've cal ed Wilbur. He's on his way over." Her voice was trembling. Iris was powerful--far more powerful than we'd original y thought--but she also was a single house sprite alone in the house.
"Crap! We're on our way. You get down in Menol y's lair, too--"
"No time, I hear them breaking in. I'm heading outside--Maggie should be safe where she is. But hurry."
The line went dead. I looked at Amber. "I hope you aren't hurting too much, because we're making a detour. Roz--cal Camil e and tel them to get a move on toward home."
And then, flooring the gas, I made a U-turn and headed toward Bel es-Faire. We were about fifteen minutes away, thanks to it being late at night with little traffic. I planned to make it in ten at the most.
As we came racing up the driveway, I was terrified what we'd find. The house on fire? Maggie and Iris in the ashes? A horde of Demonkin? Or was it somebody else--had the shifters figured out where we lived and that we'd taken down their operations?
Roz had cal ed Camil e, and Morio's SUV was right behind us. Then he'd placed a cal to Chase, asking him to send Shamas home. We wanted every hand on deck. Chase had promised to come with him.
I turned off the motor. It was obvious we were here, so no use being sneaky. But for a moment--just a moment--we sat, surveying the house. Roz said,
"I'l go in through the Ionyc Sea--they won't be expecting that. I told Camil e to have Smoky do the same. We can come in from the top floor and surprise whoever it is that way."
"Good idea." I closed my eyes, reaching for my inner light, reaching to push past the fear so I could be effective. "I need to get out of the car and shift into my panther form. The rest of you--head in. Amber, damn it, we don't dare let you near there--and we can't leave you alone. Vanzir, you have to protect her. With your life. We can't let that spirit seal fal into the wrong hands. So . . . I guess, Menol y--you go in with Camil e, Morio, and Tril ian."
Speaking of, the three of them were passing by the Jeep. Menol y silently joined them as I turned to look at Amber. "Whatever you do, don't get caught.
Run like hel if you have to, but don't let anybody take that necklace. In fact, Vanzir--can you drive?"
He grinned. "I can probably manage it. I don't promise how wel ."
"This is no laughing matter. Drive her to Grandmother Coyote's portal and hide with her there. If we don't come along within an hour or so, take her over to Queen Asteria."
"Queen who? Portal? You mean send me to Otherworld?" Amber was beginning to look a little panicked.
"Better than let the demons get hold of you," Vanzir said. "I know. Trust me." He slipped behind the wheel, and I showed him how to start the ignition and which were the brake and gas pedals.
"Just try not to get in an accident, okay? You know the way to get there?"
"Yeah," he said, then softly reached up to cup my chin. "You're getting braver, pussycat. And harder. Like a good soldier must be." And with that, he put the Jeep in reverse and--sputtering in a fit of stop-starts, backed away out of the driveway.
I watched as he went, then inhaled a sharp breath and shifted into panther form. The world looked different as I transformed, and I felt my inner predator rise to the top. Oh, I loved this form, loved prowling the night in panther shape.
Taking a deep breath, I wondered how to summon Arial, and then I knew. Apparently Greta had left me with a residual memory to reach out to Haseofon.
Because the next thing I knew, I was walking into the hal s in panther form. The others looked at me, but apparently they recognized me even in my Were shape, because they just waved. I glanced around until I found Arial. She was sitting on a pil ow, reading a book. I bounded over and nuzzled her.
I need your help. The thought was clear, and she nodded.
"As always. I'm here to help you." She dropped the book and stood, shaking out her sable hair, and then she stepped back and shimmered. I watched transfixed. I'd seen Nerissa change before, and I knew what it was like to transform, but watching my sister was another matter altogether. Within seconds, a golden leopard stood there, her spots the color of her hair.
