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Camil e sniffled and Chase handed her his handkerchief. She dabbed at her tears and blew her nose. A nurse came rushing back and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, leading her over to a chair.
“Sit here and if you feel faint, let us know. We’re al working on your husband right now, but ask at the front desk if you need help.” She scurried away, a worried look in her eye.
Vanzir returned and handed her both a couple of Reese’s peanut butter cups and a package of cashews. “I couldn’t find a Milky Way . . . sorry. But these should help. I’m going to find some coffee for you.”
Camil e gave him a long look, then accepted them and ripped open the candy, forcing herself to eat. “I do trust them—I’ve trusted Sharah with my life before. But . . . but . . . he was hurt so badly . .
.”
Pausing, she let out a low, bleak sigh. “I don’t understand. How did the ghosts grow so powerful? Death magic won’t work on them, that much I can tel you. They seem supercharged.”
“I’m not sure what’s going on. I’m not an expert on spirits. Do you think they’re over a ley line?” I frowned. Where was Delilah when we needed her and her super-duper computer? Crap, Delilah! I hadn’t even thought to cal and let them know how we were.
I held up my hand and moved to one side, punching speed dial for home on my phone. Delilah answered.
“We’ve been wondering what the hel ’s going on. Are you guys okay? I’ve been antsy al evening. I’ve had the feeling something went terribly wrong.”
“It’s bad.” I lowered my voice to keep Camil e from overhearing. Al of us had super-sized hearing. “Morio’s in surgery. He was seriously injured when a spirit tried to stake me and ended up running it through his liver.”
“Holy fuck.” Delilah fel silent for a moment, then asked, “Wil he live? Is anybody else hurt?”
“He’s in surgery now. We just have to hope we got help soon enough. As far as everyone else . .
. Chase did some pretty spectacular tricks down there and we’re going to have to get him tested.
Something’s changed inside him—he’s developing an ability to repel spirits out of his aura. And . .
. I know something weird went down between Vanzir and Camil e, but neither is talking and both look shaken.”
“I knew I should have come with you—”
“Nonsense. Your ribs stil need a couple of weeks to finish knitting. We may heal quickly but you were real y fucked up, Kitten. Sharah told you to rest and she meant it. Stacia Bonecrusher almost gave you a ten-inch waist there.”
The demon general had taken her natural form as a giant anaconda with the torso of a woman, and she’d caught Delilah with her tail and begun to constrict, breaking a number of ribs and doing more muscle damage than we’d first thought.
“When wil you be home?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to leave Camil e here alone . . . just in case. I’m going to send Vanzir home, though.”
“Sounds good. Have him stop and pick up snacks on the way.” A pause, then a sudden, “Oh my gods, I sound so heartless. I’m sorry—please never tel Camil e I was thinking about my stomach while Morio is lying on the operating table.” She sounded so contrite I wanted to hug her.
“I know, I know. It’s okay. I won’t say anything.” I hung up and crossed over to Vanzir, tapping him on the shoulder. “Come with me, dude.”
He fol owed me down the hal a ways. “What’s up?”
“You go home. Stop on the way to get Delilah some of her favorite treats, would you? Take Camil e’s car, but for the sake of the gods, don’t wreck it.”
Vanzir had just gotten his license two weeks ago. He knew how to drive but had never bothered to learn the rules of the road. After a perilous race to hide our werewolf friend Amber and one of the spirit seals at Grandmother Coyote’s portal a couple months ago, we made him both apply for a Supe Alien Visa and then get his license. We’d told the authorities that he was a shifter—a lie, but it would work and prevent them from knowing there were demons running around. Most Supes of questionable heritage used that ruse, and so far the government hadn’t caught on to it.
He shook his head. “I should stay with your sister.”
“Look,” I lowered my voice to a whisper, leaned in, and tapped his chest. “I don’t know what went on between you two, and I have the feeling I’m not going to like whatever it is, but I need you to do what I ask. Camil e’s in mild shock, her husband is lying on the operating-room table, and if you did something to exacerbate that shock, then I’m going to . . . come to think about it, if you did do something, why aren’t you dead? She could kil you with a thought.” Maybe I’d been wrong. But the look on Vanzir’s face told me I wasn’t far off the mark.
“Your sister has more empathy than I deserve.” He shook his head and grabbed my keys out of my hand. “I’l do as you say. See that she gets plenty of food. The shock from . . . the tunnels wil wear away and she’l be okay. I just hope Morio survives.”
As Vanzir headed out, I couldn’t help but feel that something had been put into motion that wasn’t going to end wel . Not at al .
I headed back to Camil e but stopped short. She was waiting for Sharah, who was walking down the hal way toward her. As I watched her stiffen, waiting for whatever news the elf had, I was almost afraid to join her. Silently, I crossed to her side and felt for her hand. Everything around us seemed to slow, and I closed my eyes, the strains of Cat Power’s “Werewolf” echoing through my mind in a haunting refrain.
