“The hell you do.” Alisa turned her around to face her. Her face was pale. “You’re not thinking straight. You have to rest and then you’ll realize that you should leave this to us, leave it to me.” She was trying to smile. “After all, I didn’t get the chance to teach you karate yet.”

“I have a gun.”

Alisa looked as if she’d been struck. “Yes, you do. But we didn’t give it to you to help you go on the hunt. It was to protect you.”

“Killing them would protect me. And it would protect you and all the other innocents they’d hurt and kill.” She stared her in the eye. “Because this is going to happen again, and it will be soon. They can’t help themselves. There’s so much evil that it overflows. I have to be ready for it when I see it coming.” She added quietly, “Or when I see I have to bring it to them.”

“Don’t do this.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be stupid about it.” She leaned forward and went into Alisa’s arms and held her tight. “You have to go now. I’m not going to let them hurt you, too.”

“Listen to me.” Alisa’s voice was hoarse. “I know I can’t talk you out of this, but just don’t do anything right now. Let me see if I can get with Korgan and manage to come up with something that will satisfy all of us.”

“Pull something magical out of your hat? Buy me four horses and change my life?” She smiled sadly. “You’ve done it before. But it might not work this time.”

“And it might. Just rest and take care of Chaos and Nightshade tonight. Don’t decide anything. Let me work on it and get back to you.”

“If you’ll promise to leave right now. I’m not in any shape to argue with you.” She shook her head to clear it. “I think that sedative you gave me is beginning to take effect.”

“I’m gone.” Alisa released her and jumped to her feet. “It’s going to be okay. I promise you.” She was heading for the connecting door. “We’ll work it out.” Then she was out the door, silent, confident, moving like a shadow.

And Alisa would do her best to work it out, Sasha knew. She was wonderful and clever, and she loved Sasha as much as Sasha loved her. But she didn’t realize that it was too late for her to step in and try to make everything perfect this time. She had to do this herself. She had to end it, or it might never end.

And she had to keep it from ever happening again…

*  *  *