“No,” Kas replies, giving me no details and my thoughts begin to spiral. How does someone kill a demon? Are there worse things that could happen to him?

It’s not long before Kas is basically pulling the e-brake on my car and jumping out and taking Stevie in her arms. I open the front door and she begins to follow, but she’s blocked by my wards. I can’t carry Stevie, so now I’m going to have to give yet another demon access to my house.

“I need your blood,” I say, and she holds out her hand. I prick her finger with a conjured needle and allow her within my wards. She gently places Stevie on the couch, kisses her hair, and is immediately gone. I have a sick, deep, horrible feeling about what is happening to Dax, but right now I need to take care of Stevie.

I leave her unattended to gather the supplies from the kitchen. Thank Hecate she labels everything with retentive detail. I pop the cork on the pain reliever, muscle relaxer, and bone growth potion and toss them all into her mouth. She doesn’t swallow, so I have to hold her mouth shut and plug her nose until she thankfully swallows every drop.

I sit next to her body for hours until she finally wakes up.

“Blair?” I pop onto my knees and pet her hair.

“I’m here. You feel okay?”

“Yeah, how did we get home?”

“It’s a long story. Let’s get you up to bed.”

She nods and puts too much of her body weight on me to support. But eventually, with my arm looped around her waist, we’re able to get her into her bedroom. I plop her on her bed and her familiar, Gary, purrs and cuddles next to her chest.

“Watch after her. Come get me if she needs anything,” I tell the cat. He blinks at me three times, which I take as confirmation and understanding. Fez is incredibly intelligent, Gary, not so much. But he’s Stevie’s familiar and will be in touch with her emotions.

I huff at the exertion and can’t help it that as soon as I get to my bedroom I fall on top of my mattress, not even bothering to change my clothes. I know there are a few splashes of blood on my top. Tomorrow’s problems are going to be tomorrow’s problems.

Facing the fact that I killed my mother doesn’t need to come today, nor do the negative thoughts about what could be going on with Dax. He probably can’t afford me distracting him anymore than I already have.