Billy nodded.

“Where?” I slammed another clip into the .45.

He shook and started to cry. “There’s a tomb for the dick who founded this piece-of-shit town. I left it in there.”

“Good boy. Now listen to me,” I said reholstering my heater, “You’re gonna clean yourself up good, then you’re gonna march yourself down to the sheriff’s office and turn yourself in. You’re a kid. You’ll get the easy treatment and a lot of attention. You’ll be the most popular psycho in the state.”

The kid stared at me blankly.

I waved. “Hello? You understand? Otherwise, I come back with Sam in one piece. Believe me, that old son-of-a-bitch will tear you apart. He isn’t as understanding as me.”

Finally the kid nodded. I turned my back, knowing if the kid didn’t try anything with my defenses down he’d do as I told him.

“Satana Karise!”

A bolt of pain shot through my body like electricity. I yelled and fell to one knee. The little fucker had no intention of letting up.

When I turned back, Billy wasn’t alone. We had some company. A red, winged creature stood behind him, in front of a black portal ripped into the air. I stood back up and looked at the kid. He was smirking, his greasy hair slung down over one eye. My blood boiled. Who did this little punk-ass bitch think he was?

“Nice try, mister. But I have friends now—real friends—and they’ll protect me against you and anybody else who tries to stop me. We made a deal.”

I stared up at the demon, maybe the same one who’d dropped the sheriff to his death, and I could see by the look in its narrow eyes the kid was right. If I wanted Billy Fuller, I’d have to take on the creature first. I put my piece back in the holster and began to selectively transform myself. My hands changed to claws, my jaw sprouted wolf-teeth, and I increased my bulk just enough to not tear apart my clothes.

I was ready for a fight.

The creature took Billy by the shoulder and stepped around him. It rattled its wings and licked its long nails.

I waited.

It made the first move. It came at me shrieking and tackled me head on. I took the blow and fell backward, but managed to rake my claws across its lower back. It yowled and rolled off me. As it turned back to attack, I slashed its throat wide open. The shrieking stopped. Blood sprayed.

The demon tried to struggle away, but I knew I had it down for the count. I lunged on top of it and brought it down hard. I tore at its wings, pulling one completely out of its back. Finally, the creature stopped moving.

Just to be sure I’d killed it (and to put a scare into the kid), I pulled out my piece and blasted a slug into the demon’s head, blowing its supernatural brains all over the shag carpet.