Another shrieking scream came from inside the building. "This is a really bad time for him to be late," I said.

"I know," she said, flexing her fingers. "Harry, I don't know if I can handle that demon bitch if she comes at us again." She looked down at her own hand, where the dark tattoos swirled and curved. "I'm almost out."

"Out?" I asked. "Of what?"

Her lip lifted into a quiet snarl and she swept dark eyes up and down the street. "Control."

"Ooooookay," I said. "We can't just stand here. We need to move."

Just then, an engine growled, and a dark green rental sedan came screeching around the corner of the block. It swerved across to the wrong side of the street and came up on the curb before sliding to a stop.

Martin threw open the back door. There was a cut on his left temple and a streak of blood had dried dark on his jaw. Tattoos like Susan's, but thicker, framed one eye and the left side of his face. "They're behind me," he said. "Hurry."

He didn't have to tell either of us twice. Susan shoved me into the back of the car and piled in after me. Martin had the car moving again before she'd shut the door, and I looked back to see another sedan after us. Before we'd gone a block, a second car slid in behind the first, and the two accelerated, coming after us.

"Dammit," Martin said, glaring at his rearview mirror. "What did you do to these people, Dresden ?"

"I turned down their recruiting officer," I said.

Martin nodded, and snapped the car around a corner. "I'd say they don't handle rejection well. Where's the old man?"

"Gone."

He exhaled through his nose. "These idiots are going to land us all in jail if this keeps up. How bad do they want you?"

"More than most."

Martin nodded. "Do you have a safe house?"

"My place. I've got some emergency wards I can set off. They could keep out a mail-order record club." I bobbed my eyebrows at Susan. "For a while, anyway."

Martin juked the car around another corner. "It isn't far. You can jump out. We'll draw them off."

"He can't," Susan objected. "He can barely move. He's been hurt, and he could go into shock. He isn't like us, Martin."

Martin frowned. "What did you have in mind?"

"I'll go with him."

He stared up at the rearview mirror for a moment, at Susan. "It's a bad idea."

"I know."

"It's dangerous."

"I know," she said, voice tight. "There's no choice, and no time to argue."

Martin turned his eyes back to the road and said, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"God be with you both, then. Sixty seconds."

"Wait a minute," I said. "What are you both-"