The second killer licked his lips nervously. “I … I haven’t seen her yet. Her name’s Amber, right? The, uh, the demon girl? I haven’t technically laid eyes on her yet, but if you want, if you think it could help, I can go outside right now and keep looking for her.”

“No, that’s all right,” sighed Betty, and reached down and snapped his neck.

“What do we do if we can’t find her?” Kirsty asked.

“We will,” said Betty.

“How? She’s going to be extra careful now that she knows we’re here. We’re not going to stumble across her again.”

Bill sighed. “Are you still with us?”

“What?” Kirsty said. “What does that mean?”

“Are you with us?” he repeated. “We’ve gone over a hundred years working together, and haven’t we reaped the rewards?”

“Sure,” said Kirsty. “But now Alastair and Imelda are dead, after Imelda betrayed us, and the only reason the Shining Demon isn’t trying to kill us right now is because he thinks we’re bringing him your daughter. We’re on dangerously thin goddamn ice.”

“We just have to remain calm,” said Bill.

Kirsty’s eyebrows rose. “That’s our plan? Remain calm? If the Hounds get Amber before we do, not only will we not have the key, but we’ll have proven ourselves useless to Astaroth, and then we’ll be right back where we were. I don’t like being on the run, Bill. It doesn’t suit me.”

“This is ridiculous,” Betty said. “We’ll find Amber, all right? We’re her parents. We know her better than anyone. We’ve been right on her heels every step of the way so far, haven’t we? And she’s not running anymore, so now is our chance to catch up with her. After everything we’ve done for you, Kirsty, I would think that a little good faith wouldn’t be too much to ask for.”

“Everything you’ve done for us?” Kirsty said, letting her anger cloud her perfect features. “It’s your fault we’re in this mess in the first place! At least our kids died when they were supposed to die!”

“Oh,” Betty said, squaring up to her, “I’m sorry for raising a child who can actually think on her feet.”

“You’re proud of her?” Kirsty said, frowning. “You’re actually proud of that little toad?”

Betty struck Kirsty – hard – across the face, and the slap stunned the room into silence.

“Now, ladies …” Bill said, stepping forward.

Kirsty held up her hand. “Don’t say a goddamn word, Bill. Betty, you ever touch me again and I will rip your arm off.”