Javier chuckled, came over, and started working on Virgil’s shackles. “Let’s get these off,” he said, “then open those doors and get to that bunker. I’ve had quite enough of my life being in danger for one day, thank you very much.”

Chapter 43

IT WAS SNOWING.

It was May, and it was snowing.

Amber limped to the window and looked out as the first flurries covered Benjamin’s pickup truck in a dusting of white. “I can’t stay here,” she said.

“You’re not going out there,” Benjamin said from the table. The kitchen was warm. “What good can you do? You said it yourself, there’s a woman looking to kill you and she’s in those woods.”

“I don’t know that,” Amber said. “She could be anywhere.”

“She could be right outside,” Benjamin said, getting up. “And what about those men from before? The bikers? You said they’re in town now?”

Amber nodded. “It was part of the plan, but … But now it’s all gone wrong.”

Milo was out there, in the snow and the cold and the dark, with demons and Hounds, but Milo was Milo. He could take care of himself, so long as he had the Charger. But Kelly …

“Can I ask you something?” said Benjamin, and Amber turned. He cleared his throat. “Did you … are you responsible for nothing happening tonight?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You mean for you not turning into a demon? Yeah, we are.”

“Oh.”

“Do me a favour, Benjamin, okay? Try not to look so disappointed that you’re not out there murdering your neighbours.”

“What? I – I’m not, I don’t know what—”

“I can see it on your face, for God’s sake.”

Benjamin looked away.

Amber pulled a chair towards her and sat. Her leg was bleeding badly. Her body ached. “All this started for me a few weeks ago,” she said. “That’s all. Weeks. I went from being an ordinary girl to being a demon with fangs and claws and horns …”

“I just want that for a night,” Benjamin said quietly.

“You don’t get it. It’s been with me every moment since then. It’s been a part of me. I’ve had time to get used to it. To acclimatise. But you? You don’t get that chance, do you? None of you do. You get a blast of this and you go insane for a few hours. But you want to go insane, don’t you? You’re sitting up here, looking forward to it. You’re waiting to go nuts.”

“Amber, please …”

“It has to stop. It just has to.”

“What … what are you going to do? What can you do? Your parents might even have that key by now.”

“The Narrow Man has another one just like it,” she said. “I’ll … I’ll pay him a visit, take the key, and get to Naberius before my parents do.”