“And then what?”

Seconds went by. “I’ll kill him,” she said.

“How does that help anyone?” Benjamin asked. “Unless I misheard, your plan revolves around Hell Night actually going ahead, doesn’t it? Then the folks down there will take care of the bikers.”

“There is something else I could try.”

“What? For heaven’s sake, you’re running out of time.”

“I could eat him,” she said.

Benjamin paled. “What?”

“We eat, we absorb power,” Amber said. “That’s our whole thing. Naberius is in chains. By now he’s probably powerless … But I might get enough from him to be able to take on the Hounds myself.”

“You can’t … you can’t be serious.”

“It might be the only way.”

“Amber … that’s crazy.”

She smiled, and forced herself to stand. “Welcome to my life. I’m going to need to borrow your truck.”

“The keys are on the shelf over there.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Benjamin. You stay up here now, okay? You really don’t want to go venturing out on to the streets. Not tonight.”

She limped over to the shelf, moved aside an old flashlight and a book. “The keys aren’t here,” she said, and turned just as Benjamin levelled his rifle at her from across the room.

“I’m sorry,” Benjamin said, tears in his eyes.

The kitchen was warm, but Amber was ice-cold. “What are you doing?”

“You seem like such a nice girl,” said Benjamin, “and I am really sorry about this, but I can’t let you take away Hell Night.”

“But that’s what you want,” said Amber. “You don’t like what you turn into. You said it yourself, the things you do—”

“Are awful,” Benjamin said, nodding. “They are. They’re terrible. But I need them. You won’t understand, you couldn’t possibly understand, but when I become that … that thing, I am freed of this old man’s body. My joints don’t ache … my bones don’t creak … I stop being old. For one night a year, I feel young and strong and alive and … and I’m sorry, but I need that.”

“Put the gun down,” Amber said, limping forward.

“Not another step,” said Benjamin. “Don’t make me shoot you, Amber.”

Amber kept moving slowly. “You’re not going to hurt me,” she said. “You’re a good guy. I know you are.”

Benjamin raised the rifle to his shoulder. “Please, stop.”

She stopped. Her voice wavered. “You’re not going to pull that trigger.”

“I don’t want to kill you,” said Benjamin. “But I need you to stay put, and stay as you are.”

“Why?” she asked. “What good will that do?”

Tears rolled down Benjamin’s cheeks. “You have to be stopped,” he said, “but I can’t do it. I couldn’t live with myself if I had your death on my conscience. So we’re going to wait.”

Amber frowned. “For what?”

“Hell Night.”