“Yeah? For how long?” I said. Clearly distressed, Jenks hovered just outside in the hall at the ceiling. He tapped his wrist like a watch. Ivy wasn’t close enough, though. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but I’ve got an expiration date,” I added. “You’re going to be deadweight after tomorrow, whatever happens.”

Nick frowned, his fingers twitching.

“Didn’t think about that, did you, crap for brains?”

His head came up. “You know nothing.” He looked at Ivy. “Stop moving, vampire.”

Ivy rocked back. “Cut it short or bring him,” she said. “We have to go.”

“Bring him?” I barked, my chin lifting. Then I said to Nick, “There is no hole deep enough or dark enough to hide you when Ku’Sox decides he’s done with you and pulls your plug.”

Arms swinging, I headed for the door, figuring he’d get close enough to smack him if he thought I was leaving.

Sure enough, he reached for me, and I let him grab my arm. “We used to be good,” he said, eyes angry.

“Yeah? Well, I used to be stupid!”

Grabbing his wrist, I spun to put my back to his front, and levered him right over my shoulder. He hit the floor in front of me with a groan, and Ivy was there, her long arm against his neck even though he was out. Jenks flew in at the noise, hovering over us.

“When do you want him to wake up?” she said, and my lip curled.

Jenks’s dust was still that depressed blue. “How about never?” he suggested. There was a long tear in his new clothes. Jax?

“Ten minutes,” I said in disgust, and she let go, shoving him across the narrow walkway to slide into a lower cupboard.

“I like Jenks’s idea better,” she said as she got up.

“Yeah! What’s up, Rache?” Jenks snarled. “You know he doesn’t deserve it.”

I nodded as I turned back to the rings. “We all have a part to play,” I said as I looked over the selection. Time was pressing on me, making me jittery. It couldn’t be because Nick was helpless on the floor and I was walking away.

Ivy smelled of darkness and earth as she eased up beside me. “Anything you take he’ll know and tell Ku’Sox.”

“The ones I really wanted are gone, anyway,” I said, wishing I had my cheat sheet, then remembering Marcie had one. “Jenks, check Marcie’s sketch there. Who donated the demon slave rings?” Slave rings. This was a mistake. This was a mistake in a big way, but I had to take a huge leap if I was going to survive.