I went. Heart pounding, I ran around the ruin of the chandelier, scooping up my charms in passing. From behind me came a scream of terror and pain. I skidded to a stop. Ivy had Candice pinned to the wall. My face went cold. I’d seen it before. God help me. I’d lived it.

Candice bucked and fought, a new frenzy in her motions as she tried to get free. Ivy held her still, as unmoving as a steel girder. Piscary’s strength made her unstoppable, and Candice’s fear was feeding her blood lust. A rattle of gunfire came from the unseen garage. I tore my gaze from them, frightened. Ivy had vamped out. Absolutely and totally. She had lost herself.

Mouth dry, I ran through the empty kitchen to the garage door. Candice screamed again, the terrifying sound ending in a gurgle. I hadn’t wanted this. I hadn’t wanted this at all.

I spun at a scuffling noise behind me, but it was David. His face was white, and he never slowed down as he paced to me. There was a weapon in his grip.

“Is she…” I asked, hearing my voice shake.

His hand went on my shoulder and he pushed me into motion. Lines marked his face, and he looked old. “Just go,” he said raggedly. “She’s got your back.”

The sound of men’s voices in the garage rose, then fell. There was a spat of gunfire. Crouched by the door, I shuf fled through my duffel bag. I put a slew of amulets around my neck and tucked my cuffs into my waistband. My splat gun was heavy in my hand, fourteen little babies in a row ready for sleep in the reservoir, enough propellant to shoot them all.

David peeked around the door, then ducked back. “Five men with Saladan behind a black car on the far end of the garage. I think they’re trying to get it started. Your boyfriend is around the corner. We can reach him with a quick run.” He looked at me as I fumbled at my charms. “Good God! What are all those for?”

My boyfriend? I thought, crawling to the doorway with my charms dragging under me. Well, I had slept with him. “One is for pain,” I whispered. “One is for slowing down bleeding. One is for detecting black charms before I walk into them, and one—”

My words cut off as the car started. Shit.

“Sorry I asked,” David muttered, close behind me.