For the first time, he heard Kiara laugh out loud. They wished each other good luck. He quietly slipped into his house and, without turning on the lights, headed for the bedroom. Outside he heard two car doors open and close. He smiled, knowing Kiara was working to throw Mrs. Hultz off from suspecting anything amiss. As the vehicle pulled away, he laid his head upon the pillow, closed his eyes, and tried to think of anything but the old man’s bloody maw.

13

WHEN HE AWOKE IN a state of paralysis, he struggled to turn and see the clock on his nightstand, but, of course, he was unable to move so much as a toe. He gained control of himself by deep breathing and concentrating on those counting on him. It took quite a while, but eventually he achieved release from his body and floated up and out onto the street. The night had changed since he’d been at Mrs. Hultz’s place with Kiara. There was a thick fog infused with scattered streetlight glow, and the night world looked more magical and more frightening than he’d yet experienced it. The thought came to him before he headed in the direction of the meet-up spot with Melody that they’d again have to enter the lair of the Ambrogio.

His nerves settled somewhat when he saw, through the holes in the hedge, the pale blue form of Melody. Instead of leaping over the shrubs from next to the picnic table, he passed through it. She was standing with arms folded, staring up through the fog as if trying to see the moon. “Back to hell?” she asked. Owen told her the plan and she nodded. “Sounds reasonable. And the woman, Kiara, has the means to kill it?”

“She has a gun that shoots bullets with phosphorous. What phosphorous has to do with it, I have no idea.”

“The ammunition probably bursts into flames when it strikes.”

They left the backyard and bounded down the street toward the center of town. The pace and height of their jumps was almost perfectly synchronized. “I found something out you’re not going to like any better than I do,” she said.

“What now?” said Owen. “I’m already shaking.”

“These creatures have the ability to sever one’s silver cord when in the night-world state.”

“Wait,” said Owen, and landed on the sidewalk across the street from the Busy Bee. “What the hell?”

“That’s what my teacher told me,” said Melody.

“Who’s this teacher of yours?”

“A very old woman. She’s an experienced traveler who has encountered almost every possible circumstance one can in the night world. She’s taught me about traveling the night world since my original teacher passed away.”

“Did she happen to have any possible weapons or defenses against the old man?”