“Jared and his covert operation tipped them off. He’s asked too many questions, and they know what he's after. The book has been moved six times in as many days. We’ve got some work to do when we get home.”

Jared glared at Kim, annoyed. “I have to look it over before we take it back. There are things within those pages that could help Nina.”

“That was the deal, wasn’t it?” Kim replied.

Jared nodded, and then looked to his sister. “Now that Ryan’s stable, we should head back. Did the Colonel say how long you’d be here?”

Claire shrugged. “At least until he’s stable enough to ship state-side, and then we’ll probably be at a VA rehab until he’s functional. I’ll keep you updated.”

I stared at the small table that had slid across the floor. Two hundred or so demons had been swirling about, and they were already onto the next subject. The air had returned to its normal temperature, but watching an inanimate object glide across the room left me uneasy—not that I had felt anything close to composed since Gabe had infiltrated my dream on the plane. Life was spinning out of control again, but this time there was no normal life to escape to.

One-third of my anchor to normal was lying in a hospital bed, and another sitting beside me, talking about things so opposite of the realm of ordinary, it was difficult to remember she was part of my other life at all.

Anger consumed me. I felt I'd been lied to. “What deal are you two talking about?” I asked.

“Your man is going to help me return the book to the Sepulchre if I help him get it from Shax,” Kim said.

“Were you going to tell me about any of this?” I said to Jared.

Jared took my hands in his. “We talked about this.”

“Yes, that you would omit things that didn't directly me, but first Ryan, and now Kim? They were my friends, Jared!”

“We still are,” Kim said.

I ignored Kim. “Are you sure I can’t see Ryan?” I asked Claire. She shook her head with an apologetic expression. “It was good to see you again,” I said to Claire, hugging her. “Kim….” I trailed off, unable to find anything nice to say.

Kim had betrayed me; sneaking her mystical bullshit in the back door, and sucker punching me with her possession-crusades-basilica sob story. Now she was supposed to help us find the book because of her Oh So Spooky to the Demons powers. I didn’t care! She was supposed to be my normal, and she had ripped it right out from under me.