Hiding behind the excuse that everyone thought Kist was still Piscary’s scion, she did nothing, claiming that Kisten had the clout, if not the physical presence, to hold everything together. It didn’t look good, but I wasn’t about to advise her to start handling Piscary’s affairs. Not only had she devoted her life to bringing in those who broke the law, but she’d snap while trying to best the pull of blood and domination such a position would magnify.

Seeing no more comments forthcoming, Glenn crumbled his paper and dropped it into a coat pocket. “So, Rachel,” he said, glancing at the empty seat beside Nick. “How is your roommate? Better?”

I took another bite. “She’s handling it,” I said around my full mouth. “She would have come today but the sun really bothers her—lately.”

Lots of things bothered her since having glutted herself on Piscary’s blood: the sun, too much noise, not enough noise, the lack of speed of her computer, the pulp in her orange juice, the fish in her bathtub until Jenks took it out back and had a fish fry to boost his kids’ protein levels before fall hibernation. She had been violently ill after returning from midnight church services this morning, but she wouldn’t stop going. She told me it would help keep space between her and Piscary. Mental space, apparently. Time and distance were enough to break the bond a lesser vamp could put on another with a bite, but Piscary was a master vampire. The bond would last until Piscary wanted it ended.

Slowly Ivy and I were finding a new balance. When the sun was high and bright, she was Ivy, my friend and partner, cheerful with her dry, sarcastic humor as we thought up practical jokes to play on Jenks or discussed possible improvements to the church to make it more livable. After sunset, she left so I wouldn’t see what the night did to her now. She was strong in the sunlight, a cruel goddess after sunset, balanced on the edge of helplessness in the battle she fought against herself.

Uncomfortable with my thoughts, I pulled on the ley line and sent a pitched ball wild, to smack into the wall behind the catcher.

“Rachel?” Captain Edden said, his eyes behind his glasses taking on a hard look as he leaned past his son to see me. “Let me know if she wants to talk to Piscary. I’d be glad to look the other way if she wants to smack him around.”

He eased back as I gave him a wan smile. Piscary had been extradited to I.S. custody, safe and sound in a vamp jail cell. The preliminary hearing had gone well, the sensationalism of the situation prompting an unexpected opening in the court docket. Algaliarept showed up to prove he was a reliable witness. The demon made all the papers, morphing into all sorts of figures to scare the pants off everyone in the courtroom. What disturbed me most was that the judge was afraid of a little towheaded girl with a lisp and a limp. I think the demon enjoyed it.