I didn’t stop to see if he was down or not. Leaving David to wrestle for the gun, I ran down the stairs. Ivy was fending off Candice. My bag of charms was at Ivy’s feet. There were three bodies sprawled on the tile floor. Poor Chad wasn’t having a very good day.

“Ivy!” I called when she threw Candice into the wall and had a moment. “Where’s Lee!”

Her eyes were black and her lips were pulled back from her teeth. With a high scream of outrage, Candice came at her. Ivy jumped for the chandelier, her foot connecting with Candice’s jaw to rock the vampire back. There was a creak from the ceiling.

“Look out!” I cried from the bottom step as Ivy swung to land with an unreal grace and the chandelier fell. It shattered, sending broken glass and crystal everywhere.

“Kitchen!” Ivy panted from a hunched crouch. “He’s in the garage. With Kisten.”

Candice looked at me, hatred in her black eyes. Blood ran from her mouth, and she licked it. Her gaze went to the duffel bag of spells. She tensed to run for it—and Ivy jumped.

“Go!” Ivy shouted, grappling with the smaller vampire.

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 shuffled 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?”