“Jenks is a pixy!” I exclaimed to burn off some angst. “No one takes them into account because they don’t know how dangerous they are, you dumb crap of a businessman. You are completely out of your element, so just sit there, okay? You got me here, now let the professionals work, or your insufferable smarter-than-thou attitude is going to get us killed! I said I’d protect you and get you home, but I need you to stop doing stupid stuff. Just…sit there and do nothing!”

The last was shouted, but I was really mad. “God help you!” I swore as I got up and shook the last of the cramping out of my hand. “Now I have a headache! Thanks a hell of a lot!”

Jenks was grinning, and my brow furrowed at my unprofessional show of anger. “’Bout time you put him in his place,” he said, and my frown deepened.

“Yeah,” I muttered as I creakily moved to the statue and stood before sweet Mother Mary and her smug smile with my fists on my hips. “But how are we going to get to the samples?”

Jenks’s wings increased their pitch, and I looked at his expression of satisfaction. Immediately I felt my own expression ease. “You already have a way in?” I asked.

He nodded. “There’s a crack in the base small enough for a mouse. I’ll get them.”

My breath slipped from me in an audible sigh. The magic protecting the statue didn’t recognize him. He didn’t count. The thing was, he did count. He counted a lot, and he was going to save my butt again. “Thanks, Jenks,” I whispered.

“Hey, that’s what I’m here for,” he said, then darted behind the statue and was gone.

I had a trip home. I really thought I might. Maybe.

The silence was loud as I turned to find Trent still messing with his nose. The scent of blood seemed to pull whispers from the shadows at the christening pool, and though I knew it was my imagination, it was freaking me out. Going to the limit of the holy ground, I sat on the top step, remembering standing here at Trent’s wedding. Right before I arrested him. I could feel Trent’s presence behind me but didn’t turn. He was silent for about six heartbeats, and then I heard him rise. From outside at the base of the front doors came scratching, a soft digging sound that gave me the willies. It started and stopped as if afraid, but the door was a lot thicker than the glass windows.

I forced my breathing to stay even when Trent stopped five feet from me and just stared. Swinging my waist pack around, I took out my last water and downed it. My splat gun was next to it, and bringing it out, I sighted down it at the front door.