My eyes closed in a long blink. Al really was broke. Swell. “Can’t we start this next week?” I asked, but it was too late, and I felt Trent’s grip on me tighten as my body was torn apart by time, then melted back into existence. I was so tired, I could have cried.

I didn’t even feel dizzy when the stink of the ever-after vanished. The acidic scent of cut grass hit me, and wavering on my feet, I opened my eyes to the somber gray and green of my graveyard. Slowly I slumped. I was home.

“Dad!” a tiny voice shrilled, and I jerked to find one of Jenks’s kids staring at me. “She’s back! And she’s got Mr. Kalamack!”

Blinking back the tears, I took a deep breath and turned to the church shining in the morning sun. It had to be later than that. I felt like I’d lived a lifetime. Seeing Trent at my feet, I reached to pull him up. “We’re back,” I said wearily, hauling on him. “Get up. Don’t let Ceri see you on the ground like that.” It was over. At least for now.

Still on the ground, Trent yanked on my arm. I sucked in my breath and tried to land in a front fall, but he pulled me off balance and I landed on my side instead.

“Trent—” I started, then yelped when he jerked me up, slamming my head into a tombstone. “Hey!” I shouted, then howled when he twisted my arm.

Quicker than I could follow, he slammed my head into the stone again. My vision blurred as the pain swelled, and trying to figure out what the hell was going on, I stupidly did nothing when he wrapped an arm around my throat from behind and started squeezing.

“Trent…,” I managed to get out, then choked, feeling my face seem to bulge.

“I won’t let you do it!” came his voice snarling in my ear. “I’ll kill you first!”

Do what? I thought, struggling to breathe. I just saved his ass!

Putting my heels to the ground, I shoved backward, but we only fell over. His grip loosened and I got a breath, and then his grip went tighter.

“Demon kin!” Trent exclaimed, his voice raw and alien. “It was there in front of me, but I didn’t believe it! My father…Damn him!”

“Trenton!” Ceri’s voice came faintly from over the graveyard as my consciousness started to slip. “Stop! Stop it!”

I felt her fingers trying to wedge between Trent’s grip and my skin, and I choked as it loosened again. I couldn’t break his hold, and my oxygen-starved muscles were like wet paper.