“Tink’s a Disney whore, Rache!” Jenks exclaimed as Cormel began to slowly distance himself. “He’s as scared as a tick under the bed.”

Yeah. Me too. I’d been ready to kill Cormel to keep Trent safe. And though Cormel had been shocked to find my hand around his throat, I couldn’t shake the growing feeling that he’d almost been expecting it. Even as he bent his will to survival, a part of him wanted to die. Looked for it. Ached for it. Maybe that’s why he was so adamant about getting his soul?

“Rache?” Jenks called, his excitement faltering as he dropped down to search my face. “You’re okay, right?”

My head came up as I recognized Ivy’s voice. Jenks spun where he hovered, darting to the door as she elbowed her way in. “Get out of my way!” she exclaimed as she fought her way through the growing crowd, and Trent’s hand tightened on my shoulder when I smiled at her. Thank God she was okay.

Nina was hot on Ivy’s heels, the jealous little vampire scowling. I watched her visibly catch herself as the scent of frightened vampire hit her. Eyes lowered, she concentrated on the floor. Ivy, though, pushed through it as if it wasn’t there.

“Rachel,” she all but breathed as she reached me, and I rose to give her a hug. “I-I ... ,” she stammered, and then, “Are you okay?”

I almost missed the flash of guilt that crossed her. It wasn’t reflected in Nina, as much as sanctioned by the crafty woman’s smug expression. “I’m okay,” I said, my suspicions tightening. Something had happened ...

Feeling it, Ivy let go. “Trent texted me that you might need some help.”

“Trent?” I hadn’t seen him on the phone. Surprised, I turned to Trent, stifling a shudder at the sensation of mystics peeling off me to dance in the pheromones and guilt she was giving off. “When did you have the time?”

Trent shrugged, the rims of his ears reddening as he watched Cormel’s thugs begin to leave. “I type fast.”

“Like a fourteen-year-old girl!” Jenks exclaimed, a happy ball of dust at his shoulder.

Cormel was putting his coat on with a formal stiffness, clearly not liking being watched by the admittedly proud but helpless FIB. We weren’t done yet, but I’d given him something to think about as he sulked in his hole in the ground.