The trees didn't lack for water, Adam could feel it. Fire witches were always hyperaware of their surroundings and how well a place would burn. This area had received a lot of water lately. That was good. He didn't want to use fire against the demons, but if it came down to it he didn't have to worry about starting a forest fire.

"Adam." Claire's voice quivered.

Adam pushed the accelerator almost to the floor. The trees flew faster.

"Adam!"

He looked in the rearview mirror. Claire's blue eyes were wide, her already pale face paler, and her lips compressed. Every muscle in her body seemed taut as she stared at the road in front of them. "What is it?"

Theo shifted in his seat. "This is probably only the second time the woman's ever been in a car and you're trying to break the land speed record."

The black dot in his rearview was getting bigger. His gaze flicked to Claire. "I'm sorry. You can have a panic attack when we're free of these guys, okay?"

She dragged her gaze to his and forced her jaw to unlock. "It's fine. Do what you have to do."

He did. Slowing down just enough not to tip the car, he took a corner fast and hard. Thank the gods for remote parts of Wisconsin. Where they were now was blessedly uninhabited.

They breezed past a motel that would have been a great set for a horror movie and then more trees. As soon as Adam found the right spot, he slowed and guided the car off road.

"Are you all right?" He glanced at Claire.

"Better." Her face was green, belying her answer.

He went slowly now, over huge bumps that knocked his teeth together and enduring the branches scraping the paint off Thomas's Mercedes S550. Finally, he was deep enough in to not be seen. He hoped. Adam turned off the headlights and cut the engine.

He shifted, fingers itching to hold his sword, which he'd stashed behind the front seat. Honestly, going head-to-head with two demons right now was not the wisest course of action. They weren't ready to face creatures who could regenerate limbs, heal almost any wound, and had almost zero vulnerabilities… not yet.

It was best to hope that the Atrika passed them by, gave them time to plan and prepare. That didn't stop Adam from wanting action, though. Like Thomas had wanted it. Like Theo wanted it. Now Theo sat hunched over in his seat, fists clenched, jaw locked.

But sometimes good sense had to win out over testosterone.

He adjusted the mirror to reflect into the back seat. There, Claire took deep, measured breaths with her eyes closed. For being plunked down into an alien world and into a life-or-death situation simultaneously, Adam thought she was doing exceptionally well.