I crunched my teeth, swallowing raging violence like vomit. I folded my wings in tight and wriggled like an earthworm toward the light's edge and safety, the mirror burbling with satisfaction in my hand.

Darkness only a few feet away. The table stood between Joey and me. With luck, he wouldn't see me before I made it out.

Grit scratched my elbows and sc.r.a.ped on my grounded belly. I kept crawling toward the darkness and safety. Behind me, the wet smack of flesh on flesh, a reptilian hiss. I didn't care who'd hit whom. I glared at the mirror in my fist, my mouth tightening as I wormed along. Kane's welcome to you, nasty thing. You'll get yours. Just get me out of here alive. Kane's welcome to you, nasty thing. You'll get yours. Just get me out of here alive.

Akash sang, his unearthly voice grating with hatred like gla.s.sy shards. My ears curled in protest, hurting deep inside. I jammed breath into my lungs so I wouldn't pant and give myself away, and kept crawling.

Finally, my nose poked into darkness. Then my chin. Then my wing tips. I scrambled to my feet in the dark at last, fresh relief spreading comfort through my aching limbs. I'd made it.

The thing lurking in the shadows grabbed my elbow.

Shock iced my lungs. My skin screamed shivery warning. I yanked free, my heart walloping, and stumbled backwards into the light.

A banshee shriek rose, warbled with shock. "Fairy's getting away!"

I skidded, fluttering mad wings for balance, and my arms waved wildly. The rust-flecked mirror glinted bright for everyone to see, and in the shadows, a dark metal chuckle rang out.

Too late, hot iron scorched my nose. Familiar heat slithered over my skin. Indigo?

Joey dropped Akash with a soggy thud, green and scarlet splashing from his hands. Black scales sprang out on his forehead, spreading to cover his face like fast-motion fungus. The pale skin on his hands rippled and blackened to shiny taloned fins. His eyes glowed like green neon, and like a snake on the strike, he launched himself at me across the table.

I shrieked, unbalanced. Black fins scythed an inch from my nose. Neon venom splashed my face, and that familiar slimy stink electrified me.

Drops seared my skin like acid, rotten leather-stink churning my stomach. I jerked away with a panicked flutter, and my hands flew up to ward him off. But he didn't attack me again. He just slithered a steely black flipper around my wrist and twisted, hard.

Agony razored up my forearm. I screamed and struggled, fury crunching in my throat, but I couldn't break his unearthly grip. He wrenched harder, and my bones protested with a sick crunch. Despair clotted in my heart. I clutched feebly at the mirror, but my numb fingers wouldn't respond, and Joey reached out glossy black talons and plucked it away.

Easy as you please. Stupid, weak, useless fairy girl.

Frustration whipped my skin raw. I squealed and kicked at him, trying to pull my arm from his weird grip. "Get your rubbery hands off me, creep."

He flipped the giggling mirror away into his jacket and yanked me forward by the shoulders. The scales on his face retracted beneath fresh, pale human skin, and he threw a lickerish grin at the shadows behind me. "Pretty thing. So breakable. Perhaps we'll finish our game." And his forked tongue slipped out, and he wrapped it quivering across my lips.

Wet. Cold. Wriggly like a worm. The stink of cold spit, laced with meat.

My skin caterpillared. Bile swamped my mouth, choking me. He grunted, and licked me again. I squeezed my lips together and struggled madly.

And then Mina screamed. A horrid, gurgling, desperate scream that chilled my bones.

A rich metal whisper split the air like a warm blade. "Game's on, snakeboy. Think again."

Joey whipped around, one hand slipping off my shoulder. With a furious wriggle and a jerk of wings, I yanked free.

Indigo clamped his sharp blue chin on Mina's shoulder, one arm folded around her waist, ultralong blue fingers plastered over her mouth and nose. His wings stretched tight above his head, poised on an icy edge to flit backwards, and rusty glitter sparkled the air.

Mina's eyes bloomed huge and bright like garnets. Her feet scrabbled and kicked, but he evaded her easily. Her chest heaved as she tried to sing, to make any sound at all, but all that came out was a m.u.f.fled mmph! mmph! as her lungs searched for air. as her lungs searched for air.

Joey cursed, and swiped for me, but I leapt away, circling the table toward Indigo and Mina. My limbs shook, tense. My mind squirted in little circles, and common sense slashed at my courage with stinging claws, demanding my attention. Don't be stupid. You're not safe. Run away before it's too late. Lock your heart away. Don't be stupid. You're not safe. Run away before it's too late. Lock your heart away.

Yeah. Because that plan's done well for me so far. Screw that.

I circled closer, wary of Joey's greenvenom glare. On the ground, Akash flopped like a beached seal, scarlet bruises ripped open on his handsome face. He giggled, b.l.o.o.d.y froth running. Weirdo.

I sidled around his flailing hands, indignation splashing back to me like a water bomb. Rotten bully. Hope those bruises scar, a.s.shole. Rotten bully. Hope those bruises scar, a.s.shole.

Mina struggled, her scarred face purpling under a wild tumble of shimmering blue hair. Joey gripped his cane in black-finned hands and hissed at Indigo, his slimy tongue flickering. "You got a death wish, fairy?"

Indigo wrapped his free fingers around Mina's jerking throat, and pressed one delicate copper claw against the place where her pulse throbbed. A cruel smile tainted his silvery lips, and his eyes glowed warm blue. "She'll bleed pretty, Joey," he suggested, sniffing at the tiny bead of blood swelling under his claw. "So clean and warm. She wants it. They all want it, in the end. Let me show you."

Warmth spidered along my limbs. He'd touched me like that, tracing his claw over my pulse while we kissed. Now, icy violence glinted in that velvet bedroom voice. Even I was convinced he was a psycho who'd stop at nothing. But I still needed him to get out of here.

Joey's fangs gleamed. He spat slimy green spit and tossed his cane away, wicked black webs crackling. "What did Delilah promise you, fairy? I'll rip it from your bleeding hands while you die. This is my score. Let her go."

Confusion clouded my vision. Delilah? I'd heard talk of her on the street, some renegade demon b.i.t.c.h sniffing around DiLuca. Indigo was beholden to Kane, not Delilah. Gangsters were so dumb.

I smirked and waited for Indigo to laugh, to tell Joey he didn't know s.h.i.t from ice cream.

But Indigo just smiled, chilling. "Your guts in a cream pie. We'll eat it together, Delilah and I, once I've returned her little gla.s.s. Hand it over, or your pretty bleeds."

Hollow nausea rippled my intestines, and I choked. He'd lied to me. Told me what I longed so much to hear. Blinded the stupid little fairy girl with false kisses so she'd tell him what he wanted to know.

And now he'd give my mirror away to the enemy-for money, no doubt-and abandon me to madness.

Foolish emotion swamped my heart, strangling me, and tears scorched my eyes. I'm so f.u.c.king stupid. I thought I interested him. I thought he wanted me. I even thought he liked me. I'm so f.u.c.king stupid. I thought I interested him. I thought he wanted me. I even thought he liked me.

As if a cold, calculating, loveless metal thief could care about a stupid, ugly, lonely girl like me.

Right.

I blinked, forcing myself to swallow whatever blubbering noise I'd been about to make. Fine. So it hurt. I was used to that, right? I could deal. Salvage some dignity here.

He might be a lying metal p.r.i.c.k with a cowpat for a conscience. But I still voted him least likely to kill me out of this lot.

I shook my eyes clear, trying to comprehend the situation. Indigo still held Mina before him like a shield. If Joey struck, Indigo need move only a little and she'd cop the venom. Smart. Nasty. Sickening.

Mina thrashed, weaker this time, her pretty eyes bulging. Indigo sniffed her hair fondly, spit-dripping fingers still fixed over her nose and mouth. "Better make up your mind, Joey. She smells tired."

Joey screeched, the grating wail of a reptile in pain, and coiled his flexible body tight. "Get your handsss off my girl."

Indigo chuckled, dark. "Too late. Look, she's already giving in. Mirror, DiLuca, or she dies for my curiosity. What a waste."

Joey writhed, green venom frothing from his teeth to stain his suit. Shining fangs clashed together in fury, and he ripped the mirror from his pocket and flung it.

Hard. High. Venom splashing the floor. The ball curved glinting through the air, into the empty s.p.a.ce between me and Indigo.

Too high. Too fast. Out of reach.

The mirror razored open, screaming like stretching gla.s.s as it flew, and overhead, the lightbulb flickered and dimmed in terror.

My pulse hammered my flesh to putty. Crazy impulse clutched at me to let it fall just to spite them all. Indigo needed that mirror in one piece, to give to his lousy demon mistress. So did Joey.

But so did I. Without it, I had no cure. If it smashed, we were all screwed.

And I couldn't catch worth a d.a.m.n.

Caution melted in a hot flush of terror, and blind reflex jerked me into a run.

My legs stretched and strove. I careered closer, thrusting my wings against warm air for extra speed. The mirror flexed in the air like a gymnast at the top of its curve and started to fall.

I bunched my thigh muscles and launched into the air.

Indigo's hand flashed out, and he leapt.

Mina tumbled to the dust, screeching for breath. Joey streaked to her side in a sc.r.a.pe of rippling scales.

I stretched my arm for the mirror, wings straining to hold me. It bobbled sharp on my fingerpads. Triumph splashed warm fudge over my heart, and I tumbled back to complete the catch.

But ozone burst fresh in my nose, and cold static snapped the air. My hair sprang taut. My teeth zinged, and harsh magnetic field yanked at my earrings, my belly ring, the zip on my dress.

The mirror careered away like a planet smashed out of orbit, and landed with a metallic crack in Indigo's outstretched palm.

Below us, Akash dived on Joey, cackling like a mad thing with his b.l.o.o.d.y teeth bared. Joey snarled and fought back, snaky body squirming.

Ten feet above the ground, Indigo and I collided.

Breath thudded from my lungs in a hot metal haze, and I fell.

Rough concrete slammed into my shoulder, crushing my ribs together. My wings ripped, agonizing. I rolled over, groaning, and strong blue fingers snaked around my wrist, dragging me to unwilling feet.

I stumbled as he tugged me away into the dark, conflicting emotions blurring my eyes again. I wanted to slap his lying face. I wanted to cling to him and let him take care of me, recover that wonderful mix of freedom and safety I'd felt in his arms. I wanted him to kiss me. I never wanted him to touch me again.

I sucked in air, fatigue already spiking my chest, and together we ran.

21.

Joey slams Akash's skull into the concrete one more time. Blood sprays, and at last the stubborn f.u.c.ker shudders between Joey's clamped thighs and falls limp.

Panting, Joey climbs off and crawls over in a rainbow blood slick to retrieve his cane. He doesn't bother looking around for the fairies. He knows they're gone, heard their mincing footsteps p.i.s.sing off into the dark. The mirror gone with them. Again.

Frustration seethes under his black-mottled skin, and he heaves to his feet with an angry hiss. Pain stabs his injured knee, and he forces the joint to shift, stretching snakethin and back again to shut it the f.u.c.k up. Bones click together, and the pressure eases.

Around him in the dark, trapped creatures screech and moan. He should set them free. In the light, Mina sprawls, b.l.o.o.d.y, her breath dragging in ragged gasps bereft of music. Smooth pale thigh shows through her ripped leather pants. Her lovely blue hair is ragged, torn by razor copper claws.

Rage thrusts icy needles into his blood. He slithers scales and fins away with a wet squelch and stalks up to her, leaning on his cane to offer her his b.l.o.o.d.y hand. "Get up."

Her jeweled eyes shine bloodshot, her face bruised, but her lips spread in a smile and she makes a weak laugh. "You let him take it . . . for me. To save me."

"Yeah." The stupidity ripples his skin. But her hand slides warm and delicate in his, her nails jagged. Their blood mingles. She's so warm. So fragrant. He pulls her to her feet. She winces at torn muscles and stumbles on her heels, but doesn't recoil.

He steadies her. Her curving waist feels good, the damp leather tasty, a fleeting brush of exposed skin.

"Thank you." Shyly, she lifts her chin, offers herself, baring a seductive glimpse of throat.

He can't help it. Another kiss, and this time their lips melt together, gentle and searching, and his cold blood ignites. Her hot candy lips move under his so delicately. Her tongue so soft, her taste so delicate and clean. Her wrist so fine and slender in his palm. Her small b.r.e.a.s.t.s perfect against his chest. The fresh feminine smell of her skin. His pulse quickens; he's dangerously hard. The snake writhes and seethes with venom, only a whisper's width beneath his skin.

But he can't. He'll break her, or himself. He'll forget what's important.

The family is everything. Power is everything. His own obsession-call it what it is-is insignificant. Mina is nothing.

He drifts back, just an inch. Already his lips cool. She whimpers and presses for more, but he grips that fine wrist and forces her away. "Don't thank me, Mina. You were careless. I paid for it. Don't ever put me in that position again."

And before he can see her expression, he limps away, leaning on his cane. His pulse thudding a warning. His flesh burning to change.

He doesn't need to listen for her shuffle to know she'll follow.

Joey's crippled footsteps fade, and Akash flicks his eyes open.

He giggles, fresh with blood. He's not so easily dealt with. The little snake man is too confident.

Pain caresses his limbs as he staggers to his feet. He can't breathe through his mangled nose. A steel pin in his lip dangles loose, and he rips it out and tosses it aside in a scarlet spray. His pretty inked skin oozes with venombright cuts. He wipes the mess away. His left arm bends awkwardly, bones sc.r.a.ping.

He laughs again. Such sweet sensation. He enjoyed the blood rush, the pain, the power. Fighting is fun. He'll do it more.

He enjoyed that dark blue fairy, too. He'd like those magnets for himself. Soon he'll get that blue fairy and drink it.

Pure warm covetousness spreads inside him. Yes. This is what earth means. Wanting. Satisfying urges, one after another. He'll like it here.

More laughter pleasures his bruised lungs, and he reaches inside for his healing energy. His split skin ripples, mending, but inside his shattered arm, it sputters short.

He wobbles the arm. Pain still flares, the bones not knitted. Pity. He likes this body. He enjoyed the yellow girl's reaction to it. Thinking of her makes him warm inside. Her wonderful spiky magic just beyond reach under his tongue, her spicy kiss, her tough lithe body. If he had the shiny gla.s.s, he could find her.

He doesn't.

"Akash?" Shy footsteps sidle up behind him, honey-sweet.

He sighs, dissatisfied, and turns.

Indra bows her head, hands clasped in front of her, her sly gaze darting upward. "I've brought you a gift."

Her skin looks flushed, her mouth curling with satisfaction. Curiosity pierces him like a dart. What has she done? "Show me."