It wasn't the Black God. It was a man too familiar to be a stranger, with beautiful purple eyes, a small frame, and a face without emotion. She closed her eyes, suddenly remembering where she'd seen the Watcher over fifteen years ago, in Jonny's hospital room.

"I can help him," a man said. She jumped. No one had come in through the door she faced. She twisted in her chair to see a man near the dark windows whose eyes were the color of her bright purple Easter dress.

"Are you a doctor?" she asked, wiping her eyes.

"I can make it so he doesn't remember that you did this to him," the stranger said. "But you understand that medical treatment isn't free?"

Her chin trembled as guilt flowed over her and she swallowed hard, nodding.

"It will cost you something."

She dug through the pockets in her jeans and pulled out the stash of one dollar bills she'd been given for trips to the candy machine down the hall. She counted them with shaking hands.

"I only have four dollars," she said with some dismay.

"I require more than that." His eyes seemed to swirl, around and around, changing from the color of her mother's tulips to a color almost as dark as the night. He wasn't like the other doctors. His voice wasn't kind. He had no emotions, like a man in a Halloween mask.

"I don't have anything else!"

The man with purple eyes knelt in front of her. His face didn't look rubbery like a Halloween mask, but he didn't look normal. The air around him was cold like it was around an air conditioning vent. She took a step back.

"You have to help him," she whispered. "Please!"

"I will help him, Bianca. If you make me a promise," he said. "You must keep this promise no matter what, or your brother will get sick and die. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"There is a man you will meet when you are older, a man who-"

"This is low, even for you," a second man's voice said.

She jumped at the new voice. The second man's hand clamped on the first man's shoulder. The eyes of the newcomer were the color of their Christmas tree. He had Papaw's face, with wrinkles around his eyes and a kind smile.

"By divine code, you can't interfere," the man with the purple eyes said in a tone that made her shrink away.

"By divine code, neither can you."

Purple-eyes rose. Green-eyes stepped between Bianca and Purple-eyes, and Purple-eyes backed towards the window again.

"We're so much better than this, brother," Green-eyes said. "Children are off limits."

"For your kind, Watcher. There are no boundaries for us."

"Divine code disagrees with you and the rest of the Others."

Purple-eyes looked at her, and she shrank behind Green-eyes.

"The Grey God will destroy us all, brother. You can stop this war here, now," Purple-eyes said with a look that made her snap her eyes closed.

"You're a fool led by a fool. Go, brother," Green-eyes said.

Bianca held her breath and waited, able to feel the tension between them even with her eyes closed until he spoke again. "He's gone, Bianca."

She opened one eye, then the other, confirming his words. She started crying again.

"Jonny's gonna die!"

"You can save him."

"I can't! I tried! I can't!"

"Listen, Bianca." He took her arms and sat her in a chair, handed her a fistful of tissues, and knelt. She blew her nose loudly and looked at him through blurry eyes. His small smile was kind, his bright eyes unblinking. "You have a very special gift. No one else has one like you."

"But I'm too little to save Jonny."

"Nonsense. You can save Jonny. You hear his body speak of the death in him?"

"It's awful," she whispered.

"If you listen really hard to what his body tells you, you can save him. No one wants to die, and his body will tell you what it needs from you. You need to rest tonight, sleep as much as you can. In the morning, you'll be able to heal him."

"But I've been trying for days!"

He touched her again, his hand cool but the electricity that shot through her warm.

"I've woken your gift completely," he said. "You must promise to keep it a secret and to make Jonny keep it a secret."

She blinked rapidly, startled by the sensations going through her.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes."

"You must also never harm another. It is the way of ancient healers. Do you understand?" he asked.

"Ancient healers?"

"In time you'll learn more. Do you understand what I ask of you?"

"I don't know. I think so," she murmured.

"Can you promise to keep Jonny safe?"

"He's my brother," she said, sniffling again.

"Good. Go to sleep, Bianca. I'll watch over your brother tonight. In the morning, you'll save him."

For the first time, she noticed he wasn't wearing a doctor's white coat. "You're not a doctor, are you?" she ventured.

"No, but I'm a friend here to watch over you and Jonny."

The memory-fuzzy for fifteen years-grew crisp, and surprise and hope went through her as she recalled the night that'd changed everything. Her hand went to her phone. She lay back down, hoping they hadn't noticed, then rolled onto her other side.

If he's here, can you come here, too? She texted to the Watcher.

I've broken enough Divine codes for the week. I told you not to leave Sofi, came the chiding reply. Is the Other there?

Yes.

This time, do as I say. When the portal opens, go with Czerno. Warn him about the Other, the Watcher instructed her.

She reread the message, startled. Warn the Black God? A shadow crossed her screen, and she snapped the cell against her body. The Black God shoved her on her belly and pressed his knee in her spine.

"Hand it over, or I'll break you in half then feed you to Talon," he ordered. She obliged quickly, tensing as she waited for him to finish with her phone. "Who is the other?"

She hesitated, and pain spun through her as the pressure of his knee increased.

"I don't know who he is! He came to me when I was a little girl, and the Watcher ran him off. I just saw him with Talon!" she exclaimed.

"Describe him."

"A man with purple eyes."

The Black God growled low in his chest, an inhuman sound. He clamped a hand around the back of her neck and yanked her to her feet.

"Say anything to anyone else, and you'll spend eternity in the greatest agony I can create."

She managed a nod at the eyes that had grown darker than the sky. He released her and tucked the phone in his pocket. Dismayed, she shuddered from cold and fear. He said nothing to Talon, gave no trace he knew something was wrong. Yet she knew when his fury unleashed, he'd be as merciless as Dusty was with vamps.

I did it, Watcher. Not on purpose, but it's done!

"It's time," the Black God said over his shoulder.

Talon hurried over. The Black God ignored him and turned to her, a cold smile crossing his face. He held out a hand. She shuddered to her core at the evil peering through his gaze, feeling very much like the devil was offering her a deal without telling her the price. Heart quickening, she crossed to him and accepted his hand. Talon looked from the Black God to her, fire in his gaze.

She had no choice but to trust the devil.

It's time, his sister told him.

Dusty didn't remember dozing off but snapped awake. His sister's warning came an hour after he last remembered looking at the clock. He pushed himself out of bed and stood for a long moment, gazing out the window at the fields of winter wheat glowing in the moonlight. His light was off, a sign he'd been sleeping too hard to notice someone come in.

Two hours before dawn. He replaced his weapons and washed his face, feeling very much like this was to be his last day alive. His jaw clenched as he thought again of Bianca. He felt the loss already, a pain similar to the loss of his sister so many years ago. He stepped into a hall with streams of Guardians preparing for the dawn raid. The warm farmhouse smelled of gun oil and breakfast. A form loitering against one wall straightened as he started towards the stairs.

"Dustin!"

He turned to see Jonny. The youth's eyes were wide and bright, his skin flushed with health. Jonny stopped in front of him and stared. Dusty turned around and kept walking.

"Dusty, wait, I'm s...sorry. I just ... is B okay?" Jonny asked anxiously.

"For now," Dusty replied.

"For now?" came the uneasy reply. "I thought she was here with you but when I got here, I didn't see her. I started asking around, but no one would tell me, so I-"

"Jonny!" he barked.

"She's my sister!"

He turned to see the young man's face flushed this time with anger, his eyes glittering. The Guardians moved around them in the hall, and Dusty studied the young god-slayer. If the man before him was who the Watcher said he was ...

"I have a right to know," Jonny said less forcefully.

"Come with me." Dusty spun again and continued walking, aware of the anxious young man at his heels. He found Speck on the back porch, smoking a cigar while gazing at the glowing wheat fields. The dark sky stretched far overhead, no sign of morning yet visible.

"You don't leave my side," Dusty ordered Jonny. "Got it?"

"Yes, but-"

"Shut up," Dusty growled. Jonny fidgeted but fell silent. "Any word from Darian?"

"Nada," Speck replied. "You think he'll pull it off?"

"He's gotta be good for something."

"Heya, Jonny." At the husky female voice, Dusty turned to see Jenn fluff Jonny's hair as she passed. She stopped beside him and indicated the youth with her thumb. "He's here. Wanna tell me what you're thinking, boss?"

"I'm thinking Talon wants him real bad and will have to take me out to get to him," Dusty replied.

"This kid?" Speck asked, looking Jonny over critically. "Can he even carry a gun?"

"I can shoot!" Jonny replied. "Real well. Any weapon I come across, I can master without even trying!"

"Good you have a talent, or your skinny hide would be in trouble," Speck replied, amused.

"It's a byproduct of his talent," Dusty said. "Jonny is a god-slayer, which means he can kill Damian, Czerno, Darian, as well as Jule or me. Talon made him into a vamp. Bianca turned him human again, but she can't make him mortal. You're looking at the only known god-slayer in existence."

Speck stared, and Jenn frowned. Jonny looked apprehensive yet resigned, as if he'd known this was coming.

Dusty glanced at his watch. "Everything set for tonight in Florida?"

"As much as we can. Will start evacs for our skeleton crew at noon. Most everyone has been evac'd by the state. The storm is swallowing up the levies, and we sent folks north. Dusty, there are more vamps than we expected."

"Not for long," he said. "I don't know when Talon and the Black God will reappear, but we need to be ready. Evac our folks out of HQ and southern Florida at dawn."

"Got it."

"Speck, check in on Iggy. Jonny, come with me." Dusty held out a hand. The young man took it hesitantly, and Dusty Traveled with him to the town, utilizing his god-powers to locate Darian. His skin and senses crawled with the sensations of being surrounded by vamps. He stayed his urge to unleash the hand cannons on them all and stood stiffly.

Darian sensed him and whirled, his eyes lighting up before he looked down. He was surrounded by the half-vamp, half-human creatures of the town and waded through them to where Dusty stood.