Fang looked down at the face of the kid in the photo. His features were contorted by fear. Poor kid hadn’t stood a chance and that set off his own anger. One thing Fang had never been able to stomach. A bully. Thorn was right. This asshole needed to be stopped.

Thorn pinned him with a lethal stare. “You, my little loup-garou, are the best weapon in this battle since our VD maven won’t see you coming and neither will Phrixis.”

“What about the priestess?” he asked since Thorn had brought her up. “What do you want me to do where she’s concerned?”

“Her, I’ll take care of. There’s no treaty where she’s concerned so I have free rein to do with her as I will. Bitch going to rue the day she decided to unleash Phrixis on the world.”

Fang arched his brow in amusement. Now there was a sentence you didn’t hear every day. “Rue the day?”

Thorn shrugged. “I’m old enough to make you look like an embryo. Sometimes it shows. You have twenty-four hours to find Phrixis or I’m sending you back to the Nether Realm.”

That threat and his tone hit the wrong nerve. Fang glared at him. “Fuck you, asshole.”

Thorn’s eyes turned red. A deep, burning red that shimmered like running blood in the dim light. For some reason he couldn’t name, an image of Thorn in black armor with wings flashed through Fang’s mind. But it was gone so fast, he wasn’t sure what prompted it.

“I advise you against taking that tone with me, wolf. While I’m usually good at taming the beast inside me, I don’t always succeed. And you definitely don’t want to see that side of me. In fact, you should be grateful I’m giving you twenty-four hours. If you were whole and if this wasn’t your first target, I wouldn’t be so lenient.”

“I don’t like taking orders.”

“And I don’t like repeating myself.” Thorn glanced at the door where Aimee had walked out before he pinned Fang with a merciless glower. “You offered your soul up to whomever could save Aimee. I answered and now I own you. Lock, stock, and soul. Do what you’re told, wolf, or you’ll both spend eternity in a place that makes the Nether Realm seem like Disneyland.”

Fang’s hackles rose. He hated that tone and the threat, but Thorn was right. He’d been the one to make the bargain by his own free will and he would abide by it.

Even if it killed him. “You seriously lack people skills.”

The red faded from Thorn’s eyes as a slow, insidious smile curved his lips. “And I flunked anger management the moment I put the counselor through a stone wall. You might want to keep that in mind.”

Fang felt the muscle in his jaw working. “I can tell we’re going to get along like Batman and the Joker.”

“Just remember one thing, wolf. I’m the best friend you’ll ever have or the last enemy you’ll ever make.”

Because he wouldn’t live long enough to make another one. Thorn didn’t say those words, but his tone implied them.

He handed Fang another photograph and a piece of cloth that held the stench of demon. “That’s your target. Make me not regret saving you.”

Fang started to flip him off. Had he been stronger, he probably would have. But right now the idea of flying through a wall when he’d have to go chase down a demon didn’t seem like the wisest course of action.

Vane would be proud. The Nether Realm had finally taught him a modicum of self-preservation.

“When does my time start?”

“Ten minutes ago.”

Fang snorted. “Thanks. That’s real generous of you.”

Thorn seemed unperturbed by his sarcasm. “I should probably warn you that I’m not real big on fairness and I have a below-zero tolerance on most things. Do your job. Do it right and we won’t have any problems. Fuck up and I’ll most likely kill you. Fuck up bad enough and I’ll torture you first.”

“Anything else I need to know?”

“Just this.” Thorn reached out and grabbed him by the wrist. Before Fang could move, Thorn had him on his back in the bed with his palm pressed against his shoulder blade.

Fang cursed as his shoulder burned. It felt as if he were being branded. He tried to fight, but he couldn’t move. It was like something inhuman and unseen was holding him down. When Thorn finally released him, he saw that he wasn’t far off. The scent of burning flesh hung heavy in the air and on his shoulder was a round circle with ancient symbols.

Reaching to touch it, Fang hissed as he increased the pain of it. “What is that?”

“Protection from the lesser demons and from spells the mavens and warlocks might want to use on you once they realize you’re one of mine. Believe me, you’ll be grateful you have it.”

Maybe when the stinging stopped, but right now he wanted to kick Thorn’s ass until that bastard hurt as much as he did. “Will it work on Phrixis?”

Thorn laughed. “You’re amusing.” He stepped back and handed him a gold hilt. He flicked a ruby stone up and the blade extended three feet out. “This is your sword,” he said in a tone implying Fang was less than intelligent. “You press the pointy end into the enemy. Try not to let him make eye contact with you and remember, he spits invisible poison.”

“Oh, goody.”

Thorn ignored the sarcasm as he pulled out a cell phone. “Call me when it’s over. Just press two and I’ll answer.”

“And if I die?”

“I’ll know and I won’t be happy. Remember, wolf, I’m one of the few beings who can follow you into the afterworld and seriously fuck you up there. Don’t fail me.”

“Important note taken. Thank you, Dr. Morbid.”

Thorn inclined his head to him before he vanished.

Fang let out a deep sigh as he debated what to do. But there was no decision really. He had to get started chasing the demon and the clock was ticking.

Best to get out of here before Aimee returned.

He picked the locket up from his chest and held it in a tight fist. He would be back.

First he had duties.

Taking a deep breath, he dressed himself in jeans, a T-shirt, and a leather jacket before he held the cloth to his nose and took a deep breath. With the demon’s stench choking him, he left to track it down.

Aimee paused as she entered Fang’s empty room. The white duvet was still rumpled and the pillows askew as if he’d just stepped away. “Fang?”

No one answered.

Frowning, she knew he wasn’t in the bathroom since that was where she’d just come from. Where would he go? She searched Peltier House and Sanctuary with her powers and still there was no sign of him.

Had he gone to his brother?

She closed her eyes and let her powers wander through the ether until she found him. He was down in the Warehouse District, walking along the street like he hadn’t just come back from hell. The antique stores that were housed in the old warehouse buildings were closed for the night as he passed by them.

What in the world was he doing there?

She watched as he paused to lean against a gray brick building as if trying to catch his breath. He had one arm wrapped around his ribs before he pushed himself away and continued down the street. He kept his head lowered and by the predatorial way he moved she could tell he was tracking someone.

Why would he do something so stupid? She’d gone to a lot of trouble to save him for him to just turn around and get knifed in a back alley when he should still be in bed resting.

“What are you thinking, wolf?”

He was in no shape to be after anyone or anything. And before she could stop herself, she teleported to be right there beside him.

Fang whirled on her with a growl so fierce, she actually took a step back in fear. She’d forgotten just how formidable he could be. Even thin and weak, he was still as fierce as any Slayer she’d ever seen. His long hair fell into feral eyes and the sword he swung came at her so fast that all she could do was gasp and hold her hands up.

The blade paused so close to her that she could feel the tiniest scrape of it against her upraised palms.