“A double shift—those are tough. You want company?”

Kalona looked at the detective. The skin under his eyes was bruised, and his steps were dragging. “Maybe next time. Thank you for the offer, though.”

“No problem. Be safe out there and, like the kid said, see you at dusk.”

Kalona nodded and began walking toward the far wall of the school trying, unsuccessfully, not to replay Shaunee’s words over and over again in his mind.

Lynette

“The costumes are lacking!” Neferet said as she shook her head and glared at the group of trembling people Lynette had chosen to wear what were supposed to be 1920s-era clothing.

Had everything, or even anything been normal, Lynette would have said her latest event was experiencing a few roadblocks. In the insanity that her world had become, Lynette had decided her latest event was a suicide bomber’s vest filled with explosives and set to detonate—and she was wearing the damn thing.

“Goddess, remember the two things I need? Time and means?”

“I remember everything.”

Lynette clasped her hands in front of her so that Neferet would not see how badly they were trembling. She cleared her mind and concentrated on what she did best—handling the client so the event was successful.

“And that is just one reason why it is so refreshing to be planning events for a Goddess and not a human or a vampyre,” Lynette said.

Neferet’s slit-eyed glare softened with the flattery. “What is it you need that I have not provided? We decided on my next worship event last night. It is almost dusk, and all I asked was that I preview the costumes of my supplicants while they practice the Charleston. I am quite sure Tulsa has costume shops aplenty, and you have an unlimited access to my means. So explain to me why not one of these costumes remotely resembles the era of the 1920s.”

“Tulsa has two decent costume shops, Ehrle’s and Top Hat,” Lynette began.

“Only two?” Neferet sighed. “I should have begun my Temple in Chicago. Chicago is filled with exquisite shops. Kylee! My goblet is empty!”

The Kybot, which is what Lynette had silently renamed the robotic receptionist, scurried up the stairs to where Neferet lounged on her throne, instantly refilling the scarlet liquid the Goddess couldn’t ever seem to get enough of.

“But I interrupted you, dear Lynette. Please, continue to explain this travesty.” She fluttered her long red-tipped fingers at the ballroom below them and the group of mismatched people waiting there.

“I contacted the owners of both shops. They refused to deliver to us.” Lynette gave Neferet the news quickly and then braced herself for insanity.

Instead of exploding, Neferet got very still. In a voice that was soft and contemplative, she asked, “And why did they refuse me?”

“They said the police have the block around the Mayo cordoned off and that they are not allowing anyone to approach us.”

Neferet tapped her goblet with the tip of one sharp fingernail. She cocked her head contemplatively. Then her expression cleared and she smiled. “The solution is simple. The police are keeping humans from entering. Their attention is turned outward. They won’t expect anyone to be sneaking out.”

“Sneaking out?”

“Yes, well, it wouldn’t be just anyone who will be doing the sneaking. It will be you.”

Lynette leaned against the wrought-iron railing. “Me?”

“My dear, are you having a problem with your hearing?”

“N-no,” Lynette hastily assured her.

“Kylee, pour Lynette a glass of wine. She’s looking pale.” Gratefully, Lynette chugged the wine as Neferet began the insane explanation. “It will be quite easy for you. You’ll go out the back way, around where they pile the horrid refuse. Climbing the fence shouldn’t pose a problem for you—you appear to have kept yourself in decent physical condition. And, of course, you’ll have Judson with you to help with any problems that arise. Judson, you’ll be sure dear Lynette returns safely and you’ll carry her shopping bags for her, won’t you?”

Judson nodded automatically and, blank faced, said, “Yes, Goddess.”

“Excellent! I will have Kylee call a cab to meet you at, um, let’s say in front of the Central Library at Fourth and Denver. That’s far enough away that it won’t be within the police barricade, and close enough so as not to be too taxing when you are dropped back off. Judson will do all the heavy lifting for you.”

Lynette’s mind was racing. She’s making Judson come with me to force me to return. But he’s really not more than a robot when Neferet’s not pulling his strings. Maybe I can give him the slip, especially when we get to the library. Someone there will be able to—

“Let me be clear, Lynette. Judson and you won’t be alone. I wouldn’t think of allowing you to be so vulnerable. Several of my children will be escorting you.” The Goddess reached down and stroked the black snake-thing that was wrapped around her leg. “They will also be eager to get closer to you should you falter. Then you and Judson will have more in common than you do now—much more.”

Lynette snapped her thoughts into order. The job! I will concentrate on the job!

“Is something amiss, my dear? Surely you don’t have a problem with my solution.”

“Honestly, I agree with you about sneaking out.” Lynette focused on the one normal thing left in her world, being concerned with completing her job. “The police won’t be expecting anyone to do that. But I am worried about getting back in. Even you said that’s what they’re focused on—keeping people out.”

“You are so right to be concerned. I forget that you cannot read my mind because I can so easily read yours. The answer to that problem is simple as well. We shall wait until after the sun has set for you to begin your trek. Night and the inattention of the police will hide you on your way out. On your return, my children will call mist and magick, shadows and fog, so that Darkness will conceal you.”

Lynette gaped at her, keeping her thoughts carefully blank, not knowing what to say.

“You needn’t look so concerned. Being concealed by Darkness won’t hurt at all. Well, I should more correctly say, it won’t hurt you at all. My children will have to be fed. Tonight one taxi driver will get rather more than he expected as a tip!” Neferet’s laughter was cruel and utterly mad.

Lynette upended her goblet and drank deeply.

“Now, send these poorly clad supplicants to their rooms. The next time I see them I want to be dazzled.” Neferet clapped her hands with her command, as if she was a pharaoh dismissing slaves. “Lynette, you should probably change that dress for slacks and a dark top. I would hate for you to accidentally be overexposed. You are dismissed until after the sun has set.”

“Yes, Goddess,” Lynette curtsied and backed shakily away, heading to the elevator that would take her to the fourth-floor loft Neferet had given her. When the doors closed, she covered her mouth with both of her hands, muffling the scream she couldn’t stop. For the first time, Lynette understood that there really was no way to survive Neferet’s madness, that the question wasn’t if she was going to die, but how and when.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Zoey

“That is one ginormous tree! I’m glad the stupid icepocylapse didn’t kill it. I saw somethin’ online about how many Bradford pear trees were killed this winter in T-Town, and it was a crazily high number,” Stevie Rae said. She was huddled next to me in the van looking like a bad Halloween ghost costume with a white blanket covering her except for where she’d poked two little eyeholes. The sun had almost set, and the van was windowless, but Thanatos said we weren’t going to take any chances. Stevie Rae and Shaylin were totally covered up, and they were the only red vampyre and fledgling allowed to go with us—much to the pissed-off-ness of Stark.