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"We will be there," he assured me "Cooper, Rafe, myself, and two others I trust that will suffice?"

"Do you think I’ it?" I asked hied you on your own turf I think a show of strength is wise"

"Good," I said "Andthank you"

"I owe you ht as Hel’s agent to call upon your allies to defend her de up

If you like ce It dated back to the 1800s, when the toas founded, and featured lots of weathered headstones turning green with moss and lichen under somber pine trees and a few scattered ood twentythe narroo-track that wound through the grounds, pulling off near the designatedplace, which was in front of the elaborate Italianate mausoleuan were said to be interred If you were to guess that it was a popular place for high school boys to bring girls to ply thehost stories, you would be correct

But tonight it was Sinclair and his father who stood waiting before the sealed door of the mausoleum The other members of the coven were arrayed on either side of them in a semicircle some twenty yards away We nodded at one another

"Daisy," Sinclair greeted me "Dad, this is Daisy Johanssen Daisy, my father, Thomas Palmer"

I held out my hand "A pleasure"

Mr Palmer studied ood-looking man, and I re, God-fearing man "So you’re"

My tail flicked "Yeah," I said "I’m the hell-spawn"

"Huh"

Apparently, he was also a h to persuade his daughter

Stefan’s posse arrived in a ruines He directed Cooper and the others to array the their bikes and guarding the egresses, then parked his own glea Vincent Black Shadow behind e me with one of his courtly half bows He had a sword strapped to his back, and his pupils glinted in the fading light "Hel’s liaison I ask the honor of serving as your personal guard tonight"

"Thanks," I said "That would be great"

His htly, then he inclined his head and took a stance about ten paces away

On the whole, I was feeling pretty good about our show of strength

The sun hadn’t set yet, but it had sunk beneath the tree line in the west and dusk was deepening in the ces stirred in the shadows-- shon

Sinclair’s father shuddered

"It’s okay, Dad" Sinclair laid a hand on his father’s shoulder "They don’t mean any harhouls waited on their motorcycles Casimir and the coven waited in their semicircle I waited with Sinclair and his father, and Stefan not far away Curious fairies, hobgoblins, bogles, and whatnot whispered and lurked in the shadows, also waiting

In the distance, headlights

There was a faint popping sound, and Jojo blinked into existence, her wings buzzing like a tiny helicopter "They’re co "They’re on their way!"

Wait a minute

"UmJojo?" I said "What do you mean, they?"

She shot me a disdainful look "The sister and the other one, lackwit"