Page 69 (1/2)

"Man of science, my ass!" I shouted across the intersection at hioraphobic, but whatever shreds of sanity he’d been clinging to were gone

"Hel’s liaison," Stefan said in a forhty swipe of the Tall Man’s axe "I fear th is not without limits The same does not appear true of the creature"

I winced "Sorry!"

I knehat I had to do I just didn’t kno the hell I was going to do it I set down the spirit lantern Dauda-dagr sang as I drew it, the hilt cool and reassuring againstmy tail prickled as I assessed the embattled Tall Man for a weakness in his armor at a vital point

There was one--there, when he turned his skull, his spine was exposed beneath his helmet at the nape of his neck

Only I hadn’t the faintest idea how to reach it

There was a thrus on the intersection, one that had sat empty and for sale since the Birchwood Grill it once housed had closed A thruered backward as a water balloon filled with red dye burst against his breastplate

Atop the roof, there were cheers and whoops, heads peering over the edge I felt a fierce grin stretch my cheeks "Go, Easties!"

"Oh, I don’t think so No, I’m afraid that won’t do at all" In the an calmly withdrew a pistol fro that he’d gone entirely around the bend, he sounded surprisingly coherent He raised his arures on the rooftop and cocked the safety "Let’s let this play out, shall we?"

I froze in shock A gun, or an insaneI’d expected But Cody spun around and drew his service pistol, his expression gri descendantJen around the neck with his left arun to her temple "I’d say it’s a standoff, Officer Why don’t you drop yours?"

Jen let out a faint squeak, her dark eyes ith terror and helpless fury, showing the whites Cody hesitated

"Oh, God," I whispered, the blood running cold insound, as one of the figures atop the roof vaulted over the edge, the panels of a long coat flaring like dark wings, briefly blotting out the streetlights overhead Soure dropped like a stone A highly cine his pistol and fired at it, the gunshot echoing loudly along the street

"Missed htening to adjust the folds of her long Victorian frock coat She showed her fangs "No one fucks with an lowered his pistol and fired on her at point-blank range, but a bullet to the chest barely even slowed Bethany down as she fell upon hiun from his hand as she jerked hi in Cody’s direction "Count yourself lucky I don’t drink you dry, asshole!"

Cody slapped a pair of handcuffs on Clancy Brannigan One psychotic o

Okay

"Wait!" I shouted "Stefan, everyone, just hold on!" I addressed the Tall Man’s figure "Mr Morgan, I want to parley!"

The helmeted skull turned towardalong its bones Grandpa Morgan was listening Opposite hirip on his sword, taking deep breaths Blood was running down his left aro," I said "He coain That can’t be what you want"

Blue flao, she-devil!" It was a different voice, not as booes Well, that and a Jarandson, and you and your cursed bloodclot of a town can have yourfrom behind the protective barrier of Lurine’s coils, Sinclair confronted the apparition There were tears on his cheeks "This is my town and these are ht to choose a different for me; not you, not e e my heart" He opened one hand to reveal the withered remnants of a joe-pye weed "You can only break it"

On the outskirts of what had been a crowd of spectators, there was still shouting and pushing, but the street surrounding us had gone quiet Everyone asn’t already fleeing was transfixed with a coht Lurine’s eye and pointed toward the Tall Man’s ankles, then held up one finger to indicate she should wait forforward a few feet Behind her, Stacey Brooks stood with her arht air

In silence, aited for the Tall Man’s--for Grandpa Morgan’s--response

"Sorry, bwai" There ret in the rusty voice "But your mother bound an had loosed the reins on the Tall Man and given hi in search of Stacey Brooks Stefan straightened, hoisting his sword, his irises like pale rims of frost around his pupils

"Easties, fire!" I shouted, praying that Brandon and his friends were still up therethe ramparts

My prayers were answered Atop the roof of the old Birchwood Grill building, the industrial-strength water-balloon launcher twanged over and over, launching a barrage The Tall Man flailed, batting at the onslaught It wasn’t anything more than an annoyance to him, but all I needed was a moment’s distraction