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“Not at all” He kept going

She tried to stop hied her hold off He was too set on payback Nothing, not even Kody, was going to get in his way Deternored Mark and Bubba, ere araped at him and his apparent intentions

Without a word, Simi and Caleb fell in behind him as his escorts

Nick opened the door with his telekinesis and stood on the front porch Caleb took position just behind Nick’s left side while Si a brow, Thorn froze a few feet from the bottom step “Well, well … how stupid and brave of you, little boy But it’ll take so more than two demons and elelanced to Simi and Caleb, then looked over to where Thorn’s soldiers were dragging what he hoped was only an unconscious Acheron and Savitar onto the front lawn so that they could duo to them and make sure they were alive But that would be all kinds of dumb

And while stupid was his better friendthat urge down, Nick locked gazes with Thorn and gave hi into perfor his own kind of idiocy For further effect, he rolled out his thickest Cajun drawl “Oh nohy you want to go and insult me, eh, Boo? What’d I ever do to you?”

Thorn stepped forward

Nick rubbed at his jaw “I would advise against doing that”

Another step “I don’t take orders”

“That’s where you’re wrong, bon hoeneral … and you take orders froh

Nick tsked “Last chance”

“Or what?”

Nick unfurled his wings and let the fire roll down both his arms until it pooled into his hands where it flaonna barbecue me some Thorny meat and let the Simi here break out her hottest sauce and say, bon appétit, cher”

Siyou don’t lanced back at Thorn “So what’s it to be? You ready to make Simi’s day or you want to back down and leave with all limbs attached?”

Thorn paused as he considered his answer

“He’s bluffing,” Tabitha said as she walked through the demons to reach Thorn’s side “He doesn’t have his powers They’re trying to trick us I sahat he looks like as the Malachai and that’s not it”

Thorn swept a speculative glance over Nick’s body “My girl’s calling you a liar”

“If rowled

Nick growled back

Caleb laughed at the this We couldon it”

“Already recorded, akri-demon Just let the Simi knohenever you want the full-color playback”

“Good” Caleb turned back to Nick “This is probably where I ought to inforallu is you have to confront each general in your ar them”

The fire went out on his ar on a lared at Caleb “Clarify that last statement”

“You Malachai” Caleb stepped forward to clap him on the back “Must sally forth unto each šarru and proclaim yourself the Uma-Šarru For lack of a better terh in your face, you throw theh for you?”

A little too clear, honestly His stoain, Nick nodded “You know, Cale This information would have been a lot more useful to ot that whole bad habit of leaping over a crack while not noticing that it’s right in front of a cliff with no guardrail Maybe you should look a little farther ahead than the tip of your nose frohed out loud “See to us”

This time when Thorn moved forward, Nick set him on fire and forced him and Tabitha backward, into the yard “Did I say you could move, Alpo? Pretty sure I told you to stay put Think you, I didn’t ratulated in an a about”

“Uh, not to interrupt, but…” Caleb pointed to the de them

Nick let out a sound of fierce irritation before he sent a wave across the yard that knocked the toward the street

When they rose back to their feet and ran at theain, he passed a droll stare to Caleb “They ride the short bus, don’t they?”

“Pretty sure that big derimaced at them both as she joined thea monsters on the laant us dead Could you please focus?”

He took a step, but Caleb grabbed hi over the world Run, Nick! Save yourself before it’s too late”

Nick snorted at Caleb’s words then winked at her “Fine, belle” He glanced to the demon over his shoulder “Siiddy laugh, she took off after them

“But don’t eat Thorn or Tabitha or Selena or Mandy!” Kody called “We ht need them!”

Caleb heh’ed as he watched their enemies splinter and run fro therandfather always thought so,” Kodyfor a few days Months would be even better”

Nick scoffed at her wish “So long as you’re with the Malachai, cher, ‘boring’ will never be in your vocabulary”

She sighed “Sad, but true”

“Malachai!” Thorn shouted

“Khan!” Nick returned with his best Captain Kirk imitation “Do we have to put down every creature in your arain “Fine You want me to stop? Prove yourself to me”

Caleb turned to face Nick “Reoing to ner heels at the prom” Nick headed down the steps to meet Thorn

Thorn raked him with a stare that said he didn’t think Nick would be h, he swung out at him