Wicked Hungry

Piper shrugs. “Win some, lose some.”

Suddenly the bonds that bind me break. I’m free again, and worries about Meredith and Carolina — and about Max, too — flood back into me.

“In that case, I’m off,” Piper says. “I’ll let you deal with these stinky fellows here, since you want to be so independent. Should I give them one last command? Say, for example, ‘Attack?’”

But the ghouls are already moving forward. Blaine reaches down and grabs Frumberg as the brothers let loose a volley of crossbow bolts. The projectiles slam into three ghouls with satisfying smacks, knocking them back. But then they get back up and start shambling toward us.

“Enjoy the fun,” says Piper. “It would have been nice working with you, Stanley. But Blaine will have his way.”

And then, with a twirl of his cape, he vanishes.

“Bastard,” Blaine says.

One of the ghouls jumps, landing on him, maybe trying to get at Frumberg. Blaine twists, and Connor reaches out, grabs the ghoul’s head with two huge, hairy hands, and pulls it off with a loud popping noise.

Blaine staggers backward, pulling Gary up with him, and then he runs. We all run. Until finally the foul smell of ghoul is far off in the distance.

Blaine lets Gary fall to the ground. He sighs and seems to deflate. “I’m getting too old for this kind of thing,” he says.

But Connor looks at us again. “What did you say the name of the demon was, boys?”

“Rewsin,” we say together, and Carver, who’s bent over from running, whistles.

“What?” I say, looking over at him.

“I read about him in one of my brother’s books,” Carver says. “He’s one big, bad-ass demon, if there ever was one. Maybe even one of the old ones.”

Connor nods. “Blaine, the clan may be in danger back there. A rogue demon could mess everything up.”

“You think that’s why the piper’s acting up?” Blaine asks.

“The piper doesn’t need an excuse to act up,” Connor says. “I’m just worried about your house.”

“Morgaine is there,” Blaine says. “The wards will hold.”

“But Carolina told me she was going for a walk,” I say. “With Meredith.”

“She what?” growls Blaine.

“Easy, there,” Carver says, raising his crossbow along with Andres. Behind them three other brothers back them up.

“Everybody calm down,” I say. “Blaine, Carolina called me on the phone. I tried to convince her not to go, but she hung up.”

Connor looks at Blaine. “That really changes everything. Why would Morgaine let them out?”

“Maybe they snuck out?” Blaine says. “Kids today do all kinds of sneaky things. We need to get back there.”

“You don’t think they’re in danger, do you?” I ask.

“Yes, I do,” he says. “There’s way too much out and about tonight with the gate open.”

Suddenly there is a red blur off to the side. It stops in the shadows and hisses. “Stanley,” she says.

Three of Andres and Carver’s friends turn their weapons toward her, and I hear cries of frustration. “That’s no werewolf,” Andres says.

“It’s my friend,” I say.

“You’re friends with a vampire?” Blaine says, incredulous. “Two werecreatures aren’t enough for you?”