I heard the truck door open, and a small groan that was almost a whimper. Then the shushing static of the phone beingmoved.
“I’ve found your nearly frozen Prince Charming,” Bathinsaid.
“Is hebreathing?”
A pause, then, “Sofar.”
“Bring him tome.”
“Oh, I will.Eventually.”
The phone disconnected. “Eventually? What kind of crap iseventually?” Iyelled.
Myra rubbed at her forehead. “I didn’t narrow the time specifications. I should have thought ofthat.”
“No, you shouldn’t have promised him a favor, Myra. What were youthinking?”
“That you aren’t supposed to make any more deals withdemons.”
“Andyouare?”
“This time? Yes. Ryder needs you. I didn’t know if Bathin was going to demand an immediate favor just to take you away when Ryder needsyou.”
Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. “We seriously need to find someone else in town who can teleport,” I muttered. “Maybe for the price of donuts. Demons are toocomplicated.”
“Who can we call?” sheasked.
I pushed my fingers back through my hair, thinking. My gaze landed on the pig. Crow said Bathin couldn’t hide from it. Did that mean the pig could find thedemon?
“Dragon?” I really needed to find out if it had a name. “Do you know where the demonis?”
The pig lifted its head from where it was propped on Spud’sback.
“Demon?” I repeated. “Bathin? He was just here. We told him to go findRyder?”
“I don’t think it understands you,” Myrasaid.
“Dragons understand human speech.” I said. “He’s called Black Heart?” Itried.
The pig jumped to its feet and trotted over to me. It sat in front of me, head tippedup.
And while it was still cute, there was fire in those piggy eyes, and smoke in that piggy snout. The space around it had gone wobbly like a fun housemirror.
“Find Black Heart and the man with him. The man is Ryder Bailey. Bring them here.Now.”
The pig stood. For a moment, just the flash of a splintered second, there was a dragon in my living room. It was huge and black with wings of fire and claws of steel. And then itdisappeared.
The scent of burned coal and sandalwood filled theair.
“Wow,” Myra said. “You have adragon.”
I exhaled a shaky breath. “I really need to read up on the care andfeeding.”
Spud hadn’t missed out on the commotion. He was on his feet and at my side, stiff-eared, stiff-tailed, staring into the space the dragon had justvacated.
He growled, thenbarked.
The room went wobbly again, and I reached over for Myra at the same time she reached forme.
