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“I do not intend to harm Gideon Cain . . . not this night,” Victor said. “I merely mean to take back what is rightfully yours, Adam. And should there be anti-theft wards, well, it is not stealing when the item does not belong to him. As Tom Collins often reminded us, wards have loopholes.”

“We just gotta wait for Tom’s go-ahead.” Zee plucked his phone from his pocket. “Gah, no signal. Wait here, I’ll check it down the street.” He poofed out of the bar, leaving me sipping spicy whiskey as Victor fixed himself a cup of Irish tea.

“It’s a long shot,” I said after mulling over their crazy plan.

“Perhaps. But with Tom’s help, it may succeed. Having a djinn masquerading as an AI inside the building’s electrics gives us the upper hand. Couple Tom’s presence with an invisibility ring, and we have a chance. Gideon Cain may not see us coming.”

“Did you just make a joke?”

“Unlikely.” He smiled.

“You know, you rarely smile when Zee is around.”

“Where’s the mystery if I did?”

I chuckled into my whiskey then rubbed my sore shoulder.

“How are you feeling?”

“About the plan? I don’t like it.” There were too many unknowns. But mostly, I didn’t like that they’d be going without me. The last few days and my hospital stay had proven I was terrible at being human, though.

“I meant generally.”

“Oh, I’m okay. Tired. Grumpy. Maybe a tiny bit scared? Stopping Cain is a long shot.”

“You know what else is a long shot?” Victor’s soft voice had me looking up from the golden swirl of whiskey in my glass to find his gaze sympathetic and his smile gentle. “A vampire falling in love with an incubus and a human of questionable origins.”

My own smile had a mind of its own and grew, despite the nerves writhing inside me. “That does seem unlikely.”

“Yet, it’s true.” He reached across the bar. Firm fingers gathered mine and gently squeezed. “Amazing things can and do happen. It is time for you to be restored to your full glory.”

I still wasn’t sure what my full glory meant in a human city like San Francisco. “You can’t go up against Cain, Victor, especially if he’s found a way to use my power.” I didn’t want to say the words, but Cain would kill him. “Will you promise me at the first sign of trouble, you and Zee will get out of there? Don’t fight him.”

He held my gaze, sensing the importance of his answer. “I have no intention of ending things at Gideon’s hands. If the plan appears unlikely to succeed, I will indeed call it off.”

“Are you and Zee going to be alright together?”

“Zodiac and I are . . .” A whole array of emotions briefly flickered across his face, but eventually settled on a soft, peaceful smile. “We may not agree on many things⁠—”

“On anything.”

He bowed his head. “On most things. But when it comes to the matter of saving you, we have never been more united.”

They’d be formidable—Vampire and demon—an impossible duo. But they were also both stubborn, and might go too far. I couldn’t lose them, not even to maybe save the world. I squeezed Victor’s hand in mine. “Give me your word you’ll come back.”

“You have it. My word, my heart, and my battered soul, for all it is worth.”

“Alright.” They had Tom too, and I already knew he was an unforgiving, potion-wielding badass. “Go get Tom and my power back.”

Zee poofed back into the bar. “He-llo, we are cookin’.” He showed me the text message on his phone that read: Cain mansion is open to the public. Like taking candy from a baby. Leave a generous tip on the bar. “Let’s go.” Zee’s gaze fell to my hand in Victor’s and his face softened. He squeezed my unharmed shoulder, then slammed a kiss on my forehead. “Stay here. Be safe. Shadow Daddy and the Best Fuckin’ Demon have got this.”

“I will stay right here,” I said, showing them my whiskey.

Zee ushered Victor into motion, and they made for the door together, discussing where to park the Love Wagon, what weapons to take, and the best method of getting blood out of clothing.

It was good that they were getting along so well, but we’d always done everything together—the three of us. We were stronger as three. But right now, feeling like a fragile glass ornament, I was more of a hindrance than a help.

The hotel fell quiet around me, the bar even more so. No customers. No bartender.