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Conn and Henry used the demon strength they possessed even in human form to slide the jiangshi in his massive demon form over by the stairs. Ezra would come out of being frozen with his sword primed and ready. I’d made peace over what I might have to do to him. Our power would not be as unevenly matched as it was last time. I would greet him with one of my own swords drawn and ready.

Claiming a seat on one of the leather couches in the foyer, Rasmus and Zara stared at us with unwavering focus. I thought about offering them popcorn as a joke, but guardians were so literal that they might expect the demons to make it for them.

Henry and Gale were also there. I’m sure they were worried about what damage Ezra and I might do to the foyer if we started swinging energy swords around. Maybe we should have taken Ezra outside. I turned to suggest it but Zenos charged over to me.

“I don’t have much time to use my power. Give me the talisman,” he ordered.

I pulled the polished and blessed wooden circle from the pocket of my jeans and handed it to him.

He rolled his eyes at me once he held it. “Why did ya waste the energy to bless it?”

“Because I felt like it,” I said just as testily.

Zenos grunted. “I thought ya’d be a little friendlier after getting yer field plowed last night.”

I called an energy sword and pointed it at Zenos. “Leave off me, dragon. I’m primed to kill a fairy. Keep fussing at me and I’ll add yer complaining carcass to my dead body pile.”

Zenos looked back at the guardian and shook his head. “Did she fall asleep on ya before ya could do the deed? She’s very cranky today.”

Conn and Mulan covered their mouths to stifle their laughter and walked several steps away from my humming sword. I didn’t give Rasmus time to brag about all the hours he’d devoted to me or the quickie he’d talked me into this morning.

I growled at the dragon mage. “We’re essentially creating an angel relic without an angel being directly involved. The Dagda stone helped me put a sacred protection on it so no one could extract the wood from the remains of the jiangshi and use it for some terrible purpose after he dies for good.”

“What if the angel power doesn’t like yer sacred protection?”

“Then we’ll have to do something else. I took a Goddess damn precaution because I’m going to be responsible for creating a body bomb like ya warned me could happen. Deal with it.”

Zenos blinked at my yelling. “Okay. I guess we have an understanding of why ya did what ya did. We’ll just keep the faith then, shall we?”

I motioned to Ezra with my sword. “Do yer part, dragon mage, and I’ll do mine. Let’s get this done. Our work’s just getting started.”

“Mine will be over if this works. I’ll need to go shift and renew myself.”

“Understood,” I said. “Come back and watch the rest if ya can. A giant dragon won’t fit in this room but I’m sure ya could shift into some creature that will. I think yer phoenix form would fit.”

Snickering at my bossiness, the dragon mage turned one of his hands into a dragon’s claw and held it up palm-out facing Ezra while holding the wooden disk in his other, still human, hand.

I’d never seen a being able to control themselves the way Zenos could. Too bad that control didn’t extend to his libido or mouth.

“Before ya get going, thank you for helping. I’d have been days coming up with something and it wouldn’t have been this. Working with ya has expanded my imagination. Ya’ve been an excellent teacher.”

Zenos snickered. “I’m surprised ya didn’t choke on the words as ya said them.”

“I am too,” I admitted. “And I’m done.”

“Are ya sure ya’re ready for this, lass?” Zenos grinned at me.

I blew out a breath. “No, but we have to do it.” I waved the sword at Ezra again.

As Zenos began the chant, I took up a battle stance, preparing myself to fight. Whatever happened now, there was no turning back.

Slowly, the magick residue coating Ezra pulled away from him and entered the talisman disk Zenos held. I saw Ezra blink as he came out of whatever hold the angel had set upon him. He continued to blink as it peeled away from the rest of his body. Zenos started walking backward with the disk when it got to the sword. I don’t know how he’d manage to leave it for last, but I appreciated the effort.

When it was all done, Zenos snapped his fingers around the disk and sort of sagged. That it had taken so much out of himsurprised me. I hadn’t really believed him about the toll it would take. Henry rushed to his side and caught him before he fell.

I had to let someone else look after the dragon mage because I had a problem that still needed clearing up.

“Hello, fairy. Did ya have a pleasant sleep?”