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“Bunch of Hounds and the like by the tar pits. Can’t make Venom if we can’t get the ingredients, and can’t get the ingredients if no one wants to go near the tar pits.”

Darien took out three thousand gold mynet and slapped it down on the counter. The guy picked up the money and nudged the bottle through the spells.

“If we get you your tar,” Darien said, “you’ll give me more and you’ll discount it.”

The dealer opened his mouth to reply—

“That’s not a question,” Darien said. He grabbed the Venom and walked out.

By the time they got back to Roman’s house, Darien was glad to see that the others had made themselves comfortable. Ivy and Joyce had spent the evening baking cookies with Itzel, the House Hob, while Tanner played video games in the living room on the ground floor with Paxton and Eugene.

After checking on Loren in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs, Darien took a shower—a long one. He was sore as hell, his muscles so tense he swore he would use up all the hot water before they would have a chance to loosen. When he got out, he found a pair of gray sweatpants and a white tee in his duffel and put them on, hating how quiet the room was. Loren had always been a quiet sleeper, but this silence was unsettling.

He checked on her for the third time in under an hour, pressing his thumb against the inside of her wrist—still beating. “I’m right here, baby,” he said with a whisper. “I’ve got you.” He smoothed a strand of sun-bright hair off her face and pressed a kiss to her brow before making his way down to the kitchen.

Ivy was cleaning up, wiping the counter with a damp rag. Jack and Atlas were playing Rushin’ Racers in the living room, eyes glued to the screen.

“Where’s Pax?” Darien asked. “Sleeping?”

“Ky took him home,” Tanner replied, his bloodshot eyes still fastened on the screen. Home to the House of Black—poor kid. Tanner cursed under his breath as Jack took first place in the race with a loud, “Whoop!”. Tanner continued, “He has school tomorrow.”

“Is Kylar coming back?”

“In an hour.”

Jack added, “Said something about Pax being fine at the house ’cause it’s a school day.” Darien didn’t like the sound of that.

He joined Ivy in the kitchen as she was rinsing the rag and squeezing it dry. Joyce must have gone to sleep, and as for the Hob, she was nowhere to be seen. “Need any help?”

“Absolutely not, you do enough,” Ivy said. She draped the rag across the faucet. “Besides, I’m all done.”

Darien spotted the box of cinnamon buns on the counter by the fridge. He crossed the room and flipped the lid open, the scent of cinnamon sugar wafting across his face. “Started with twelve, down to one.”

“That one’s for you,” Ivy said. “I had to literally beat Jack away with a spatula, so make sure you enjoy it.”

Darien picked it up and bit into it, eating half of it in a single bite.

A kettle on the stove began to whistle.

Ivy hurried over and shut off the burner. “How’d it go at the Black Market?” She poured hot water into a mug on the counter, tea bag already in it.

“I could only get thirty mil, and for triple the price. Apparently, there’s a demon infestation by the tar pits.”

“Tar? Is that what they use to make Venom?” She bobbed the tea bag up and down, the scent of spearmint and chamomile floating through the air.

“Apparently, it’s the key ingredient.”

She shot him a worried glance. “You really think you’ll need to use it again?”

“Hope not. But better to have it on hand than not, if one of those fuckers shows up again.” He finished off the cinnamon bun and rinsed the sticky residue off his hands. “Keep Soot close.” He flicked off the tap and dried his hands. “Kylar said Familiars are going missing.”

“Is that even possible?”

Darien shrugged. “Apparently.”

“How? And why?”

“I don’t know. But keep your guard up—always. Especially when you go jogging. I’d prefer if you took Jack with you, but he’s too damn lazy.” Darien increased the volume of his voice, directing it at Jack.