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It was—flicking its lava-like tongue and closing in on me fast.

Past the snake, I saw Clarence crouched next to a motionless Binx. Grove ran towards them, clutching his radio to his lips.

I was vaguely aware of my own radio blaring on my belt, but I couldn’t make out anything over my heart pounding in my ears and the snake’s angry hisses.

Plan.I reminded myself.I can’t just mindlessly run—I need a plan or it will get me.

I flicked my gun’s safety off again as I zigzagged out of the street hopping up onto the sidewalk—no sense making myself easy prey.

The snake followed me. It tried to strike at me—baring its fangs—as it shoved its head between a street light pole and a parked truck.

I sprinted out of its reach, then took a moment to raise my handgun and shoot at it. The bullet clipped the monster’s plated scales but did no damage.

Eyes are the only weak spot. Got it.

I grimly flicked my safety back on and holstered my weapon, putting all my effort into running as I jumped onto the street so it had to slither around the light pole to follow me.

What kind of plan can I actually formulate?

Team Watchers was out of it, so Sarge’s team was the only other available group. There was no way they were downtown—my team was scheduled to head there next—so I didn’t have any additional squadmates I could go to for help.

Wait. Someoneisdowntown: Ruin!

There was no guarantee the micromanaging vamp would be willing to take on the snake even though he was definitely powerful enough to kill it.

I’d just have to convince him to do it.

Somehow.

The snake slithered around the light pole and followed me down the middle of the street. I sprinted to the opposite sidewalk, ducking under a scaffolding structure pulled flush against a brick building.

The snake tried to follow me but its head was too big to fit between the poles of the scaffolding. It pulled back and tried twice more while I kept running, clearing the low scaffolding, and buying myself a few precious seconds to widen the gap between us.

It’s a five-minute run to downtown. If I’m fast, maybe three. IthinkI can stay ahead of it long enough to get there—and it’s not like Ruin won’t be able to hear us coming.

The snake was about as subtle as using a high watt, LED lightbulb in a nightlight.

Something crashed behind me, and I zigzagged again ducking behind a car.

The snake smashed into the car with enough force to make it rock, setting off the car’s alarm. The car rocked, smacking me but I recovered my balance fast enough that I didn’t trip. Instead, I catapulted myself farther down the sidewalk.

Behind me, I heard the crunch of glass as the snake took out its frustration on the blaring car.

Oohhh, the Cloisters isn’t going to be happy with the repair bill on this.

I kept running—my breathing nice and solid.

The slayer training in me screamed at me to unholster my gun; with its eyes being its only vulnerability, there wasn’t much point.

I turned a corner, the snake so close I swear I could feel the molten heat of its tongue flicking my back.

I was still maybe a block or two up from Ruin’s territory.

Close enough.

“Ruin!” I shouted, counting alleyways as I went past—I couldn’t risk getting cornered in one, but there were two that I knew of in this part of town that went all the way through the city block without any gates or buildings barring the way.

“Ruin!” My throat was hoarse with worry, and my hands were starting to sweat inside my gloves.