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Maybe she couldn’t stop as co for her

But she wouldn’t go easily; she was going to fight

The sun set, and the four soldiers of the Brotherhood armed themselves to the teeth, said a prayer, and positioned the for the correct moment The moment of attack had to be precise--not too soon, not too late They had always known that even if all ell, they could end up dead or behind bars for the rest of their lives Four uns and swords was bound to call attention They would probably have to kill the demon’s servant, and no one would know--or believe--that a pretty young girl like Marielle was actually an evil bitch who deserved killing

Not that deserving killing was a defense In that respect, the old days had beenfibers, blood evidence--all that CSI shit Still, if Ruby was saved, it didn’tdays in prison if she could be safe

"Now," Zane said, reaching for the doorknob

"Too soon" Julio reached out and covered Zane’s hand with his own

The cul-de-sac remained quiet, but in Zane’sHe could see and feel the soul being ripped from her body His heart pounded too hard, his mouth was so dry he could hardly speak, and still he said--soht-- "Now"

"Accept, and this will go easier," Marielle said as she took the jade cat on her pal sharp, decidedly unfriendly words Ruby didn’t understand

Ruby’s heart pounded hard, and beneath the sheet that covered her she clutched a fork in one hand and a spoon in the other She was quite sure Aunt Mildred had never intended for her good silver to be put to use this way, but knowing all that she kne--she didn’t think her aunt would mind

Just as in the dreams, a darkness rose froness, and Ruby choked back a screaht had warned her, and still here she was, tied to the bed and offered as sacrifice to a demon Offered by a friend A fork and spoon seemed precious little in the way of defense, but she would, by God, fight with all she had until she could fight no an to take shape The eyes were fiery red Marielle was so excited, so overjoyed at the appearance of the demon who had seduced her with dreams of forever, that she tree of a big orgasm

"Wacko," Ruby muttered Marielle either didn’t hear or didn’t care

The darkness drifted to the bed to hover over Ruby More and htly

Not yet, a serene blending of soft voices whispered

The thing Marielle called II Gatto Nero began to look solid, not so e, fierce cat There were likely claws--she had seen the claws in her dreams--but at the moment she had eyes only for the face above hers The eyes were hideous, red like fire and blood The teeth icked, white and sharp and hungry The fur was black as night, and did not look soft like a kitten’s coat but was instead thorny and rough, as if it would cut like shards of glass if touched Not that she wanted to touch

The i froain Suddenly, Ruby could not resist the urge to open her mouth She had seen this in her dreams, too, and kneould happen next

Not yet, those co? She didn’t have much time left!

The cat placed itsin for a kiss Oh, what a horrible, rotten smell! She had not been subjected to the stench in her drea so hard and fast she could feel it

Her heart wanted to escape, but there was no escape, not that Ruby could see Now? she thought

There was a pause, as the cat above her inhaled and with that breath began to draw Ruby’s soul from her body It hurt! She felt as if a part of her was literally being ripped fro her hands up as hard as she could, burying the fork and the handle of the spoon into the flesh of the demon What she struck was not entirely flesh There was no blood--but the thing howled as if in pain, and it dreay from her Ruby took that opportunity to shift her weapons She stabbed at the ghastly face, ai for the eyes The tines of the fork pierced the delanced off the side of its face

The thing growled and screa, too, though not as loudly as the big, solid cat, which was now very annoyed Great She’d only made it mad

The door to her bedroorabbed Marielle and pulled her away from the bed Another snatched up the jade cat Two moved toward the demon

One of them was Zane

"Silver!" Ruby shouted "He doesn’t like silver!"

The noise co from Ruby’s bedroo down her front door Zane’s heart had alht they were too late They followed the unnatural din, and without hesitation Zane kicked in the door Ruby was tied to the bed, offered as an unwilling sacrifice, but her hands were free She clutched a fork in one hand and a spoon in the other, and when the demon cat turned toward the intruders, he had only one eye