“Carl!” Nina’s anguished cry rang through the night, slicing through the cold wind tearing at Poppy’s back. “Let go, Carl! I’ll catch you, buddy!”
But he was stuck, his foot jammed into one of the ornate slashes in the stone. Poppy clearly saw his dilemma, making her climb faster as the demon swooped toward him.
And then Calamity’s terror-filled voice bellowed out, “Nina! Get out of the way!”
Poppy’s eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to whatever was the cause for so much fear in Calamity’s voice. She caught a brief glimpse of the demon taking an upward climb, his wing almost clipping the back of Nina’s head before Calamity leapt through the air and caught the demon’s wing.
It missed Nina’s head, shaking the feline off in the process and launching her over the side of the building.
Wanda took off at a run, soaring over the edge of the building, her hair flying upward behind her until she disappeared.
The devastation surrounding Poppy clutched at her gut, heightened her fear, but if she saved no one else, she was going to save Carl.
Swallowing hard, Poppy fought more panic, trying to keep her eyes on the prize, choking on the acrid smoke as she almost had her hand on Carl’s sneaker. The sneakers he’d so proudly shown her just yesterday. The one’s he wanted to wear trick-or-treating with his Nerd-Tech costume.
“Avis Mackland, what the hell have you done?” a voice from the heavens soared across the sky.
The rumbling of the spire, the flames, the howl of the demon—all of it came to a screeching halt at the sound of the voice.
Poppy blinked, her vision blurred by sweat, her fingertips aching from using the pads to claw her way up the spire.
“I said, what the hell have you done, you spineless, wilted piece of shit? Answer me, Avis!”
As everything stopped, as the embers from the flames drifted to the ground, as the rush of sound and motion ceased, someone or something plucked Poppy and Carl right off the spire and set them down on the roof, where a woman—a gorgeous woman with swaths of red, curly hair, a gold lamé dress acting as a second skin, and a body like a movie star—held Avis around the throat.
Wanda appeared from the corner of the roof, Calamity safely in her arms, while Darnell helped Marty up, brushing her swirly blonde hair free of ash.
Rick was the first at Poppy’s side, scooping her up and holding her close. “Jesus…Jesus, you’re one tough gringa,” he whispered against the top of her head, tucking her body into his as he cradled her.
“Let me go, you hag!” Avis spat as he struggled against the woman’s hand.
“The hell I will, you utter moron! Look what you’ve done, Avis. Look!”
“Who are you?” Poppy blurted before she could stop herself, spitting her hair from her mouth.
The woman’s head turned, her gorgeous locks billowing behind her in a stream of burnished copper. “Forgive me. I was so caught up in this buffoon’s buffoonery, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Drucilla, a witch, of course.”
January’s shoulders sagged as she let out a breath of air. “God, it’s good to see you, Drew! I didn’t know how much longer my wand was going to hold out.”
“January!” she squealed in delight, giving Avis a good shake. “It’s been ages, hasn’t it? Bring it in, honey!” She held out her free arm and gave January a squeeze.
Nina eyed this new woman with the skepticism she did everyone, but she held out her hand. “Nina Statleon.”
“Oh, my Goddess! I’ve heard all about you! You’re big news all over the realm. Half vampire, right?”
Nina’s eyes narrowed as she squared her shoulders. “Right.”
Drucilla rolled her eyes and shook Nina’s hand with a hearty pump. “Now, now. Don’t get your back up. I’m a friend, not a foe, girlie.”
January took a step back, pushing her long hair back under her knit cap. “Everyone, this is my good friend Drucilla. You can thank her for saving the day.”
Drucilla used a hand to flap in January’s direction. “Aw, stop. You’ll make me blush all kinds of red, and it clashes with my hair.”
Poppy couldn’t believe anything clashed with this woman’s anything.
Rick held out his hand now, too, and smiled a weary smile of gratitude. “Thank you.”
Drucilla jabbed a finger in the smoky air before accepting Rick’s handshake. “You’re the infamous Rick! Goddess, after Yash’s description of you, I’d know you anywhere. Phew, are you a dish, huh? No disrespect to you, Poppy.”
Both she and Rick spoke at once. “You know Yash?”
She smiled then, a smile with a hint of sorrow to it. “I do. He’s doing wonderfully, Rick. I promise you. He’s very happy in the realm. At peace, joyous, surrounded by his herbs and flowers. He’s the one who was sending you those messages tonight, Poppy. He’s always been with you. He knew you’d take care of Rick, and he knew I was the person to stop this dipshit.” She gazed down at a trembling Avis, her seductive blue eyes narrowing. “You do know you’re in for it, right? Oh, are you in for it, bloke.”