I had to get rid of the demon, one way or another. If I couldn’t kill him, I had to figure out a way to send him home.

The thought of going near him terrified the absolute hell out of me, but it had to be done. If not, he’d come back for me. And the next time I might not be lucky enough to chase away his influence.

I was pretty sure I wouldn’t, actually.

I had to end him.

The rest I’d figure out as I went along.

“Start talking,” I told Gordon.

“Silverlight can kill the incubus,” he began. “But there are things she must do first. Changes she must go through.”

“Go on.” What changes? If he said I had to wash the blade in the blood of a virgin, I was going to slice off his head.

His mouth shook when he blew out a small sigh. “The silver burns,” he noted, almost calmly.

“Hurry with your tale so I can take it off you.”

Shane stood back, his arms crossed, staring down his nose at me with a dark look of disapproval. “If Silverlight could destroy the incubus, Amias would have told you.”

“No,” Gray said. And finally, he looked at Shane. “He cannot lose his thrall—and you cannot understand.”

“Tell me what I do to end the demon,” I said, impatient.

Before Gray could open his mouth, Shane spoke. “The others are coming.”

A few seconds later the supernats appeared. Angus led them, and silently, despite his usual roaring, stomping, unavoidably loud self.

His stare found me, then went to the vampire on the ground. “You got him,” he said, a gleam in his eyes. “If you were wearing nothing but lacy panties and high heels right now, my happiness would be complete.”

“Neanderthal,” Miriam said. “If I didn’t think he’d be out of commission for a week afterward, I would order Clayton to kick your balls into your throat.”

Clayton didn’t look at anyone. He stood with stiff blankness, his gun and blades holstered.

Rhys grinned but said nothing as he cleaned his blade on the hem of his shirt, then slid it into its sheath.

They were all a bit bloodier and a lot more unkempt than the last time I’d seen them, but no one appeared to be dying.

I went back to questioning my capture. “Continue, Gray.”

“You need an exorcist,” he said.

I looked at Clayton. “You said you know a man?”

“An exorcist,” he said. “I do.”

I gave him a nod. “Good. So you’re saying,” I asked Gray, “that we can have a priest exorcize the demon? That’s all we need to do?”

He laughed, despite his pain, despite his circumstances, and it was genuine amusement. “Not quite all.”

Shane ripped off his silver crucifix and dropped it on Gray’s face, where it sizzled and sank into his flesh even as Gray screamed.

“Damn,” Angus said. “That’s heartless.” He patted me on the shoulder. “You should be more like him, sweetheart.”

I shrugged away his hand, then yanked the chain off Gray’s burnt flesh. I glared at Shane. “Let him talk.”

“He needs to talk faster,” Shane said, and though I agreed with him, I’d had my fill of torturing vampires for the week.

“The silver on his wrists is enough to control him,” I said, calmly. “And it burns like a motherfucker. There’s no need to torture him.”

But Gray had been convinced. He didn’t need further prodding. “The priest will trap the demon, but the trap will hold the incubus for only seven minutes. You must work quickly. Once the priest has trapped the demon, he will enter the circle, and he will cause the demon to possess him. Then, Silverlight must go into the priest’s heart.”

I stared at him, my mouth dry. “I have to kill the exorcist to kill the demon?”

“Likely,” he replied, “the man will die. Or perhaps his God will save him.” His shrug was tiny. “We can’t know for sure.”

“No.” I shook my head, resolute. “There has to be another way.”

“There is no other way,” he told me. “It must be your hand that wields Silverlight, and it must be you who flings her into the circle to pierce the demon.”

“No.”

“Trinity,” Miriam said, “the demon is killing many. You’ll have to destroy him or he’ll continue killing humans. Kill the exorcist.”

I looked at her. “Kill one to save many?”

“Exactly.” She smiled. “That’s exactly right.”

“It’s not,” I murmured. “I can’t do that.”

Angus hunkered down beside me. “Trin, this demon will continue killing if he’s not stopped. He’s taking innocent human lives every day to feed. Many women will die. And remember what he did to you. What he will do to you again if he’s not stopped.”

I lifted my gaze to his. “I want to stop him. But I can’t kill the exorcist to do it.”

Angus looked up at Clayton. “Convince her.”

“This man will gladly sacrifice himself to save the world,” Clayton said.

“Is he sick?” I asked. “Already dying?”

“No,” he answered. “But he has past transgressions he feels the need to pay for. He wears his hair shirt every day. He will do this with joy and will see it as an immense favor.”

“He’s insane,” I realized.

Clayton only shrugged.

“We’ll help you, honey,” Angus said. “All of us. We’ll guide your hand.”

“It has to be done,” Rhys agreed.

Gray waited, and burned, and hoped.

“Shit,” I whispered, and closed my eyes. “Shit.”

Rhys leaned over the fallen vampire. “Where does the incubus hide?”

“I’ll take you there,” Gray said. “Trinity will send Silverlight to stop me if I try to run. But I won’t trust you to release me if I tell you now.” He lifted his chin, his eyes dark. “He’s in these woods, but you’ll never find him without me. Release me, and I will lead you there.”

Angus stood. “Call your exorcist,” he told Clayton. “Go fetch him. We’ll wait here for you.”

“Wait,” I said, but Clayton, after Miriam’s quick approval, jogged away.

We were doing this.

And I was so not ready.