"What the fuck, Maximus?" Paygon growled as he turned back to me.

I stepped toward him. "Yeah, Paygon, what the fuck? So you turned on your brother? Not that I give a fuck but seems kind of stupid, even for someone as stupid as you."

"My brother can't be bothered with running the underworld, so I decided to help Vapour take control."

"Well, bully for you, big guy. Found something to occupy your time other than jerking off and picking your ass." I reached for my knife as I marched toward Paygon.

He pulled his knife free. My fist swept through the air and I knocked the blade from his hand. "Back off, idiot. I'm here for the girl."

Tears pooled in Rikki's eyes as I lifted her chin to examine the cut. "Guess now I know where the blood came from."

Her body shook with a sob. "I'm so glad to see you."

My hand reached up with the blade. I began to saw through the rope, but my eyes didn't leave her face. "This counts as a save right?"

"It does." She smiled weakly. Her eyes rounded. "Look out, Max!"

As I twisted around, Paygon's hand came down like an ax. His hunting knife was clutched in his fist. It sliced my left forearm as I stabbed his shoulder with my right hand.

Paygon howled in pain as he fell back. His second chance serial killers came at me like a group of oversized, angry trolls, each one armed with a knife. I counted five plus Paygon.

"They look solid," Rikki said from behind. I'd only gotten halfway through the rope and she was working it the rest of the way on the tree bark. "Solid but without the usual human glue to hold it all together," she blurted quickly as they reached me.

"No glue, eh? Interesting." The first one to reach me was the weirdo with the snow white hair. His blade had a hooked edge. Scary looking for the everyday human, but not a big deal for someone who spent their day hunting wraiths. He lumbered toward me with his crossed eyes, and I wondered if he could even hit a target. I wasn't going to wait and find out. What I did want to know was what happened when you shot a being who was only semi solid. I yanked my gun from the holster and fired it right into his scarred forehead.

His head split into a million pieces but quickly sucked back together. Or most of it anyhow. A large chunk of his skull was gone. By the time my bullet experiment was over, the others had reached me. The cannibal jumped on me first. We were nearly the same size. As expected, he fought with his teeth or at least he tried to. I grabbed his head and gave it a sharp spin. It went round and round on his neck until the rope scar ripped open. There was no blood, just the smell of decay. He fell away long enough to straighten out his head, while the others took their time jumping me. My fist went right through one guy, and the hole never seemed to fill back up.

A big arm went around my neck in a strangle hold. I swung my elbow back, hoping I could just punch a hole through the guy, but my elbow jammed against a rock hard stomach.

"I've always wanted to know what it would feel like to strangle you," Paygon sneered in my ear.

I managed to shoot my skull back into his face hard enough that I heard his nose crack. But it only made him tighten his arm more. As I struggled to get out of his grip, the cannibal was back with his knife. I couldn't duck out of the way in time, and the jagged blade gashed my side.

Paygon was squeezing my throat enough to stop the flow of air. I swung my fist back but only managed to pop him on the head. I lifted my foot to kick his knee out, but he grunted and his arm fell away. Blood trickled down his forehead as he dropped to his knees. Rikki stood behind him with a large sharp rock in her hand. The broken rope was still attached to one wrist.

She smiled. "I believe that's one point for the ferryman." Her gaze dropped, and she paled slightly when she saw the blood spreading across my shirt. "Max, you're hurt."

"It's just a scratch. I heal fast." I swung around to the sound of footsteps behind me. Everyone had pulled themselves back together. It was going to be a long fight.

"I guess we can't test my cornering the souls into a panic theory," Rikki said from behind. "There's no place to box them in."

"That's all right. I'm looking forward to pounding them into the ground." I took a deep breath and plowed toward my attackers. Lights suddenly made the fog glow. Headlights. Three familiar figures emerged from the haze.

Flint leaned to the side to see past me. "Well, look who it fucking is. The one eyed circus freak." He glanced around at the faces that had now turned to look at the new arrivals. "Actually, a whole bunch of circus freaks."

"Let's finish them off so I can get back to bed. I'll take the guy with half a brain." Stryker eyed the white haired goober and headed straight for him. Paygon sat by and didn't even bother to stop us as we pounded Vapour's creatures into oblivion. I was in a one on one with the cannibal and he managed to get in a few good blows, but with each successive hit, his fist disintegrated. Within minutes, the clearing was left with only the smoky remnants of the vermin. The police would have several cold cases for murder victims that would never be solved, but at least the carnage had stopped for good.

Paygon got up and trudged through the trees, muttering something about hating Boys of Wynter.

"Do we tell Feenix that his brother betrayed him?" Wilder asked as he kicked at some of the last wisps of smoke.

"Hell yeah," I said. "It'll be my pleasure. Besides, Feenix needs to know just how far this plot went, so he can keep a closer eye on Vapour. As much as I hate Feenix, I'd sure as hell rather see him on that throne than Vapour."

"Good point." Flint tilted his head. "I think the ferryman wants you. And when the hell are we going to stop calling her ferryman?"

Rikki stepped forward and took hold of my arm. "For now, you can say ferryman. But when my dad retires, and I take the helm from him, ferrywoman will work." She rested her head against my arm. "Or ferry goddess, if you prefer."

Flint laughed. "Yep, she totally fits in with the group." He looked at Wilder. "Looks like it's just you and me, buddy. So much Wynter Fare to share. We're going to be exhausted."

"Yep," Wilder agreed. "It'll be tough, but I'm up for the task."

I held Rikki's hand as we walked out of the forest. "Hey, how'd you guys find us, anyhow?"

Stryker looked back at me. "You know those old bikers who come in every night for a pitcher of beer? They said they were cruising back from a bonfire at the beach, and they saw a terrifyingly big wolf with straw colored fur running along the highway."

"Oh yeah, might have passed a string of motorcycles. I was following the scent of blood."

"Huh, so I was right," Rikki said proudly. "I thought my blood might be the perfect trail for you to find me."

We reached the road where their three motorcycles were parked. Flint looked at the three bikes and then looked at Rikki and me. "I call dibs on the cutie with the cracked chin." Rikki hopped up and kissed me and walked over to his bike.

Stryker sighed. "Fine, get on, Max, but try and be a little less big, would ya?"

"Yeah, I'll try." I climbed on behind him and watched as Flint pulled out onto the road with Rikki sitting behind him. "Hey, Stryker."

"Yeah?"

"I get the feeling my life isn't ever going to be the same."

He laughed. "Welcome to the club, Max."