Page 90 of Not A Ghost

"Because," Nikki said, looking over at Thane, "he didn't leave me when I needed help, so I won't leave him."

Thane reached over to clasp her arm. "Thanks." Then he spoke to the phone. "Brice, I'll be back in two days. Maybe three. Let the Bishop or Cardinal know that I called you when I couldn't get ahold of my brother. Tell them I sounded happy, but I didn't mention why."

"Fucking bad idea," Brice said. "I was hoping to get to see Laird and bust him out. If you're here and we're not?"

"I'll bust him out," Thane said. "And if you turn on me..."

"Then all of your friends will tear me limb from limb," Brice finished for him. "Yeah, got that. Thing is, if I stay, the Church will do the same, so I'm already on your fucking side. Now clean up the dead, because the Church will come looking for them, and I'll call you when I actually know something. Jesus, Thane. Pull your head out of your ass, and start thinking, because it's not Laird they're after, you dumbass. It's you. For some reason, they're all interested inyou, and you're running right back here to give yourself up."

"Then at least they won't have Laird," Thane said before ending the call. Then he turned to Dahlia. "I have to do this."

"And we have to help," Roarke said before Dahlia could reply.

She just canted her head, making it clear she agreed with him. "We have to leave here anyway, right? I think Dallas is the last place they'll look for us."

Cain just grunted, making it clear he wasn't on board with that. "I think the five of us aren't enough. We need an army if we're going to pick a fight with the Church, and that means someone has to train them. I'll do that, but you might want to know what that priest said before you start making plans."

"Anything good?" Thane asked.

Cain just nodded slowly. "Yeah. Seems they thought Grace was a woman walking home alone. They intended to give her a ride, but when she got close, she set off their wards. It's one more reason to justify you staking Vivian, Thane, and a reason the rest will latch onto. Grace didn't do anything wrong, and they killed her because the rest of us did."

"I liked Grace too," Nikki admitted.

Cain murmured in agreement. "Well, it seems they were so sure they'd caught the demon that was causing the problem that they called their cleanup crew, not their church. Now, the Church will figure out that something happened, but I think a few of us can make it look like they ran. Joshua's already on board with helping me with that. We picked out their phones. We can get them on a bus, and that will travel all fucking over."

"Nice," Dahlia said.

"And the rest of us?" Cain went on. "I'm the one with the contacts. I'm the one who can bring more. I'll find a way to make it clear that we do not kill. If they want to do this, there will be rules, and I'm keeping the stake I pulled out of the dead guy who dented my car."

"Sorry about that," Dahlia said.

Cain waved her down. "It happens. I'll also see what Claunek can do about your phone records. In other words, if you're doing this, and you're taking Dahlia with you, then I will handle the back side. I just ask one thing in return."

"What's that?" Thane asked.

Cain looked over at Dahlia, then to Nikki, and finally to Roarke. "I don't want to be alone either. I also have no intention of being a babysitter. Dahlia, train them. Make them more than a witch and a black dog. And Thane? You keep them alive - do you hear me? I know you think your brother is everything, but I promise that you can live without him."

"But I don't want to," Thane countered. "See, I'm tired of the Church taking everything."

"And I'm tired of losing," Dahlia said. "You see, Thane went on vacation to meet the girl of his dreams..." And she pointed at Nikki. "We just happen to have someone who can walk into a church who looks nothing like me."

"Which means we can finally get one over on them," Roarke realized. "Fuck yeah. Maybe we can even arm ourselves a little better. You said there's more of those Words, right? And that priest is going to get us stakes?"

"Hunter," Thane corrected, "and clavum, but yeah."

Roarke just grinned. "Is this a bad time to mention that I was part of a few rebellions back home? I mean, we Irish do like a good fight. I just think we're more of an ERA instead of the IRA."

"Do I want to know?" Thane asked.

Roarke looked just a little too smug. "Eidolon Resistance Army. Has a ring to it. Almost like someone else has used the acronym before."

Dahlia laughed once. "Right. We still need to pack up, decide what we can leave, get what we need for an indefinite stay in Texas, and we need to do it fast. The sun is rising, people. Get some sleep, and then let's get to work."

Thane handed her phone back. Nikki and Roarke turned for the stairs, but Cain stepped in to clasp Dahlia by both arms. "If you need me, summon me twice. I'll feel the first and kill this body. The second will summon me back."

"No," Dahlia insisted. "I won't ask you to go into the abyss."

He shrugged using only one shoulder. "Twice, Iona. The offer is there. I'm hoping you won't use it, but I'd rather wade through the abyss than lose the one person who can understand what I've seen." He looked over at Thane, then back. "I know you need this, but I need to know that you're out there somewhere. Otherwise, it will be a very long and lonely life watching the sun burn out."

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