Aimee let go of Kerryna's hand to correct him. "Not yet, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. Adios. There's the door. Doorknob twists to the left. The hinges open in. You should use them. Keep them working. Keep you breathing. We're all happy here."
Aimee sighed at his sarcastic tirade. Ignoring him, she tried Kerryna. "I have to know how to break a possession. Would you happen to have any kind of suggestions?"
Kerryna frowned. "What kind of demon?"
"I don't know. Is there a difference?"
"Oh, definitely. There are those you can kill, those you can drive out, and those who become a permanent part of you. The latter, to quote Xedrix's favorite phrase, really sucks."
Aimee slid a glance at Xedrix, before she returned her attention to Kerryna. "How do I know what I have?"
"Take me to it."
Xedrix made an inhuman sound of protest. "Oh, hell no."
Kerryna gave him a chiding stare. "Xedrix . . ."
He immediately stepped back. "I know I'm Charonte and we defer to our females, but you have to respect the fact that I'm Charonte and we protect our females to the end. You be my female. I be protecting."
Kerryna smiled at him. "Then come with us and stop whining."
"I'm not whining." He looked at Aimee as if he were contemplating her utter dismemberment. "Why is it every time I see you, you make me go someplace I don't want to go? I guess I should be grateful that at least it's not hell again."
"Stop being a baby, demon. Let's go see Fang."
Xedrix screwed his face up in distaste. "What is it with you and that wolf anyway? Can't we just shoot him and put him out of my misery?"
"I'd shoot you first."
"At the rate we're going, I wish you would."
Kerryna smacked him playfully in the belly. "Be nice, Xed, or I'll shoot you myself."
"Yes, akra."
Shaking her head at his sarcasm, Aimee took them back to where she'd left Fang in his room.
It was empty.
Xedrix crossed his arms over his chest. "Where is he?"
Frustrated and worried, Aimee searched the room with her gaze. The bed was still mussed, but the dresser and chest of drawers were perfect. Everything was as it had been, except for Fang's presence. "I don't know. He was curled up on the floor in pain when I left him."
Kerryna went to the spot as if she somehow knew exactly where he'd been. Touching the floor, she gasped. "Oh, this is bad."
Aimee's heart sank to her feet at that dire tone. "What?"
"He's possessed by a primus. A powerful primus."
Aimee wasn't sure what that was, but the tone said it wasn't good. "Can you get the demon out?"
"I don't know." Kerryna stood up again. "If I had my sisters, I could. But alone . . . I just don't know."
"Then what do we do?"
Xedrix was the one who answered. "Kill him."