"He's not here," one of the men said.
"I figured as much. But then, I also figure you can get word to him. Can you?"
"No."
"He's going to kill us," a child's voice cried out from the rear of the house.
The fear in the child's tone calmed him, but only a bit.
Zarek released the Apollites he had pinned. "Tell Thanatos that if he wants me, I'll be waiting for him outside of town in Bear's Hollow. If he's not there in an hour, I'm coming back here and cleaning out the Daimons I can feel."
He turned and walked out the door.
Zarek paused a short distance away from them.
They bolted the door behind him and whispered among themselves until they had decided who should go fetch Thanatos.
Satisfied they would deliver his message, Zarek smirked and headed toward his snowmachine.
Getting on, he drove to the rendezvous and sat back to wait.
He pulled out Spawn's cell phone and called Jess.
The Cowboy answered on the third ring. "Hey, Eskimo, is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. Listen, I left Astrid at my cabin."
"You did what? Are you-"
"Yes, I am insane, but they're safe where they are. I want you to wait for about three hours and then go get her. That should give me enough time."
"Enough time for what?"
"Don't worry about it. Enter my cabin and tell Astrid who you are. She'll be coming out of hiding with another woman. Be kind to the little one, she belongs to Ash."
"What little one?"
"You'll see."
"In three hours?" Jess repeated.
"Yeah."
Jess paused for a few seconds. "What about you, Eskimo?"
"What about me?"
"You're not doing something stupid, are you?"
"No. I'm doing something smart." Zarek hung up.
He tossed the phone into his backpack and pulled out his cigarettes and lighter. He lit up a cigarette while he waited and sat in the frigid cold missing his coat.
But as he thought of the coat, his thoughts turned to Astrid and he warmed up considerably.
How he wished he could have made love to her one more time.
Felt her skin on his. Her breath on his face. Her hands running over his flesh.