Dread consumed her. "What's going on? Who was on the phone?"
"That was Acheron calling with a full-alert warning."
She frowned. By his frenzied movements, she knew it wasn't good. "What does that mean?"
The look on his face chilled her. "You know the phrase 'All hell's breaking loose'?"
"Yes."
"It was invented for full-alert. For some reason, there is a high concentration of Daimons leaving bolt-holes in this area, and when that happens, the Daimons reach their full power and they feed whether they need it or not. The only thing worse than a full-alert is a solar eclipse. Tonight, things will get ugly."
At seven o'clock, Amanda learned firsthand what he had meant by that.
She was cleaning up Kyrian's "breakfast" while Nick briefed him on what Acheron had said.
Kyrian had chosen twice the weapons he normally went out with and he was on his way out the door when the phone rang. Amanda answered it.
"Mom?" she asked as she recognized the crying voice. Her heart stopped. "What is it?"
Kyrian went rigid at the door, then rushed to her side.
"Mandy," her mother said through her sobs. "It's Tabby..."
Amanda didn't want to hear anything more. She choked on her sob and dropped the phone. The next thing she knew, Kyrian held her in his arms while Nick talked to her mother.
Kyrian's sight dulled as he listened to her hysterical mother talking to Nick while Amanda trembled in his arms. Her tears soaked him, and as they fell, he vowed to kill Desiderius.
"It's all right," he whispered against Amanda. "She's just hurt."
She pulled back and looked at him. "What?"
Kyrian wiped the tears from her cheeks. "He didn't kill her, sweeting." Though she was in bad shape, from what he could gather from her mother, Tabitha would survive.
Desiderius, however, would not.
"Tabitha is in the hospital," Nick said, hanging up the phone. "Luckily, there were only two Daimons and her group was able to fight them off." He looked to Kyrian. "You know, it sounds to me like Desi was just toying with her to make you mad enough to lose your head in a fight. There's no other reason why he would send only two Daimons and not more."
"Nick, shut up!" Kyrian snapped. The last thing he wanted was for Amanda to be any more upset. He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Nick will take you to the hospital."
He pulled out his cell phone and called Talon, who was already on his way into the city. He told the Celt to get over to his house and escort Amanda just in case Desiderius was waiting for them.
"Kyrian," Amanda said as he hung up. "I don't want you to go out tonight. I have a really bad feeling."
So did he. "I have to go."
"Please, listen to me-"
"Shh," he said, placing a finger over her lips. "This is what I do, Amanda. It's what I am."
As soon as he could, Kyrian had her in Nick's car with Talon tailing them while he headed downtown to find that bloodsucking, soul-stealing pig and do what he should have done the night they met.
Hours went by as Kyrian scoped out the French Quarter, looking for Desiderius. The Daimons would replenish their strength tonight, and sooner or later, he knew they would make an appearance in their prime feeding ground.
Desiderius, much like the rest of his brethren, preferred to haunt the French Quarter where unwary and often drunk tourists could be found.
So far, there was nothing.
"Hey, baby," a prostitute called as he passed her. "You want some company?"