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I finally get to my feet, brushing the dirt from my jeans. “You have the address?” I ask.

Rowan narrows his eyes. “Yeah…?”

“Then that’s all we need.” I move to him and take hold of his arm.

“Ahh, what are you doing?” Rowan asks.

“Getting there faster,” I say as Jett dawdles his way to Nikita, smiling at her with something that looks like nerves. “You ready?” I ask my brother.

He nods, then holds a hand out to Nikita. When she places her palm in his, I’m certain he blushes.

“Young alpha,” the witch calls to Rowan. “This war is yours?”

Rowan nods.

“Good luck.” She steps back with a nod. The rest of the women follow her out of the park and into the shadows of night.

I don’t know how much time we have. Catori could pull Jett and I at any moment. I don’t know why he hasn’t already when Hynde has the confirmation that Sera and her sister are the key to removing the curse. They already took Len. Leaving Jett and I behind makes me nervous, but I won’t give up until I know Sera’s safe.

I look at Rowan. “Where are we going?”

“You okay?” I ask Rowan as he leans over a rose bush and takes deep breaths.

“No one talk to me,” he mumbles. Demon shifting can take a bit to get used to.

“He’s never been one for carnival rides.” Nikita chuckles. “But I thought it was great.” She beams up at Jett, and he blushes. Again.

“I can take you anytime.”

“Not. Happening.” Rowan groans as he glares at Jett.

We’re standing on the sidewalk of a quiet, dead-end street. The streetlamps illuminate a house with white window frames and dark shutters. The front porch light is on, but it seems quiet inside.

I move toward the front door, anxious to get inside, and hope that Sloane doesn’t hate me enough to accept my help in getting Sera back. I’ll do it without her, but I know the more we all work together, the better our chances are of getting Sera out quickly and safely. I shudder to think of any version of this that goes wrong.

I knock on the door, but there’s no answer.

“Hello?” I call, knocking again.

Wood creaks behind me as the others climb the porch steps.

“Sloane’s not answering.” I turn to see Rowan with a phone held to his ear and a pinch in his brow.

The faint hum of intermittent vibrations sounds through the door. “Can you hear that?” I whisper. We all lean closer to the door. The vibrating sounds louder, and then it stops.

“It rang out,” Rowan says, and I lurch forward, twisting the door handle. It’s unlocked. The house is eerily quiet as we cross the threshold.

“Sloane?” Rowan calls. His voice echoes off the walls. At first, there’s no response, but then we hear it. A groan.

“Celeste,” Nikita gasps, then darts through an opening to the right, into a sitting room

A side table is turned over, and pieces of glass are smashed all over the floor. Celeste lies in a crumpled heap behind an armchair. A black cat sits beside her, its tail swishing back and forth as its yellow eyes narrow on us.

Celeste cries out when Nikita attempts to lift her.

“What happened?” I ask, dropping to a knee in front of her.

“Demons.” Celeste wheezes with her eyes pinned shut. “They took Sloane.”