Holly catapulted forward against his arm as the truck burst into the brush.

Leaves and branches slapped the windshield as the cab bounced. They smacked something that left feathers and squawked an angry retreat.

She turned, clutching the seat-back to scan behind them. "They're just going to follow us, trap us back here!"

"Their nice, fancy SUVs are lower to the ground than older trucks like mine. With a little luck, they'll bottom out. At least before we do."

Over the sound of their wholesale destruction of native flora and fauna, she asked, "Why are you helping me?"

"I'm a mercenary—my current gig is to keep you alive."

"A mercenary? Who's paying you? Who would know to hire a demon to protect me from a demon threat?"

"There were also the leeches."

"How could I forget?" She pinched her forehead. "Who paid you?"

"We'll talk about it later."

"At least tell me why those demons chose me. I am the most boring person you have ever met!"

He met her gaze. "Not anymore, halfling."

She glanced behind them again and saw headlights. "They're coming."

Biting out words in a language she'd never heard, he sped up even more.

"Cadeon, is it safe to go this fa—"

Shots rang out, plugging the back of the truck and her side-view mirror. His big hand palmed the top of her head and shoved her down, making her slump in the seat.

When shards from the mirror speared at her window, she shrieked.

All around them, the glass shattered; he gave a roar of pain. Cracks forked out over the windshield before it exploded as well, raining glass chips against them.

"Mind the shrieks, pet!"

"How did I do that?" she cried, frenziedly brushing glass off herself.

"Nature of the beast," he grated. "Valkyrie shrieks crack glass. Lesson learned, yeah?"