“Yeah. I won’t be pulling out my DVD of The Birds anytime soon, but other than that.”

“Cal said Layla wasn’t hurt.”

“No, she’s good. She’s upstairs changing. Things got a little messy.”

At Fox’s glance, Cybil shrugged. “Which is my cue to go up and check on her and leave you two to man talk.”

As she walked out, Gage followed her with his eyes. “Looks good coming or going.” Taking a long pull on the beer, he sat across from Fox. “You looking in that direction?”

“What? Oh, Cybil? No.” She’d left a scent in the air, Fox realized, that was both mysterious and appealing. But… “No. Are you?”

“Looking’s free. How bad was it today?”

“We’ve seen a lot worse. Property damage mostly. Maybe some cuts and bruises.” Everything about him hardened, inside and out. “They’d’ve messed her up, Gage, if I hadn’t been there. She couldn’t have gotten inside in time. They weren’t just flying at cars and buildings. They were heading right for her.”

“It could’ve been any one of us.” Gage pondered on it a moment. “Last month, it went after Quinn when she was alone in the gym.”

“Targeting the women,” Fox said with a nod, “most specifically when one of them is alone. From the viewpoint-the faulty viewpoint-that a woman alone is more vulnerable.”

“Not entirely faulty. We heal, they don’t.” Gage kicked back in his chair. “There’s no way to keep three women under wraps while we try to come up with how to kill a centuries-old and very pissed-off demon. Besides that, we need them.”

He heard the front door open and close, then shifted in his chair to watch Cal come in with an armload of take-out bags. “Burgers, subs,” Cal announced. He dumped them on the counter as he studied Fox. “You’re okay? Layla’s okay?”

“The only casualty was my leather jacket. What’s it like out there?”

Getting out his own beer, Cal sat with his friends. His eyes were a cold and angry gray. “About a dozen broken windows on Main Street, and the three-car pileup at the Square. No serious injuries, this time. The mayor and my father got some people together to clean up the mess. Chief Hawbaker’s taking statements.”