Page 124 of Demons Dig Donuts

I AM AMAZING

“Izba can take out that jerk the second he steps under that awning.” Neil shrugged. “Plus, uh, Mr. Heiss is in here, and last I counted, we have three Artifact spirits here. Like Buffy.” Who was now perched on the counter and purring away.

Seymour smiled, scooping Day up into his arms. “And Day.”

“And Dill.” Indy smiled warmly as Dill lumbered up to him, and his nerves stepped down from meltdown mode. “Okay. Right. Yes. Good.”

“So, yeah.” Neil waved at the door. “Look at ’em. He’s just standing there waiting for us to come out. New plan. We don’t do that and wait for the cavalry to arrive.”

Mr. Mitternacht did indeed appear ready to wait where he stood a few feet away from the entrance of the flower shop, still very much a demon in the middle of a public area where a crowd had formed around the flaming limo.

Indy didn’t know if it was some sort of trick because a demon should still have drawn some attention, but no one else seemed to see him.

Which was weird.

Mr. Mitternacht, illusion or not, looked right at Indy through the shattered window and smiled. He held out his hand, and there was something glittering in his palm.

A pair of quartz earrings.

Gammy.

Indy’s heart stopped. “No.”

Mr. Heiss tried to hold him. “Indy, don’t—”

“Dill, get Mr. Heiss the fuck off me!” Indy flailed furiously. “Right now! Grow, babe!”

“Grow!” Dill roared happily.

“Listen to me!” Mr. Heiss demanded. “It’s a trick! Clearly—” He grunted as Dill suddenly bundled him up in a tangle of thick vines. “Indy, don’t you dare go—”

“Not the boss of me!” Indy was already headed for the door, his heart in his throat and knots of cement weighing his guts down.

He had no idea what would happen if Gammy’s anchor object was broken. She had always been able to move between different items, but breaking one while she was still attached? They were so far away from the apartment with the rest of her stuff, and all Indy could think about was the chance that her soul would be lost.

However small, that was not a risk he was willing to take.

Not with her.

It was Gammy—his best friend, his only friend, and also the only family he had left. He would be lost without her.

Also very, very dead.

He had to save her.

But the door wouldn’t open.

No matter how hard he tried, it wouldn’t budge.

Stupid magical ass flower shop.

“Izba! The fuck?” Indy didn’t bother turning around to see whatever Izba was clacking away about on his board, his attention on the broken window.

“Indy!” Seymour shouted. “Will ya’ hang on a damn minute?”

Indy jumped through the window, snapping his left thumb nail and pulling out the iron staff. He held it high over his head, glaring hatefully at Mr. Mitternacht. “Put those down right fucking now.” His eyes flicked all around, trying to see where Gammy was but seeing no sign of her. “I said now!”

Mr. Mitternacht grinned. “Humans. So very predictable.”