Ruddy twisted the top off his third beer. It had been ten hours since his father told him to wait for him at home.

  He’s going to kill me anyway. May as well be drunk for it.

  As he tipped the bottle to his lips, someone pounded on the door.

  Ruddy jerked and spilled beer all over his lap.

  He rubbed at his pants. Great. It looks like I pissed myself. “Who is it?”

  “It’s Travis!”

  “I’m busy.”

  “Dammit, Ruddy! Open the fucking door. There’s an afflicted in the main house. It murdered two of the house staff. It’s looking for you.”

  Ruddy jumped up. His beer bottle clattered to the tile floor and broke. He ran to the door and turned the deadbolt. Travis ran in, gun drawn.

  “We have to get out of here.” Travis was pale and covered in blood. “Come on! It asked for you by name.”

  “Why would an afflicted be after me?”

  “Kidnapping, maybe? I don’t know but it described you. It tortured the cook, tore him to pieces when he wouldn’t tell it where you were.”

  “We can’t leave,” Ruddy said. What about Mom?”

  Travis grabbed his arm. “She’s in the panic room. Besides, it’s after you. The best way to help her is to get the hell away from here. Come on, I’ll take you to the police station. You’ll be safe there.”

  A long, drawn-out scream came from outside.

  “Jesus!” Ruddy said.

  “That came from the front,” Travis said. He deadbolted the door. “Out the back window.”

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  Ruddy lodged halfway through. “I’m too big!” Ruddy said.

  Travis shoved him. “Go!” Ruddy grabbed the sides of the window and pulled as hard as he could. There was a ripping noise as his shirt tore, but he made it.

  He dropped to the ground with a grunt. Travis landed next to him seconds later.

  It was pitch black. “What happened to the lights?” Ruddy whispered.

  “Shh! What do you think happened? This way.”

  Ruddy bumped into everything between the house and the garage. Travis dug the keys out of his pocket and opened the door to the limo. Ruddy got in the back.

  “What about the driver?” Ruddy said.

  “Do you really want to involve him in this?” Travis said. “I’ll drive.”

  They backed out of the garage and onto the driveway. Ruddy tried to see through the partition as the headlights cut through the blackness.

  Travis turned onto the main road. “The police should be here soon, but we can’t wait around,” he said. “As long as ...”

  The windshield exploded. A man with burning yellow eyes set in a beast’s face smashed into the driver’s cab and tore Travis’ throat out with his teeth.

  “Travis!” Ruddy screamed. The car swerved sideways. The beast swiveled his head toward Ruddy and grinned.

  Ruddy’s whole body turned silver and he beat at the partition with his fists. “You son of a bitch!” he yelled.

  The bulletproof partition cracked under Ruddy’s assault. The limo hit something and Ruddy flew forward and crashed through it like a cannonball.

  The thing was on him, biting, but it couldn’t get through his metal skin. Ruddy pounded at the beast but his blows had no effect.

  The beast man snarled at him. “Reginald Unglesby, Lord Anu has decreed your death.”

  Ruddy punched it in the face. “You killed him! You fucking monster!”

  The beast raked at his face with claws. “His life was nothing, demon,” the thing said. “I am the Scourge of God. Stop fighting me and accept your fate, or I will return and kill everyone you love.”

  “I won’t let you hurt them!” Ruddy said. “I’ll kill you!” He kept punching the beast man in the face, again and again. It laughed like a hyena.

  Ruddy heard sirens. Lights flooded over the wrecked limo. Doors slammed. There was a flash and the Scourge was gone, its laughter trailing behind it.

  Ruddy sobbed and put his hand on Travis’ chest. No, Travis. You can’t be dead.

  A police officer appeared in front of the limo, gun and flashlight trained on Ruddy. “Freeze!”

  Ruddy pushed his way to the door. “Help! We need an ambulance! My friend is hurt!”

  “Afflicted!” the cop yelled. He opened fire.

  Ping ping ping. Ruddy jerked from the force of the impacts. One of the bullets ricocheted into Travis’ face. His stomach heaved at the crunch of impact.

  “Stop! I’m not ...” He looked down at his hands. They were silver and dripping with blood.

  More cops opened fire.

  Ruddy ran.

  The rain of bullets bounced off him as he leaped over a police car and sprinted into the night.