Amy stared at the bloodied man before her, sprawled, propping himself on an arm that was obviously broken without even the barest hint of agony in his eyes. "Slappy's….brother? And what's a life bond?" she hissed, her voice low and venomous as electricity crackled around them faintly.

Slappy shifted, bumping against her but she ignored him, stepping around him, half-expecting him to yank her back. She heard him swear under his breath and fought back a little smile.

The redhead licked his bloody teeth, baring them in a sinister smile that made her stomach flip over, and met her eyes. "I do believe brother is what one calls a male with the same biological parental DNA, correct?" he drawled, lifting the broken arm and examining it in a bored fashion. "And a life bond is, well, almost like a mate bond. Think of it this way, toots. Something inside you melded with his magic and you guys are stuck forever. There will be no other men for you and no other women for him. Once you're life bound, that's it. Finite. Of course, I doubt my idiot brother had any idea what was happening when he started changing. You noticed it, didn't you?"

Slappy was quiet behind her.

"Your skin suddenly has a temperature, too warm. You can produce sweat and blood. You have a heartbeat. Your body is changing itself to be what she needs." The strange man's blue eyes bore into hers as he smirked. "But what's this? You gave her some of your blood? That's what sealed it."

She wheeled on Slappy. "Did you know?" she growled, grabbing his arm, feeling the give of tender flesh and muscle, the heat of his skin. "Did you know about the life bond?"

Slappy's light blue eyes narrowed at her. "Of course not! I may be over a thousand years old, slave, but a life bond...I had no idea. If I had known, do you really believe I would have bound myself to a mortal girl? One who has her entire life ahead of her, bound and chained to a creature that can't die?" His voice was venomous and his eyes flashed red. With a choked snarl, he backed away from her, slipping from her tenuous hold.

She watched, more fascinated and enthralled than terrified, as his body warped and rippled. His eyes met hers and he took a shuddering breath, the bubbling movements coming to a standstill.

"See? So desperate to please ya, he keeps his human form around ya."

Amy turned to Wally, watching him fiddle with the bone sticking clear out of his skin with little to no pain on his face. "What are you talking about? What do you mean his 'human form?'"

The redhead paused, a slow smile spreading across his bloody lips. Even under the blood, she could see unhinged he looked.

Slappy beat his brother to the punch. "I'm not human, Amy, as you know. This human body is merely a facade, just as the doll I came to you in three years ago. My real form…is less than pleasant. I'm a demon, Amy, plain and simple."

"Like Ray?"

Wally howled a laugh. "Ray Thurston? Man, you sure know how to pick them! She bested you when she was twelve and then you form a life-bond with her and now Ray, that slimy, demented soul-sucker, wants her?"

Slappy growled. "He wants Amanda and seems to think my human can help him find her. Now that I know what he desires, the answer is so very apparent. I thought I could cow the boy into backing off but he only went after you so much more furiously than I'd anticipated," he said, addressing Amy softly. The expression on his face was one she'd never seen, soft and tender almost, his stare hypnotic.

Amy felt as though she were ensnared in the gaze of a snake like a mouse, unable to move, unable to think coherently. Was he drugging her just by looking into her eyes?

His hand trailed across her cheek, brushing back an errant strand of hair, the smell of blood filling her lungs when she inhaled, and underneath that metallic scent, the aroma that was all him, that ozone and masculine scent she had smelled coming off him when she was bleeding out.

His hand cupped her cheek now, his thumb close to her lips, and he gazed at her almost longingly. The little exhale brushed against the pad of his thumb.

"What're you going to do when he comes after me again?" she asked.

His eyes blazed suddenly. "Simple. I'll kill him."

Jed watched his mother surreptitiously from underneath his eyelashes, her nervous fingers coiling a small portion of her hair, as she spoke quietly with his father. It was only two pm and still no sign of Amy.

He didn't tell them that he'd seen his missing sister climb down the stairs well in the night, a backpack slung over her shoulder, tears in her eyes. When he asked her what she was doing, she said she was going to find Slappy and make him change her back, and he hugged her tight, ignoring the hot lump in his throat as he told her to be careful.

Mrs. Kramer closed her eyes, swallowing hard as Mr. Kramer wrapped his arms around her, stroking her dark hair. "She'll turn up," he reassured her.

Jed didn't doubt that.

This was Amy's home, regardless of how strained their relationships were as of late due to the sudden addition of Slappy, and she wouldn't leave, at least not permanently. He hoped she was wise enough to see that.

While his parents and Sara hated Slappy with a burning passion, Jed actually kind of liked him. He was snarky and funny and he was a boy, and he knew no matter what Slappy would keep his sister safe.

That was all that mattered.

Ray stared up sourly at the abandoned house. His claws gouged into the wood post he was leaning against, his teeth bared.

Inside was Slappy and Wally undoubtedly. And the one girl who could help him find his mate.

Amy Kramer was going to help him if it was the last thing he did.