"Fire tests gold, suffering tests brave men."

Seneca

Chase

For the record, I was right. Douglas was upset when Oly presented him with Azazel's Bane.

It didn't occur to me that giving Douglas a powerful amulet was a bad idea until I saw that look in his eyes. For a few seconds, he held his breath as he turned the amulet over in his hands. You'd think Oly gave him a winning lottery ticket or something. Whatever wheels were turning in his head probably weren't safe for the world, but I'd have to fix that later. Right now, I had a couple of different problems to deal with, not the least of which was Douglas yelling at us about both the amulet and the blood spots in the kitchen.

I didn't blame him. Oly earned it, as far as I was concerned. Douglas blaming me, too, seemed unnecessary, but whatever. Pointing out that I told Oly not to touch Azazel's Bane didn't seem to matter, so I just had to deal with it.

Could I just say that Douglas' anger was different than Mr. Davenport's? Douglas switched between wild gestures and rage to pacing around the kitchen, frantically talking through plans and running his fingers through his hair. It was easier to deal with if I was honest. Douglas didn't shoot me disappointed looks or hit me with barbed lectures about how I should be smart enough to know better. He said I should drop-kick Oly across the room the next time she had an idea and left it there. He seemed to get that Oly would do what she wanted with or without me.

"Would you stop moving?"

I glared at Oly, pinning my ears. "I can't. It's a weird angle." I lifted my arm to accent the point, exposing my burnt side more. It didn't help that Douglas had Oly holding my hand as some form of punishment for our fighting. She sat on the table, scowling as she eyed the injury. A nasty blister formed just below the ribcage on my right side, and I was trying to stick some gauze on it. Throwing alcohol on the claw marks on my chest had been easy enough, but the burn required twisting to reach. It was just annoying with one hand.

You could always bite her arm off.

Douglas let out a sigh, dropping Azazel's Bane on the counter before he started for us. Taking the gauze pad from me, he shook his head. "Hold your shirt up. I'll get it."

I grabbed my shirt with my now-free hand and held it up while Douglas pressed the gauze to the injury. I hissed when it stung but held as still as possible for him. Oly clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "You should just let him suffer. That'll teach him not to move when sparks are flying his way."

Douglas fixed her with a glare before he reached up, taking hold of my right ear between his fingers. He had to hold it tight while it twitched so he could look at the missing tip. God, I hated people touching my ears. They were more sensitive than I expected, jerking away from fingers before I even realized people were trying to touch them. It wasn't painful, just…overstimulating. I growled as Douglas released me, sighing again. "At least it scabbed cleanly." He picked up the box of gauze and shook it. "Want me to cover it?"

I dropped my shirt to rub the base of my ear, shaking my head. "Keep your bitch stickers off my ear."

Oly laughed at that, tugging on my hand. "You need all the bitch stickers you can get."

My tail lashed on the floor as Douglas looked me over again. "Anything else I should know about?"

I shook my head at that, waving the box away. "I got the rest." Most were minor scratches, anyways. Oly shifted away as Douglas set the box on the table, kicking a paper out from under her feet. I perked my ears, scanning everything on the table. The legal pad had a stream of new writing, the unmistakable zig-zag pattern of a rail fence cipher. I looked at Douglas again. "Solve the riddle?"

Douglas laughed, reaching across the table to pull the legal pad towards us. "Yeah. It's the letter 'e.'"

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "That's it? Seriously?"

Douglas nodded, scanning the paper as he crossed his arms. "Makes you feel stupid, huh?"

I huffed out a sigh and nodded. Days wasted over the letter 'e.' I wanted to tear Krane's letters to pieces. "What's it say?"

"Krane's trying to talk to Lovett." Douglas flipped through the pad, sighing. "I didn't get far before you guys came home." His eyes darted to Azazel's Bane on the counter, and I lowered my ears. We brought more problems than solutions, that was for sure.

Douglas seemed to follow my thoughts. He raised a hand, waving at Azazel's Bane. "Look, it's not ideal, but if you weren't followed, then we should be fine. Nobody should know you were anywhere near Lovett's place tonight." He sighed, crossing his arms. "We'll figure out what to do about this tomorrow, okay? We should be okay for tonight."

Oly sat up, her tail wrapping around her feet. "So, I did good?"

Douglas ran a hand down his face, shaking his head. "Shut up, Oly."

I leaned back in my chair, my tail twitching as I looked Douglas' notes over. I was willing to bet every demon on the block could sense the pulsing of Azazel's Bane, but I couldn't do much about it. We'd just have to decode the letters and go from there. "So, what – "

Oly rammed into my shoulder, knocking me out of the chair. I flicked my wings out wide to balance myself as I fell, knocking Douglas to the floor with me. I hit the tile with a yelp, gathering my legs up under myself to kick Oly when the kitchen window exploded. The table and chairs were knocked back across the kitchen in a wave of heat and light. Fire - one I couldn't control - was burning the splintered furniture. I rolled over, covering my mouth and nose with one hand as I gathered my legs under me. I had to save as many letters as I could. Oly scurried upstairs on all fours, her tail whipping around. The air snapped and cracked as flames licked up the wall behind the table as I rose to my knees, but I didn't get any farther. Someone grabbed the back of my shirt and hauled me up, shoving me towards the stairs. I could barely hear Douglas as he yelled, "Up, go up!"

Now, I wasn't a firefighter, but I knew enough about flow path to know that upstairs was a stupid place for us to go. The heated gasses and smoke from the fire would go straight up the stairs to the open window in my room here in a minute. You know, pressure differentials and all that. More importantly, Douglas couldn't fly. I could throw myself out of any window and fly off, but Douglas was stuck on the ground. We should be heading towards the front door, not the stairs. I whipped around to snap at Douglas when I saw his problem. Anubis himself stepped through the kitchen window, his eyes glowing red as fire gathered in his palms. The gold accents in his dark skin glittered in the firelight as he made a beeline for Azazel's Bane on the kitchen counter.

Douglas shoved between my shoulders again, his eyes wild as he yelled. I couldn't hear him anymore. For those of you wondering how loud a house fire could get, there's your answer. More importantly, my eyes were stinging by now. Pinning my ears, I bolted up the stairs with Douglas hot on my heels. Just in time, too, because the fire spread to the railing at the bottom of the stairs. The Anubis guy roared at us as I reached the top, bolting down the hallway with my tail lashing. God, where did we go now? A third of us couldn't get out from here, which kind of mattered.

Of all the breakthroughs Douglas' mad-scientist ass made, he couldn't invent some way to make himself fly? A jet pack would be nice.

"The window in my room leads out to the roof," Douglas yelled right in my ear. I jumped but hooked a left into his room. Oly was already on the windowsill, waiting with her hands on the latches. Douglas slammed the door behind us as he joined me, cutting us off from most of the smoke and heat.

My eyes watered and my throat stung as I flicked an ear to the door, my voice muffled through my hands. "What the hell was that?"

An afrit.

I pinned my ears again. Thank you so much for finally showing up!

I'm a thought process. What exactly do you want me to do? Go out there and fight him?

"Jasper," Douglas answered, pulling a drawer open and throwing socks everywhere as he dug. "Oly, don't open the window until I tell you." Oly hopped to the floor and paced in circles, snapping her beak as her ears flapped.

Okay, Jasper. I guessed Lovett knew we stole his treasure. I watched Douglas throwing clothes around, my tail tapping the floor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for – aha!" Douglas whipped a little cloth bag out of his drawer and clutched it close, turning to Oly and me. "Go! Warn Donnie and the others!"

Oly hopped back on the sill, yanked the window open, and clawed through the screen. Heat rolled through the window into the room, but she ignored it. In seconds, she hopped outside and flew off into the night. As for me, I didn't have to follow orders. I crossed to the window and worked the screen loose, gesturing for Douglas to follow. "You're not facing an afrit by yourself."

Douglas gave me a small smile, waving me on as he yelled. "The neighbor on our left has a shed we can jump on. Head that way." Then, he gestured at the window. "Ladies first."

I rolled my eyes but climbed out the window. Smoke and flames rolled from the eaves along the edge of the roof right where we needed to go, the gutters glowing red. The second my feet hit the roof, something slammed into the door. Douglas winced, clutching his bag while he climbed out after me. It was graceless – he was too old to be doing this kind of thing – but he made it by the time Jasper hit the door a second time. He pointed ahead before covering his mouth with his free hand. Lowering my ears, I nodded and started forward, tapping on the roof with a foot before putting my full weight on it. I didn't know how far the fire had spread under us yet. It was slow for my tastes, but it was all I could do. I didn't want to drop down into the kitchen and burn.

A splintering sound came from inside, followed by roaring. Jasper was through the bedroom door. Swallowing, I sounded the roof in front of me faster and shivered despite the heat radiating around us as the roof creaked. Jasper climbed out the window behind us, snarling. His voice was a hiss as he spoke at last. "Djinni!"

God, why me? What did I do? Why did he have to call me out? What did he expect me to do, fight him?

Fly off, idiot. Forget the mortal. You are no afrit.

I turned an ear back to listen even as I sped up. Douglas passed me still, tip-toeing his way around the smoke rising from a hole in the roof. Flying away looked better by the second as I trembled. But -

You were just fine on your own. You don't need him.

I wasn't fine out there on my own. Things were better here, even if here was burning down. Humans were social creatures for a reason. We worked better as a team than running around alone.

You're going to die here if you don't leave now.

"Half-Breed." Jasper sounded calmer this time. "You don't have to die with your Master."

I lowered my ears and stopped, turning to face Jasper now. Smoke and flames arched away from him like he had an invisible forcefield as he started towards me, his head cocked to the side. Douglas yelled something at me, but I wasn't listening to him anymore. I just hoped he kept going. If he didn't, facing down Jasper would be pointless. I flicked my wings out to make myself bigger, but the winds off the heat tugged at them until I pulled them back in. I had to settle for the fur on my pinned ears and lashing tail standing up. I didn't need to win this fight, anyways. I just needed to buy time for Douglas to get down.

You better not die screaming.

With that vote of confidence, I backed away from Jasper with a hiss. The afrit cocked his head again, straightened up, and roared. His skin glowed orange in the firelight as he started for me, flexing his claws. God, I hoped he made it quick. I sucked in a breath and regretted it instantly as it burned. I couldn't stop a series of coughs as Jasper's claws turned red, flames licking at his fingers. I barely managed to throw my hands up as he tossed the fireball at me, not unlike a parent playing catch with a toddler.

He didn't think I was a threat.

My heart shot into my throat as the fireball bounced off my forcefield. Jasper frowned, his red eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. The roof groaned under his weight, sparks rising around him. He didn't seem to care, though. He reached out, taking a few more steps forward and tapping my forcefield with one claw. He snorted out a breath when it shocked him, taking a step back and pinning those jackal ears of his. He bared his fangs in a grin, watching me. "Nice trick, djinni."

My breaths were coming in painful rasps as my hands shook, but I glanced at the roof by his feet. It sagged beneath him, ready to give any moment. If it had a little help –

Douglas appeared by my side the next second. He pulled the bag open with his teeth and threw it at Jasper, releasing a powder from within. It shimmered as it landed on the afrit, who shrieked. The unmistakable shine of silver outlined his face and shoulders as he clawed at himself, backing up a step and shaking his head. Sucking in another breath, I swung my arms around until my forcefield shrunk into a ball in my hands. I growled and threw it at the roof under Jasper's feet, pinning my ears. It hit with a buzzing crack, a tesla coil that broke through wood as the roof gave. Jasper plummeted into the house, still howling his agony. I covered my mouth again as Douglas pushed on my shoulders again, coughing himself. "Go."

I nodded, coughing again as I started across the roof. I could hear the wail of sirens now as I felt my way to the end of the house, squinting to see through the smoke and flames. I could just make out a shed in the neighbor's yard. Backing up a few steps, I bolted forward and spread my wings. The heat carried me up for a second, but conditions were better almost immediately when I broke through the smoke. Less heat, less smoke. It was easier to breathe as I glided to the shed, landing on the roof with a wince. Douglas came flying through the night after me, barely missing the roof. I winced as he caught the edge, hitting the side of the building with a gasp. Coughing, I grabbed the edge and lowered myself down, dropping a few feet to the ground as Douglas let go of the shed with a groan. Sinking to the ground in the bushes along the fence, his voice was a rasp as I joined him. "Think I broke a rib."

I lowered my ears, plopping down with some coughing. We couldn't do anything about a busted rib right now. Douglas leaned against the fence, closing his eyes. Tears ran down his face as he ground his teeth, but I couldn't tell if it was from the situation, the fire, or the pain. God knows my eyes were watering. I hugged my knees, coughing again. Breathing was painful now, and I couldn't imagine things were any better for Douglas. I leaned against him, closing my eyes. I didn't sound much better when I spoke. "The shed?"

"Know your escape routes," Douglas answered, suppressing a cough. Jasper's roars stopped behind us at last. He wouldn't burn, unfortunately. Azazel's Bane kept the fire away from him, its magic designed to protect the wearer. The silver would leave some injuries, though. I could see flashing lights as firetrucks sped down the street towards the house in a futile attempt to save the place. It wouldn't matter. We couldn't go back there, anyways. I wrapped my tail around my shaking body, swallowing and coughing again.

It would be nice if I could take deep breaths. My heart was racing.

Douglas gathered himself up, pressing a palm into the dirt and standing up. "Come on. We shouldn't be here when Jasper gets out."

I winced and nodded. Pulling my legs close, I stood up and dusted my clothes off. I shifted my form just enough to get rid of my ears, wings, and tail so I could walk down the street without drawing attention, then followed Douglas as he started for the gate. It had a lock on the handle, but it was just for show. The owner didn't actually lock the thing. Douglas twisted it open and tossed it to the ground, opening the gate. From there, we were quiet as we started down the street. I shoved my hands in my pockets, listening to our labored breathing as the sounds of our burning home faded behind us. I didn't know where we were going, though I had an idea of where I wanted to end up. I just didn't think now was the time to bring it up.

You're lucky to be alive.

I would take that. Lucky to be alive wasn't dead, after all. I looked down as Douglas let out another few coughs. Do you think that Jasper ever got a civilization to worship him? He looked so much like Anubis that it would be one hell of a coincidence.

It's possible.

Douglas glanced up the street, then started across the road. I followed him, looking back over my shoulder for a second. The housefire was just a glow in the distance now. I focused on Douglas as we reached the sidewalk again. "You ever think homeownership isn't for you?"

Douglas raised an eyebrow, looking at me with a hum.

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. "I mean, this is what, your second home that was destroyed? Maybe you should just rent apartments or something from now on."

A smile played on Douglas' face. "Smartass."