Hey, sorry this took so long... The fires in Califonia (where I happen to be living at the moment) didnt help... They should get back to normal again!

Please read and review! I really appreciate what you have to say!

Standard disclaimer applies! I dont own anything

Surprisingly, I landed rather gently on the ground outside of Thomas's window. Syileta had been able to summon up enough wind to cushion my fall. But hell's bells did she need to use hot air? I guess for a fire elemental hot air was better than fire rushing around my feet.

I readjusted Thomas's arm over my shoulder and heaved him higher. He was breathing shallowly and had gone even paler if that was at all possible. But he was still alive. And the pale blood flowing out of his wounds was slowing ever so slightly.

Looking up I saw Syileta seat herself on the window ledge, getting ready to jump. I gathered my will quickly to use to conjure up enough wind to help her safely to the ground. She threw herself out of the window as I muttered the spell under my breath.

"Vento."

The wind rose up around me and she landed a little more gracefully next to me.

Just as she landed there was a crash up in Thomas's apartment. I shot a quick look at Syi. She was thinking the same as I was. We had to get the hell outta here. And fast.

"I'll carry Thomas, you run defense." I said, picking Thomas up in a fireman's carry. Damn he was heavy, or I was getting weaker. Syileta just nodded and I could see the fire consume her hands again. I couldn't take my eyes off her for a moment as the fire grew brighter and traveled up her arms. She opened her eyes and they were glowing, as if the fire was burning within them. Her hair flared out around her by an unseen force. She looked fierce.

Basically, she scared the SHIT out of me.

Remind me to NEVER piss her off.

She smiled and nodded. She was ready to take on some seriously creepy shit. I'm glad she's on my side.

We turned to head down the ally when we heard another crash from upstairs. The Denarius had finally broken loose from the circle and was crouching in the window.

Syileta arched slightly before launching the fire in her hands at the Denarius.

"Go." She yelled.

I didn't need to be told twice. I ran, as fast as I could with Thomas at least. Syileta was right behind me, eyes still on fire, having somehow managed to loose the Denarius for a moment. Her first few shots must have knocked the thing back into the apartment, because I didn't hear it fall. Hopefully it would give us a few moments head start.

We were almost to my car when it all went to hell. I had let my guard down. The Denarius must have caught up to us at some point because he was close enough to throw one of Syileta's daggers at me. Carrying Thomas I wasn't able to get my shield up in time. I went down hard, hitting my head off the curb.

You know in the cartoons when Sylvester gets hit on his head and he sees little Tweety birds floating around? Well, I actually did. I felt a wave of heat for a moment, and then a huge weight being lifted off of me. Thomas, I think it was. I tried to shake it off, but that only made me see more birds. I don't think I like birds.

"Harry, Harry." Someone yelled in my ear.

Slowly my vision cleared. Syileta was standing over me, and Thomas was lying nearby. He was looking worse, if that was possible. But Syileta, her eyes were still on fire; it was a little disturbing actually. I sat there for a few moments to let the birds finally clear.

"You good enough to stand?" She asked, glancing over her now healed shoulder. I followed her gaze to the Denarius, who was currently trying to untangle himself from a garbage dumpster.

"I'ink so." I slurred. I looked down at the pain in my leg. Thankfully it didn't look too deep. The dagger had only penetrated about an inch into the muscle. The damn thing went right through my cowboy boots. I liked those boots. Oh well… Yippy ki yay!

I checked behind me as I dragged my sore body off the ground. The problem wasn't going to be the hole in my leg, but my nice new concussion. The demon was still fighting the garbage, and Syileta was helping haul Thomas up. She helped me drag Thomas towards the car, one of his arms over each of our shoulders.

Clambering through the snow, with a hole in my leg and having to haul Thomas between us is not high on my list of fun things to do. Did I mention that we were walking through the snow?

Syileta reached the car door first. She threw open the door and climbed into the back seat where we could lay Thomas out flat.

My car, like I've said before, is absolutely falling apart. To say she climbed into the back wasn't as accurate as saying she was crouching in an open space where the seats used to be.

I glanced over my shoulder again, call me paranoid, but didn't see anything. Not good. I lowered Thomas off my shoulder and Syileta helped me get him into the back with her where he could lie down. Kind of.

"Hurry, I don't think he'll make it much longer." Syileta whispered, wiping some of his pale blood off a cut on his forehead.

I'm usually a fairly manly man, but seeing Thomas dying in my back seat was scaring me. I had to get him somewhere safe and away from Edward Scissor Hands back there. Home. It was the safest place I could think of. I gunned the engine of my old Beetle, after I finally got it started, and tore off down the street.

We were lucky, there was not much traffic and no cops around, and so we flew down the street. If this kept up, we should be able to get to my place quickly.

But it didn't. It never dose with me. Sometimes I think I'm cursed.

We turned a corner quickly; my apartment was just around another couple of corners, when the Denarius crashed down on the back of the Beetle. Syileta cursed as she used her body to try and shield Thomas from the flying broken glass as I fought to keep the beetle moving in a straight line. I saw the Denarius from the rear view mirror make a grab for Thomas, or Syileta, but was met with a palm full of fire. He held on, but was howling in pain.

We were coming up to another corner, and I took it a little too fast, hoping to throw the thing off the car. But it held on tight.

Syileta screamed as a dagger impaled her shoulder again. I reached into my duster searching for my blasting rod, but it wasn't there. I must have left it at Thomas's.

Damn.

I craned my neck, trying to look back. Syileta was still trying to lose the demon and shield Thomas at the same time. She wasn't having much luck.

"Could you give me a hand?" She yelled over her shoulder, throwing another fist full of fire at the Denarius.

"Syi," I called, thinking fast. "Grab my staff and point it at the fucker!" I swerved again, trying to keep the Beetle on the road and off the curb.

"What's that going to do?" She shrieked back, pulling at the wood lodged behind her.

We flew around another corner, now past my place, when I got a hand on the corner of my staff. Syileta pointed it in the general direction of the Denarius and I released all my pent up anger at the son of a bitch for all the damage he'd done to me, Thomas, Syi, and my poor car.

"Vento!"

The Denarius flew through the air as I slammed on the brakes and spun the Beetle around. He slammed into the nearest building and crumpled part of the wall on top of himself.

"Dang," Syi whispered, "That's going to leave a mark."

I turned around and stared at her. She had this sick smile of her face. I had to laugh too I guess. We were alive. That was always nice. We paused for a second to laugh, and then noticed something absolutely horrible.

That damn thing was getting up again.

"Let's get out of here." She said.

I nodded and gunned the engine and we spun around a corner towards my place.