"Stephanie, we have great news!" Valkyrie's mum called up the stairs. Valkyrie ran down the stairs and stopped in front of her parents. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Well," her dad said. "We have decided to go to Gordon's Villa for our family vacation this year."

"Cool, when do we leave?"

"Next week."

Valkyrie grinned; finally she could take a vacation with her family like a normal person. Well as long as no one tried to create a world catastrophe. And then her grin began to fade as a thought came into her head. "What about Scorch? Can we take him?"

"I don't know sweetie," her mum said. "The airport doesn't like pets and I don't think we could find a crate big enough any way."

"What about going on a boat?"

"Dogs don't usually do well on boats."

"Well we can't board him! Do you see how big he is? He'd eat the other dogs for breakfast!"

"I guess we'll have to find someone to take him in."

"Okay mum."

Valkyrie went back up to her room, uncertain. Tanith barely has enough room in her apartment for Angel, she couldn't take Scorch too. She don't trust Ravel with him and Ghastly would be too busy. Madame Mist is out of the question and she didn't dare leave him alone with Skulduggery for ten days. Skulduggery might not be there when she got back. And she was sure Omen would end up murdering Scorch if he was left with China.

Valkyrie sighed. 'Who should I get?' And then the answer wandered into her mind. She shivered but she knew it was the only option.

"Scorch?" she said walking into her room.

Scorch looked up from the squeaky toy he was trying to destroy. He lay on the floor next to her bed with it in his jaws. "Valkyrie!" he said. "I can't destroy this stupid toy!" Scorch drove his teeth back into it and it let out a pathetic squeal of agony but didn't fall apart.

"Because it's fire proof Scorch, remember? Otherwise you would have no toys."

"***** fireproof toys!" Scorch said angrily and went back to trying to kill the purple bone.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and sat down cross-legged next to him, unsure of how to approach the topic. "So…. Scorch."

"Yeah?"

"My parents said that we're going on vacation next week."

"Awesome! Can we go the Bahamas? I've always wanted to see the pyramids of Everest!"

She face-palmed.

"First the pyramids are in Egypt. Second, it's Mt. Everest. There is no pyramid called Everest."

"How do you know? You aren't a Jamaican."

Valkyrie face-palmed. "And," she continued. "You aren't going."

The squeaky toy fell on the floor as Scorch's jaw dropped open in shock. "WHAT!? WHY NOT!?"

"Because mum and dad are afraid you'll throw up on something."

"I don't throw up easy! I have nerves of steel!"

"Don't you mean 'stomach of steel?'"

"What did I say?"

"Nerves of steel."

"Oops. I meant, I have brains of steel.'"

Valkyrie sighed but didn't dwell on it and kept talking. "Any way. You'll have to stay with someone."

This brightened Scorch's mood. "Oh! Oh! Can I stay with Skulduggery? I want to test out a new sneak tactic and get his leg. Or China! I can't wait to see Omen's face when I tell him I'm staying with him!"

Valkyrie shook her head, "Sorry, neither."

Scorch sagged. "Please tell me I'm not staying with Madame Mist."

"You're staying with my aunt and uncle."

He cocked his head, "You're related to an ant? How'd you get to be so big?"

Valkyrie face-palmed again, "No, my aunt, as in my dad's brother's wife."

"Ohh… so you mean your dad's brother married an ant. Wow your family is messed up."

She rolled her eyes, "But, before I leave I need to at least warn you about them."

"What about them?" Scorch went back to happily chewing his squeaky toy, tail wagging and eyes bright.

But as Valkyrie explained about her Uncle Fergus and Aunt Beryl, Scorch's demeanor began to change. His tail slowed to a stop, eyes dimmed and he stopped chewing as frantically. The toy dropped a few times out of his mouth but he picked it up and continued chewing. But after the sixth time it fell he didn't pick it up. By the time she had finished, Scorch's ears were flat and he was curled in a ball.

"And that Scorch," Valkyrie said. "Is what my aunt and uncle are like; Scorch, Scorch? Are you even listening?"

Scorch's eyes had glazed over. "You can't leave me with them!" he cried. "They're monsters, monsters!"

"Shush….. You'll alert my parents," Valkyrie hissed at the panicking Hellhound.

"Please Valkyrie, I'll do anything! Anything! Just don't let me stay there! I won't even annoy Omen! Or try to eat Skulduggery on his sleep, anything but them!" Scorch begged.

"Look, it's just for ten days. If they become too much to handle just growl at them, they'll quiet down."

Scorch looked slightly hopeful. "Really?"

"Pretty sure. Almost certain. Unsure. They'll probably hit you with a rolled up newspaper if you do."

Scorch whined.

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