Jupe eyed the keys on the hood. “Even if I could, it would take me, like, forever.”

“You’ve got a year until you can get your learner’s permit,” I said.

“And you can take over the garage,” Lon suggested. “Haul over a couch from Grandpa’s old house in the Village. Maybe even put a TV in here.”

Jupe pulled his face away from the passenger window and looked between us, then spoke to Lon in a small voice. “You really think I could do it?”

“Why not? And when you’re done, you’ll know all about cars. Mechanics make decent money. It’d be nice to have a skill like that.”

After a few moments of doubt, Jupe smiled, like he was starting to believe it himself. Then he scrunched up his face, thinking two steps ahead. “Can I put posters up on the walls in here?”

“No naked women.”

“What about a nude calendar? All mechanics have them.”

“That’s just in the movies,” Lon said. “No one makes those anymore.”

“Please! You shot—”

Lon made a loud chastising noise. “That was a long time ago.”

“You shot what exactly?” I asked. “And how long ago?”

Jupe grinned. “It was—”

“So do you want this thing or not?” Lon said quickly, cutting him off.

Jupe snatched the keys off the hood. “Hell yeah! This is the best birthday present ever!”

He took a couple of laps around the car, opening both doors and crawling around inside, only to complain about the “dead fish” stink. Lon lifted the hood, and after they peered inside, Jupe finally calmed enough to call his friend Jack and brag about his new prize.

Lon and I leaned against the GTO.

“Good job,” I whispered to Lon.

“It was your idea.” He slung an arm around my shoulder and kissed me lightly on the top of my head.

I smiled up at him and traced the small scar on his neck. Much smaller than the scar on his ribs, and I was glad this one was there. It meant he was alive. Warm and breathing and whole. I would never stop being thankful for that. And, truthfully, I couldn’t be happier about Lon’s owing Bob a favor. Maybe Bob’s newfound confidence would lead him to spend less time on a barstool in Tambuku and more time putting his knack to better use.

“If the kid can’t restore this thing, don’t blame me,” I said.

Lon pushed long strands of tawny hair away from his face. “Danny said he’d do it for parts if Jupe helps him out after school a couple of days a week. Even then, it’ll take months.”

I laughed. Probably more like years.

“Hey,” Lon called out to Jupe after he ended his phone call. “It’s almost six. You ready to do this?”

Jupe ambled through garage, threading the GTO keys onto his Wolf Man key ring. “Oh, yeah! I almost forgot.”

I frowned at Lon. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I made a quick phone call earlier.”

“What kind of phone call?”

Jupe gleefully dangled his newly ringed keys in front of my face. “Let’s just say that you’re going to owe me big-time.”

“Pfft. I owe you zilch,” I said. “I helped pay for this junk heap already.” Okay, only a couple hundred dollars, which barely covered the tow up the cliff, but still.

Lon whistled merrily.

I glared at him. “Explain.”

“We’re taking a little trip down to the Village. Got a meeting at the Singing Bean.”

“With whom?”

Lon grinned. “Your death dowser pal Hajo has agreed to meet us. Jupe’s going to get your vassal potion back.”

“What?”

“That’s right.” Jupe arched his back and stretched like a cat, then smugly pretended to crack his knuckles. “Step aside and watch the master go to work, people.”

Lon brushed his fingers across mine. “Dr. Spendlove said we should teach Jupe how to use his knack for good, not evil,” he reminded me. “This qualifies as good in my book.”

“So this is all for Jupe’s education, huh?” As if he didn’t get enough education last week. How in the world Lon planned to ensure that the kid didn’t go bragging to his friends about demon horns was beyond me. I was pretty sure Lon was doing this to keep Jupe happy and quiet.

“Please,” Lon pleaded, lifting my chin. “Hajo’s a bum. Am I wrong?”

“No,” I admitted.

“Woot! I get to meet a real-live junkie!” Jupe exclaimed.

Lon flashed me a triumphant smile. As he walked by, he smacked my ass, coaxing a reflexive jump out of me. “Come on, Cadybell. We’re gonna be late.”

Jupe sneaked me a mischievous look, then reared back with his palm, ready to follow Lon’s example. I grabbed his hand midswing. “You do, and I’ll break it.”

He snickered, wiggling free of my grasp, then threw down an alternate gauntlet. “Race you to the SUV.”

Challenge accepted. I scraped an invisible line across the garage floor with the side of my shoe.

Things weren’t perfect. Even if we got the vassal back from Hajo, I had the binding debts hanging over my head. My house wards had been disabled by Chora, and though they could be fixed eventually, I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel one hundred percent safe inside them again. And though Dare was relieved to have all the Hellfire kids back, he still had me over a barrel with my identity. Official Hellfire Club magician . . . I really didn’t like the sound of that.