the most dangerous of missions .”
Ivy blushed and looked away from Bao , even though he was blind . She had willingly gone through with everything he had asked . It was due to her own lust for vengeance , as Anna had suggested , but her life had been on the line every time she stepped into the Flaming Ruby . Simone ’ s death had proved that much to her at least .
“ How will you kill them all ?” Ivy asked . “ You only have the one knife .”
“ We cannot finish all of them for good ,” Bao said , “ but it takes time for them to come back through to our side once we kill their human bodies , sometimes decades . If we thin their numbers and destroy their den at the Flaming Ruby , I will consider it a great victory .”
“ Lannus will be there tomorrow ,” Ivy said , knowing she didn ’ t have to justify herself but feeling the need to anyway . “ If you move in , then I will as well . I want to be the one to kill Lannus .”
“ You will have your chance ,” Bao said . “ If the demon who followed you is right , then the one you wish to kill is a high-demon of some kind . Killing him for good is essential .”
“ You ’ re going to trust her ?!” Bao ’ s associate exclaimed . “ We have so few weapons to kill a demon for good , and you ’ re going to give the knife to someone who may have been turned ?!” “ I haven ’ t been turned ,” Ivy said . “ She hasn ’ t ,” Anna agreed , still watching her intently . “ I can see it on her face and feel it on her aura . Contrary to what you have said , her resolve is stronger than ever .”
“ I just want to end this ,” Ivy said . “ I can ’ t move on until Lannus is dead and this entire part of my life is over .”
“ Mobilize a party of no more than 15 , including Ivy ,” Bao said . “ We are moving on the Flaming Ruby tomorrow .”
11
Ivy was late for her shift , but it was alright . She hadn ’ t come alone this time . She walked with Bao ’ s men , fourteen armed and ready for battle , toward the entrance the girls used . The bouncers went for their Uzis as soon as they saw Ivy and her entourage , and they were both killed , holes bleeding from their foreheads .
“ There ’ s going to be some stairs ,” Ivy said , readying her own handgun . “ There ’ s more bouncers inside , and they probably know we ’ re here by now .”
Ivy was right . They made their way up the stairs , blasting armed bouncers as they went . Those who worked for the Flaming Ruby were merely paid thugs , and they were no match for Bao ’ s trained gunmen . There was no telling what was going to happen once they made their way to the main area .
The kitchens were packed as usual . Most of the chefs and busboys ran or hid when Bao ’ s men entered , guns blazing . Here was where the real security was and Bao ’ s men had their hands full , trading bullets with the Flaming Ruby ’ s . One of Bao ’ s men took a bullet in the arm , and he passed his gun to his left hand , continuing to fire at his foe , sending him into a wall with a bullet in his brain .
Ivy waited , avoiding the gunfight as Bao and Anna had instructed . She wanted to move ahead before Lannus could flee , but she ’ d be killed if she went off on her own . One of the chefs lunged at her , a knife in each hand . Ivy squeezed the trigger of her gun , putting a bullet hole in his chest . He fell to the ground , dying .
Bao ’ s men won the battle in the kitchen and the 11 who were not wounded moved through the halls and dressing rooms led by Ivy . The girls ran off in different directions . Samantha caught Ivy ’ s eye , and she froze , a look of