"Lives are at stake," said Merlin earnestly. "Many lives. Something

monstrously

evil has been loosed upon the city. I can feel it. And it's up to you and me

to

stop it, Billy. If we can."

Joey Lymon discovered something strange after he murdered Mary Spring. For a

little while the act of killing somehow made the dirty, shameful feelings go

away, while at the same time giving him a profound sense of relief and

satisfaction, a feeling that he had done something important and correct. And

he

knew that what he had done was right. He had eliminated a source of

temptation

from the world. He had made sure that Mary Spring's body would never tempt

anyone again.

Afterward he had looked for the redheaded stranger, but there had been no

sign

of him. There was some money in the roll-up leather knife case. And there was

a

card, engraved on fancy white rag stock, with an address handwritten on the

back. The front of the card read, "Lord Nigel Carfax."

Perhaps he really was the Devil, Joey thought, and part of him was terrified,

but another part didn't care. For the first time in his life he could walk

down

the street without having people recoil from him in disgust. He could enter a

pub without having anyone stare at him—except the women, but they no longer

stared at him the way they used to. Now there were invitations in those

stares.

And he despised them for it. He downed his pint, wiped his mouth, and ordered

up

another, all the while staring at the card lying before him on the bar.

His hand was shaking as he picked up the card and turned it over, reading the

address. Mayfair. Of course, he thought, where else would a bloody lord live?

There was no question but that he would have to go. The card was not an

invitation, it was a summons. A command. He had no choice. He'd have to go,

and

he could not delay.

"'Allo, ducks. Buy a girl a drink?"

He looked at her and she mistook his smoldering gaze for passion. She leered

at

him and pressed up against him, her hand rubbing the inside of his thigh. She

moistened her lips and winked at him.

"I 'ave a place not far from 'ere," she said suggestively.

Well, thought Joey, perhaps he could delay a little while. Lord Carfax would

understand.

* * *

Terri Clancy was heartachingly beautiful. She had long, raven-black hair and

blue-gray eyes so light that they seemed to give off a silvery glow. Her skin

was flawless, her nose was slightly turned up at the end, and her mouth full

and