Damian's Assassin

"Dustin!"

He turned to see Jonny. The youth's eyes were wide and bright, his skin flushed with health. Jonny stopped in front of him and stared. Dusty turned around and kept walking.

"Dusty, wait, I'm s…sorry. I just … is B okay?" Jonny asked anxiously.

"For now," Dusty replied.

"For now?" came the uneasy reply. "I thought she was here with you but when I got here, I didn't see her. I started asking around, but no one would tell me, so I-- "

"Jonny!" he barked.

"She's my sister!"

He turned to see the young man's face flushed this time with anger, his eyes glittering. The Guardians moved around them in the hall, and Dusty studied the young god-slayer. If the man before him was who the Watcher said he was …

"I have a right to know," Jonny said less forcefully.

"Come with me." Dusty spun again and continued walking, aware of the anxious young man at his heels. He found Speck on the back porch, smoking a cigar while gazing at the glowing wheat fields. The dark sky stretched far overhead, no sign of morning yet visible.

"You don't leave my side," Dusty ordered Jonny. "Got it?"

"Yes, but-- "

"Shut up," Dusty growled. Jonny fidgeted but fell silent. "Any word from Darian?"

"Nada," Speck replied. "You think he'll pull it off?"

"He's gotta be good for something."

"Heya, Jonny." At the husky female voice, Dusty turned to see Jenn fluff Jonny's hair as she passed. She stopped beside him and indicated the youth with her thumb. "He's here. Wanna tell me what you're thinking, boss?"

"I'm thinking Talon wants him real bad and will have to take me out to get to him," Dusty replied.

"This kid?" Speck asked, looking Jonny over critically. "Can he even carry a gun?"

"I can shoot!" Jonny replied. "Real well. Any weapon I come across, I can master without even trying!"

"Good you have a talent, or your skinny hide would be in trouble," Speck replied, amused.

"It's a byproduct of his talent," Dusty said. "Jonny is a god-slayer, which means he can kill Damian, Czerno, Darian, as well as Jule or me. Talon made him into a vamp. Bianca turned him human again, but she can't make him mortal. You're looking at the only known god-slayer in existence."

Speck stared, and Jenn frowned. Jonny looked apprehensive yet resigned, as if he'd known this was coming.

Dusty glanced at his watch. "Everything set for tonight in Florida?"

"As much as we can. Will start evacs for our skeleton crew at noon. Most everyone has been evac'd by the state. The storm is swallowing up the levies, and we sent folks north. Dusty, there are more vamps than we expected."