Shock cracked her knuckles.

"Oh, I'll convince him all right. Come to think of it, it's been a while since I kicked his ass."

She stood up and smoothed down her skirt.

"I might even be nice and let him heal from whatever Lillith puts him through tonight first."

She grinned at the nickname.

"And don't you forget it," she said.

Shock made her way across the gazebo's roof to an area she knew she could safely drop down out of the serpent's reach.