Page 6 of Real Fake Hauntings

I couldn’t help but agree. The symmetry and confidence in the strokes spoke of someone who knew what they were doing, not a random teen up to no good.

“Are the others this well made too?” I asked Sonia, glancing over my shoulder.

“I haven’t seen them yet.”

But they must be, otherwise nobody would have bothered to call it in. Stepping closer, I examined the brush strokes, but nothing jumped out at me except for a faint coppery smell.

“This is really blood?” Any detective worth their salt would probably lick the wall to make sure, but I was more modern police procedural than Sherlockian.

“Mostly animal blood,” Sonia said, “but there’s human too.” She stepped up and pointed at the five points of the pentagram in succession. “Here, here, here, here, and here.”

“How do you know it’s human?” I asked.

“I tested it.”

I glanced at her in surprise. “You carry around a test to determine if blood is animal or human?”

Was… Was Sonia a vampire? Rumors about their existence had always circulated inside the community, but with no real, confirmed sightings they were like the Bigfoot of the paranormal world. Maybe I should bring garlic to the next PBOA meeting and check my theory.

She sent me a bland look. “It’s pouring some liquid on a swab, Avery, not a major chemistry experiment. I keep a kit in my car in case.”

In case her blood dealer tried to skim on the good A+ stuff?

Sonia’s brows arched, as if she was fully aware of my train of thought. “This is not the first time we’ve found strange pools of blood in Olmeda.”

Creepy, but fair. Returning my focus to the pentagram, I murmured, “Human blood on the five points suggests someone might’ve conducted some kind of spell.” Although why they’d do it on the wall when the ground was right there and a lot more convenient was anyone’s guess.

“You don’t say,” Sonia retorted with a healthy amount of sarcasm.

I tugged at my neckline. It was getting awfully warm in here for a late October morning. “Just making sure we’re all on the same page.”

“Some of us might be way ahead in the book.”

Lydia coughed a laugh.

This conversation was deteriorating fast. So fast, Sonia’s possible recommendation for the Council had already booked a first-class seat on a plane to hell.

Thankfully, a commotion at the end of the backstreet stole Sonia’s attention. A series of happy barks and one deep woof echoed from the end of the alleyway. Fluffy and Rufus came into view, followed by Key.

They came to a stop by us, Fluffy straining at her leash to get at me, while Rufus simply sniffed the air, probably sensing the blood from the pentagram. Key was sweating and out of breath but gave me a hopeful smile.

“Am I in time?”

THREE

“Who are you?” Sonia asked in a distrustful tone.

I stepped forward and hooked my arm through Key’s. Fluffy yipped in happiness and pawed at my jeans.

“This is Key,” I told Sonia. “She works for Cavalier. Key, this is Sonia. She’s the PBOA president.”

Key’s eyes grew large, and she shrank into herself. Key’s family didn’t exactly toe the right side of paranormal law, so I couldn’t blame her. After a couple of seconds, though, she straightened and returned Sonia’s stare. “Uhm, hi.”

Pride filled me at her bravery. I wanted to give her a huge hug, but that might destroy her street cred, so I refrained.

“Key is training to become a bounty hunter,” I told Sonia and Lydia. “She’ll be assisting me.”

Key nodded jerkily. “I am. I will.”

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