Page 24 of Dead Heat

He peered at me. “Because you’re a rabies expert?”

“Something like that.”

He stared at me for a beat too long. “One of these days you’ll tell me your story over a cold beer at Monk’s because I know it involves a helluva lot more than living in London for a few years.”

“My story would be far more disappointing than the beer at Monk’s.” In truth, I wasn’t convinced he could handle the news. Leo was sweet, an energetic Labrador in human form,but he didn’t possess the Sight. It would be too challenging to explain, and I didn’t want to risk alienating him or the chief. If the local authorities turned on me, Fairhaven could quickly become a very uncomfortable place to live. I’d invested too much in the Castle, in the town; I had no desire to move again.

Leo licked his lips as he contemplated me. “You’re a mysterious lady, Lorelei Clay, but I still like you.”

“Glad to hear it. I still like you too.”

He rolled up his window and pulled onto the road.

I immediately called West. “Hey, it’s Lorelei. We have a situation.”

“I had the phone in my hand to call you. The guards reported three flying monsters leaving through the crossroads. One of them smacked Anna in the back of the head with a wing as it zipped past. Knocked her flat on her face.”

“Is she okay?”

“The only bruise is her ego.”

“The guards didn’t see them when they flew into town?”

“Seemed to be a one-way trip.”

Which meant the Erinyes had been somewhere else in this realm before they flew to Fairhaven, and even worse, they knew about the crossroads.

“Jessie Talbot saw them, and her neighbor called the police. Chief Garcia sent Leo to investigate, which brought him to my house.”

“Naturally.” I could practically hear his smirk. “Did he see them?”

“No, but he knew something strange was happening. I told him they were rabid bats.”

West fell silent for a moment. “I think it might be time.”

I didn’t need him to expand on that sentence to grasp his meaning. “Are you sure? That’s a major step.”

“I know. It’s why I’ve avoided it for so many years. Do you think those creatures will make a return trip?”

I closed my eyes and released a breath. “Yes.”

“Are they after you?”

“Possibly. They seemed to recognize my scent.” Apparently, Melinoe’s godly aroma was strong enough to seep through my human pores, the nuclear version of Drakkar Noir.

“What are they?” he asked.

“They’re known by many names. The Erinyes. Daughters of Darkness. The Furies. Hounds of Hades.”

“What do you know? Actual hellhounds. And here I thought it was only a description.”

“They’re not technically hellhounds. That’s more Cerberus.”

“Childhood pet?”

“More or less.”

“From your underworld, right?”

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