Page 77 of Dead Heat

I stared at him, wide eyed. “Not helping, Ray.”

“You’re not up here obsessing over a math test. You’re dealing with actual threats to life and limb. To existence. Worrying about survival is hardwired into us. Without it, we’d die a heck of a lot faster.”

I let his response settle in my mind. “It’s normal to worry,” I said, as though testing the idea out loud.

“Not only is it normal, but it’s also necessary. In this case, worry is your friend. It will help you plan better. Protect yourself better.”

“And others,” I added.

Ray smiled. “On that note, I have information that might help one of your problems.”

“Maybe you should’ve led with that.”

“You might want to let him in first.” He nodded toward the gate. “He may be cursed, but the guy has impeccable timing.”

I looked down as Alessandro raced through the gate, setting off the ward.

“Romeo, Romeo,” I yelled.

The incubus glanced up. “Hey, Juliet.”

“That isn’t the line, but I’ll give you a pass.” I rose to my feet. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”

I retreated inside the house and hurried downstairs with Claude still attached to my shoulder. The revenant seemed to have a death grip even in sleep mode.

I met Alessandro on the porch. Up close he looked thinner and haggard. His eyes were devoid of light, like two black holes of despair. My worry flared.

“I don’t suppose you’ve made any progress with my case,” he said.

“Nothing I haven’t already told you.”

He blew out a breath. “I was afraid you’d say that. There’s been another development.”

“Go on.”

He tapped his cheek. “I lost a tooth.”

Oh, boy.

Alessandro opened his mouth wide and showed me the missing molar.

“I’m sorry. At least it isn’t visible when you smile.”

“Is it too much to hope you’ll find a solution soon?”

Ray materialized beside me. “I told you I have information that can help.”

“Hold on,” I told Alessandro. “Ray has an idea.”

“It’s not a direct hit, but it’s a workaround. I found a ritual that can reveal the maker of a mark.”

I looked at him. “What do you mean by reveal the maker? Their name will be written in cloud letters in the sky?”

“That I don’t know,” Ray said.

I relayed the statement to Alessandro. “The ritual won’t undo the curse, but if we can find who did it…” The prospect made me slightly uneasy for reasons I couldn’t identify. On the other hand, I didn’t see what choice we had. Alessandro was falling apart at the seams.

A spark returned to those black holes. “Let’s do it. Now.”

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