Page 42 of Midnight Auto Parts

We trudged together to the car, hand in hand, but Badb was right. There were no signs of a struggle, no body, and no blood. There was nothing to indicate foul play had met this driver, but I did find a burner phone in the glovebox. The victim had made one call. I snapped a picture of the number then returned the cell to where I found it.

“This car has minor scratches.” I walked a circle around the vehicle. “Nothing like it would get if someone drove it this far in. Not that you could. There’s not enough space between the trees.”

The minor cosmetic damage must have been present prior to the driver’s abduction.

“There were deep gouges on the SUV.”

Ashamed to admit it, I told him, “I didn’t notice.”

Panic had run away with my thoughts before they could settle on anything useful.

“I should return. Make a more thorough examination.” He glanced over his shoulder. “You can wait here with Badb or?—”

Had he sensed man or beast in our vicinity, he never would have made the offer, but I wasn’t interested.

“Ha. Ha. Ha.No.That’s how you get killed in horror movies. I’ll stick with you.”

“Are you sure you want to revisit the scene?”

As much as I didn’t want the answer to be yes, I had to ask, “Can we dispel the magic?”

“Not today.” He jerked his chin, indicating the sky, soft with pinks and purples. “You haven’t slept. Your body is still burning through the dregs of the…lust dirt…but it’s like a sugar high. You’ll crash eventually. You need to be somewhere safe when that happens, or with someone you trust. You’ll be helpless.”

“What?” I balked at the news. “You’re just now telling me?”

“I hoped to use it as a teachable moment. I thought if I waited for you to notice the drag, especially after your expenditure at Bonaventure, that you could begin learning your limits.” His mouth twitched. “But it appears your limitations outstrip mine. You’re not tired at all, are you?”

“No.” As I examined how I felt, really paid attention to my body, surprise painted a frown across my face. The answer wasgood. “I’ve been awake nearly twenty-four hours, and I’m still perky.”

“I caution you now because of what we found. You must remain alert in the presence of a predator.”

“Okay.” I hoped this wasn’t adon’t think about a pink elephantsituation. “I’ll let you know if I start drifting off.”

With a tight nod, we returned to the previous site. We lucked out, coming at the scene upwind from the smell. Able to focus past the rank scent, I paid attention to the details I hadn’t absorbed last time. The gouges in the driver side door Kierce mentioned, as if the creature had opened the SUV like a can oftuna. Plastic on the door curled into shavings. Fabric on the seat spewed foam and springs where the beast clawed at the material to drag the body partway out the door for easier consumption.

Viewed from this angle, I decided the victim hadn’t been reaching for the opposite door handle.

As the creature tugged her from behind the wheel, she must have tipped sideways into the front passenger seat. The drag marks indicated her arms had been drawn up over her head while it feasted.

This time, rather than snoop around, I left the examination of the SUV’s contents to Carter’s people.

“Are you up for a lesson?”

As fast as this situation was spinning out of control, I was glad for a solid task to latch onto. “Sure.”

The appraisal he swept over me confirmed I hadn’t sold my eagerness to learn, but I was too nauseated.

“Use your senses to identify the edge of the death magic where it seeps into healthy earth.”

As far as assignments go, it was a light one. He read my struggle to keep from tossing my cookies and let me off easy, allowing me to drift along the perimeter without wading any deeper into the cloying power saturating the area.

“Okay.” I shook out my arms. “This is where the gross sensation begins.”

Eyes half shut, I navigated a circle, keeping to the outside edge of the darkness.

“Good.” Kierce beamed like I had performed a miracle instead of trying not to hurl. “Now do it again.”

“You think the first time was beginner’s luck?” As I began retracing my path, I detected a spark of power. Lighter, brighter. Its cold burn cleansed me, and the nausea eased. “Are you doing this?”

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