Page 26 of Shadow Scorching

“Leave it alone. Going back into that house will likely result in you getting hurt a lot more than you have been. I’ll get right on this,” she said.

“I’ll be home by around six. Earlier if the snow gets worse.” I glanced at Lazenti. “Do you have anything you might be able to add?” This didn’t seem like a job for a vampire, but it couldn’t hurt to ask.

Lazenti thought for a moment. “I can’t think of anything. I wish I could help, but unless you need more research done?—”

“You can research the Blood Moon shifter pack, if you want. That will save me some time,” Carson said.

“I’m on it,” Lazenti said. “I’ll email you the results as soon as I find out anything.”

With that, we all signed off. I looked at the others. “Well, this is proving to be far more of a challenge than I thought it would. Dante, will you call Michael and reiterate how important it is that he stays away from the house? Tell him it’s a life-or-death situation.”

“All right,” Dante said. “We’ve done what we can on this case, at least for now. What next?”

“Carson, Orik? Can you monitor those cameras from your homes?” I had no sooner asked when my phone sounded with a weather alert.

“I’ll do it,” Carson said. “Orik has kids, and a pregnant wife, and the last thing we want is to let them get near this…revenant, or whatever it is. Even though remote access.”

Orik let out a long sigh. “Thanks, man.”

“No problem,” Carson said.

“Then, let’s wrap up for the day and go home early. My phone sent a severe weather alert that the snow’s going to increase tonight. We might as well spend a cozy evening at home, rather than worrying about driving during rush hour traffic.

As I gathered my things, Dante stopped in my office. “I’ve got a favor to ask,” he said.

“What is it?”

“I was wondering if you might contact Jet Shy? I found him on an obscure dating app. I thought that—since you’re not Tilly’s relative, she probably hasn’t mentioned you to him. I’d catfish him, but I don’t think I could impersonate a woman—not very well, at least.” He handed me his phone, which was open to an app called Dates Before Mates.

I raised my eyebrows. “The counter tobros before ho’s, huh?”

“Apparently so.” He gave me a pleading look. “Will you? Just to see if he bites?”

I let out a sigh. “The things I do for you, dude. All right. I’ll see what happens.”

Dante gave me a tight hug. “Thanks, Kyann. I’m so worried about Tilly. And before you even think it—it’s not because of her money. I don’t expect to be included in her will. I just…since my family wrote me off, she’s been my advocate, in terms of blood relatives. That she has my back means the world to me.”

“All right, I said I’d do it.” I patted him on the arm. “But you owe me for this. If I have to string this guy along, I need fortification. You owe me a quad shot mocha.”

“As many as you like,” Dante said with a laugh. “And Kyann—thanks. You don’t know what this means to me.”

“Seriously, I think I do,” I said. As we locked up and set the security alarms, I wondered how Carson would fare with documenting the creatures that were invading Michael’s home, and once again, I questioned whether it was even wise for us to continue this case. Revenant, spirit, demons…whatever the case…we were fighting a powerful being who could probably wipe us all out. But then Michael’s face appeared before me again and I realized how much he and his family needed us.

As I headed to my car, I promised myself that we’d do whatever we could to help them.

The snow was falling thickly now,large flakes piling up on the roads as well as the sidewalks and grass. By morning, what plows Seattle had would be out and rolling. I navigated my wayhome, taking the main streets which weren’t as slick yet as the side streets. By the time I pulled into the driveway, I’d had time to think about the ghosts.

As I entered the house, Penn waved at me. She was sitting with her laptop in the living room, the lights off except for the tree and garlands, and everything in the house seemed to glow in the wash of the twinkling lights.

“Hey,” she said, looking up as I shut and locked the door behind me. “You made it home.” She glanced at the clock. “You’re early.”

“We closed up early, because of the snow and the fact that there’s nothing we can do on this case until we know more.” I shed my jacket and took off my boots, slipping into a pair of fuzzy slippers. “It’s setting into a real storm out there,” I said.

“I know. I got the weather alert, too,” she said, setting aside the laptop. “I was researching that god. You know, he gives the Aztec gods a run for their money, with regards to human sacrifice. Real bloody sect, that shifter pack was.Is.I gather they still exist, but they’ve retreated from modern society and keep to themselves.”

“They’re probably inbred as hell,” I said. “Unless they somehow manage to convince new blood to come into the Pack.”

“I’m thinking, some of the shifter disappearances may be due to them. The local pack was one of the strongest in the nation, though I don’t know why their main settlement was around here. You’d think they’d head for the desert?—”

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