Page 26 of Wicching Hour

He tugged my sleeve, knowing not to touch me, and pulled me down the hall, past what looked like a craft room and a small bathroom. “The scene’s been processed. Like last time, they couldn’t find anything. Sofia said she was going to get you a little too loudly, so now they’re waiting to find out what you see.”

The officers knew I was a psychic—or that IsaidI was. Most didn’t believe in psychics and so thought I was a con woman who’d duped Hernández and Osso, which accounted for all the dirty looks.

“It’s a small house,” Osso continued. “If you need them out, I’ll kick them out, but I’d prefer not to. Emotions are high and distrust of you and now me is strong. I can keep them in the living room, and I’ll stand in the hall. All right?”

I nodded and blew out a breath before I walked in. The scene was too fresh. The terror, pain, and anger were already overpowering. The bed had been stripped, but I saw a speck of red on the mattress that looked like blood. Shaking out my arms, I braced for what was coming.

Taking off a glove, I stuffed it in my pocket and then leaned over the mattress, touching a fingertip to the red spot.

The sheets are ripped off and she startles awake, flying up in bed. Her eyes are huge in the dark, trying to see who’s there. The backhand comes fast and without warning. The force of the hit knocks her onto her side. Lip bleeding, eyes blinking, she scrambles to the far side of the bed, but he’s there. Grunting insults, he closes his fists and begins the beating in earnest.

She knows some self-defense moves and tries to fight him. Her aim is off in the dark, but she manages to smash her wrist into his nose. The cursing gets louder before she takes a punch to the abdomen that cuts off her air and throws her back onto the bed.

He falls on her, his hands going around her neck. Frantic, she hits his arms and then jabs her thumbs toward his eyes, but he sees them coming and has a longer reach. Hands still crushing her throat, he stretches away from her, turning his head to save his eyes. A fingernail cuts his cheek.

Clawing at his hands and kicking, she fights for her life. She feels spittle hit her face as he rages about her thinking she’s so important and how she’s really trash. She feels his erection against her hip and a new fear tears through her.

When her limbs lose strength, he leans down and whispers, “You’re all the same.” His breath is hot in her ear. “You think you have some say over me? Fucking bitch! You’re nothing. And you’re going to die nothing.” The last thing she sees as the world goes dark are lips pulled back in a grimace and a crooked eye tooth.

I blinked my eyes open, staring up at Osso, who was staring down at me. What the?—

“Shit,” he said. “Let me help you up. I’ll call Declan. Just a minute.”

I couldn’t breathe and started to panic.

He held up his hands. “It’s okay. I’m going to take care of you.”

A trickle of air made its way through my windpipe. Tears slid down the side of my face and pooled in my ears. Mouth open, gulping unsuccessfully at the air, I grabbed Osso’s forearm with my gloved hand and held on.

He grabbed me around the middle, making sure he wasn’t touching my skin, and hauled me to my feet. What—Oh. I remembered now. Gaby. That was why I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. I slipped my glove back on as Osso led me down the hall away from that room.

A cluster of cops stood at the end of the hall, blocking the front door, staring. “What the fuck?” one of them breathed.

Osso waved them out of the way. “Let me get her outside.”

I thought I heard one of them say something about my neck, which was a concern of mine as well. It felt like it was on fire. The ringing in my ears made it hard to hear anything.

When we got to his SUV, he opened the passenger door and picked me up, depositing me on the seat. If I’d been able to talk, I’d have protested. Then again, I wasn’t positive I could have climbed in on my own. Someone ran up with a glass of water and Osso handed it to me.

I tried a small sip but ended up coughing. Osso was talking but I couldn’t hear him yet. I held up my hand, closed my eyes, and waited for it to pass. When I felt him take the cup from me, I realized my hand had been trembling too hard to hold it without spilling.

My breathing was finally easing when I heard tires squeal and then Declan was there, shouldering Osso out of his way. His gaze raced up and down, looking for injuries. When he got to my face, his shoulders dropped, and his hands came up to cradle my head.

“Ursula, what did you do to yourself?” he murmured.

“Not my fault,” I mostly mouthed.

“I know.” He kissed my forehead and then turned to Osso to take the cup from him. “Can you drink?”

I tried swallowing. It hurt like hell, but I did it. Nodding, I held out a hand and he placed the cup in it. I took a small sip and was able to get it down.

“Your neck is black and blue, and your left eye has burst blood vessels,” Declan told me.

“If it bothers you,” I whispered, “I can use a glamour spell to cover it.”

“Don’t, please,” Osso said. “You have an audience.”

I looked around Declan’s shoulder to see a loose group of cops watching me. Super.

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