Page 28 of Dead

“I don’t know how to send you back,” Griffin said.

Heinrick sighed. “Well, how’d you get me here?”

“I said Heinrick, Heinrick, Heinrick an—”

The ghost disappeared, silencing Griffin.

Nick laughed. “Who knew Beetlejuice got it right?” He spun and started walking towards their rental car.

Jeph eyed Nick and then Griffin. “We’re staying.”

“Oh, you’re fucking right we are,” Nick said. “I need to get some equipment from the car.”

* * * *

After receiving a call, Valen stormed into Portal Station Four. He scanned the terminal, looking for signs of trouble, but all seemed to be flowing smoothly. Matioc, the supervisor of the station, began walking his way. The beaver shifter had been trapped mid-shift many years before by an angry witch, from what Valen had heard. Because of that, Matioc appeared to be both man and beast at the same time.

“I asked for Theis to come,” Matioc spat.

“He was busy and asked me.”

“They’re back,” the beaver said with a sigh.

“Who’s back?”

“The humans! They’re out in the field just outside the terminal, milling around. I’ve got a line of people waiting to exit, but they can’t because those pesky humans are searching with their equipment and everyone’s afraid to leave and be seen.”

Valen frowned. “Are these the ones who’d come with Reese and Hart?”

Matioc rolled his eyes. “Yes. The final three are back. They’ve been mind-wiped twice now. I’ve never had to use the machine a third time, and I worry there might be permanent damage if we use it again.”

“Would it be better for all of Midnight to be exposed?” Valen asked. Three meddlesome humans wouldn’t be the reason for the whole city’s demise. “You should’ve rounded them up and sent them to one of the prisons.”

Matioc scoffed. “Above my pay grade, Valen. The king’s guardsmen handle anything outside the perimeter of the city.”

That was before we were so short-handed. Valen sighed. “Get me three of your officers. We’ll go round them up.”

“I’ve got my hands full in here,” Matioc growled. “Especially with the backup at the exit door. And the train is delayed for some reason—this place is a madhouse.”

“Three officers and we can clear up that back-up,” Valen said firmly. “Now.”

Matioc sighed before walking away, mumbling under his breath.

Valen headed over to the walking portal as he waited. Pushing through the crowd of folks waiting to exit, he finally reached the edges of the magic. He pressed in close and watched what was happening outside.

The sun had nearly set… he saw a couple of flashlights in the distance. And another with some sort of device, sweeping the field. They appeared to be searching for something. If they’d been mind-wiped twice already, there was no way they should be aware of the portal.

Yet something had drawn them here—three times, apparently.

There was more to their story. These were not typical humans.

Could they have some role in the attacks against the king? Were the humans working with the vampires—here to distract the guardsmen so the king’s circle of protection was weaker? He couldn’t ignore the fact these humans had arrived just before a series of attacks. Reese—the first of the humans who’d arrived—had been found in a vampire lair.

Had he not been a prisoner, after all?

Perhaps they needed to toss all five humans into a Midnight prison until all could be investigated. Theis wouldn’t be happy to let go of his mate, but then, maybe Reese wasn’t who he made himself appear to be.

Valen heard a scuffle behind him. A look over one shoulder showed him Matioc approached.

“I’ve got your three officers. They’re not trained for work outside the city, so you’d best take care of my men.”

“But of course,” Valen said before he instructed the three on what he expected them to do. Once ready, they marched out into the human world.

In a matter of minutes, the officers had all three of the humans in cuffs. It had almost been too easy. Did they want to be arrested? Valen cocked a brow as the first two were marched into the portal. When the third one passed, a scent hit him in the gut.

“Wait,” he spat before marching over to the third and final human. He glared down at the man, the scent wrapping around him.

Trickery. That’s all it is. I will find out how they’re doing this…

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