Page 5 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

Drest drew her closer to him and placed a hand on her stomach as well. It was easy to sense Drest’s magik as he eased it into the woman. “Better?”

Rachael sank against him. “Yes. Thank you.”

Drest ignored the loud thumps from below and focused on Rachael. He kissed her temple, his hand still on her stomach. “I’m so sorry, honey, that I haven’t been able to be here like I should be. You wouldn’t be this uncomfortable if I were.”

“It’s fine,” she said softly.

Stratton glanced at his cousin, and they shared a look that said it was anything but fine.

“The pounding and noises have been happening for days,” said Rachael as she faced the basement door. “I tried to talk him into coming up to eat but he refuses. He’s taken a few breaks from whatever it is he has going on down there, but that’s about it.”

“Has he taken the breaks here?” asked Drest, his gaze sliding back to Stratton. “Or is he leaving?”

Rachael tensed. “Leaving. He’s been using the outside access point to the basement and not coming through the house. He takes the old van and is gone for hours.”

Stratton didn’t say what he was thinking, but he strongly suspected Drest was coming to the same conclusion. Henry had something to do with the murders and missing body parts.

Rachael teared up. “I’ve made a mess of things, Drest. I thought I could maybe control Henry’s outbursts and tame his irrational ideas. But he’s worse now than he’s ever been. Since Amice died, he’s…he’s like Uncle Nile was before he went off the deep end.”

Stratton knew all about Rachael’s uncle. He’d heard all about it from Drest, who’d been forced to handle the blowback and cleanup. Having one of the people you’re responsible for overseeing end up being a lunatic who stole body parts from morgues all over New York City didn’t do great things for you as far as the higher-ups were concerned. Thankfully, the man hadn’t taken any lives, only body parts from those who were already deceased. Still, it had been something of an ordeal for Drest. In the end, Nile was left rotting away in a supernatural holding facility for the criminally insane for the past several years.

“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence,” said Drest, his voice lacking conviction. “But it’s part of why we got here so fast after you called. Honey, there’s a chance that we might have to take Henry in.”

“I know,” she said softly.

The smallest of movements caught Stratton’s attention, and he realized there was something, or someone, hiding in the corner, watching them from the shadows of the parlor. A tiny head of wavy dark brown, nearly black hair showed first, followed by a small, round face and huge green eyes, filled to the brim with curiosity. It was a little girl. She offered a thin smile. Her gaze darted to Rachael.

“Are they taking Daddy somewhere?” she asked, her tiny voice making Stratton feel the need to protect her and spare her any emotional distress.

“No,” blurted Stratton.

She blinked, let out a tiny gasp, and then shot back behind the plant.

Drest guffawed. “Way to go, cousin. Your glower scared a child, and you know as well as I do that if Henry is linked to what happened in the city, or if he’s picked up where Nile left off, he’s going to have to be taken in.”

“I know, but look at her. You want to tell her that her father might leave?” asked Stratton.

Drest glanced toward the little girl. “Not particularly.”

“That’s what I thought. And I didn’t glower,” protested Stratton as the child poked her head out once more. Stratton raised a brow, fighting the urge to laugh.

She locked gazes with him again, but this time she narrowed her eyes on him. One of her brows shot up. It took him a second to realize she was mirroring his expression.

Stratton made a silly face.

She returned it, giggling softly from the other room.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

Again, she mirrored him before giggling once more and darting back behind the plant and piano.

“Never thought I’d see you playing with a kid,” said Drest. “It’s nice.”

“I’m not playing with her,” said Stratton, realizing then that he was. “Why is she hiding?”

Rachael came closer to him. “She’s skittish. Has been ever sinceithappened.”

“Since what happened?” asked Stratton, his chest growing tight at the idea the child had gone through anything traumatic.

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