Page 6 of Infernal Hearts

A forced smile appears on her face. “It’s good to be prepared. Don’t they teach all you Southern boys that?”

I motion to the nearest bar, getting her attention off of me for a brief second. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll do it on the plane. Not too hard.”

She lifts her head high and moves closer to my side. “Thank you. What do you say to a night on the town before you fall into a canyon in the middle of nowhere?”

Knowing I won’t get anywhere else with this search tonight, I smirk at her with a wicked feeling at all the fun we are about to get into. “Right now I only have fourteen days to live. Guess we’d better make it worth it.”

Chapter Two

Jason

Grover’s deep barks fill my house. I startle in my chair as my eyes fly open.

It’s not my bedroom ceiling—it’s my cluttered living room.

All the lights still on, medical books sprawled out on my end tables, the biggest one face down in my lap. It smells like dust in here, now that I notice it. I make a mental note to clean at some point this weekend.

I wince at the crick in my neck. That’ll teach me to fall asleep in my chair. Work really needs to start staying in the office in exchange for a good night’s sleep.

The bell rings again. And again. And again, and again, and again.

For fuck’s sake. They’re driving my dog up the wall.

Aside from my dad, I’m the only vet in this tiny mountain town—even if being a vet is only his cover for treating magical creatures. And while he used to have emergencies in the middle of the night, his clients were more unpredictable. Strange creatures coming out of nowhere for medical help. I guess it’s only natural that it would happen to me, too—except with the run-of-the-mill cats and dogs. Wonderful. Another perk of my practice and house being the same place, I guess.

Grover claws at the door.

“Calm down, boy.” I rub his head behind his ears, but he ignores me and keeps going. I slip on my shoes and close my apartment door behind me, jogging downstairs to the sounds of bells ringing through the halls.

It’s impossible to make out the features of the man outside through the stained glass of the door. My breath quickens and my heartbeat thumps out of control. “Who is it?”

“I need a doctor. I got your name from one of my friends.”

This is fucking weird. My brow wrinkles, and I tighten my arm across my midsection. “Who’s your friend?”

“You don’t know her. Seriously, I need help. Will you please open the door?”

None of this seems right, but what if he really does need a doctor? What if his dog or cat or whatever is going to die?

Ignoring the knot in my belly, my fingers unlatch the lock and pull the door open. Light pours in and illuminates him while the cool mountain air floods my lobby and sends little goose bumps up my arms.

He’s tall—at least a full head above me—with black hair slicked back with an undercut. His button-down and blazer belong more in a fancy brasserie than in a gravel parking lot in the middle of a mountain forest. The biggest red flag, however, is the fact that he doesn’t seem to have a pet with him.

But he’s bracing himself against the doorframe. His brow is furrowed and his eyes are grave, while his chest moves up and down slowly with every breath.

It takes everything in my being to ignore the fight-or-flight instinct coursing through my body. I combat it with clinical concern. “How can I help you?”

“You’re Dr. Blackwell, right?” His thick Southern drawl comes out through clenched teeth. He attempts to flash a dazzling smile, a bright pink pocket square on his chest catching my attention. Nope. Definitely not from around here.

I nod with my lips pressed flat. “That’s me. Kind of late for me to work on a pet.”

“Pet? Is there some kinda secret code I’m missing?” He tries to smile again but ends up wincing.

This guy must be drunk. I point to the business sign on the door. “I’m a veterinarian. I’ll need an actual animal to do my job.”

He rolls his eyes with a pinched expression. “It’s been a long night, and I’m in a mighty amount of pain. I’d appreciate itif we could just cut to the chase.” He opens up his jacket, revealing a bloody wound on his side.

It’s not right, though—the blood is black.

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