Page 41 of Destined for Shadows
They entered the office and passed by a harried secretary who barely glanced up from her computer screen as she rapidly clacked away at the keyboard. Patrick stopped to talk to the woman, but Cori continued past the desk and down a long hallway toward the private offices. She didn’t need help finding her way around since she’d been there before.
Melena sat at her desk talking on the phone. It was quite a contrast to see the sensor in an official setting compared to how she appeared at home or while battling supernaturals. Melena typically wore jeans and t-shirts, but since she’d begun working at the DHS office, she’d given way to pantsuits while on the job. Right now, she had on a navy blue outfit with a white silk shirt underneath the jacket, and her auburn hair was pulled back into a tight braid. She looked cool, calm, and professional as one might expect of a government agent.
Cori shut the door and took a seat. Melena wasn’t saying much from her end of the call, but the serious expression on her face said it was important.
“It sounds like the situation is contained for now, but let me know if you need any more help.” A minute later, Mel hung up the phone and turned her gaze toward Cori. Lines of stress creased her forehead. “Sorry about that. I meant to meet you outside, but that wasn’t a call I could put off.”
“Anything I should worry about?” Cori asked.
Melena shook her head. “Not really. Other DHS branches call me when they need advice about how to handle something. That was just a situation between two witch covens in Dallas who let their rivalry spill out onto the streets. A few humans got their skin turned blue but nothing serious.”
“So what do you need from me?” Cori didn’t want to take any longer than necessary since they both had other work to do.
The sensor glanced at her computer. “I did some searching and think I’ve found an address for Griff’s father, Martin.” She spun the screen around. “Does this look familiar?”
Cori leaned forward and scanned the listing. “Yeah, it does.” She clenched her fists. “I should have known Martin wouldn’t have moved. He lives like he’s poorer than dirt, but that man has a crazy amount of money stashed away from when he worked in the oil business. I think he enjoys hoarding his wealth rather than spending it.”
“I don’t suppose you’re up for a road trip?” Melena lifted a brow. “From what I’ve gathered so far, it looks like Griff’s mother is still alive and living there as well.”
Cori tensed, memories of living in that place for the first few months of her marriage flooding her mind. The last time she had been there the house had been falling apart, and Martin had spent nearly every waking moment yelling at his wife. Things couldn’t have gotten any better since then. “Sorry, but I won’t go back there.”
“That bad?”
“Worse—trust me,” Cori said, letting a shudder run through her. She’d become a much stronger woman over the years, but there were some things she still didn’t want to face if she could avoid it. “Like father, like son.”
Melena gave her a sympathetic look. “That’s fine. I can work things out from my end and let you know how it goes.”
“Thanks, Mel. I hate to bother you with this at all…” Cori began.
“Don’t.” The sensor put up a hand. “We both know you’ve helped me out of a few jams since we met, and you’ve never asked for anything in return. This is the least I can do.”
Cori nodded, feeling a little awkward. “Do you need anything else from me?”
“Nope.” Melena stood and gave her a hug. “Just be careful out there, okay?”
“I will, and let me know how it goes with Martin.”
“Absolutely, but do me a favor,” Mel said as Cori started to leave. “Don’t go outside by yourself after dark until we’ve got this situation resolved and don’t let your guard down during the day.”
“I’ll be careful—don’t worry,” she promised, and fled the office.
If Cori could have avoided it, she wouldn’t have told anyone about her problem. For the first time in years, she felt vulnerable and weak. But somehow, she had to get over it. Griff would not win this time even with vampirism on his side. She’d become smarter and stronger, and she’d gained a few powerful friends. All they needed to do was track her ex-husband down, chop off his head, and burn the remains for good measure. It couldn’t be that difficult, right?
