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I closed my phone and rolled over onto my side. Whoever hurt Tippy was going to pay dearly. Whether it’ll be behind bars or in a pile of ash.

CHAPTER 3

CALEB AND I reached the back door to the morgue, and we waited next to the brick wall for Melissa to let us into the building once she had the cameras down. Surveillance was on every corner of the morgue, and we couldn’t risk Melissa getting in trouble for sneaking us in.

About five minutes went by when Melissa texted Caleb, informing him the cameras were finally down and that she was on her way to get us. Once the door cracked open, she waved us in and led us to the autopsy suite.

A cold snap of air hit me when we entered the suite, and a shiver ran up my spine, so I wrapped my sweater around my waist. The autopsy room had mostly steel tables and ceramic countertops, with fluorescent tube lights overhead. Two of the tables were bare, and the body bag from yesterday was at the center table. Melissa zipped open the yellow bag which held Tippy’s body, and my heart sank when I saw his lifeless face.

“You were right, Caleb. Vampire,” Melissa said. “See the bite marks?” She pointed to two red holes on the side of Tippy’s neck.

I glanced up at Caleb and back at Melissa. “Was he drained to death?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No. I was at the scene last night taking photos. The amount of blood on the floor is about the same amount missing from the victim.”

When I glanced up at Caleb, he looked as confused as I was.

Melissa saw our expression and continued. “He didn’t drink from the body, Mercy. His fangs pierced the carotid artery, and he bled to death on the floor. The vampire attack victims I’ve examined in the past were all drained.” She pointed to the bites again. “The vampire who did this did it to kill, not feed.”

My breath caught, and I stared at her wide-eyed. Caleb must have seen my shock. He inched toward me, bringing his fingers to mine, and grazing my palm to help me relax.

I didn’t mind Caleb touching me. I cared for him like family. Despite how our relationship was a year ago, I had to let all that shit go because we would always be in each other’s lives.

Right then, though, Caleb was showing me he cared. Tippy was someone I knew, and even though I had to put on a brave face so I could focus on this murder with my coven, it still hurt that he was dead.

Not justdeadbut brutally slaughtered by a vampire.

I just couldn’t understand why a vampire would randomly kill a human like this. Was there an unhinged vampire killing for sport now? Mostly we’d see them kill if someone betrayed them. They’d drink ifhungry, but they never wasted blood in either situation.

Find the motive.There is always a motive.

Maybe they had been interrupted by someone approaching the restaurant and couldn’t finish what they had started?

“Thank you,” I said, pulling my focus back to her. “Once again, we appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

She zipped up the bag and grabbed a notebook off a metal desk in the corner of the room.

“Of course,” Melissa said, clearing her throat. “My report will state that an ice pick was the weapon with two blows to the neck. Manner of death: homicide. Cause of death: blood loss.”

Caleb glanced at me and shook Melissa’s hand as if he had just completed a business meeting. “Thanks, Melissa.”

Jesus Christ, spare me.

I rolled my eyes, directing my attention away from them so they didn’t see. They were being ridiculous. I wasn’t an idiot. I knew they had been hooking up in secret, but he was acting weird about sharing that with me and the rest of the coven.

“We’ll be in touch,” Caleb said and turned back to me. “Come on, Mercy, we need to head back to the house and train.”

_______________

LAST YEAR, AFTERmy mom died and I reached the age of twenty-one, I inherited everything she had, including what was already in my trust. I decided it was best to get my own place so I didn’t put Lily’s life in danger within our “witches versus vampire” crossfire.

Yes, she had magic to protect herself, but even with her powers, this was too much for Lily to handle. I didn’t want her involved and risking her life for me anymore, but she also had someone in her life now who didn’t know about us.

That alone could puthimin danger.

Lily had been dating Bradley since last December. He was cute, but he was the epitome of a computer geek. Bradley always wore these thick glasses high on his nose, his hair parted to one side. If he wasn’t wearing a Star Wars shirt or his favorite black shirt with yellow vinyl lettering that read, “I’m Geeky, and I Know It,” he wore a white button-down short-sleeve with suspenders and a bow tie. He was incredibly smart, and I didn’t judge his lack of fashion sense because Bradley made Lily laugh, which was what mattered to her and to me.

Caleb had helped me and the rest of the coven find a property in East Greenwich. He still had his cabin in Salem, but he and his father mostly slept at Abigail’s mansion in her spare rooms. Her place was massive enough, and once I turned Abigail and Desiree human again, they hadn’t been back to the house. I guess being able to visit tropical locations and seeing a world in the daylight again were the only things that mattered to them anymore.

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