I swallowed hard as a chill traveled down my spine. She had given her life, and the ker needed a new body. It wanted one of us, and now, thanks to me, it had a chance. I couldn’t fail my aunt again and let her soul be the devoured by that evil.
“I have to go,” I said, pushing Hermes back and shoving my door open.
“Wait, where are you going?”
He tried to grab my hand, but flames flared up in his face from my fingertip. He pulled back from the heat and met my gaze with wide eyes.
“Don’t follow me this time,” I said.
His face took on a stormy expression, but he held his hands up and bowed his head. I hopped out of the car, slammed the door, and sprinted down the sidewalk with my hands gripped into fists. He would be mad, but this is something I had to do alone, for Aunt Jo, if I wasn’t already too late.
Chapter 29
I passed by the darkened windows of the gift shop in the lobby of the first floor of the Southern Methodist Hospital on my way to the elevator. I licked my dry lips as I pressed the basement button and began to descend.
Deep breaths. I could do this. It wasn’t like anyone had paid attention to me as I’d walked through the halls. At this time of night, most people would be in the emergency room, located on the other side of the hospital. I would be in and out a quick as possible.
The doors slid open with a ding. Here was my last change to back out. With another deep breath, I stepped into the hallway.
For some reason, the florescent lighting cast a spooky glow on the eggshell walls and white tile. I followed the gray stripes on the walls that indicated the direction of the morgue. After several turns and a descent down a ram, I came across a man sitting behind a glass window next to the door to the morgue. Great, I needed to get past the gatekeeper.
My gaze fell on the fire alarm down the hall to my left. Perfect. This whole section would have to evacuate, leaving me time to get in and take care of my aunts remains before the fire department showed up. I would even leave them a nice little fire to investigate.
The door handles jangled under my hand as I tested for an open room on my way to the fire alarm. One opened to reveal a dark supply closet. I pulled the switch of the alarm and darted back to the closet as a shrill siren erupted along with a pattern of blinking lights on the ceiling. I knelt just inside, leaving to door open a crack, and counted my heartbeats as I waited. The morgue attendant hurried down the hall without a backward glance at my hiding spot. After a few more counts, I slid out and sprinted to the morgue.
Three walls of square silver doors surrounded two gurneys as well as a door opposite from me. Great. I would have to search through these until I found her. I pulled open the first door to my right and found it empty. The next one held a large woman, her skin a pale blue in the chilled box.
I gasped as my tattoo danced with a searing sensation. The door behind me squeaked open, and I spun around with my fists up. My Aunt stared at me with milky eyes and grinned to reveal a set of sharpening teeth.
I shoved the gurney at her before she could make a smartass comment. I only had a few more minutes to finish this and get out before the fire department showed up along with the cops. Another trip to the police station would push suspicions enough to probably break the lie of a god. The metal table caught her in the midsection and she doubled over in with a rattling groan. I closed the distance between us, hopped up on the gurney, and sprinted across to plant my foot in her face.
Her head snapped back and two drops of thick blood trickled from her nose as she snarled at me. I jumped to the side and off of the gurney as she grabbed it with one hand. She lifted the thing so quickly the wheels whirled in the air. She turned it on its side with the wide part aimed at me as she swung.
I dropped to the ground, pressing myself flat with my heart hammering in my chest. At least a few bones would have been broken if I’d been hit with that. I spun on the ground and brought the front on my foot into the back of one of her knees. She grunted and toppled over.
I leapt on her and sat on her chest with my knees pressed into her inner elbows. Quick like a snake, I struck the points just below her elbows, and her arms went limp. I stared down at my aunt’s face and swallowed the lump in my throat as my fingers hovered over her third eyes. The ker gave a hoarse cackle.
“Can’t bring yourself to hurt your poor aunt?” it asked. “You’ve already gotten her killed.”
“You’re not my aunt,” I said. “I’m going to make sure you never eat another soul.”
It laughed again. “You’re not strong enough to hold me. I’ll rot you from the inside, and once you’ve given in, I’ll take your family.”