A very, very old past. “With vampires, age brings strength.”
“On that ship, with that ax…I saw the vampire you call Vincent die.” Her finger was making a swirling motion on the scrying mirror. Almost a circle, but…not quite. “He was run through by an enemy. Only he didn’t stay dead.”
Fuck me. “I already suspected he was a born vampire, too.” But his gaze was on her finger. “What are you drawing?”
She blinked, as if surprised. “I-I don’t know.”
He grabbed a piece of paper from her desk. Snagged a pen. “Draw it again.”
Hesitant now, she did. “It’s an image that came to me when I saw Vincent rise as a vampire. I didn’t even really think about it much.” Her brow crinkled as she drew. “So many images fill my head. If I didn’t filter most of them out, I’d go crazy.” Her voice had thickened as she made that confession. “Here. This thing. This is what I saw, okay?”
Not okay.
“A horseshoe,” she said. “It could mean anything.”
“It’s not a horseshoe. It’s the Greek letter Omega.”
A tremble slid over her. “The end.”
“Not on my watch it’s not.” But why had Annette seen it when she scried Vincent’s past? Before he could push her for more information, there was a sharp rap on her shop’s front door. His nostrils twitched but he caught the familiar scent of their visitor.
“Your guard dog is spending way too much time here,” Annette murmured, obviously also knowing who the visitor was. “You could try keeping him away. I’m not a threat to you.”
His gaze dipped to her face. “Maybe Paris stays near you for an entirely different reason. One that doesn’t have anything to do with me.”
Surprise widened her eyes, and he heard the quick hitch in her breathing.
Maybe try scrying that, Annette. Aidan had long known that Paris was interested in Annette. But, back then, Annette had been involved with another wolf. One who’d turned homicidal.
He’s dead and buried. Annette and Paris are both living. And something tells me Paris won’t stand by and watch her go to another again.
Paris let himself inside the shop and he hurried into the back room, obviously having decided that neither Annette nor Aidan were going to invite him inside. “Was just coming up the steps out there,” he said, voice a bit breathless. “When I got the call.” He still had his phone gripped in his hand. “We found Drew.”
Drew. Jane’s brother. The name clicked immediately for Aidan.
“He was actually in Birmingham, Alabama, but the guy is here now. He’s at Hell’s Gate. Garrison has watch over the guy.”
Fuck. Garrison watching? That scenario had trouble written all over it. But if Drew was in town, then it was time for the siblings to be reunited. Jane had asked for her brother. Aidan would make sure that she got him.
***
The ME’s office was cold—as usual—and it smelled of antiseptic and bleach. Again—as usual. Jane strode inside, and her eyes narrowed when she realized that Dr. Bob’s desk was empty.
“Dr. Bob!” Jane called but then her nose twitched.
In the back. She hurried to the exam area, pushing open the door and then striding back to the storage locker section.
Dr. Bob was just closing one locker.
“Knew you were back here,” she said, a bit impressed with herself. Even over the bleach, she’d smelled the guy’s too expensive after shave.
Dr. Bob gave a quick cry and spun around. His hand went to his chest. “Sweet hell, Jane! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
She frowned. “I thought you heard me coming.”
“No, because you didn’t make a sound.” He straightened his lab coat. “But at least it’s just you and not the alpha, too. That guy—how can you seriously be involved with him? He’s bad news.”
“Don’t push me.”
But he lifted his hand and pointed his index finger at her. “I got something you’re going to want to see. Just got the reports back.” He bustled by her, muttering, “Don’t push me. Don’t push me? I’m the only one who knows how dangerous this shit is! Not like you can play nicely with a werewolf…”
“Dr. Bob.” A warning edge entered her voice. “Just so we’re clear. I love Aidan.”
He picked up a folder. The folder trembled a bit in his hand. “I know. That’s part of the problem.” He offered the file to her. “Read this.”
She did. She actually read it twice because she was sure she had to be mistaken. Then she shoved the file back at the ME. “That’s wrong. Run the test again—”
“It is not wrong. I am not wrong.” Now he sounded insulted. “There was wolf fur found on the deceased.”
“Aidan wasn’t in wolf form at the cemetery. He hadn’t shifted.” She glowered at him. “So you’re wrong, okay? He tried to help Travis Maller, not attack him or—”
“I never said he attacked. And I also never said it was his fur.”