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We walked back to the car, and my phone buzzed as I was sliding in.
Candace’s voice burst out the second I answered.
“Alex—I need you at the McGinty house. Now.”
“What—”
“Another resident is dead, and I found Sam kneeling over him.” I switched to speaker, so Misty could hear. “He’s in a bad way, and I need you here to calm him. Where the hell are you and how fast can you get here?”
Misty had already started the car and screamed out of the parking lot. “Candace—we’re fifteen minutes away. Do what you can.” She glanced over at me. “Put on your seat belt.” I managed to buckle in before she gunned the engine and shot forward.
“Tell Sam he’s not alone,” I said, forcing a calm into my voice I didn’t feel. “Make sure he understands that. Tell him I’m coming, that he’s not alone.”
“Not alone. Got it. Please hurry, Alex. He’s so close to the edge, I’m not sure even you can pull him back.”
She ended the call before I could say anything else. I leaned back and closed my eyes, trusting Misty to get us there fast and in one piece. This was my nightmare—Sam killing, and realizing what he’s just done.
Misty beat her estimate by five minutes.
I was climbing out almost before the car skidded to a halt, halfway around the house when she caught up with me.
“Stay behind me,” I said. “Sam needs to see me first.”
“Be careful.”
I nodded, and slowed when I rounded the corner. My heart skipped when I saw Sam, doubled over, his hands braced on the dead grass. The telltale green of demon blood streaked every inch of his bare arms, his hands, tipped the ends of his hair.
“Sam.”
His head snapped up, his eyes not human. Oh, God—Candace was right. He was almost over the edge.
“Get out of here.” His furious words were more snarl than voice.
I kept moving forward until I crouched in front of him. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
He growled, and started to shake. I looked down, my breath stopping when I saw the claws sprouting from his now hairy fingers. “Go—”
“Look at me, Sam.” When he didn’t, I gripped his chin and lifted his head. The skin under my fingers was hot. He was losing control. “You can fight this. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere, not without you. Not again. We’re getting through this together. I love you, Sam, and I’m not leaving you again.”
His eyes started changing, becoming more human. “I killed him, Alex.”
“We don’t know that—”
“His blood is everywhere, and I came to with my teeth on his throat.”
I wanted to scream. Instead I leaned in and brushed my lips over his. He shuddered, but he didn’t try to pull away. “I’m here, Sam. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll figure this out together, okay?”
“Alex—”
“Don’t shut me out. Don’t you dare, not now. We need do get through this together, or I’ll lose you, Sam, and I can’t lose you.” By the time I finished I was crying. I couldn’t stop myself. Seeing him like this tore me apart.
He pulled me into his arms, and relief spread through me. I held on, until Candace’s voice cut through the silence.
“We have to clean this up, before cops start snooping around.” She looked right at me. I did have a cop snooping around me, on a regular basis—though I hadn’t seen much of Detective Sampson recently. Not since Matt—
My mind shied away from that thought.
And we had a crime scene, right next to another crime scene. We had to get this done before anyone wandered in, needing another look at Matt’s—
Stop. Not now. Just get this done.
“Right—let’s clean up,” I said. A good way to distract us all. “Sam.” I cradled his cheek. “I want you to go to the haven—”
“I’m staying—”
“No. Go to the haven, send Louise to bring the—victim back, and get cleaned up. We’ll talk once I’m done here.”
I kissed him before he could object, and his grip on me tightened. I never wanted it to end, because when it did, reality waited, with a giant slap. He finally eased back, and let me go.
“Don’t come down, Alex. I don’t want you part of this.”
“Too late.” I forced myself to smile, to make my voice light. “I’m madly in love with the prime suspect.”
“Alex—”
“Go.” I stood, put distance between us, so I didn’t kiss him again, or cling to him, like I wanted to. “We have some cleaning to do up here.”
I watched him head to the open manhole, his shoulders slumped. I didn’t need to look down to know there was blood on my clothes. Not that it mattered; one quick look at the scene told me I’d be getting a lot bloodier before it was over.
My heart pounding, I approached the huddled figure, praying it wasn’t a resident I knew. A hand on my shoulder halted me. I looked up to find Louise next to me, her eyes kind. “I will deal with this, Alex. There’s no need for you to identify the victim.”
She picked up the demon, and I got a glimpse of the grey face when she turned around. It wasn’t any of the residents I knew, so it must be a recent arrival. Ache and relief fought each other as I watched her carry the demon, draping him over her shoulder before she climbed down and disappeared.
I sank to my knees, the delayed emotions finally smacking me.
Misty crouched next to me, her hand rubbing my back. “Okay?”
“Sooner or later, yeah. You don’t have to stay.”
“Yes, I do. Let’s get this done.”
She helped me stand, and we joined Candace, who already had the hose pulled out from the back of the house. Since the Emmetts bought the property, they have gradually added small conveniences, since this was the primary entrance to the haven. Sometimes, a new arrival needed a more—involved reception.
“Alex.” Candace started hosing down the blood. Demon blood is thick, and doesn’t break up as easily as human. “There’s a stash of clothes in the ground floor bedroom. Go in through the side door, so you avoid the crime scene.” I couldn’t stop the ache that shot through me at her words. It must have shown on my face; she laid one hand on my shoulder, her eyes sympathetic. “Go on. You can’t be seen in the haven covered in blood.”
I looked down at myself. I’d left my jacket in the car, so Sam spread the blood all over my shirt and pants. “Right.”
The side door was on the other end of the house. I headed around to the front—and nearly had heart failure when I ran straight into a broad chest.
“Going somewhere, Alex?”
Oh, God.
Detective Sampson.
~ ~ ~
Before I could even open my mouth to say anything he grabbed my arm and inspected every inch.
“Are you all right?”
I nodded, my breath lodged in my throat. What was he doing here? And what did he think was smeared all over my clothes?
Obviously satisfied that I was in one piece, he practically dragged me back around the house, halting when Candace and Misty came into sight.
“I received a tip about a violent fight here.” They both froze at his voice, looking as guilty as if they were the culprits. “Looks like it was valid. You do know that disturbing a crime scene is illegal?”
“The crime scene is inside.” Candace kept spraying the dead grass with water, like she was, well, cleaning up. “What are you doing here, Detective? Whoever called you is wrong—there was no fight here. Some kids left a mess, and I’m taking care of it.”
She was a spectacular liar. Didn’t even blink.
“Turn off the hose, Miss Corwin, and both of you stop touching anything.”
Misty bounced to her feet, angrier than I’d seen her in a while. “You can’t just barge on private property and throw your weight around!”
“I’m afraid he can.” Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, Simon stepped out of the house. “Joe Sampson.” He held out his hand. “I know you by reputation. My former partner tried to emulate your arrest record.”
“Thanks.” Detective Sampson took his hand. “I’m afraid you’re at the advantage here.”
Simon smiled, and I understood. He was going for the shock factor. “I’m a former resident of Santa Luna, but I wasn’t a cop there. I was a priest. Simon Asher.”
It took a minute to sink in. When it did, Detective Sampson stepped back, the shock Simon was after clear in his eyes.
“You’re dead.”
“I was, yes. Before I ran into a fallen angel.”
I closed my eyes. So much for keeping his secret.
“Why don’t we continue this conversation in a more private place.” Simon gestured to the manhole.
“Simon—you can’t—”
“It’s time he knew the truth, Alex.” Simon laid a hand on my shoulder. “About everything.”
“You’re talking about the haven.” We all stared at Detective Sampson. He raised an eyebrow. “I’m a cop. After investigating what happened in the basement, did you really think I wouldn’t find out about it?”
“You never said anything.” I kept staring at him. He could have betrayed us, exposing what he knew. “Why didn’t you—”
“Because I knew what the fallout would be. I still have a hard time believing it.” He ran one hand through his hair. “I staked out this place a few times, saw—some of the new arrivals.”
That must have been a shock.
“Thank you,” Simon said. “For keeping the information to yourself.”
“The stakeouts were on my own time. No need to account for my personal life, unless someone commits a crime. So, that’s the entrance?” He stared at the open sewer hole, looking a little pale. “I expected something more—welcoming.”
I moved to him, noticing as I got closer that he was sweating.
“Detective, are you okay?”
“Fine.” He cleared his throat, pulled at the collar of his shirt. “I’m—this is the only way down?”
“No, but all the entrances are the same.” The truth smacked me. “You’re claustrophobic.”
“I’m not—” He yanked his tie off, pacing between the house and the entrance.
“Alex.” Simon stepped between us, his gaze on Detective Sampson, even though he directed his words to me. “Why don’t we move this conversation to Zach’s—”
“I’m all right.” Detective Sampson swallowed, looked at Simon, then at Misty and Candace, ending with me. He kept eye contact with me when he continued. “During my first homicide case, I was injured by the suspect. He—” Cursing under his breath, he pushed sweat damp hair off his forehead. “He locked me in a root cellar the size of a coffin, left me to die.”
I moved to him and took his hand. “How long?”
He let out a shaky breath. “I started digging my way out on the first day, and ended up in another cellar, about the size of a small bathroom. I lost consciousness because of my injuries. It took rescue three more days to find me.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Now you know my deepest, ugliest secret. And I know yours. Can we get this over with?”
“I didn’t—you don’t—” There was no way to finish that sentence without sounding like I felt sorry for him. I was horrified by what he told me, but I also respected him more for the strength it must have taken to survive. “Can you make it down the ladder?”
“I’ll have to, if it’s the only way.”
“Candace and Misty can go first, to catch us in case you—” I didn’t say faint, since it would probably irritate him. He nodded, like he knew what I was thinking. “I’ll guide you down. Simon will be above you, to help if you need a fast exit. Will it make things easier if I, um, keep my hand on your ankle?”
“Alex.” He smiled, some of the color coming back to his face. “You have a generous heart. Don’t let me or anyone else take that away from you.”
I blushed, and ducked my head, stepping back to the entrance. Misty waved to me before she disappeared, and Candace was already gone. She’d warn everyone who was on their way down.
“Whenever you’re ready,” I said. “Oh, and Detective? Whatever you do, don’t react to the residents. It’s going to be traumatic enough without you running and screaming.”
Both he and Simon laughed, easing the last of the tension.
“I think I can control the urge,” he said. “After you.”
I scooted into the hole and grabbed the ladder, climbing down just enough for him to follow after me. As soon as his foot was in range, I laid my hand on his ankle.
“The ladder’s not as long as it looks. A step at a time, and we’ll be down before you know it.”
I descended, touching his ankle whenever I could, to let him know he wasn’t alone in here. By the time we reached the bottom he was breathless and sweaty. I helped him off the ladder, waited for him to compose himself. He jumped when Simon joined us.
“All right,” he said, though he still looked a little—shell shocked was the term that popped into my mind. “Take me to your haven.”
Simon and I flanked him—more for protection than to keep him from heading the wrong direction. The second we reached the head of the twisting main street, residents appeared. I felt Detective Sampson stiffen, and grabbed his wrist before he could even think of touching his weapon.
“You won’t need it,” I whispered. “And they won’t hesitate to defend themselves if they see you as a threat.”
I’d been the horrified witness of that scenario, when a demon had decided one of the other residents had violent intentions, and had ambushed them. It had taken Jake in his Fenris form and the Devil to pull them apart. The demon had been banned, and the other resident transferred to the Santa Luna haven.
Speak of the Devil—she stepped out of her building, blending into the shadows of the darkened boardwalk. Since she was so sensitive to light, we kept the gaslights along her building off. It did make for a heart-stopping encounter every once in a while.
Detective Sampson let out a strangled shout. I moved fast, putting myself between him and the Devil.
“What the hell is that?”
“That is a she, and she’s one of our security measures.” I kept my grip on his right wrist. “You wanted to see the haven—part of that is following the rules, and not shooting the residents. Are we clear?”
After long, nerve-wracking seconds, he nodded. “I just—I knew they were here, but knowing and seeing...” He pushed hair off his forehead. “I need a minute to process.”
Simon gave him that minute, then led him past the silent, watching residents. I had to respect the detective; he didn’t so much as flinch at what had to be nerve-shredding attention.
We headed for the office. It was one of the only buildings where everyone outside of management needed permission to enter. I could also lock the door, which was a big plus.
We never made it.
Sam appeared out of the alley between the office and the next building, running straight at us.
“Sam—what—”
“Get him out of here!”
I saw the reason for his panic a second later.
Hern’s mother came loping out of the alley, her fear and fury like a double punch. They knocked Sam against one of the support posts.
“You will not harm my sweetling!”
Her emotion knocked me off my feet, but both Simon and Detective Sampson stood, putting themselves between me and the demon. Sam picked himself up and came after her.
Simon spoke, in a guttural language I’d never heard before. And another voice wrapped around his—one I had heard before. Elias.
The demon reared up, her claws inches from Simon’s face. I scrambled to my feet when Detective Sampson grabbed his weapon. Simon beat me to it, catching his wrist, his gaze still on the demon.
Hern’s mother refused to take a human name, and none of us could pronounce her real name. I heard Simon say it, in a language that scraped against my ears.
Whatever he was saying gradually calmed her. She lowered herself, and Hern loped out of their rooms, grabbing her arm.
“Mama! They won’t hurt us, Mama, you know we’re safe here. Not like the other place. They don’t let bad humans down here like they did in the other place.”
“Sweetling.” She wrapped him in her arms, and Hern clung to her, not embarrassed by her overt smothering. “That human is part of their authority, and I was so afraid they had come—”
“I know, Mama.” Hern leaned back, patted her cheeks. “You were protecting us. We’re safe here. Sam won’t let anyone in who might hurt us. Okay? Let’s go home.”
She squeezed him again, and let go long enough to take his hand, and let him lead her back to their rooms. Hern glanced over his shoulder and gave me a toothy smile. He had become one courageous little demon. Kenny wasn’t the only one benefiting from their friendship.
Sam waited until they disappeared before he turned on us. “What the hell is he doing here?”
“Investigating a murder.” Detective Sampson stepped to him, eye level. I didn’t realize that Sam had gotten taller until I saw them together. “From the tension down here, I’m guessing the one aboveground isn’t the only, or the first.”
“What happens here is none of your damn business.”
“When it’s connected to one of my murder investigations, it becomes my business. How many have you lost?”
Sam stared at him. The quiet sorrow in Detective Sampson’s voice surprised him as much as it did me.
“Two,” he whispered. “Both demons.”
“Were they killed the in same way as Matt?”
Sam flinched. “Yes.”
“I am sorry for your friend, and for your loss, but I can’t stand by and let someone else die.”
“I agree.”
Horror swept through me, because I knew what Sam was about to do. Apparently, so did Simon. He grabbed me before I could bolt forward.
“Let me go—”
“He needs to do this, Alex.” Simon whispered against my cheek, his grip too strong for me to even think of escaping.
Helpless, I watched Sam hold up his wrists. “Lock me up, Detective, before I can do it again.”