Page 48 of Blood Magic

He only nodded.

Ten minutes later, he pulled up in front of my house. Remy’s car was there, parked right behind Joe’s truck. My car was in the driveway beside Lucy’s.

“Rick…thanks.”

“Get some rest,” he said.

But when I opened the door and started to get out of the car, he said, “I’m glad you’re okay.” Then he gave me a smile, sort of. “You killed the demon.”

I patted my pocket. “The demon has been neutralized. He won’t be able to hurt anyone again. It’s over, Detective.”

“Kait…I have a couple weeks coming up. Vacation. I have a cabin up north, and Beth wants me to take off for a while. Do some hunting, fishing, drink a lot and maybe relax a little. Get away from the demons for a while.”

“Good,” I said. “You deserve some time.”

He left me there then, and I stood watching his car until it was out of sight. I thought I might be too tired to walk into the house. I needed food and lots of it. If I knew Lucy, the table would be groaning beneath the weight of it.

She would know I was okay.

Still, when I walked into the house, she flew at me with a shriek. Ash began barking and dancing around, Joe stood with his hands on his hips glaring, and Remy sprawled in a chair and just sort of…smoldered.

Max walked into the living room from the kitchen, if the plate of cake in his hand was any indication. “Oh my God,” he said. Then, “Did he break your fingers?”

I frowned and gave Ash one last pat, then looked at my fingers. “No. Why?”

He shrugged. “That was the only reason I could think of that you wouldn’t call to let some-damn-body know you were alive.”

“I told them you were fine,” Lucy said, smiling. “And dinner is waiting.”

I pressed my fingers against my stomach. “I will eat everything.”

“So how are you healed from being shot in the fucking back half a dozen times?” Remy stood, then walked toward me, and I had to force myself not to take a step or two back.

“I’m bruised,” I told him, “but I was wearing a vest. A good one. And only one bullet actually hit me.”

But he only stared at me, grim and silent, and I knew from the look in his eyes that he knew I was lying—and that he was now suspicious of me. Lucy took my hand and pulled me from the room, and I let her, because Remy was making me nervous.

“Come and eat, everybody,” she said gaily, like we were having a party and not one thing was amiss. “I told you she was fine. Maybe next time you’ll listen to me.”

“Two…psychics in one room,” Remy said, pasting his fake smile back on his face. “That’s two too many for me. I will see you soon, Kait Silver.”

“Goodnight, Remy,” I murmured, and I was relieved when he walked out. I might have gotten to know him a little better during my time with him, but he was still the boogeyman, and I was still a wolf.

If he discovered what I was, would he come after me the way he’d gone after all the wolves and other nonhumans before me?

Yes. I absolutely believed he would.

“I need to change clothes and clean up a little,” I said. “You all start without me. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Joe asked, but his voice was clipped, and his eyes were angry, and he wouldn’t meet my stare.

He hadn’t stopped glowering since I’d returned, and I knew it was because he’d been so worried—and that he felt he’d failed in his job to guard my back.

“I’m fine, Joe.” As I walked past him on my way to my bedroom, I stopped to squeeze his arm. “I have good people around me, and I can’t tell you guys how much that means to me.” I smiled at them, then left the room. I hoped I wouldn’t end up getting them all killed.

It was only when I was in my bedroom, ridding myself of my dirty clothes, that I discovered something truly alarming.

The spirit jar with the demon inside was missing.

Someone had stolen the fucking demon.