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My panther’s shadowy form hops down from the windowsill and prowls over to my bed. Without much preamble, he leaps onto my mattress, then immediately begins kneading the blankets.

He’s just a cuddly little murder machine.

I reach a hand out and pet his face. Even in the darkness, I can see his eyes closing happily from the scratches.

“You’re such a good familiar,” I coo, and for once, Nero lets me coddle him.

I run my hand down his neck and flank, pausing when I touch something wet and sticky.

Foreboding washes over me. Pulling my hand away, I rub my fingers together, then bring them to my nose. Almost immediately, I notice the cloying, gamey smell coming from them.

“Illuminate this room,” I say, drawing hard and fast on my magic. My power lashes out of me, swirling itself into an orb of light.

As soon as my magic brightens the space, I gasp.

My fingers are coated in bright red blood. But it’s not just on my fingers; it’s all over—

“Nero.”

I’m in his head so fast, I get momentarily confused at the sight of my own human face staring back at me.

I can feel wetness against my—I meanhis—flank and on his legs and paws. But there are no obvious aches or pains.

Not Nero’s blood.

I’m back in my own head a moment later. My familiar sprawls out on his side, and now I can see the blood smears across my checkered comforter.

“What happened?” I ask Nero, even though I know he can’t respond. “Is this blood from one of your kills?”

No reaction from him.

“Did you hurt the creature whose blood this is?”

Another nonreaction, except now Nero’s tail flicks with irritation.

I’m not asking the right questions.

My mind moves to darker, more terrifying places.

“Was it a human?”

Slowly, Nero’s head dips and rises, the action looking unnatural on him. But it was a nod.

“Are they alive?” I ask.

Nothing.

Fuck.

That’s a no.

“Can you take me to them?”

Nero gets off the bed and prowls toward the window once more. After grabbing my phone and sweatshirt and shoving my feet into a pair of running shoes, I follow him.

CHAPTER21

I move like a woman possessed,jogging behind my familiar, my awareness straddled between him and myself.