Page 13 of The Tracker's Revenge

“I’m sorry,” she said. “That beast killed her. We were there to... to help her, but...” She shrugged, not going into details.

“Oh, God.” Em gulped.

I expected her to start sobbing, but she just pressed a hand to her mouth and swallowed thickly. “I didn’t know her that well,” she added, which I figured explained the lack of tears. “I moved in next door only two months ago, but I just recently started visiting her. I noticed she wasn’t feeling well, so I was trying to help her.” Em’s green eyes flicked from Rosalina to me and then back again as if she were trying to ascertain whether or not we were aware of Liliana’s illness.

“We know,” was all Rosalina said.

Em sipped her tea again, looking lost. After a while, she asked, “What was that thing? I’ve never seen a Skew like that.”

I walked toward the table, carrying two cups of coffee. I placed one cup in front of Rosalina and took a seat.

“We don’t really know,” Rosalina lied.

“It was terrifying.”

I nodded. “That, it was.”

“You said your name is Toni Sunder, right?” Em peered at me with a frown. “I seem to remember hearing about you on the radio, am I going crazy?”

I scratched my head feeling self-conscious. “Um, it seems you heard our commercial. Rosalina and I run a mate tracker agency.”

Em snapped her fingers. “That’s it. Yeah, I remember thinking I could use some help in that department.”

We all laughed awkwardly.

Eric stomped into the kitchen, looking pissed. He went straight for the coffee maker and poured himself a cup. I searched his gaze, and when we connected, he gave me a slight nod. Both the dagger and the elixir were safe. Or at least that was what I assumed his nod meant.

He heaved a sigh after only a small taste of his coffee and turned his attention to Em, who, under his scrutiny, seemed to shrink several inches. She stared into her cup as if she’d never seen anything cooler than pee-colored tea.

“I called you an Uber,” he said dryly.

I wanted to bite his head off for being so rude, but Em jumped to her feet, appearing relieved. It seemed that despite appearances, Rosalina and I hadn’t succeeded in making her comfortable.

“Thank you.” She edged away from the table and awkwardly sidled toward the kitchen’s exit.

I abandoned my coffee and joined her. “I’ll walk you to the front door.”

She waved at Rosalina and Eric with two fingers, whirled around, and marched down the wrong hall.

“This way.” I pointed her in the right direction.

She laughed nervously and joined me. Her steps were clipped, urging me along. She couldn’t be rid of us fast enough. Not surprising. We had brought the chaos of this war between werewolves and vampires right to her doorstep. Bertram and the hybrid had been there for the dagger, and maybe if I hadn’t taken it, Liliana would still be alive.

Em rushed out through the glass front door as it slid open. “Weird house,” she commented under her breath.

I had to agree with her. The front was cold and uninviting like an office building. However, when you went deeper, you found that the frosty exterior was all for show, for keeping people away, and safeguarding what lay inside. Much like its owner.

I accompanied Em down to the sidewalk, eyes darting in every direction, looking for hostiles, but no one was around. I was grateful for the bright sunlight that shone down on us. It kept vampires from attacking in the open. Though, it did nothing for werewolves. Good thing Stephen Erickson was a coward.

He can still send a hybrid, Toni.

I shuddered at the thought, wondering how many they’d managed to make before I took the dagger. Maybe just the one? Was that too much to hope for? Perhaps not. If they’d made more, why not send them all to Liliana’s house?

My train of thought was interrupted by Em.

“You have been nice to me,” she said. “Maybe even saved my life, but, all the same, I’m going to the police station from here. I just thought you should know.” She looked terrified for a moment as if she expected me to shift right there and then and tear her throat open.

“You do that,” I said. “We have nothing to hide. We didn’t kill her. Please, believe me.”