Page 24 of Cold Sacrifice

For that instant, Richard the ghost was one of the scariest things I’d ever faced.

“What the fuck are you?” I murmured, breathless, my heart beating too fast. “Seriously. What?”

But something I couldn’t identify rippled across his face, and then, he was simply…gone. For a moment, the room was completely still and devoid of air, and I struggled to draw a breath.

Then Joe shoved open the door and rushed in, and my chest loosened and I sucked in air, unsure what to feel. Richard, a ghost, had not only defeated a demon, he’d devoured a demon. He’d terrified a couple of singing ghosts by simply speaking to them.

Richard was no ordinary ghost.

I began to wonder if finding a way out for him and freeing him upon the world would be a good thing.

I was going to need to talk to Max.

Between the vampires and the ghosts, Max would be in his element.

“Kait?” Joe asked, kneeling beside Mr. Smith. “Are you okay? Is it clear?”

I nodded, looking around at the mess in my office. Overturned chairs, papers and books and files knocked into the floor, paintings hanging askew, and an unconscious human sprawled in the floor.

“It’s clear,” I murmured. “But it was fucking weird, Joe.”

“I thought this office was warded against demons,” he said, a little angry. I couldn’t blame him for that.

“So did I,” I told him. “Apparently some of them can sneak in if they’re already inside a vessel. I’ll have to get that figured out.”

Then Max stuck his head into the room. “Um, Lucy’s here with donuts?”

I sighed. “Max, send Mrs. Smith back in. Her husband’s going to need her when I wake him up. Joe, help me clean up this mess.”

One appointment down and a whole bunch to go. I could only hope the rest of the night would be a little more peaceful than the beginning had been.

Chapter Eight

I couldn’t get Richard off my mind. Was he an angel, or was he a monster?

Was there a difference?

Bastien texted me as I was welcoming the second client of the night into the hastily straightened room.

No one died, which makes me think tomorrow someone will.

The killer has been killing one a week. Don’t be pessimistic.

He sent a smile. Vampires have to be pessimistic. It’s the law.

Same thing tomorrow, Bastien. Let me know when you wake up and keep me updated on your vampires.

I will. Thank you, Kait.

I saw clients until midnight, and then Joe and I went to clean a few houses before calling it quits for the night. I “helped” three difficult ghosts cross over before taking a break to have some food, and as I was eating, Saul called.

I frowned at the screen. “Huh. That’s weird.”

“What?” Joe asked.

“Saul doesn’t usually call me this often. And not in the middle of the night when he knows I’m working.” I took the call, of course.

“Weston Korda wants to meet with you again,” Saul said, getting straight to the point.