Page 64 of Cold Sacrifice

The scents in the room were almost overwhelming, and if he’d had a window, I would have asked him to open it to let in some fresh air. He had a candle warmer lamp on a small table in the corner, and the room was thick with the smell of fake cinnamon apple pie. He’d just made coffee, and that strong scent, while not unpleasant, added to the candle and lingering scent of incense that had burned out probably hours ago.

He smiled, then gestured at the chair across the table. “Thank you, Kait. I’m sure you do, as well. I asked that you be described to me so I could picture you. Apparently, you are a beautiful woman. Long braid, fierce eyes, incredible smile. And you have a lot of tattoos.” Then he shook his head as he pulled out his chair. “I don’t know why I told you that. You politely tell me I look nice and I start waxing poetic.”

I frowned. He was paler than usual, and he did look tired, despite hiding behind a nice suit and dark glasses. But I got a scent buried beneath the coffee steam wafting from his cup and the scented candle melting in the corner.

Wes Korda had either spent the night with a bottle of whiskey, or he’d started his morning with one. Either way, he was still just this side of drunk, and he didn’t want me to notice.

“You didn’t sleep last night,” I murmured.

He shrugged, then gestured at the steaming mug of coffee on the table in front of me. “I poured you a cup of coffee. I was told you enjoy it.”

“Thank you.” I picked up the mug and took a sip. “Who told you these things about me, Wes?”

“Saul was willing to part with some information,” he said, “though he’s not very forthcoming. And there’s a woman named Lilah who—”

“Lilah,” I said, my voice hard. “You shouldn’t listen to anything she says about me.”

“You know her.” He tilted his head. “You don’t like her.”

I gave a humorless laugh. “I once thought she was sweet. Then I had to rescue someone she had strapped to a table and was torturing in ways I can’t even comprehend.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the memory waking up my rage. “She’s a mad, sadistic creature, and I should have killed her.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I was too busy trying to get a girl out of the room and both of us out of this building alive.”

He said nothing for a few seconds, and I got the feeling he’d been told a little more than how I looked. “I’m sorry,” he said, finally.

I shook off the grimness, took another drink of coffee, then pushed the cup aside so I could reach for his hands. “I don’t have a lot of time, so we should get started.”

He took both my hands in his. Maybe that would give him a stronger connection. I was hoping it would speed things up. I frowned again as I felt his wolf. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. Something about it bothered me, but I couldn’t have said exactly what.

“Are you okay, Wes?” I asked.

He released a breath of air that might have been meant as a light laugh. It didn’t quite make it. “Never, Kait.” Then he lowered his head, squeezed my fingers, and got to work sifting through my memories of Gavin Voss.

“Almost there,” he whispered, and there was genuine excitement in his voice. Wes Korda enjoyed his gift. “It wasn’t a man who created Gavin’s were and gave him magic. It was a woman.” He frowned then, and shuddered, and once again shared more than maybe he’d meant to share. “She’s a nightmare full of sex and blood and she is not something anyone can resist. She’s affecting me just through this connection of Voss’s memories of her.” He frowned. “She’s like a siren mixed with a witch mixed with a Ker.”

I wrinkled my nose and pulled back my hands when he released them. “A what?”

“A Ker is an old death spirit.” He waved his hand. “Blood, slaughter, violence. But why she’s changing certain supernaturals, I don’t know. Gavin Voss wouldn’t have been the only one. He wouldn’t have stood a chance against her. Even if he hadn’t wanted to be what he became, she made him believe he did.”

“Unless she comes to Jakeston,” I said, standing, “that’s one fucked-up supernat I’ll probably never have to deal with.”

He walked me to the door. “Thank you for coming,” he said. “It won’t be long before I have everything the elders need.”

“A location?” I asked him. “An image of her face?”

He nodded. “And her motivations, I hope. I’m curious. Why is she creating monsters?”

But I didn’t have a clue. “This didn’t take long,” I said. “I might have time to stop by my office.”

“I would enjoy knowing your life,” he told me. “I wish I could help you fight the evil.”

I pulled the door open, then paused. “Let me pick you up soon and drive you to Silverwood,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I offered. Something about him got to me, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on what that something was. “I’ll introduce you to my friends. My dog Ash and the hounds. Lucy will cook you the best meal you’ve ever eaten. What do you say?”

He withdrew immediately. “I appreciate the offer, Kait, but I can’t leave the council’s buildings.”

I frowned. “What do you mean you can’t? Do you have agoraphobia?”