half-truth. She wasn’t the easiest person in the world to get along with. As Ethan would undoubtedly find out if she didn’t get her regular fix of chocolate soon.
He took another pastry, then stood. “I’ll go home and collect some clothes. I trust you ladies won’t run off while I’m gone?”
“We’ll be here,” Gwen said. “You can trust that, if nothing else.”
His gaze very much indicated he didn’t trust either of them. But he didn’t say anything, just headed out the door.
Kat looked at her grandmother. “Why?”
Gwen sighed. “I had a vision while you were gone. He’s in as much danger as we are.”
“Because he was part of the task force?”
“Because he was closer than he knew. Remember, he was at that warehouse before you or the soul-sucker or the vampire. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has latent precognition skills.”
“And the soul-sucker was heading after him because of that?”
“Yes.” Gwen rubbed her eyes. “It’s also after us, for much the same reason. We all stand a better chance if we stay together.”
“Did you see when they’ll attack?”
“You know my visions are never that specific.”
Unfortunately, she did. But occasionally she hoped for a miracle. “Was that all?”
“I did see one other thing. And it’s the reason I waited until Ethan left to tell you all this.”
A lump settled in her stomach. There could be only one reason to wait until Ethan had left. She gulped down her coffee to ease the dryness in her throat, but it didn’t seem to help much. “What?”
“His niece is still alive.”
K AT BLINKED. “WHAT?”
“She’s alive. She’s not dead yet.”
“Then why …?”
The question hung in the air, and Gwen sighed. “Can you imagine his reaction if I told him that? I don’t know where she is, or what condition she’s in. I just know that at this point in time, that little girl lives. It might be a different story in a few hours’ time.”
“And you got no image at all that could help us find her?”
Gwen shook her head. “It’s not a warehouse, though. It’s somewhere different.”
“Why?” What sick game was the soul-sucker playing now?
“I don’t know. But she seems to be working in six-day cycles, and she doesn’t kill one kid until she’s snatched another.”
“If that’s the case, then Ethan’s niece has three days left.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. As I said, I just don’t know.”
There was entirely too much on this case they just didn’t know, and kids were dying because of it. Shenoted the slump in her grandmother’s shoulders and rose. “Why don’t you get some sleep?”
“I might just do that.”
Kat offered a hand, then carefully pulled her grandmother upright. Gwen cursed as bones cracked, and worry stirred through Kat. The arthritis was definitely getting worse, and despite what she’d said to Ethan earlier, Gran did have a choice. Seline had recently found a way to mute both the visions and her scrying ability, so walking away was, for the first time in fifty years, a true option for her grandmother.
They had a beautiful house in San Francisco with a garden far too neglected. Over the past few months, she’d tried suggesting that maybe Gwen should stay home every other mission, but her grandmother wasn’t having a bit of it. And the reason was
her
. They’d been together for close to thirty years—all her life, basically. Gwen wasn’t only her grandmother, but mother, confidante, and best friend. They were so close, it always felt wrong when they were apart for more than a few days.
But that wasn’t the problem. The truth was, Kat didn’t have anyone else to protect her, and Gwen had no other reason for life. It was an impasse they’d obviously have to resolve soon, before the arthritis totally destroyed Gwen’s quality of life.
After helping her grandmother into her nightie and then into bed, she checked the windows and locked the shutters. By that time, Gwen was asleep. Kat
He took another pastry, then stood. “I’ll go home and collect some clothes. I trust you ladies won’t run off while I’m gone?”
“We’ll be here,” Gwen said. “You can trust that, if nothing else.”
His gaze very much indicated he didn’t trust either of them. But he didn’t say anything, just headed out the door.
Kat looked at her grandmother. “Why?”
Gwen sighed. “I had a vision while you were gone. He’s in as much danger as we are.”
“Because he was part of the task force?”
“Because he was closer than he knew. Remember, he was at that warehouse before you or the soul-sucker or the vampire. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has latent precognition skills.”
“And the soul-sucker was heading after him because of that?”
“Yes.” Gwen rubbed her eyes. “It’s also after us, for much the same reason. We all stand a better chance if we stay together.”
“Did you see when they’ll attack?”
“You know my visions are never that specific.”
Unfortunately, she did. But occasionally she hoped for a miracle. “Was that all?”
“I did see one other thing. And it’s the reason I waited until Ethan left to tell you all this.”
A lump settled in her stomach. There could be only one reason to wait until Ethan had left. She gulped down her coffee to ease the dryness in her throat, but it didn’t seem to help much. “What?”
“His niece is still alive.”
K AT BLINKED. “WHAT?”
“She’s alive. She’s not dead yet.”
“Then why …?”
The question hung in the air, and Gwen sighed. “Can you imagine his reaction if I told him that? I don’t know where she is, or what condition she’s in. I just know that at this point in time, that little girl lives. It might be a different story in a few hours’ time.”
“And you got no image at all that could help us find her?”
Gwen shook her head. “It’s not a warehouse, though. It’s somewhere different.”
“Why?” What sick game was the soul-sucker playing now?
“I don’t know. But she seems to be working in six-day cycles, and she doesn’t kill one kid until she’s snatched another.”
“If that’s the case, then Ethan’s niece has three days left.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. As I said, I just don’t know.”
There was entirely too much on this case they just didn’t know, and kids were dying because of it. Shenoted the slump in her grandmother’s shoulders and rose. “Why don’t you get some sleep?”
“I might just do that.”
Kat offered a hand, then carefully pulled her grandmother upright. Gwen cursed as bones cracked, and worry stirred through Kat. The arthritis was definitely getting worse, and despite what she’d said to Ethan earlier, Gran did have a choice. Seline had recently found a way to mute both the visions and her scrying ability, so walking away was, for the first time in fifty years, a true option for her grandmother.
They had a beautiful house in San Francisco with a garden far too neglected. Over the past few months, she’d tried suggesting that maybe Gwen should stay home every other mission, but her grandmother wasn’t having a bit of it. And the reason was
her
. They’d been together for close to thirty years—all her life, basically. Gwen wasn’t only her grandmother, but mother, confidante, and best friend. They were so close, it always felt wrong when they were apart for more than a few days.
But that wasn’t the problem. The truth was, Kat didn’t have anyone else to protect her, and Gwen had no other reason for life. It was an impasse they’d obviously have to resolve soon, before the arthritis totally destroyed Gwen’s quality of life.
After helping her grandmother into her nightie and then into bed, she checked the windows and locked the shutters. By that time, Gwen was asleep. Kat
Similar Books
