Past Due by Catherine Winchester

him; he began coming here a few years ago. Never seemed to have many friends, he’s a secretive, sneaky sort.” He handed the pad back to her. “How did you do that? You said you didn’t know what he looks like.” He had a theory but he wanted to hear her explanation.
    “ I saw it in Tracy’s memories.”
    Alex grinned. “You’re psychic. How wonderful!”
    “ Don’t get excited, it’s nothing helpful like seeing the future. I can’t predict who will win the Grand National or where our killer will strike next.”
    “ You see the past,” he was slowly understanding. “Touch makes what you see stronger. Animate or inanimate objects?”
    “ Both. The impressions I get from people are much stronger than I get from the objects they touch but also more confused.” Frankie was smiling. She was talking about her gift and smiling, a completely new sensation. Usually she was fearful of being called a freak, of being laughed at, ridiculed or even called a liar. To talk so freely was unheard of. Even those she worked with who knew about her gift didn’t seem comfortable talking about it.
    “ I haven’t met a true psychic in, oh must be over two hundred years. This is fascinating.”
    “ Was the other psychic immune to your mind games too?”
    “ No, she was as susceptible as everyone else, but her gift was slightly different. She used cards and sticks and tea leaves to give readings. She could see the future on a good day but she wasn’t very accurate. The future fluctuates far too much for that sort of gift to be useful.”
    “ You have no idea how wonderful it is to tell someone what I can do and have them accept it.”
    Alex leaned forward. “I understand what’s it’s like to have to hide your true nature, Frankie.” He looked almost vulnerable.
    “ Yes, I suppose you do.” She had never thought about how it would feel for other supernatural creatures. “Doesn’t anyone know?”
    “ There are a few other supernaturals who come here, they can sense what I am, like you can but we don’t really socialise.”
    “ Why not?”
    “ Vampires don’t play well with each other for very long and other supernaturals are wary of us.”
    “ And no humans? You don’t have like a…”
    “ A consort? No, not for a while. I have to be very careful who I trust. Humans are a very frightened race and when they’re scared they lash out.”
    “ You’re trusting me and I’m a spy.”
    Alex went to the mini bar and got two bottles of water. He handed one to Frankie, figuring she’d be happier opening it herself. She accepted it without comment.
    “ We know about your secretive group. In this day and age, we have to. When humans hunted us with pitchforks and torches we could outrun them mostly but now… now you have rifles and missiles and weapons of mass destruction. You pose a greater threat to us than ever before, we have to be careful. If we thought you meant us any harm you would have been wiped out decades ago.”
    “ But you can’t vamp me into forgetting. I can report all this to my superiors.”
    “ You could, but I don’t think you will.”
    “ Why not?”
    “ Because you are a decent person. Your sense of fair play wouldn’t let you.” He sipped his water. “And of course, there's the fact that you aren’t human either.”
    “ What? Of course I am.”
    Alex shook is head. “No. I thought you were being evasive when I first asked what you are but you really don’t know, do you?”
    “ I’m human. Just as human as anyone else.”
    “ As human as me?”
    She glared at him.
    He placated her with a smile. “You’re mostly human, I’ll agree, but not completely. Your gift is off the charts for strength, I’ve never encountered a human with that much ability. I’d also be willing to bet there’s more you can do but you’ve been denying your talents. Have you ever tried to hone your craft?”
    “ Trust me, what I have is bad enough.”
    “ The gloves. You can’t stand touching people,