I momentarily wished I smoked.

With a cigarette between my fingers, I might have felt less pathetic. I could have pretended I ducked into the alley for a nicotine fix, instead of queasiness. 

I wondered if the reaction stemmed from some sort of residual effects of Lachlan’s blood, or if this was the first time I’d been in close proximity to a real live demon when I wasn’t nearly eviscerated. I didn’t remember any of these feelings around my mother. In fact, I had no memories of illness as a child.

The team arrived twenty minutes after my call ended. About ten minutes before them, the crime scene techs arrived to collect samples, and fine tooth comb the place. I took another cleansing breath, closed my eyes, and leaned against the wall. A couple more minutes and I&r...

Please subscribe to keep reading.