Lost pendantGlass dust gleamed in the slanting rays of the sun falling through the window.“I had nothing when I was sent here after the attack. Nothing but clothes on me and a pendant around my neck. Marcus sent me to live with Helena, a witch friend of my mother's.” Holding Coco's hand on my knee, I asked what I needed to know. "Was my mother a witch?""I didn't know her, but magic shares harmony with you." She shook her head. "I do not know how to explain it. I see magic, but mostly hear it. The spells in the pendant sound feminine. When you told me that your mother gave it to you, of course I thought so. You share the same magical harmony. A lot of love and fear went into making this pendant. Your mother was worried about protecting you.” She glanced down at the carpet for a moment, lost in her thoughts. "How did she die?"“She…” I paused, trying to remember. I forced myself to remember, but nothing happened. "I don't remember." How could I not remember?"Were you very young? Di

he kissed me againThe annoyance in his voice helped me shake off the sudden surge of adrenaline and keep walking. "And what's it to you?"“Interesting.” Clive turned as I walked past him and walked beside him. “Why should I care about your safety when you should be left to fend for yourself and you immediately decide to wander the streets alone in the middle of the night?”His boots barely audibly rustled on the pavement. “Hey, I’ll take care of my own safety, thank you very much."One vision. He pulled me out of one vision, okay, two, and suddenly he became my guardian angel. A wolf. Think about it. "Yes, sure. You're doing great."A broad shoulder touched mine before he pulled back a few inches. His long black coat seemed to absorb the faint light of the lanterns. It looked soft, though I doubted he would appreciate it if I stroked his coat.We walked side by side in silence for almost two kilometers. I ignored the rich, subtle scent of his cologne. Mostly. "Do you have a destinati

Who invited Volkov?Someone mentally attacked her. Before you."What do I care what happens to her?" Sitri's words stopped tormenting me. Either he lost interest or heard the annoyance in Clive's voice. It depends on the circumstances, doesn't it?I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. Bile, hot and sour, hit my throat. Having a man take control of my body brought back the memories I had worked hard to bury. I wanted to run away and hide in the Killed Sheep, but first I wanted to hunt down and kill every demon in the room.“If this has nothing to do with your kind, then we just interrupted your poker game. And for this invasion, you have already received your payback, given the games you played with her. However, if I discover that the visions incapacitating her are the work of demons... well, let's just say, for the sake of the health of all concerned, it would be better if it wasn't." Clive's voice remained pleasant, if not bored, but the skin around Sitri's eyes tightened.“I won

In which Sam is forced to wonder who her allies areI talked to most of the bar and bookstore patrons, but eventually I did find the one with Ole's number. Ole, the unblinking-eyed type, was an owl shapeshifter and special collections archivist at the San Francisco Public Library. I asked about his work when he first started coming to the bar to drink and stare. As a folklore librarian, he had access to very specialized databases that I would need to study.When Dave arrived, I asked him to watch the bar because I was about to leave. “No, you won't go,” Dave leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, radiating annoyance.“Almost sure I will. Hold the line,” I said as I walked past him at the counter."Stop." He extended his hand, blocking the way. I did, but mostly out of courtesy. I could dive under his arm. He flashed his eyes. I glared back fiercely. “What the hell, Sam? How many times does someone have to try to kill you before you stop making it easy for them?"At h

He gave me another soft, quick kiss"Yes, they would have done a rape test. We'd have proof of who attacked you." Clive clenched his jaw in anger, but then he managed and pulled himself together."You've had enough problems. When Helena told me that you talked about wanting to live on your own, move out of her apartment and start your own business, I wanted to help. I got the impression that you trust Marcus. Whatever it was, he was a member of the family. If I told you that it was from him, I was quite sure that you would agree.""I nodded. " I think I surprised both of us when I leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He tilted his head, a wary interest in his eyes. I don't know what got into me. Perhaps the understanding that life is short, that Marcus is dead, and that Clive, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, was a hero, not a villain. Maybe mostly it was because I was tired of living in isolation. Whatever the reason, I changed my mind at the last minute and kissed him on the