Laurell K Hamilton Books Novels & Stories

The shadows elongate farther, creeping like fingers reaching for her. Something is strange, yet he can sense no evil around. What is going on? Sera whines in her sleep, tossing and turning now. Not having anything else to do, Nathanael reaches out for her. His hand touches her shoulder and Sera stops struggling; her face peaceful again. A light outside the window causes the shadows to slowly dissipate. The light grows brighter and brighter. Curiously, Nathanael approaches the window. Lampyridae, or lightening bugs as Sera calls them, have begun to flock to her window. They float in a growing swarm suspended in the warm winter air.

“I don’t sleep much.” I should have stepped back, but I didn’t. The room seemed smaller with him in it, the walls pressing in as if to keep us close. He reached past me, plucking a worn leather-bound volume from the shelf. “This one,” he said, setting it on the table, “is worth losing sleep for.” It was an old history text, its pages brittle, the ink faded. He didn’t open it right away—just stood there, one hand resting on the cover, his gaze locked on me like he was searching for something.

"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds." ~Laurell K. Hamilton Alexander POV I finish with the documents in front of me, just like I said I would and I hand them over to Reuben who nods his head already knowing the next step before leaving my office.