ever

  met

  .

  11

  Aria

  “I read the grief counselor’s mind,” Ellie Volgens blurted out as Aria tucked her into bed. Her statement both frightened and intrigued Aria. Sin eaters were strictly trained to control their powers, to decide when to use them and how. She figured the academy would teach the same to kids like Ellie, but her strength in telepathy matched her audacity .

  “It’s not polite to read people without them agreeing to it.” Though, Aria had been sorely tempted to read Margot earlier. However, doing so felt invasive. She only read customers who asked, or, the recently deceased who needed the ritual. Nothing but trouble seemed to come from reading the sins of the living.

  Ellie shrugged. “Sometimes it just comes to me, like being in the wind. I just listen, and see what it wants to

  tell

  me

  .”

  Aria noted the girl’s frown. “I take it you didn’t like what the counselor was thinking.”

  Ellie shook her head. “I know she wanted to make us feel safe, but she’s planning on moving away next week. She doesn’t think Miracle Falls is safe for people like us anymore.”

  She couldn’t necessarily argue with the girl, after what she’s been through the last couple of days with the Perkins murder and arrest. “I’m sure the police will capture the person who did that, and I heard there’s going to be extra security at the school. It will

  be

  okay

  .”

  They both turned their gaze on the doorway when Zarek stepped in. His eyes were swollen and red, and he had a leather-bound book tucked under his arm. He nodded at Aria in acknowledgement and came and sat at the edge of his

  sister’s

  bed

  .

  “I can’t sleep.” His voice cracked. Ethan Campbell had been a classmate and friend, so news of the boy’s death hit him

  particularly

  hard

  .

  Ellie cocked an eyebrow at him. “Zarek, what do you think you’re doing with that book? I know you miss Ethan, but you wouldn’t know how to control a divination spell.”

  He glared at her as he sat the book on his lap. “Thanks a lot, Ellie.”

  Aria extended her hand and took the book from Zarek. “She’s right,

  you

  know

  .”

  “Are you going to find Harry Storm tonight?” Ellie asked as she pulled the blanket up to

  her

  nose

  .

  “Time to sleep, girly. Seriously.” Aria planted a kiss on her forehead. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw a text message from their

  mom

  ,

  Kyra

  .

  * * *

  Will be home in an hour, remind Benjamin to take out the trash.

  Hope your day is going better, let us know if you need ANYTHING.

  * * *

  Aria typed in a quick “Thank you,” and slipped the phone into her back pocket. She turned off the lamp sitting on the stand next to Ellie’s bed and gestured for Zarek to walk with her. They went into the kitchen and she placed the lore book onto the sleek, marble-top island. She grabbed a kettle, filled it with water, and placed it on the stove.

  “Want some valerian tea? It’ll help you sleep.” Aria stood on the tips of her toes as she grabbed a couple of ceramic mugs from a high shelf in the cabinet.

  “Yeah. Sure.” He pulled the lore book toward himself and

  opened

  it

  .

  “I’m sorry about your friend.”

  Zarek absentmindedly flipped through a few pages. “I just wanted…if I could speak with his spirit, maybe I could find out who did this. He deserves justice.”

  Aria approached and sat across from him. “

  He

  does

  .”

  Zarek looked up at her, his blue eyes still watery and puffy. “Ellie said you believe the people who killed that old rich man may also be involved with what happened to Ethan.”

  Damn. She needed to visit the apothecary tonight and grab a mind shield potion. She wondered if Ellie mentioned any of this to her parents.

  “Well, I definitely don’t think it’s a coincidence. I’m trying to get in contact with a private investigator to help me with this. Maybe I can have him take a look at what happened to Ethan.”

  Zarek nodded. “Or, you can ask Ethan yourself.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “What? I don’t know how to do divination.”

  He raised a finger and pointed at her. “But you do see spirits—or souls, right?”

  “Yeah, but it’s to help cleanse them and clear the path for them. I’m not a psychic.”

  He turned to a bookmarked page in the lore book. “I’ve been studying about you—your abilities. You can see them and speak with them. And I think it’s cool that the Final Rite suppresses the birth of vampires. That’s a huge reason why you do the ritual, right? To make sure wizards don’t rise again? And to help people make it to paradise?”

  She shook her head, not in the mood to explain how there probably weren’t any vampires in existence, and that sin eating had become more of a way to pay the bills for her. Though, at times, guilt gnawed at her when she remembered when she performed her duties with passion and dedication. The Undoing would be a favor to her in more ways

  than

  one

  .

  “Zarek, even if I wanted to do that, I’d have to be near his body and do a sin eating ritual. Also, he’s most likely

  moved

  on

  .”

  “But what if he hasn’t? That’s what ghosts are, right? Spirits with unfinished business? They’re stuck here for some reason.”

  That actually wasn’t a horrible idea, but it made her feel like an insensitive ass to call up the Campbells and ask to perform a sin eating ritual mainly for her own benefit. If the Campbell and Perkin’s murders were connected, then Ethan’s spirit would be able to give her valuable information—assuming he was even lingering among the living.

  “I’ll think about it, Zarek.” The whistle on the kettle blew. She slid off her stool and went to brew the valerian tea for him, and peppermint for herself. When both drinks were ready, she brought them over to the island and handed one to Zarek.

  “Thanks,” he said, blowing into the steaming cup and taking a

  careful

  sip

  .

  “Another thing to consider,” Aria said, unsure if she was trying to talk Zarek or herself out of it, “Ethan was only fourteen, right? A kid has to be seriously screwed up for a sin eater to have to perform a ritual. Children are the only people who can confidently make it to the other side on

  their

  own

  .”

  “So you guys don’t do kids

  at

  all

  .”

  “I didn’t

  say

  that

  .”

  “What would make you do a sin eating ritual for someone my age? Or my

  sister’s

  age

  ?”

  “Well, sometimes the souls of kids who die of illnesses are confused when they first separate from their bodies, so a sin eater helps by giving them a ‘freshening up,’ and a nudge in the right direction. Or, kids who have been traumatized by

  abuse

  —

  ”

  “Or, murder?”

  She nearly choked on her tea, and sputtered a cough. “Yes, the trauma can cling to them and their spirit is convinced it’s reliving the pain over again. So, someone like me can eat away the trauma, misplaced guilt, or depression. It frees them up so they can

  move

  on

  .”

  Zarek leaned forward. “So, you can

  do

  it

  .”

  Aria opened her mouth to object but snapped it shut when Benjamin walked in from the side door adjacent to the garage. He still wore his scrubs and seemed to be in good spirits. He smiled at Aria and approached Zarek, giving him a

  tight

  hug

  .

  “I’m sorry about Ethan, buddy. How are you doing?”

  He lifted his mug of valerian tea. “Okay, I guess. I’m going to bed soon; I know you hate it when I don’t wake up on time for school.”

  “Actually,” Benjamin said, approaching the trash can and lifting the lid, “I got a text alert from the administration. No school tomorrow.”

  “Good, because I don’t feel like going, anyway.” Zarek closed the lore book and tucked it back under his arm. He grabbed his mug and headed toward his bedroom.

  Benjamin sighed as he lifted the bag lining the trash can and took it out through the garage door. When he returned, he placed a new bag into the trash can and went to the sink to wash his hands.

  “How are you holding

  up

  ,

  Aria

  ?”

  “As well as I can. There’s chicken and asparagus in the fridge. Want me to heat

  it

  up

  ?”

  He smirked. “Are you sure there isn’t barbeque or steak somewhere in there?”

  Aria chuckled. “Well if Kyra gets on your case for that, just leave me out

  of

  it

  .”

  “Agreed.” He grinned and went over the fridge to pull out some leftovers.

  Aria finished off her tea. “Is there anything else you need before

  I

  go

  ?”

  “Yeah, since there’s no school tomorrow, I was hoping you could take care of the kids. Maybe take them down to the museum, or a movie.”

  Yeah, someone’s framed me for murder and I’m trying to hunt down a guy who the police say they have no record of. This is not a good time. But then, she’d still be in jail if it weren’t for

  his

  wife

  .

  “Hmm…I don’t know about a movie. If you really need me though, I can just come here. I’ll bring games, DVD’s, maybe even have them catch up on homework.”

  “Sounds good.” He threw a few beef ribs onto his plate of chicken and asparagus. “I can leave for the clinic around noon, that way you can take care of any errands in the morning. And if you can’t make it, just let me know, and I can just stay home with

  the

  kids

  .”

  “Thanks, Benjamin.” She went over to the counter and grabbed her purse.

  He placed his plate into the microwave and hit the start button. The low hum of the machine started up and the food rotated. “Oh, and we wanted to give

  you

  this

  .”

  She wanted to cry when she saw him go over to his coat pocket, grab his wallet, and pull out cash. “No, you don’t have to give

  me

  that

  .”

  He pressed the money into the palm of her hand. It must’ve been five hundred dollars. “You’re right. I don’t have to, but I want to. I don’t know what kind of setback the whole police thing caused, but, it’s time we started taking care of one another.”

  “Thank you. Really,

  thank

  you

  .”

  After leaving the kitchen and getting into her car parked in the driveway, she decided that she’d try and pursue Harry in the morning. But first, the mind shield potion. Ellie had already seen more than she cared to share. She looked up Gaia’s Apothecary on her phone to make sure it was still open. It looked like she had a half hour to get in and buy what she needed.

  Tonight was going to be a long night.

  12

  Harry

  So, Pretty Boy from the mayor’s office finally wanted to talk. And, he didn’t have his security goons around. Harry raised his hand in greeting at Jacob Wolfe as he slouched in a booth nursing a beer. He didn’t think he’d be welcomed again in McCallister’s Pub, and he certainly wasn’t eager to show his face at the establishment since his embarrassing display. But, when Captain Lewis’s daughter, Amanda, called him up and told him that Mr. Wolfe needed to speak with him, he figured he could forgive the guy for being an asshole. And by the look of his six-foot frame and muscular build, it would probably be in Harry’s best interest to

  do

  so

  .

  “Please, Harry, sit.” Jacob stared into empty space, his jaw tightened and his eyes saddened.

  Harry glanced around before taking a seat across from him. No one else was in the pub, except the bartender who threw him a dirty look and a waitress who was busy playing on her phone.

  “You ready to talk, Mr. Wolfe?”

  “Jacob.”

  “Okay, Jacob, now do you see the problem? Are you looking at the big picture?”

  “Did you know about the Campbell boy? Is that what you wanted to warn me about?”

  Harry leaned back and licked his dry lips. He felt horrible about the dead kid, but he couldn’t deny he also felt a certain amount of gratification in the fact that the high and mighty politician who looked like he belonged in an underwear ad was sitting across from him, begging for his help, his knowledge. And, knowledge was power; he had learned that a long time ago when he saw people do screwed up things to protect what they knew or to keep others from

  discovering

  it

  .

  “I have a strong suspicion that Ethan Campbell and Bartholomew Perkins were both victims of the same perpetrator, but for different reasons.” Harry breathed in the scent of the waitress who had come by to switch out Jacob’s half-downed beer with a full one. “Hey, sweetheart, can I get a Scotch?”

  She flipped her long, raven hair. “

  Bite

  me

  .”

  Jacob smirked. “Come on, Lily. He’s my guest.”

  “For you? Anything.” She winked at Jacob before heading to

  the

  bar

  .

  Harry tried matching Jacob’s smirk, as if he took it all in stride, but beneath it all his cheeks burned and he added the sting to his list of reasons why he disliked good-looking people. He wasn’t ugly, but he had to work damn hard to get a date. It probably didn’t help that he hated most people and only wanted a good lay every now and then. Anyway, it was people like Jacob and Lily who called him up sobbing over their shallow spouse cheating on them or trying to take everything in a divorce settlement.

  Jacob took a swig from his beer mug. “Who killed them? I want

  a

  name

  .”

  “Dominic Belagio, if that even is his real name. Brown hair, muddy eyes, British accent, and acts like the world should kiss

  his

  feet

  .”

  “Can’t say I’ve met

  the

  guy

  .”

  Harry snorted. “He hired me to investigate you,

  keep

  tabs

  …”

  “So you were spying on me?” Jacob’s forehead wrinkled as he blurted out the question. He drank

  more

  beer

  .

  “Relax. I stopped the moment I suspected something was funny with the assignment. That’s why I tried to talk to you the other night, to

  warn

  you

  .”

  “So

  you

  say

  .”

  “And look…” Harry pulled out his phone and showed him the footage he had recorded the previous night. It was the scary looking guy in the car that had sped off when Harry spotted him outside

  the

  pub

  .

  “What is this?” Jacob leaned forward and viewed the footage of a creepy-looking blond man with a short military style hair cut staring directly at Harry and then taking off in a dark sedan.

  “I had a friend down at the police station pull up the license plate. It’s registered to Warren Bright. And if he’s involved with Belagio and the murders, I can tell you from personal experience that it won’t end well

  for

  us

  .”

  Jacob leaned back. “Okay, so where is this Warren Bright? Or Belagio? What do

  they

  want

  ?”

  Harry shook his head. “I wish I knew. That’s what I’m

  working

  on

  .”

  Lily dropped by again and slid Harry’s drink in front of him. He gave her a curt nod before taking it and gulping half of it down. Jacob nodded slowly and looked deep in thought. He finally met Harry’s gaze again and spoke.

  “That night, when you saw me with Bruno Jones, he was telling me there’s been a split among the Watchers, some kind of schism. Half the group wanted to dialogue with me—or, rather, the mayor’s office through me—and the other half were on another level of crazy. They wanted bloodshed. If that radical group within the Watchers is responsible and Belagio is working with them…but, no, that doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Why?”

  “Bartholomew Perkins was a sympathizer. Why would they kill someone who was an ally? An influential one

  at

  that

  ?”

  Harry leaned in. “I’ve also been told, Mr. Wolfe, that the Perkins killer has magical abilities. Moved so fast that he almost wasn’t even caught on camera. He controls minds. What kind of wizard has that ability? I bet if we had a registry like the one they keep yapping about on the news, we’d know the answer.”

  Jacob looked like he wanted to leap across the table and throttle him. “Or, it could’ve been a non-wizard using a spell scroll, or even a Loremaster.”