Ivan tapped an aged hand on his heart. “Christmas spirit lives here, not calendar.” He grew thoughtful, his brow creasing, then offered a terrible mimicry of Bruce Willis. “Yippee Ki Yay, motherfucker.”

  Jasmine and Eddy exchanged a glance before exploding with laughter. Even Ivan offered his version of a smile, a slight wrinkle on his cheek. He turned and busied himself with his nightly duties. Jasmine scanned the spotless bar. She’d realized by this point that there was no point wondering what Ivan was cleaning. Whatever his magic, the place was almost always pristine.

  “It seems we’re in alignment,” Jasmine stated at last. “We’re both bored.”

  Eddy shrugged. “It’s a blessing and a curse.”

  “Blessing and a curse,” Jasmine repeated, draining the last of her drink and wishing she could share some of Eddy’s buzz. She didn’t want to seem like she was complaining about the fact that she had no trouble to worry about, but the last year had been chaotic and hectic and awesome. Now all that was left was to sit and bathe in the spoils, bored and uninspired.

  “Must be worse for you,” Eddy offered, pricking up Jasmine’s ears.

  “How do you figure?” Jasmine was unsure where this was leading.

  Eddy scratched the back of his neck, wobbling on his stool. “Well, I may be bored for another…what? Forty to sixty years? But you’re likely going to live on forever. Outlive us. Outlive the pack. You’ll be all alone with no family, stuck in this stasis forever. I’ll at least have the sweet release of death to take me if this continues. Whereas you… You’re stuck forever.”

  Jasmine narrowed her eyes, giving Eddy a disbelieving look. For a moment, he was lost in his own thoughts until finally, he looked into her eyes and realized what he had said. “I didn’t… I only… I…”

  Jasmine waved a hand, earning Eddy’s silence. She held out her glass for Ivan to refill, and he appeared as if from nowhere with a fresh one, then darted off again.

  Jasmine and Eddy sat in pregnant silence. She studied Eddy’s inebriated state and watched him sway gently on his chair. She could almost hear the cogs whirring in his mind, figuring out ways to get himself out of this jam with no Ivan nearby to crack the tension with a quip. Eddy’s eyes darted to Jasmine, then away, then back again.

  Eventually, he swallowed the last of his drink and spoke. “Have you heard from him lately?”

  Jasmine raised her chin. “Who?”

  “You know who,” Eddy replied. “Tall, dark, and handsome.”

  Jasmine frowned. She turned her gaze from Eddy, and her mind filled with thoughts of Qadir, the man who had gone on a hunt for her father and hadn’t been heard from since. She had told him she wanted nothing to do with his mission, that she had enough around here to keep busy with, but as time ticked by, her curiosity increased. She assumed that if Qadir had found her father, she would have been notified. Would she, though? He hadn’t had anything to do with her in years, and Qadir had only wanted to use Jasmine as a wayfinder, however fruitlessly. Why would he bother coming back and involving her when she had made it clear where her priorities lay?

  “No,” she replied at last, clipping the conversation.

  Eddy didn’t sense her hesitancy. “Shame. That’s a real shame. I liked him. Kinda thought he’d be around here more often. He was definitely good for you.”

  Jasmine glanced his way.

  “Not in a romantic way,” Eddy explained. “He was good people. Or, at least, when he and his kin weren’t raising ghosts from the dead or sending zombies your way.” His face darkened with thought, those cogs whirring once more.

  “What are you thinking?” Jasmine asked.

  Eddy looked up as if seeing Jasmine for the first time. He reached for a fresh glass, assuming Ivan would give him one, but Ivan knew when to cut him off as well as Jasmine did. “I just wonder what could be achieved with a little cash injection. We’ve got all this money and nothing to do with it. What if we funneled some of it in Qadir’s direction, helped to track down your fa—”

  The tinkling of bells alerted the three of them to a young boy entering the Nest. Jasmine turned to Eddy. “You didn’t lock the door?”

  “I thought I did.” Eddy shrugged.

  The boy barely looked old enough to drive. His copper hair was spiked at the front, and he had a strange gleam in his eye. He hesitated and stood fidgeting in front of the door.

  Jasmine called to him, “I’m sorry, champ, but unless you’ve got a valid ID, you can’t be here.” She straightened on her stool.

  The boy ignored Jasmine and approached slowly. He weaved between the tables, his eyes darting in all directions. He appeared terrified, and his body shook.

  “Hun, are you okay?” Jasmine asked. She noticed Ivan watching the boy from a nearby table.

  The boy stopped a short distance from Jasmine and Eddy. He rubbed a pale arm. “I’m really sorry to stop by so late. I’m looking for a… Mr. Vorhees?” The boy’s teeth barely parted, and his words sounded strained, as if he were in a great deal of pain. His face twitched.

  “I’m Mr. Vorhees,” Eddy announced proudly, straightening his stained shirt. “Is there something I can help you with?”

  Jasmine studied the boy, able to see him better now that he was closer and under the stronger light. His facial spasm persisted, and Jasmine realized the movement wasn’t the result of overactive muscles. A dark shape moved beneath the boy’s skin, running across his face, bulging beneath the skin.

  What the…

  Jasmine rose slowly, holding an arm out to keep Eddy back. “Eddy… Stand back…”

  What happened next occurred so quickly that later Jasmine would struggle to grasp the sequence of events. The boy stopped twitching, though his whole body trembled. With an apologetic look in his eyes, his hand whipped into his jacket and drew a revolver. Jasmine closed the gap between them and had just enough time to extend her claws before he fired the first shot. His third shot broke through Jasmine’s sternum, then she was on the boy and her claws slashed at his trigger finger to force the weapon from his hand. With a backslash, she caught the boy in the side. He spun away from her and collapsed onto a table before rolling and landing face down on the floor.

  Groans of pain burst from behind her, and Ivan’s feet pounded the floor as he rushed toward them. “Eddy…” he exclaimed.

  Jasmine turned to find Eddy sprawled against the lower bar with his face screwed into a mask of pain. Two roses of blood bloomed on his white shirt. Jasmine fell to her knees, working to examine the two bullet wounds.

  “Eddy…stay with us,” she crooned. “Ivan, call a fucking ambulance.”

  “Da.” Ivan skittered off to grab his cell phone.

  Jasmine applied pressure to the wounds to stem the blood flow. With each passing second, Eddy faded further out of consciousness until his neck slumped to the side.

  Rage surged through Jasmine. She looked over her shoulder, staring daggers at the young boy, then something bizarre caught her attention.

  She blinked stupidly, wondering if she was imagining what she saw. As Ivan returned to her side with his cell phone in hand, concentrating his attention on Eddy, Jasmine watched a strange dark shape with too many legs skitter across the floor. She tried to identify what in the world it could be, but before she could begin to make sense of it, it darted away and exited the bar.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Officer Jameson flipped over the yellowed page of a pocket notepad. His face creased in confusion. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” Jasmine returned, tired and resigned.

  The cops had arrived quickly. By the time Eddy was loaded into the ambulance with Ivan, the red-and-blues were painting the surrounding buildings. Officer Jameson and Officer Ellis had spoken with the paramedics before entering the Nest and cross-examining Jasmine about what had occurred.

  The police nodded their heads, poker-faced as they absorbed Jasmine’s story. She told them everything frame-by-frame, omitting only two things: the strange creature that had skittered into the night and the location of the third bullet.

  “Outside witnesses claim to have heard three shots,” Officer Ellis stated, brushing a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “This revolver is missing three bullets. Your friend had two bullet wounds to the chest. There’s no sign of the third at all.”

  Jasmine folded her arms, irritated that she couldn’t follow Eddy to the hospital. After they had called the cops and the ambulance, Jasmine had been convinced to stay behind, knowing she was the best person to defend the Nest in Ivan’s absence. While the cops had spoken with the medics, Jasmine felt the bullet squeeze free of her chest, working its way from her flesh as the bone and skin knitted itself back together. She caught the bullet beneath her dress and hid it in her bag for safekeeping.

  “And you say the kid was behind the attack?” Officer Jameson asked, squaring his broad shoulders.

  “Yes.” Jasmine sighed, looking past the officer to where the kid had lain on the floor. “He came in, ignored us, asked for Eddy, then shot. It’s as simple as that. If you could track down where he came from, get an address, anything that might identify him to make sure this doesn’t happen again…”

  “Are you telling us how to do our jobs, miss?” Officer Ellis asked.

  Jasmine looked at her stoically. “No.”

  “Good. Because we have that information.” Officer Ellis stared hard at Jasmine. “According to central, Thomas Boyd is a nobody in our system. A couple of petty charges of being in the wrong place at the wrong times, but nothing to speak of to this degree. So what we have here is an attempted homicide by a minor with a firearm, a missing bullet, and a young man with lacerations that appear to have been caused by some kind of animal claw.”

  “It’s like Wolverine entered and fucked up the kid,” Officer Jameson offered in a tone that Jasmine deemed highly unprofessional.

  “Looks that way,” Jasmine drawled.

  Officer Ellis leveled her eyes on Jasmine. “And you and the mustached guy have no idea where the lacerations come from, nor can you tell us what happened to the third gunshot?”

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” Jasmine repeated. “It all happened so fast.”

  Officer Ellis studied Jasmine closely, clearly unsatisfied with her answer.

  “He ain’t even from round this part of town. Roxbury’s miles from here,” Officer Jameson added. “To have a kid with little history go out on a direct hit with a firearm, in a part of town far from home… You don’t see this anymore. Especially around these parts of town.”

  “These parts?” Jasmine asked.

  “Crime rates around this district have plummeted in the last year,” Jameson offered. “About time, too. Shit around here was getting pretty shady.”

  If Jasmine had the ability to blush, she would have.

  Ellis squared up to Jasmine. “I’ll ask you one more time, ma’am. Did you, or did you not, see the creature that caused the lacerations on that poor kid?”

  “I did not,” Jasmine replied. Again, she insisted, “I don’t know what to tell you.”

  “How about the truth?” Ellis shot back.

  Jameson tugged at her arm. “That’s enough, Ellis. She’s got nothing else to tell us.” He addressed Jasmine. “We’ll take this back to the station and give you notice if we need anything else from you. I’m sorry you had to go through all this. You have yourself a nice night.”

  The pair left the Nest, leaving Jasmine standing alone in the quiet. She idly rubbed the spot on her sternum where the wound should be, feeling only soft, unblemished skin in the wake of her healing.

  Jasmine wandered to the other side of the bar, grabbed a bottle of vodka by the neck, and drank deeply. She put the bottle on the counter, noting the droplets rolling down its side to puddle on the bar. Ivan would no doubt attend to it the moment he was back. She took a piece of paper from a shelf below the bar and wrote two items: “Thomas Boyd” and “Roxbury.”

  She stared at the paper for a moment. It looked like she was going to have to do a little investigation herself. Jasmine had heard of Roxbury but wasn’t too familiar with the area. She glanced around the Nest. She’d have to get somebody to watch the bar first. What if someone came back and fucked up the joint?

  Jasmine drew her cell phone from her bag and worked her way through her phone directory. After the first few calls, it became apparent that now wasn’t a good time to rely on her familiars. Of the Ghost Throats and the Dark Walkers she called, many of them were still groggy and in the throes of their inebriated states, worn out and happily dozy from the wedding. A few that she called were still celebrating on the dance floor, the distinctive boom of speakers distorting the sound and making it hard for Jasmine to hear them.

  Jasmine racked her brain to think of who else she could call. She considered Eli, but she didn’t have a way to directly contact him—a failsafe request to ensure the smooth running of their operation. She could contact Dimitri and Nicholas, but the nature of their business meant a favor given would be a favor owed. The last thing she needed was the pair able to hold that power over her head.

  “Who to call…who to call…?” Jasmine tapped the heel of her hand to her head. “Ah!”

  Triggered by the memory of her first meeting with Dimitri and Nicholas, Jasmine scoured through the phone book until she found the name she was looking for.

  The phone rang seven times before a groggy voice answered. “Hello?”

  “Perry!” Jasmine greeted him. “How’s it going?”

  Perry was slow to respond. “Jasmine, it’s three in the morning.”

  “I know,” Jasmine replied, lowering her volume. “I’m really sorry to call so late, but I need a favor.” She filled Perry in on the details, as much as she was comfortable sharing, then waited with bated breath.

  “I don’t know…” Perry hedged.

  “Please,” Jasmine pressed. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. And there’s nothing even really to do here. All you’ve got to do is watch the place while I check up on Eddy and make sure all is okay there.”

  Perry exhaled loudly. “Fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Jasmine sat on her stool and waited. With nothing to do and her body itching to get going, she simply sat chewing her nails. When Perry arrived a short while later, she met him at the door and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you so much.”

  “Of course,” Perry replied, following up with a yawn.

  “Just make sure not to draw attention to yourself,” Jasmine instructed. “For all intents and purposes, the Nest is currently closed.”

  Perry told her everything would be fine before ushering her out the door. “Go. The sooner you get out and come back, the sooner I can go home and sleep.”

  Jasmine rushed out into the cool night. She ran down the street at full tilt. When she made it to the street corner, something caught her eye, and she slowed.

  She spun and saw a young teenage girl’s head poking out from the dark of a nearby alley. Jasmine cocked her head as the girl caught her eye before darting back into the alley.

  In Jasmine’s mind she saw a replay of the teenage boy entering the Nest. She glanced from the alley to the front door of the pub, torn between two choices. Could it be a coincidence? Could Jasmine’s triggered mind be imagining the same look in this girl’s eye?

  Jasmine clenched her fists, tearing her thoughts back to Eddy lying in critical condition in the hospital. She hadn’t heard from Ivan, and for all she knew, Eddy could be dead.

  She continued running away from the Nest, fumbling with her cell phone as she dropped a quick warning message to Perry. She felt terrible about leaving Perry alone, but Eddy needed her.

  Should the worst happen to Eddy, Jasmine knew she would hate herself for not being there with him. After all, wasn’t this partly her fault?

  CHAPTER THREE

  Jasmine paused at the door of the critical care ward. The ward was quiet except for the gentle beeping of machines monitoring the heart rates of patients. Paintings of beautiful, lively flowers hung on the walls, but death clung to the air.

  She walked slowly, her shoes clacking on the sterile linoleum. She passed room after room, searching for the number the receptionist had given her.

  Room Thirteen. Unlucky for some.

  Jasmine rested her hand on the doorknob and took a steadying breath. She wasn’t sure what she would find on the other side, but she had to overcome her fear. Eddy had been her savior after her resurrection. Eddy had been the one to introduce her to Ivan, the Nest, and to give her a safe space to work out what the hell was going on with her new life.

  He can’t be dying. He can’t be dead.

  Jasmine opened the door. Moonlight filtered down in rays of silver, casting the room into a spectral glow.

  The room was empty.

  Jasmine frowned.

  “He was rushed into surgery,” Ivan stated from behind.

  Jasmine jumped and placed a hand on her chest. “You scared the shit out of me.” She gathered herself, looking up and down the empty corridor. “Is he…?”

  “I don’t know,” Ivan replied. “They say it’s touch and go. I’ve been in waiting room since we got here. They say it could be few hours.”

  “I didn’t see you in the waiting room,” Jasmine claimed.

  “You didn’t look. I saw you.”

  “You didn’t stop me,” Jasmine returned.

  “You’re fast,” Ivan pointed out, and they both chuckled.

  “Come,” Ivan instructed. “We wait where there is coffee and snacks. Drinks on me.”

  “As always.” Jasmine followed Ivan into the waiting room. A few empty chairs were strewn about the place. A lone reception worker was busy with digital paperwork.

  Jasmine’s phone buzzed with a message from Perry.

  All is quiet.

  Jasmine gave a relieved sigh. Ivan sat beside her a moment later with a paper cup of steaming coffee. She looked down at the sludgy brown liquid, scolding herself for forgetting this would do nothing to pep her up or nourish her. Ivan had tea in his cup, which he sipped slowly. Droplets of brown gathered on his silver mustache.