“What do you think?” Dante asked. “Do you really think aliens could be involved?”

  “I’m not sure, and I’m not sure I want to know. But if they’re kidnapping the members of society who are the most vulnerable, we need to put a stop to it.”

  I spotted a parking space two blocks away from the magic shop and eased into it. Dante got out and fed the meter—most parking meters around Seattle now worked on credit cards or with payment from a cell phone. “I don’t feel like walking back there. Penn can just call us when she’s ready,” I added.

  “How is she? Really?” Dante asked.

  “How would you be, if your mother had a brain bug that was eating away at her magical energy and leaving her…basically in a vegetative state?” I hung my head. “I wish I could do something to help. I hate feeling this way. I hate watching her go through this.”

  “I understand,” Dante said. “I’m so grateful that Aunt Tilly is still sharp. She might not have the razor’s edge mind she used to, but she’s still sharp.” He paused, then asked, “And you? How are you doing?”

  “I talked to Seton this morning about my uncle. I’m going to see if Konstantine wants to go with me for a joint session. It might be good for both of us.” I paused. “I also told him about Edward. He warned me not to go. He says it would be detrimental for me. That my inner demon might break out. Apparently, I’m looking for answers that I’m not going to find.”

  “Good. I agree with him,” Dante said.

  “Well, I promised him that I wouldn’t go,” I said. “If that makes you feel better.”

  “I’ll text Carson and have him start looking for UFO reports to see if there are any that coincide with disappearances. And I’ll ask him to add up just how many people they think have vanished. We can’t be sure, but at least we’ll have a base number to go off of.”

  “Thanks,” I said, leaning my head back. “I wish things felt more settled. Everything is up in the air and it makes me jumpy.”

  While he contacted Carson, I closed my eyes. We stayed that way until Penn called for us to pick her up. As I returned to the magic shop, I thought about all the developments that had impacted my life lately, and Penn’s life, and I offered up a little prayer that maybe, just maybe, they would calm down and sort themselves out.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  I dropped Dante and Penn off and headed to Garbo’s Steak House. As I parked in the lot and headed inside, the smell of roasting beef hit me and my stomach rumbled. I stopped at the hostess stand. “I’m meeting Konstantine Crow. Is he here yet?”

  The woman checked her listings. “Yes, I’ll have someone take you to his booth.” She motioned to a waiter. We wove through the dining room to a booth on the side of the wall. Konstantine was there, and he slid out of the booth, standing as I approached. I sat down, and my uncle took his seat again.

  The waiter handed me a menu. “May I bring you something to drink?”

  “A latte, please—double shot.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be back with your drink in a moment.”

  As he walked off, I turned to Konstantine. “I’m so glad today worked for you. We’re in the middle of two cases right now—yours and another. We just bought the materials for my roommate Penn to set up a cleansing ritual over at your house. The case is more complicated than we first thought.”

  “How so?” he asked.

  I thought about how to answer. “The last victim’s curse? It was an extremely powerful one, and as far as we can tell, it was created by a family of witches that were feared throughout the world at one time. I don’t know if there are any of them left, but somehow Riana learned one of the ancient hexes and that’s what she used on Longworld. Breaking it’s going to be a chore.”

  Konstantine nodded. “Logically I understand how energy and magic becomes trapped in a house. But…while I was growing up, I never noticed it. Maybe I’m just headblind.”

  “Maybe,” I said. “Or maybe, the spirits just hadn’t had time to fester.” I paused as the waiter set my latte on the table.

  “Are you ready to order?” he asked.

  I glanced at Konstantine. “Do you know what you want?”

  “Yes, but I can wait for you.”

  “Not a problem,” I said. “I’ll have the steak sandwich with fries, and a cup of New England clam chowder to start.” I handed him the menu.

  “And for me, I’ll have the Reuben with onion rings.”

  The waiter wrote down our orders and left.

  “So, here we are,” I said. “To be honest, I’d gotten used to not knowing my background, but the truth is, I’ve always wondered.”

  “And you have no idea who your father is?” Konstantine asked.

  I shook my head. “I know now that my mother changed her last name to protect you and your mother. She was like that.” I stirred my latte. “I think it’s fitting, though, that my last name is my grandfather’s first name.”

  “What was she like?” Konstantine asked. “I remember my sister from when I was a boy. But…what was she like when she was grown?” He sounded so plaintive that it almost hurt my heart. He had loved his sister—that much was apparent.

  I paused, thinking back. “We never had much, but she worked to make life as bearable as possible. She was working three jobs when she died. And I worked under the table. We needed the money, and she was trying to save what she could for me to go to college. I remember, though, when I was little, she would take me to the waterfront during the little time she had off, and we’d walk along the pier and watch the boats. ”

  “You said she died when you were fourteen? What did you do after that?”

  I paused, wondering how to tell him. He’d already shown himself to be sympathetic, and my story hadn’t been easy. “I sold everything I could sell and hit the streets. I slept on benches, in alleys, I occasionally managed to find a spot for a few bucks. I remember days when it was pouring, so I’d hide out in a tent in one of the homeless encampments. I mugged people, played pickpocket, whatever it took to stay alive.”

  Konstantine stared at the table. “I wish I’d have known about you—you wouldn’t have gone hungry or homeless. My mother would have taken you in.”

  “Well, I wish I could have met you back then. But Dante swept in and saved me—literally. He helped me out when…” I paused.

  “When? Tell me.”

  I sighed. “A man in a park tried to rape me. My inner demon came out, for the first time that I remember. I killed him. Dante was there in wolf form and he hustled me away from the man—he’d seen the whole thing—and he protected me. He let me live with him, put me back into school, and supported me as I grew up.”

  Konstantine held my gaze. “Did Dante ever try anything?”

  “Never,” I said. Not even after I reached adulthood. He’s one of my two best friends, one of my ride-or-dies. He’s blood—by soul and heart.” I smiled, chuckling. “He’s flamboyant and a player and a rogue—exiled from his Pack. But I’ll protect him to the death.”

  “Then he’s a friend of mine, too,” my uncle said. “I’m grateful he was there.”

  “Me too.” He hesitated, then asked, “Did Erin ever mention her youth? Her family?”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but no. She made it sound like she couldn’t go home. Konstantine, my mother was one of the most protective women I know. If she had even thought there was a chance she was going to die, she would have made arrangements for me. When she didn’t come home that night, I knew I was going to have to support myself. I was going to have to manage on my own. I grew up fast.”

  “Yeah, you did,” he said. He paused as our waiter brought my soup and his salad. “Thank you,” he said. As the man left, he continued. “Very little of our family remains, but I brought you something.” He reached into a pack by his side and pulled out a box, sliding it across the table. “I thought you might like these. You can keep them—I have duplicates or similar ones.”

  I removed the lid. Inside were several dozen photographs. I picked one up—it was of a young girl about eleven. My mother. She was wide-eyed, with a bright smile on her face. She was sitting in what looked like the front yard of Konstantine’s house, with a toddler on her lap.

  “Is that you?” I asked.

  He nodded, laughing. “Yes. I was three, Erin was ten. There’s a real resemblance between you and her—the eyes, the cheekbone structure. You look a lot more exotic than I imagine she would now, but the family resemblance is there.”

  I held the photo in my hands, and once again, my mother’s death hit me. Every now and then, the memories would surface…the pain, the loss, the fear. But this time, as I stared at her picture, the most telling feeling was sadness and the sense that I never really knew her. Not as she had been. I knew her after she changed her entire life and took on a new identity—and she had taken on that identity to protect her loved ones.

  “I wish…”

  “What?” my uncle asked.

  After a moment, I just shook my head. “Nothing. Let’s eat,” I added, trying to pull myself out of the maelstrom of emotions threatening to suck me under. “I have a question for you, by the way.”

  “What is it?” He cut open a roll and spread it with butter.

  I steeled myself for a potential rejection. “I see a therapist. He’s an expert in Demonkin. I told him about meeting you and he suggested that you come to a session with me, so he can help facilitate us learning how to interact. I’ve never had blood kin before, not since my mother. And you now have a half-demon for a niece.”

  Konstantine thought for a moment as he ate his roll. “Do you trust him?”

  “Absolutely. He’s helping me adapt to my emerging powers.”

  “Emerging powers?” Konstantine looked confused.

  “See, that’s just an example. My demonic powers are just beginning to emerge. I’ve never learned how to deal with them—how to control them. In fact, I could be extremely dangerous if I don’t learn how to adapt. Seton Anthony is the best one qualified to guide me in that.” I fixed my gaze on my plate, waiting for his answer.

  After he swallowed the last of the roll, my uncle let out a short sigh. “I’ll be happy to. To be honest, I know nothing about demons and I’ve been scared to research it. I don’t know what are lies and what’s the truth, and on the net, it’s hard to tell which one is which. So, yes. Just call me a day ahead so I can schedule it onto my calendar.” He motioned to my plate. “Eat. I assume your metabolism is different than a human’s?”

  I nodded. “I need more food, more protein. I’m stronger and faster than most humans, and I can take a lot more damage. If I were full demon, it would be even more pronounced.”

  I dug in, and—for awhile—we ate in a comfortable silence. After fifteen minutes, we were nearly finished. I sat back and stared at my uncle. He was actually a handsome man. When I examined his face, I could see my mother.

  “I feel like we were meant to find each other,” I said. “But regardless of whether we were destined to meet, I’m glad we did. I mean it. I have a feeling about you—I like you. You seem like a good person.”

  “I like you too, Kyann. I can see my sister in you. And thank you. I try to treat others the way I want to be treated.” He winked at me and reached for another onion ring.

  “When my mother died, I felt cut off. She always made me feel like I had some sense of lineage. Blood isn’t thicker than water—my friends are family—but there is something about knowing the history of where you came from. And that, well, I’ve never had that.” I picked up the box of photos. “Thank you for these. How will I know who⁠—”

  “I put notes on the back, telling you who the person was. I added some of your grandmother—and a few of your grandfather, even though he never stuck around. A few aunts, a cousin or two. I think some of them are still alive. I also added a note on a couple you might not want to reach out to. There are bigots in every family.” He shrugged apologetically.

  We finished our lunch, and when I pulled out my wallet, Konstantine shook his head. “Put that away,” he said. “I’m treating.”

  “You sure?”

  “Hey, you’re trying to save my house. Of course I’m paying. By the way, how much longer do you think it will be?”

  I sighed. “I’m not sure, to be honest. Penn bought everything we need to cleanse it. I think. She’s going to go out there later today and give it a try. I do want to warn you—she’s having an emotional crisis right now. Her mother’s dying. But she needs something to do to keep her mind busy, because there’s nothing she can do, and she can’t even visit.”

  “I understand,” he said. “When your grandmother was dying, I was a mess. I think you would have gotten along, you’re a lot like her in some ways. Next time, I’ll tell you about her.” He paid the bill and we walked out to the parking lot together. “I’ve never had much opportunity to hang out with Supes. I think I’m going to enjoy it,” he added.

  “Thanks, Konstantine. You don’t know what this means to me. I’ll call you when I set up the next meeting with Seton. Have a good afternoon—and don’t go back to the house until I give you the thumbs up. Promise me?”

  He crossed his heart. “I promise. I don’t want to get attacked.”

  As I drove away, I thought about the lunch. It went better than I expected. And now, I felt like maybe this was real—maybe I would have a family connection after all. It wouldn’t ever replace my family of friends, but it made me feel less isolated in the world.

  The office was jumping when I got back. Dante had a grin on his face that was a mile wide and he, Orik, and Carson were babbling. Sophia was at her desk, but even she was grinning.

  “What did I miss?” I shrugged out of my jacket.

  “Rowan! She’s under observation. I just got a call from her husband and he told me that the doctor, after talking to her for half an hour, has ordered her restrained for observation. He says she’s a danger to both herself and others. She won’t get out unless she can convince the psychologist that she’s not going to come over and bust my nuts!” Dante looked so relieved that I grabbed him and gave him a hug.

  “Oh thank gods. One big worry off our minds.” I shook my head. “I do feel bad for her husband.”

  “Yeah, but now maybe he can move on and have a life,” Carson said. “Oh, Penn’s waiting in the break room. She wants to go out to your uncle’s house and get the cleansing ritual started. I asked her to wait, though, because I didn’t think you’d want her to go out on her own.”

  “You thought right. Okay, let me get situated and I’ll meet you in the breakroom. We need to talk about the portal in that alley, too.” I shifted my pack to my other shoulder and headed toward my office.

  I tossed my pack and jacket on the sofa, grabbed my tablet and notes, and headed for the breakroom, elated that Dante would be safe from the machinations of a loony-tune. As I slid into my seat, Dante offered me a maple bar but I was still full from lunch.

  “Save it for me for later. Well, now that Rowan is out of the picture—though we need to keep tabs on her—we can relax on that front. I had lunch with my uncle, and he’s promised to stay out of his house until we’ve taken care of the ghosts.” I sat back, glancing at Penn. “You still want to go over there this afternoon and work on the spell?”

  She nodded. “I’ve prepared the charms and the powders. I’d like to give it a try.”

  “Then Orik and I will come with you.” I glanced at my notes. “Penn checked out the alley that I told you about, where Winston saw Greg vanish.”

  “What did you find?” Orik asked. “Carson brought me up to speed on what we’re working on.”

  “Well, it’s a portal and it leads somewhere, but not like the portals that PortalWatch keeps an eye on. And there’s no way of knowing where it leads, unless someone wants to volunteer to dive through it. Even then, we can’t trigger it until we know more about how it works. Greg might as well have fallen off the earth,” she said. “The energy gives me the creeps, though.”

  “So what do we do next?” Carson asked.

  “There’s not much we can do right now. But I want to monitor it, and we need to somehow infiltrate Give A Hand Up and find out what they’re up to. It’s probably going to take a while, and I want to go in cautiously on this. The last thing we want is to attract their attention.” I frowned, staring at my notes. “This is going to take longer than a few days.”

  “What are you going to tell Benny?” Dante asked.

  “We have to tell him something to make him stop asking around. I don’t want him making a target of himself. And one thing Benny can do, is attract attention.” I tapped my stylus on the table. “I’m open to suggestions, people.”

  “Are we sure Greg is gone? That he really was abducted?” Carson asked.

  “Not one hundred percent, but my intuition is telling me yes—that Winston was right in that he saw Greg vanish. And given all the homeless people that seem to have vanished over the years, I’m sorry to say that I think Greg is just one among the many. By the way⁠—”

  “Got your numbers for you, boss. You wanted to know how many people were abducted?” Sophia asked. “I pulled together all the numbers I could find. The reports from all those incarnations of the organization comes to at minimum, two hundred and seventy-five.”

  The number seemed both ridiculously high, and yet—and yet—something told me that there were more, never reported as missing.

  “Okay, that means we have to do something. We can’t just let this go on happening. Now, what do we tell Benny?” I asked.

  “I know it’s cruel, but there’s a good chance we’d be telling him the truth if we tell him that Greg is dead. We can tell him we’re on the trail and we need him to keep quiet so he doesn’t interfere with the investigation.”

  “Good idea,” I said, after thinking it over. Benny would be heartbroken, but after Winston’s story, he probably thought Greg was dead already. And he might be scared enough to actually keep his mouth shut. “I’ll lean heavy on the possible alien theory and how he doesn’t want to become a target.”