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my stomach； filled me with dread。 What had happened in this nice house with its new hot tub and brick fireplace？ What had happened that needed my kind of expertise？ I didn't want to know。 I wanted to leave before I saw some new horror。 I'd seen enough bodies already this year to last a lifetime。
Dolph put his hand on the doorknob。 I touched his arm。 〃It's not kids； is it？〃 I asked。
He glanced over his shoulder at me。 Normally； he wouldn't have answered。 He'd have said something cryptic like； 〃You'll see in a minute。〃 Tonight； he said； 〃No； it's not kids。〃
I took a deep breath through my nose and let it out slowly through my lips。 〃Good。〃 I smelled damp plaster； fresh cement； and underneath that； blood。 The scent of freshly spilled blood； faint； just behind the door。 What does blood smell like？ Metallic； almost artificial。 It isn't really much of a smell all by itself。 The smell won't make you sick； it's what goes with it。 We all know in some ancient part of ourselves that blood is the thing。 Without it； we die。 If we can steal enough of it from our enemies； we steal their lives。 There's a reason that blood has been associated with almost every religion on the planet。 It's primal stuff； and no matter how sanitized we make our world； part of us still recognizes that。
Dolph hesitated； hand still on the doorknob。 He didn't look at me while he spoke。 〃Tell me what you think of the scene； then I have to take you back for a statement。 You understand that。〃
〃I understand；〃 I said。
〃If you're lying to me； Anita； about any of this； tell me tonight。 Two bodies in two days takes a lot of explaining。〃
〃I haven't lied to you； Dolph。〃 At least not much； I added in my head。
He nodded without turning around and opened the door。 He went in first and turned so he could watch my face as I entered the room。
〃What's wrong； Dolph？〃 I asked。
〃See for yourself；〃 he said。
All I could see at first was pale grey carpet and a bureau with a large mirror against the right…hand wall。 A cluster of cops blocked my view of the rest of the room。 The cops stepped aside at a nod from Dolph。 Dolph never took his eyes from me； my face。 I'd never seen him so intent on my reaction before。 It made me nervous。
There was a body on the floor。 A man； spread…eagled； pinned at wrists and ankles with knives。 The knives had black hilts。 He lay in the middle of a large red circle。 The circle had had to be large so the blood didn't leak out and spoil it。 Blood had soaked into the pale carpet； spread across it like a red ruin。 The man's face was turned away from me。 All I could see was short blond hair。 His chest was bare； so slick with blood it looked like a red shirt。 The knives held him in place。 They hadn't been what killed him。 No； what had killed him was a gaping hole in his lower chest just below the ribs。 It was like a red…lined cave big enough to plunge both hands into。
〃They took his heart；〃 I said。
Dolph looked at me。 〃You know that from the doorway？〃
〃I'm right； aren't I？〃
〃If you were going to take his heart out； why not go straight down？〃
〃If you wanted him to survive； like heart surgery； you'd have to break the ribs and go down the hard way。 But they wanted him dead。 If all you want is the heart； going under the ribs is easier。〃
I walked towards the body。
Dolph moved ahead of me； watching my face。 〃What？〃 I said。
He shook his head。 〃Just tell me about the body； Anita。〃
I stared at him。 〃What is your problem tonight？〃
〃No problem。〃
It was a lie。 Something was up； but I didn't press it。 It wouldn't have done me any good。 When Dolph decides not to share information； he doesn't share； period。
There was a king…size bed with purple satin sheets and more pillows than you knew what to do with。 The bed was rumpled as if it had been used for something other than sleeping。 There were dark stains on the sheets； nearly black。
〃Is that blood？〃
〃We think so；〃 Dolph said。
I glanced at the body。 〃From the murder？〃
〃When you're finished looking at the body； we'll bag the sheets and get them down to the lab。〃
A subtle hint to get on with the job。 I walked towards the body and tried to ignore Dolph。 That was easier than it sounded。 The body sort of stole the show。 The closer I got； the more details I could see； and the more I didn't want to see。 Under all that blood was a nice chest； muscular but not too much of a good thing。 The hair was cut very short； curly and blond。 There was something naggingly familiar about that head。 The black daggers had silver wire curled around them。 They'd been shoved to their hilts in the flesh； bones had broken when they'd been driven in。 The red circle was definitely blood。 Cabalistic symbols ran round the inside of the circle； traced in blood。 I recognized some of them； enough to know that we were dealing with some form of necromancy。 I knew the symbols that stood for death and the symbols that watched against it。
For some reason； I didn't want to enter the circle。 I walked carefully around the edge of it until I could see the face。 With my back leaning against the wall I stared into the wide eyes of Robert the vampire。 Monica's husband。 The soon…to…be daddy。
〃Shit；〃 I said softly。
〃You know him？〃 Dolph asked。
I nodded。 〃Robert。 His name's Robert。〃 The death symbols made sense if you were going to sacrifice a vampire。 But why？ Why like this？
I took a step forward and hit the circle。 I stopped dead。 It was like a million insects crawled and swarmed over my body。 I couldn't breathe。 I stepped back off the blood line。 The sensation stopped。 I could still feel it like a memory on my skin； in my head； but I was okay now。 I took a deep breath； let it out slowly； and stepped forward again。 It wasn't like hitting a wall。 It was more like hitting a blanket； a drowning； suffocating； maggot…crawling blanket。 I tried to walk forward； tried to move past the circle； and couldn't。 I staggered back from it。 If the wall hadn't been there； I'd have fallen。
I let myself slide down until I was sitting with my knees tucked up。 My toes were inches from the circle。 I did not want to touch it again。
Dolph walked through the circle like it wasn't there and knelt beside me； part of him still in the circle。 〃Anita； what's wrong？〃
I shook my head。 〃I'm not sure。〃 I stared up at him。 〃It's a circle of power； and I can't cross it。〃
He glanced back at his own body partially inside the circle。 〃I can。〃
〃You're not an animator。 I'm not a witch； and I don't know a lot of official magic； but some of the symbols are either death symbols or maybe symbols of protection from the dead。〃 I stared up at him； my skin still shivering from trying to cross the line。 A new horror spread through my mind。 〃It's a spell to both contain and keep out the dead； and I can't cross it。〃
He stared down at me。 〃What exactly does that mean； Anita？〃
〃It means；〃 said a female voice； 〃that she didn't create the circle。〃
19
A woman stood just inside the door。 She was tall； slender； dressed in a purple skirt suit with a white man…tailored shirt。 She walked into the room with an eagerness that made me knock about ten years off her age。 She looked thirty； but she wasn't。 Twenty…something and full of herself。 Probably around my own age； but there was a shiny newness to her that I'd lost years ago。
Dolph stood； offering me a hand up。 I shook my head。 〃Unless you want to carry me； I can't stand yet。〃
〃Anita； this is Detective Reynolds；〃 he said。 He didn't sound entirely happy about it。
Reynolds walked around the edge of the circle as I had； but she was ing for a better view of me。 She ended up on the opposite side from Dolph。 She stared down at me； smiling； eager。 I stared up at her； skin still jumping from trying to force my way past the circle。
She leaned down and whispered； 〃You're flashing the room； dear。〃
〃That's why the underwear matches；〃 I said。
She looked surprised。
There was no way for me to stretch my legs out without touching the circle again； so if I wanted to quit flashing the room； I had to stand up。 I held my hand up to Dolph。 〃Help me up； but whatever you do； don't let me fall into that thing。〃
Detective Reynolds took my other arm without being invited； but frankly； I needed the help。 My legs felt like spaghetti。 The moment she touched me； the hair on my body stood at attention。 I jerked away from her and would have fallen into the circle if Dolph hadn't caught me。
〃What's wrong； Anita？〃 Dolph asked。
I leaned into him and tried to breathe slowly and evenly。 〃I can't take anymore magic right this moment。〃
〃Get her a chair from the dining room；〃 Dolph said。 He didn't speak to anyone in particular； but a uniform left the room； probably to get the chair。
Dolph picked me up while we waited。 Since I couldn't stand； it was hard to protest； but I felt like a damn fool。
〃What's on your back； Anita？〃 Dolph asked。
I'd forgotten about the knife in the spine sheath。 I was saved from having to answer by the uniform bringing one of the straight…backed chairs into the room。
Dolph eased me into the chair。 〃Did Detective Reynolds try a spell on you？〃
I shook my head。
〃Someone explain what just happened。〃
An unhealthy flush crept up Reynold's pale neck。 〃I tried to read her aura； sort of。〃
〃Why？〃 Dolph asked。
〃Just curious。 I've read about necromancers but never met one before。〃
I looked up at her。 〃If you want to do any more experiments； Detective； ask first。〃
She nodded； looking younger； more unsure of herself。 〃I am sorry。〃
〃Reynolds；〃 Dolph said。
She looked at him。 〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Go stand over there。〃
She glanced at both of us and nodded。 〃Yes； sir。〃 She walked over to stand by the other cops。 She tried to be nonchalant about it； but she kept looking over at us。
〃Since when do you have a witch on the payroll？〃 I asked。
〃Reynolds is the first detective ever with preternatural abilities。 She got her pick of assignments。 She wanted to join our squad。〃
I was happy to hear him call it 〃our〃 squad。 〃She said I didn't draw the circle。 Did you really think I'd done that？〃 I pointed at the body。
He stared down at me。 〃You didn't like Robert。〃
〃If I killed everyone I didn't like； Saint Louis would be littered with bodies；〃 I said。 〃Why else did you drag me down here？ She's a witch。 She probably knows more about the spell than I do。〃
Dolph stared down at me。 〃Explain。〃
〃I raise the dead； but I'm not a trained witch。 Most of what I do is just；〃 I shrugged； 〃sort of natural ability。 I studied basic magic theory in college； but for only a couple of classes； so if you want feedback on a detailed spell like this one； I can't help you。〃
〃If Reynolds hadn't been here； what would you have suggested we do？〃
〃Find a witch to undo the spell for you。〃
He nodded。 〃Any thoughts on who or why？〃 He jabbed his thumb behind his back at the body。
〃Jean…Claude made Robert a vampire。 That's a strong bond。 I think the spell was to prevent him from knowing what was happening。〃
〃Could Robert have alerted his master from this far away？〃
I thought about that。 I wasn't sure。 〃I don't know。 Maybe。 Some master vampires are better at telepathy than others。 I'm not sure how good Jean…Claude is with other vampires。〃
〃This setup took a while；〃 Dolph said。 〃Why kill him like this？〃
〃Good question；〃 I said。 I had a nasty idea。 〃It's a weird way to do it； but this might be a challenge to Jean…Claude's control over his territory。〃
〃How so？〃 Dolph had his little notebook out now； pen poised。 It was almost like old times。
〃Robert belonged to him； and now somebody's killed him。 Could be a message。〃
He glanced back at the body。 〃But who is the message meant for？ Maybe Robert pissed someone off； and it was personal。 If it was a message for your boyfriend； why not kill him at Jean…Claude's club？ That's where he worked； right？〃
I nodded。 〃Whoever did this couldn't have pulled off something so elaborate at the club； with other vampires around。 No way。 They needed privacy。 They might have needed the spell just to keep Jean…Claude or some other vamp from riding to the rescue。〃 I thought about it。 What did I really know about Robert？ Not much。 I knew him as Jean…Claude's flunkie。 Monica's boyfriend； now husband。 A soon…to…be dad