Hunter remained silent until the reality settled.
“You have your powers back? The girls will be so happy…”
“Please. Can you keep this between us for now? It’s a bit complicated, and I don’t have all the answers yet.”
Hunter looked at Finn, and for a moment, they shared a common understanding. The human was quick; he had to give him that.
Instead of questioning Violet, he crouched down and started examining the scene. “From what I can see, if this is human blood, there was certainly more than one person that was wounded.”
“This is human blood, and I agree, there’s at least two. It’s been a couple of days for sure. And this is death blood.”
That grabbed the human’s attention. “Death blood?”
“It means someone bled until they died. One of them at least. It’s been there too long for me to distinguish between them anymore.”
Hunter nodded. “With this amount, I’m surprised it didn’t drip into the apartment below. It probably coagulated.”
Violet appeared to stop listening to them and turned her head as if following a sound. Finn hadn’t heard anything, and vampires had enhanced senses. She went to the window before turning her head again, this time going to the bedroom door. She didn’t enter and instead shook her head. She appeared to calm, but then she started again searching again.
Hunter also noticed her behavior. “Vi? Are you okay?”
The witch didn’t answer. Finn wanted to go to her, but he’d begun to know Violet enough to learn that she always had to figure out things first, so he gestured for the human cop to stay put.
“I hear… I hear something. It’s faint. As if someone is trapped under the floor or inside the walls. Or they could be far away. It’s difficult to say.”
With a sigh, Hunter scratched his head. “I never thought I’d ask this, but do you want me to get a crowbar and tear the walls down?”
“I don’t hear anything, Violet. Not a sound coming from the walls or floor.”
Finn didn’t like that one bit but kept his worry for himself. He wasn’t that familiar with witch magic, but sudden changes or surges were known to cause a shift inside the mind. Could this be a symptom, one indicating his beloved was losing her mind?
He swallowed hard, trying to get past the fear that clogged his throat. Instead, he watched over her like a hawk.
Her head whipped again, but this time she screamed. “Stop it!”
Hunter was now on high alert too. Finn knew he silently debating between intervening or calling for backup, and if he were honest, he was balancing on that edge too.
“Violet, darling… you’re clearly overdoing it. How about we come back after you rest a little?” Finn winced when she turned and flashed her green eyes at him, nearly burning him with her anger.
“I’m in pain, yes but I’m not tired, and I’m not fucking crazy, so don’t hover like I’m close to losing my marbles.”
Maybe Hunter was more courageous or wanted a shorter life, but he took a shot. “Vi, you’re the only one who can hear whatever it is you’re hearing. From our point of view, it’s a bit spooky.”
Violet closed her eyes and lowered her head, biting her lip. Finn knew what she was doing, trying to acquaint herself with whatever power was coursing through her veins, even if it was black magic, and that knowledge made him half-mad. He never wanted her close to the occult arts, but he knew no other way to help her at the moment, no other solution to offer.
More settled, Violet glanced up and pushed her shoulders back. “I can see a man there in the corner.”
Finn turned, as did Hunter, but the room was empty. “You’re the only one that can see him.”
“But he’s there, clear as day.” And as if to prove it, she pointed, but still, Finn didn’t see or feel anything.
Finn was about to suggest they leave and regroup, when Violet jerked back hard, tumbling to the ground. The movement was so sudden, it didn’t make sense, but he went to her and saw the red imprint of a hand blooming on her pale cheek.
Hunter appeared dumbfounded as he crouched by Violet’s side, and when he saw the mark, he lifted his gun. Nice gesture, although Finn didn’t know how much good it would do if they couldn’t see the threat.
Pain and fear circled over Violet’s expression until it was overcome by anger. Energy moved around them, and Finn realized it was coming from Violet again. This time, it was more powerful, more masterful, and before he could process this new bit of information, there was something in the room.
As Violet has said, a man stood there. From what he could see, the silhouette wasn’t solid. Could it be a ghost?
Hunter yelled in anger when he got to his feet and aimed his weapon to the wavering form. “That’s Bohn! Leroy Bohn!”
The figure smiled, hearing his name, but there was nothing nice in it. It was as if this chance encounter gave him an opportunity he hadn’t known he would get.
Finn felt his being surge with power when the man—or whatever he now was—named Bohn, hunched his back with the clear intention of attacking again. Leaving Hunter beside his witch, Finn placed himself between them as Bohn charged.
The attacker passed right through him and punched Violet in the gut just as she was getting to her feet. Hunter turned and pointed his gun at the figure and tried to use his own body as a shield, but to no avail. Bohn did the same thing and passed straight through Hunter, but this time, he slapped Violet. Immediately, a thin cut appeared on her cheek with a single drop of blood trickling down.
Finn tried to attack back, or push Bohn away, but he only made contact with air.
With definite satanic glee, Bohn laughed, and for the first time, Finn detected
