But now? There was nothing. Just a sick, greasy feeling in the pit of her stomach that was starting to creep into the rest of her life. She knew perfectly well what it was. Fear and anger. Fear of what Crissy might be going through. Fear that she might never see Crissy again. Fear that she or Kaylee might be next. And so much anger at the assholes that thought they had any right to steal a person and use them like a piece of office equipment.
A light tap on her door broke her out of her thoughts and she realized that she had been stomping around her room, growling.
“Are you well?” Aldric’s voice came through the door.
She sighed and walked over to open it and waved him in.
“No, I’m not, really,” she said. “I’m sorry if I was making too much noise, though. I was maybe thinking too hard and it was coming out through my feet.”
Aldric laughed softly. “I can certainly understand that. I don’t think you were being particularly loud, however. I simply came to check on you.” He opened his mouth to keep speaking, but then closed it again and frowned slightly. “I know that you have only known us for a short while, but please believe that we are doing everything we can to find your sister. We will not abandon her, even if we have other events demanding our attention as well.”
That was so close to what Faith had been thinking that all her irritation with him fizzled, and she sat heavily on the bed.
“I’m just so scared, Aldric,” she said. “What if she’s already dead?”
Aldric grimaced. “Then we will avenge her.”
He said it as if it would be easy.
“But how? Who has her? Where do we go to do that?” Faith asked.
Aldric frowned and shook his head. “I do not know. Leo is working on it. He is hopeful about the photo that he has from today.” He moved to stand by the window and stare out of it. “I don’t like that the vampires at the lodge were fighting against the Goldfangs that were there, but the ones this week have been fighting alongside of them. It’s a change that does not sit well with me.”
Faith frowned now, too. “Do you think that they joined forces? Like ‘the enemy of my enemy’ style?”
Aldric nodded. “I am afraid of just exactly that.”
“Which would mean we’re up against two separate groups. The Goldfangs and the vampires.”
“Indeed. I am not sure that we can fight a war on two fronts like that. Not as we are now.”
They both sat there with their thoughts for a long moment. What would cause two different groups to band together like that? It could be as simple as what she just said. It could be that their goals weren’t identical, simply aligned neatly.
“What if,” Faith started slowly. “What if the Goldfangs want the territory and the vampires just want us? Me and Kaylee, I mean? Or even just me and they’d give Kaylee to Alpha Molin like he originally wanted?”
“Or even they said they would hand her over and have no actual plans to do so?” Aldric raised a bow at her. “It’s possible.”
“But then…” Faith looked up at him, searching his eyes. “Why wouldn’t you give us up to get rid of the vampires? You guys could easily beat the Goldfang pack on its own. It’s the vampires and their blight hounds that are making it difficult.”
Aldric blinked at her for a long moment. “Are you seriously asking if we would trade you two for our own safety?”
Faith winced at his tone, but plunged ahead anyway. “I mean, we’re basically strangers, right? Why would you care about us enough to fight two different factions at the same time?”
“Faith…” Aldric started. He sighed and drove his fingers through his hair. “Faith, do you truly think we would do that? Is that how you see us? How you see me?”
Author’s Note
This book was started during the first flush of the Coronavirus lockdown in Tokyo. It was edited, revised, beta read, revised again, and re-edited all during various degrees of lockdown. While the impact of the virus wasn’t as severe in Tokyo as it was in many other parts of the world, it was still tricky to keep any approximation of normal.
For me, that meant writing every day.
Writing trapped in a tiny Tokyo apartment while supervising my ADHD son’s home-learning what have you was, er… challenging, I won’t lie. But I’m glad I made the effort. Aldric and Faith helped me stay sane.
I want to thank Margaret and Stuart, as always, for their insight. This is definitely a stronger story thanks to you both. Sabrina Watts at Enchanted Ink Book Covers was incredibly helpful and I am so, so in love with the covers for this trilogy.
I even want to thank my family. My son who was unrelentingly cheerful (if a bit insane) during lockdown, and my husband who was super supportive and tried his best to keep the kid busy while I worked.
Thanks everyone.
About the Author
Katherine Kim is a lifelong lover of fantasy. She started early, being read Tolkien as bedtime stories, which honestly explains a lot. More recently she’s been drawn to more urban fantasy stories through both books and television, and reading continues to be a passion. She is an American that lives and writes in Tokyo, with her family.
Books by Katherine Kim
The Demon Guardian
A Demon’s Duty
A Demon’s Sanction
A Demon Saved
The Riverton Demons
Personal Demons
Spirits of Los Gatos
Sarah’s Inheritance
A Spirit’s Kindred
Finding Insight
Brewing Trouble
Spiritkind
Federal Paranormal Activities Agency
Quick Study (Prequel)
Caroline’s Internship
In The Blood
Heavy Traffic
Vampire’s Curse
Fighting Fire
