“Did anything else happen? Anything I should know about?” I watched his face, but he was careful not to reveal anything.

“We were fighting for our lives. Ask Camil e if you want to know more,” he said abruptly, then headed for the ladder.

I glanced back at the tunnels. We hadn’t found our kil er’s nest, but we’d discovered too much down here. Chase’s powers were emerging. The spirits of Seattle were growing strong and dangerous. And something else had happened . . . but just what, I wasn’t sure.

As I scrambled up the ladder, jumping out right behind Vanzir, it was just in time to see the ambulance go shrieking off, lights blazing. Camil e was racing toward her car, tears pouring down her face.

“Camil e—Morio, is he—?”

She stopped, fumbling to open the door. “He’s alive, but in critical condition. I’m headed to the hospital.” Pausing, she stared at Vanzir, who headed over to her car.

“I’m going with you,” he said.

She flashed him a dark look, then shrugged as he leaped in the front seat.

“I’l meet you there,” I said, heading toward my Jag. Yes, something had happened, and I wanted to know what. But nobody was talking. I threw the car into gear and screeched away from the street, Chase fol owing me.

I decided that I had to contact Ivana Krask as soon as I’d cleaned up and ask for her help. If she could take care of some of the spirits in the Greenbelt Park District, I’d buy her a whole fucking side of beef, if she wanted.

CHAPTER 14

The FH-CSI building was always lit up. As I pul ed in, I saw Camil e’s car, but neither Camil e nor Vanzir was in sight. She’d sped down the road like a bat from hel . Chase leaped out of his car, right next to me. He met up with me and we silently jogged to the building.

As we headed toward the medic unit, I glanced at him. He wasn’t panting as much; he was having an easier time. I had set my pace briskly but held back so that he’d be able to keep up.

Usual y Chase struggled, but he was breathing easily at this point. But right now, Chase’s changes weren’t my main focus.

As we burst through the ER doors, I could hear shouts from one of the emergency rooms and saw two of the nurses, both elves, preventing Camil e from bursting through the doors. Vanzir was sitting on one of the sofas, his head down, elbows propped on his knees.

I hurried over to my sister. “What? What have they said?”

“Only that he’s alive. He’s hurt so badly, Menol y. A splinter from the stake hit his liver or something bad like that. I know he can heal fast, but he has to stay out of danger long enough for the process to begin.” Her face was streaked with tears, the mascara leaving long trails along her cheeks. She looked stunned, like a deer caught in the headlights.

She’s in shock, I thought, and nobody has bothered to notice. With Morio’s life-threatening injuries, it was no wonder, but . . . I motioned to one of the nurses. “My sister’s in shock, I think.

Can you get her a blanket?”

She nodded. “Be right back. Meanwhile, some food would probably help her.”

“She’s insane. How can I eat right now?” Camil e shook her head, but Vanzir was on his feet, heading for the door. He was pul ing out some change for the vending machines.

Chase joined us after peeking into the ER. “He’s alive. They’ve taken the stake out of his side and are working on his injuries. Sharah and Mal en wil do everything possible to help him. Please, trust them.”

Camil e sniffled and Chase handed her his handkerchief. She dabbed at her tears and blew her nose. A nurse came rushing back and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, leading her over to a chair.

“Sit here and if you feel faint, let us know. We’re al working on your husband right now, but ask at the front desk if you need help.” She scurried away, a worried look in her eye.

Vanzir returned and handed her both a couple of Reese’s peanut butter cups and a package of cashews. “I couldn’t find a Milky Way . . . sorry. But these should help. I’m going to find some coffee for you.”

Camil e gave him a long look, then accepted them and ripped open the candy, forcing herself to eat. “I do trust them—I’ve trusted Sharah with my life before. But . . . but . . . he was hurt so badly . .

.”

Pausing, she let out a low, bleak sigh. “I don’t understand. How did the ghosts grow so powerful? Death magic won’t work on them, that much I can tel you. They seem supercharged.”

“I’m not sure what’s going on. I’m not an expert on spirits. Do you think they’re over a ley line?” I frowned. Where was Delilah when we needed her and her super-duper computer? Crap, Delilah! I hadn’t even thought to cal and let them know how we were.

I held up my hand and moved to one side, punching speed dial for home on my phone. Delilah answered.

“We’ve been wondering what the hel ’s going on. Are you guys okay? I’ve been antsy al evening. I’ve had the feeling something went terribly wrong.”

“It’s bad.” I lowered my voice to keep Camil e from overhearing. Al of us had super-sized hearing. “Morio’s in surgery. He was seriously injured when a spirit tried to stake me and ended up running it through his liver.”

“Holy fuck.” Delilah fel silent for a moment, then asked, “Wil he live? Is anybody else hurt?”

“He’s in surgery now. We just have to hope we got help soon enough. As far as everyone else . .

. Chase did some pretty spectacular tricks down there and we’re going to have to get him tested.

Something’s changed inside him—he’s developing an ability to repel spirits out of his aura. And . .

. I know something weird went down between Vanzir and Camil e, but neither is talking and both look shaken.”

“I knew I should have come with you—”

“Nonsense. Your ribs stil need a couple of weeks to finish knitting. We may heal quickly but you were real y fucked up, Kitten. Sharah told you to rest and she meant it. Stacia Bonecrusher almost gave you a ten-inch waist there.”

The demon general had taken her natural form as a giant anaconda with the torso of a woman, and she’d caught Delilah with her tail and begun to constrict, breaking a number of ribs and doing more muscle damage than we’d first thought.

“When wil you be home?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to leave Camil e here alone . . . just in case. I’m going to send Vanzir home, though.”

“Sounds good. Have him stop and pick up snacks on the way.” A pause, then a sudden, “Oh my gods, I sound so heartless. I’m sorry—please never tel Camil e I was thinking about my stomach while Morio is lying on the operating table.” She sounded so contrite I wanted to hug her.

“I know, I know. It’s okay. I won’t say anything.” I hung up and crossed over to Vanzir, tapping him on the shoulder. “Come with me, dude.”

He fol owed me down the hal a ways. “What’s up?”

“You go home. Stop on the way to get Delilah some of her favorite treats, would you? Take Camil e’s car, but for the sake of the gods, don’t wreck it.”

Vanzir had just gotten his license two weeks ago. He knew how to drive but had never bothered to learn the rules of the road. After a perilous race to hide our werewolf friend Amber and one of the spirit seals at Grandmother Coyote’s portal a couple months ago, we made him both apply for a Supe Alien Visa and then get his license. We’d told the authorities that he was a shifter—a lie, but it would work and prevent them from knowing there were demons running around. Most Supes of questionable heritage used that ruse, and so far the government hadn’t caught on to it.

He shook his head. “I should stay with your sister.”

“Look,” I lowered my voice to a whisper, leaned in, and tapped his chest. “I don’t know what went on between you two, and I have the feeling I’m not going to like whatever it is, but I need you to do what I ask. Camil e’s in mild shock, her husband is lying on the operating-room table, and if you did something to exacerbate that shock, then I’m going to . . . come to think about it, if you did do something, why aren’t you dead? She could kil you with a thought.” Maybe I’d been wrong. But the look on Vanzir’s face told me I wasn’t far off the mark.

“Your sister has more empathy than I deserve.” He shook his head and grabbed my keys out of my hand. “I’l do as you say. See that she gets plenty of food. The shock from . . . the tunnels wil wear away and she’l be okay. I just hope Morio survives.”

As Vanzir headed out, I couldn’t help but feel that something had been put into motion that wasn’t going to end wel . Not at al .

I headed back to Camil e but stopped short. She was waiting for Sharah, who was walking down the hal way toward her. As I watched her stiffen, waiting for whatever news the elf had, I was almost afraid to join her. Silently, I crossed to her side and felt for her hand. Everything around us seemed to slow, and I closed my eyes, the strains of Cat Power’s “Werewolf” echoing through my mind in a haunting refrain.

Camil e said nothing, just stood, shoulders back, blanket on the chair behind her. She didn’t run forward, didn’t step back, just planted herself in the middle of the hal . Her hand trembled, and I could hear the rustle of her breath as she struggled to control herself.

Sharah seemed to be walking through water, her pace slow and deliberate. She was in scrubs, covered with blood, spatters even dotting her flaxen hair. She looked . . . unreadable, as so many of the elves were.

She approached us and stopped, holding up a chart.

Camil e waited, unwil ing to be the first to talk.

“How is he?” I asked for her.

Sharah consulted her notes. “Alive. But he’s been seriously wounded. He lost a lot of blood and half of his liver. An inch higher and the stake would have left almost nothing of it. The liver regenerates, but this is serious.”

“Wil he live?” Camil e whispered.

“If he makes it through the rest of the surgery, he’l have a chance. Mal en is working on him now

—repairing delicate tears so fine I can barely see them. Once he’s off the operating table, the next twenty-four hours wil tel the tale.” Sharah pressed her lips together, then let out a slow sigh.

“What are his chances?” My sister’s voice was strained raw; she was barely keeping it together.

“I’d give him a sixty percent chance. Mal en’s a talented surgeon and can work miracles, but there was so much damage, it’s hard to find everything that needs repair. We may have to go in for a second surgery tomorrow.” Brushing a weary hand against her hair, she motioned to the chairs. “Please sit down. You don’t look so good, Camil e.”

“It’s not about me,” Camil e whispered. “It’s not about me.” But she slid back into the chair and wrapped her blanket around her, staring at the wal . “Tril ian should be here,” she added after a moment.

“I’l cal him.” I motioned to Sharah and walked her back toward the operating room. “Are you serious about his chances? He’s not worse off and you’re trying to prepare Camil e for bad news?”

Sharah shook her head. “Only the next twenty-four hours wil tel the story. My instinct tel s me he’l make it, but he’s not going anywhere for a while. If he’d been human, or Fae or elf, he’d be dead now.”

“Or vampire,” I whispered. She gave me a questioning look. “He saved my life. He pushed me out of the way. The stake was aimed at me and he took the hit. If he dies, it’s because of me.” I looked back at Camil e, wondering if that thought had registered with her yet.

“He did what you al do—looked out for the others. He saw you were in danger and he acted to save you. You’d do the same for him. Any of you guys would have done the same thing if it had been him the stake was aiming for.”

“Be that as it may, this has to stop. Listen, I’m going to get someone out here to stay with Camil e because I know damned wel she’s not going home, and she’d be useless there. And then I’m headed out. I’ve stil got a long time til morning and I’ve got a bargain to strike.”

Before she could answer, I turned and hurried back to Camil e. I pul ed out my cel phone when I realized she hadn’t cal ed Tril ian yet, and dialed home. Delilah came on the line.

“Camil e needs Tril ian here. And I think you should come, too. I have to take care of something.

Hurry it up. Vanzir wil be there to stay with Iris and Maggie. Shade should hang around the house, too. I know we have the guards now, but I just don’t trust somebody outside the family to watch over our loved ones.”

I quickly fil ed her in on Morio’s condition, and she was off the phone and out the door before I could say another word. I motioned to Chase.

“Can you stay with Camil e while I take off? Delilah and Tril ian wil be here soon, and I have business to attend to. This fucking crap with the ghosts has got to stop. I’ve got a lead on how to take care of it.” Without waiting for his reply, I headed out the door.

As I pul ed out of the parking lot, the snow had let up and now a clear patch through the sky was il uminated by stars, glistening down on the silent cover of snow that blanketed the city. I was struck by the intense beauty of the pristine vista, and it occurred to me that Seattle was a city of extremes: beauty and terror, danger and passion, life and death. And we were al just along for the ride.

I stopped at an al -night diner, pul ing in to the far edge of their lot, to put in a cal to Ivana Krask.