nodded. Age gave her authority where her badge didn’t.
“You just had a vision,” Jack pointed out, his gaze sharpening on the big warlock. “About this case?”
Merek nodded, sweat beading on his forehead, which he ignored. “You need to be involved.”
“It’s my case. So ... yeah.”
“No, somehow a ...” He shook his head. “A more positive outcome is possible if Selina and you are working on it together. And I know how weak that sounds for a vision, but that’s all I’ve got for you.”
“Positive, as in Jack solves the case?” Which was good, since she had no idea at what point in this process she was going to bite it. Hopefully, after she helped nail this son of a bitch. Rage ripped through her system, memories assaulting her of other people this man had killed, the crime scenes so eerily familiar it made her skin crawl. Victims who’d been beaten to within an inch of their lives, then drained of blood, clinching the deal. She’d seen a lot of ugly shit in her life, especially since she’d become a cop, but this case had always made her stomach curdle.
Her cousin’s blank, staring eyes would haunt her for the rest of her life. Was it any wonder her psyche had never let this one go?
The guy had never been caught, never committed another murder in that signature style in New Orleans for her years there. So, why here, why now? Why a thirty-year gap between murders? She damn well wanted to know, and the fact that she hadn’t caught him back then meant that this woman had died.
Not again.
If a positive outcome required Jack, then so be it. She didn’t like it much, but that was just too bad, wasn’t it? Fate didn’t really give a shit what she wanted. Never had, never would. Best to put on her big-girl panties and deal with it.
Merek sighed. “Positive, as in, I have no fucking clue. You know how this can be sometimes.”
Yeah, she did. Something few people knew about Merek’s powerful precognition was that it went on the fritz with people he was close to. A blessing, considering he didn’t have to watch his loved ones die in visions like he’d had with her, but a curse because it meant he couldn’t help them when they needed it the most. That had nearly gotten Chloe and Alex killed the year before, and Selina knew it ate at him. Even with her, his visions tended to be ... incomplete and staticky. Too many years as her partner made him a little too close to her to have full visions anymore. Something else that she was sure bothered him.
“All right, we’ll do our best.” She straightened her shoulders. “You get to your flight. Have one of the uniforms drive you and put the blue lights on.”
“Not necessary.”
“Yeah. Necessary.”
He wavered for a minute, uncertainty flashing across his face. “Maybe I shouldn’t—”
“ Go, Kingston.” She jerked her thumb toward the door. “As someone who’s lived for a hell of a lot longer than you, let me assure you that there will always be another crisis around the bend. The rest of us can handle this. Go on your honeymoon. Start your marriage off on the right foot, without serial killers or werewolf terrorists.”
He winced and nodded. “Point taken.”
When he was gone, she was left with Jack. And all the agents and cops in the house, but few of whom she knew on more than a nodding acquaintance. She drew in a breath and let it ease out. “Well, this day went to shit really fast.”
Jack pitched his voice low. “And here I thought we’d be spared the awkward morning-after talk.”
Coughing into her fist, she covered a startled laugh.
“It’s sad you’re not wearing the bridesmaid dress.” His voice turned into a low rumble that made her insides clench. He’d used the same tone before he’d slid his cock inside her the night before. “It did amazing things for your ass.”
She had to work to suppress her grin, something she’d never have guessed she’d do any time soon after she’d seen that victim’s
“You just had a vision,” Jack pointed out, his gaze sharpening on the big warlock. “About this case?”
Merek nodded, sweat beading on his forehead, which he ignored. “You need to be involved.”
“It’s my case. So ... yeah.”
“No, somehow a ...” He shook his head. “A more positive outcome is possible if Selina and you are working on it together. And I know how weak that sounds for a vision, but that’s all I’ve got for you.”
“Positive, as in Jack solves the case?” Which was good, since she had no idea at what point in this process she was going to bite it. Hopefully, after she helped nail this son of a bitch. Rage ripped through her system, memories assaulting her of other people this man had killed, the crime scenes so eerily familiar it made her skin crawl. Victims who’d been beaten to within an inch of their lives, then drained of blood, clinching the deal. She’d seen a lot of ugly shit in her life, especially since she’d become a cop, but this case had always made her stomach curdle.
Her cousin’s blank, staring eyes would haunt her for the rest of her life. Was it any wonder her psyche had never let this one go?
The guy had never been caught, never committed another murder in that signature style in New Orleans for her years there. So, why here, why now? Why a thirty-year gap between murders? She damn well wanted to know, and the fact that she hadn’t caught him back then meant that this woman had died.
Not again.
If a positive outcome required Jack, then so be it. She didn’t like it much, but that was just too bad, wasn’t it? Fate didn’t really give a shit what she wanted. Never had, never would. Best to put on her big-girl panties and deal with it.
Merek sighed. “Positive, as in, I have no fucking clue. You know how this can be sometimes.”
Yeah, she did. Something few people knew about Merek’s powerful precognition was that it went on the fritz with people he was close to. A blessing, considering he didn’t have to watch his loved ones die in visions like he’d had with her, but a curse because it meant he couldn’t help them when they needed it the most. That had nearly gotten Chloe and Alex killed the year before, and Selina knew it ate at him. Even with her, his visions tended to be ... incomplete and staticky. Too many years as her partner made him a little too close to her to have full visions anymore. Something else that she was sure bothered him.
“All right, we’ll do our best.” She straightened her shoulders. “You get to your flight. Have one of the uniforms drive you and put the blue lights on.”
“Not necessary.”
“Yeah. Necessary.”
He wavered for a minute, uncertainty flashing across his face. “Maybe I shouldn’t—”
“ Go, Kingston.” She jerked her thumb toward the door. “As someone who’s lived for a hell of a lot longer than you, let me assure you that there will always be another crisis around the bend. The rest of us can handle this. Go on your honeymoon. Start your marriage off on the right foot, without serial killers or werewolf terrorists.”
He winced and nodded. “Point taken.”
When he was gone, she was left with Jack. And all the agents and cops in the house, but few of whom she knew on more than a nodding acquaintance. She drew in a breath and let it ease out. “Well, this day went to shit really fast.”
Jack pitched his voice low. “And here I thought we’d be spared the awkward morning-after talk.”
Coughing into her fist, she covered a startled laugh.
“It’s sad you’re not wearing the bridesmaid dress.” His voice turned into a low rumble that made her insides clench. He’d used the same tone before he’d slid his cock inside her the night before. “It did amazing things for your ass.”
She had to work to suppress her grin, something she’d never have guessed she’d do any time soon after she’d seen that victim’s
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