How the fuck are you feeling that? I wanted to grab him and shake him-hard-and finally get some answers out of the damn man. He wasn't clairvoyant-hell, he even admitted to not being telepathic-and yet here he was, telepathic one day and clairvoyant the next. He might be listed as having no psychic talent, but something sure as hell was going on. And maybe, just maybe, I knew what it was. Have you got some weird ability to siphon the talents of others?
He glanced at me, and though his expression had suddenly gone blank, he gave a short, sharp nod. Tell me what I'm-we're-sensing.
Tell me the fuck about your talent, I snapped back. Just how far does it extend?
He didn't answer. I clenched, then unclenched my fist. Tell me, Kye, or I will call in the Directorate and get your ass thrown in jail And trust me, it wouldn't even blow this operation wide open, because the Directorate has guardians who can seize control of every man and woman in this place, regardless of whether they were wearing wires or not. And they wouldn't even remember it.
Hell, I could probably do it if I put my mind to it-Jack kept insisting I'd be one of the strongest telepaths he had if only I'd apply myself a little more.
Which is precisely why I didn't. I didn't want that sort of power. What I had was scary enough.
For the longest of moments, Kye didn't answer. When he finally did, it was flatly, grudgingly, done. I'm what you call a sipher. If I'm in the presence of another person with a psychic talent, that talent becomes mine for as long as I am with them.
So when you're with me, you're telepathic.
And I can shadow, because that is also a psychic talent-one that is very handy when stalling vampires.
Which is why he was such a skilled hunter of vampires. Most vampires wouldn't expect a werewolf to be able to shadow, and by the time they heard the rush of life and realized Kye was near, it was already too late.
And now you're sensing the soul?
Is that what it is?
Yes, I snapped, stripping off several scarves and tossing them across his face. And hang onto your hat, because its about to get a whole lot worse.
And with that, I reached out to the soul and said, Who are you?
The chill got fiercer, until it felt like fingers of ice were creeping into my soul. I didn't know why it always felt like these souls brought the chill of the underworld with them. Maybe it was because they were trapped between two worlds, neither here nor in heaven or hell-or wherever else souls went to.
Something stirred against the soft, golden light infusing the corner-a wisp of thicker air that held no shape and couldn't even be defined as smoke.
Billy. Billy Cardwell, it said, the insubstantial voice young and confused.
I continued dancing, only half concentrating on the music. Another scarf went. Kye caught it and tossed it to one side, his gaze heated and expression intent. He looked for the world like a man who was enjoying his dance, but I knew the only thing he was intent on was listening in on my conversation with the soul.
Do you know what happened, Billy?
The soul stirred softly, a wisp with no features and no body that gently rotated.
She went ballistic, he answered. She attacked me.
Do you know why?
For a moment there was no answer, but the energy continued to build in the air, giving the soul the strength to speak.
She kept screaming "the bitch. I'll get the bitch for this."
Had she meant the teenager who hadn't shown up? Or me? What time was this?
He didn't answer for several seconds, then said, I had the room booked for seven-thirty, so it was just after that.
So the rage-and Billy's subsequent murder-had definitely happened before she'd gone on to slaughter Jason Burke and his lover. Meaning her rage, or her need to tear, had not been assuaged with Billy's death. Or maybe we were simply dealing with a mind that wasn't exactly chummy with sanity. Is that all?
The energy in the air was still building, until the small hairs along the nape of my neck were standing on end. Only then did the words come again.
She said something about no one stopping her from making them all pay.
Thank you, Billy. I hesitated, then added, It's safe to move on now. Well take care of her for you.