"What room?" Paige asked.

"I don't know. I couldn't--" I gave an angry shake of my head. "I'm sorry. That's not enough, I know. Let me try again--"

"No," Karl said. "We're here now. Quicker to look ourselves. The cell phone sounded from just over there."

Lucas handed Karl his phone. "Hit redial if you need it. Paige and I will head to the house. If anyone's in the yard, we can warn the guards inside."

"Any problems, call my cell," Paige said.

Karl turned to me. "Stay close."

I nodded.

"I mean it, Hope."

"I know."

HOPE

DEATH INTER

RUPTED

Security spotlights lit up the house, but most of the yard was dim and shadowy, and the perimeter black. It was still so quiet I could hear the waves.

Karl stuck to the dark edges. He had me walk beside him--on the fence side, where presumably he thought it was safer, but was also tough for anyone not blessed with a werewolf's night vision. I switched my chaos sensors on full.

As we passed between the fence and a small stuccoed outbuilding, Karl tugged me closer and I snapped from my reverie. Before I could reorient myself, a blinding light made me stumble back.

"For Christ's sake, Nico, do you mind?"

A flash of darkness as the man shielded his eyes against the light. But it moved closer, a halogen beam, so bright that the figure holding it was only an outline.

"Can I get a little privacy here? I'm taking a--"

The pffttt of a silenced shot.

I reeled, the vision fading. Karl gripped my forearms to hold me steady. I tugged free and followed the vibes to the outbuilding.

He caught up in two long strides, and I braced myself to be pulled back, but he only took my arm and whispered, "Gun?"

I thought he was asking about the vision--what kind of gun the man had. A testament to how tired I was, I guess. After a moment I realized he meant, "Do you have your gun and if so, get it out."

When I did, he motioned for me to head around the building one way while he went the other.

I hugged the wall. I could sense Karl behind me, watching to make sure I was alert enough to do this. Once reassured, a soft crunch of undergrowth told me he was moving, then all went silent.

I made it around the first corner before the vision hit again. It was the same scene from the same angle. I bit back my frustration. There had to be a way to train myself to at least change the viewing angle. Another reason why I'd love to speak to another Expisco.

Three more steps brought me to the next corner. The main house was fifty feet ahead, but I tried to ignore it and concentrate on this building. Presumably the door was on the next wall. I stopped, listened. I could feel only low-level chaos, which might be coming from Karl.

When I reached him, he had the door cracked open, face against the gap, sniffing. When he looked at me, I knew what I'd seen wasn't some random or past vision. Someone had been shot inside.

"Will you wait?" he whispered.

I shook my head. The low strum of chaos rose to a steady beat. I touched his arm and lifted my lips up to his ear.

"I'll see it anyway, whether I go in or not."

Tags: Kelley Armstrong Otherworld Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net