Slayer (Slayer 1)

“Why would I dream him having a heart attack? That has nothing to do with my Slayer abilities.”

Eve’s smile is sympathetic but firm. “Nina, sweetheart, you’ve only been a Slayer for a couple of months. Most of that time you didn’t even realize you were one. I don’t think your abilities are anything you can understand or trust.”

My mouth drops open. I’d expect my mother to say that to me. Not Eve.

Leo steps closer to me. His jaw is twitching, his hands fists. “But she knew. How can you discount that?”

My mother checks Bradford’s neck, then his chest. Her movements are precise, perfunctory. “There are no marks on him. I’d hoped we would have more time with him. But this is not exactly a surprise.” She pulls the blanket up and covers his face.

“Nina, you’re so in tune to the health of everyone in the castle,” Eve says. “Of course you would notice, maybe on a subconscious level, that Bradford was not well. And it manifested in your dreams. Maybe your heightened Slayer abilities even picked up on his heartbeat irregularities. But there’s no sign of a de

mon attack. We’ve been here all morning. I can’t imagine a demon strolled through the castle, broke into Bradford’s locked room, and got away without anyone noticing.”

“But—I saw—” I deflate. I know what I saw, what I felt. How do I prove to them that my dream was real if they won’t listen to me? And I can’t use my dream about Cosmina as proof, because my mother, Wanda, and Ruth don’t know about it. Can’t know about it.

My mother picks up a photo from Bradford’s nightstand. It’s a black-and-white photo of a young woman. “Was there anything else in the dream? Did you see a demon?”

“Nothing specific. Just shadows in a vague form. The rest of the dream was Buffy.”

My mother takes a sharp breath in. “Buffy? Did you talk to her?”

“Umm, sort of.” I yelled at her. That counts.

Wanda lifts her head from where she’s crying against Ruth Zabuto’s shoulder. “Those aren’t prophetic dreams. They’re pathetic dreams. Will you stop trying to make this about yourself and let us mourn our colleague?”

I look, aghast, to my mother. She shakes her head.

Eve puts a hand on my shoulder and steers me out of the room. “Let us handle this, Nina. This is neither children’s nor Slayer’s business. I’m sorry.”

“I need to speak with you,” Leo says to his mother. His voice is tight. He believed me, but it doesn’t matter. The Council doesn’t. Eve doesn’t.

“Of course, darling.” Eve grabs my hand as I’m about to run away, humiliated and sad and furious. “Find me later,” she whispers.

With confusion added to my toxic mix of emotions, I run out of the residence wing and straight out of the castle. I can’t go to Artemis with Honora there. Leo and his mother are talking, and I wasn’t invited. None of the Council believes me.

But I have another source of information. I jump over the fence and throw open the door to Cillian’s shed.

The demon is there, in the exact same spot I left him. He cracks open an eye. “I thought you’d be dead by now. Sean must be off his game.”

“Don’t be so disappointed.” I examine his chains. Everything is in place. I didn’t think it was him, but I had to check. “What kills people in their sleep but leaves no marks?”

The cracks in the demon’s skin shift with his incredulous expression. “Is that a riddle?”

“This morning my great-un—” I stop as the emotions catch up to me. The reality that the man who raised my mother is really gone. “A man I know woke up dead.”

“He’s a zombie?”

“That’s not what I meant! I mean, he didn’t wake up this morning. And I had a dream about it happening. I don’t think I’d dream about it if it weren’t demonic.” Eve’s explanation seems like it makes sense, but it doesn’t feel right.

The demon looks surprised. “You dreamed it? Are you a seer? And your mojo is still working? Be careful. Those are skills that are worth something on the black market. Another reason you should let me go and avoid attracting Sean’s attention.”

“Not a seer. I’m—I can’t explain it. But do you know any demons that do that? Kill when someone is asleep? Leave no mark?”

“I mean, sure. Dozens. Can you give me more details? And can you give me something to eat, please? You’re never happy.”

“A man I know just died! You want me to be sunshine and rainbows?”

“Nina!” Cillian leans against the door frame, halfway through brushing his teeth. “Thought I saw you jump the fence. Rhys is coming over soon.”