Excerpt

Three nights passed without any summoning, death threats, or magic nonsense. Samanthat's new puppy hadn't glowed again and for all intents and purposes, looked just like a normal dog. Sam was half-convinced the entire Nocturnal thing had been a hallucination or a dream, a figment of her imagination born out of the sadness she felt that night.

It wasn't until she entered the kitchen on a Sunday morning that reality crashed back into her in the form of Lilith, who was sitting happily at the kitchen island, enjoying a cup of coffee.

"What the hell!" Samantha exclaimed, lowering her taser. "What are you doing here?"

Lilith looked up, not bothered in the slightest. "I told you I'd summon you. You're summoned."

"And you couldn't send an email?"

"No," she replied, sounding so matter-of-factly, Sam felt almost stupid for suggesting it.

She put the taser away, rolling her eyes. "You can't just break into someone's home. I could've hurt you."

"You could've tried," Lilith replied. "And I didn't break in. Your home was open."

"What? No, it wasn't. I'm sure the doors were locked, I checked them last night," Sam countered.

The other woman chuckled. "Oh, cute. Human locks only mean something to insurance companies. What I meant is, you have no protective circles, no clan markings, no ward spells. Anyone can just walk into your home."

"Yes, but it's common courtesy not to," Sam grumbled, pulling the cup of coffee from Lilith's hand.

"Hey, I wasn't done with that," she protested.

"Yes, you were," Sam replied bruskly. "If you want to summon me for whatever, that's fine. But this is my house, my food, my coffee. Understood?"

Lilith snorted as she rose from the barstool and brushed her dress down. "Ooh, touchy. Fine, fine. I won't drink your coffee again. Now let's go."

"Where?"

"You'll see." Without waiting for Sam, she waltzed out of the kitchen and through the hall as if she owned the place. It was a good thing Melissa left earlier for work, because if she found Lilith sitting in the kitchen like she belonged, a real fight would've broken out.

Grateful, Sam followed the slender woman outside and locked the front door demonstratively. She waved the key in front of Lilith's face, as to prove a point. "See. Locked. Did you hear me? Locked."

"Hmmm-hmmm," Lilith hummed, not in the least impressed. "Less talking, more walking. Chop-chop."

"Don't boss me around," Sam argued, just for argument's sake. She didn't actually have trouble following instructions, she just felt like she should put up some protest since this woman had practically roped her into a world she didn't want to be part of.

The two walked into town, using small roads and crossings that Sam had never once taken in the five years she lived here. They passed strange houses and odd people, all of whom seemed to know Lilith and waved at her.

"You're popular," Sam remarked.

"No," Lilith corrected her. "I'm well-known."

"Popular."

The dark-haired woman clicked her tongue. "That implies they like me."

"They don't?" Sam asked, but she got no reply. Maybe that was for the best. All the talking was messing with her breath and she didn't want to seem too out of shape in front of the younger woman. She'd never admit it, but Sam had to put effort into keeping up with her, which was insulting since only one of them had put on sensible footwear and it wasn't Lilith.

In silence, the two women walked until they reached the heart of the city centre. From experience, Sam thought she knew the town well. After all, she'd responded to a couple of emergencies when she was in training and solved two murder cases and a kidnapping. By all means, the city shouldn't have held secrets for her anymore, and yet…

Lilith brought her through winding streets and small paths, along building blocks and flats that she'd never seen, let alone been inside.

It made sense, Sam thought. From what she understood, this Nocturnal world lived as separate from humanity as they could. They probably didn't want police sniffing into their business, in fear of being found out. Which begged the question… Why did Lilith need her help?

Sam shelved that question as the other woman halted in front of a row house. With metal gates out in front and dusty windows up top, it looked like any other standard, brick house. She tried to read the name taped on the mailbox, but the weather had taken it off and just left an ink stain and some shrivelled paper.

Desperate for clues, she made as many mental notes as she could about her surroundings. The small spruce bushes in the garden, the green front door, and the rounded windows that sat in the house like eyes. Small things, but added together, they painted a vivid picture that Sam would be able to recreate and remember long after the fact. When she had the room to process it all. For now, she just had to use her eyes and store as much information as she could.

The metal gate shrieked as Lilith pushed through it and Sam followed in tow. She didn't know what to expect but if there was anything she learned from her job, it was to be cautious and always be prepared for the unexpected.

Dust greeted the two women and forced them into a coughing fit, one that disturbed more dormant dust and made it only worse.

Annoyed, Sam waved as much of it away while she glared as angrily at Lilith as she could. "So why am I here again?"

"I told you, I have a job for you. A mystery, if you will."

"A mystery?" Sam echoed. "You mean, a case?"

"If that's what you want to call it," Lilith chuckled.

"No, that's not what I want to call it, that's what it's called." Sam glared at her, but the other woman didn't react to it. Sadly. She'd have to use her words. "So, why do you need me?"

"You tell me."

"Wait, you're making me figure out what I'm supposed to be figuring out?"

"Hmm-hmm."

"Fine."

If Lilith wanted to play games, Sam would play along. She didn't really have much choice and whether she wanted to admit it or not, this was a challenge and she liked those.