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A rumble of voices comes from up ahead, and when we turn the corner toward the Harbor, we find a crowd gathering near the access tunnel.
Pen unclips her baton and raises her voice, “Make way for the Bone Guard!”
The beings at the back peer over their shoulders, see that Pen’s armed, and shift aside to make room. More than a few have met the end of their corporeal body when they didn’t heed Pen’s warning and now know to fear the slender black rod.
The weapon has built a reputation all its own within the Yard.
More and more beings move out of our way, clearing a path to a clump of trees with broad, waxy leaves.
As we step out of the crowd, Sharpe glances up and beckons us over to join him.
My stomach tightens the nearer we come, and suddenly my appetite vanishes.
Splayed out on the ground, his throat ripped out and his middle ruptured like a burst balloon, lies Lethoba, Vicki’s favorite, and now dead, vampire frog.
back in control
- Sharpe -
The scent of blood mingles with the hot, humid air, and I feel a surge of anger and frustration as I stare down at the spongy, red body of the frog demon. Death clouds the bulbous, black eyes on top of his head.
Nearby, Mayn works to cordon off the area with crime scene tape, but what’s the use? The Bone Guard is set up to administer justice on the spot, either sending demons back across the veil for breaking the law or administering fines and bans to the witches and humans who come here.
We’re equipped to solve petty crimes, but nothing on this scale. Demon cores can survive the destruction of their corporeal forms, and the others who come here enter at their own risk.
Death in the Yard is as common as breathing, but homicide like this? We don’t have the team or equipment to process a real crime scene.
How did this even happen on our watch?
A patrol was minutes away when the shouting started, but Lethoba died before help could arrive.
The other frog demons left their homes in the trees to report that a black, dog-like monster attacked Lethoba, then retreated into their branches.
Pen joins me, her knuckles white around her baton. “Anyone see or hear anything?”
I shake my head. “It happened too fast, but witnesses confirmed it’s the same type of creature that killed Vicki.”
Pen steps closer, her eyes scanning the area. “It can’t be a coincidence that Lethoba is the third victim.”
My head turns toward her. “Third victim?
Her gaze flicks to the beings surrounding us, and her lips press together.
Marc raises his voice. “Move along, people! If you’re still here in the next five seconds, I’ll burn the lot of you and let the demon plane sort you out!”
Grumbles rise from the crowd, but they disperse. No one here crossed the veil by legal means, and getting back across to this side gets harder and harder as tears are found and sealed up.
Marc paces closer and directs a hard stare toward the slaughtered frog. “How long does it take for one of these to disintegrate?”
Pen frowns, her golden eyes dropping to the body.
After a moment of hesitation, she crouches and presses her fingers to the frog’s spongy forehead.
Her gaze grows distant before she straightens and wipes her hand on her pant leg. “I don’t sense any lingering energy, so there’s no reason for the corporeal form to still be here.”
Mayn joins us. “It is fortuitous that the body remains. This will be a good test of your new facilities.”
I stare at my partner. “What are you talking about?”
