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“Something has its claws in you deeply,” she whispers, grabbing a washcloth from the counter and wetting it in the sink. She brings it to me and places it on the back of my neck to cool me down.
“Mama, why is this happening?” I ask, tears stinging my eyes.
The bathroom tile is cold, and I feel the grooves pressing into my knees. I’m too aware of everything, too sensitive to the natural and spirit world. She simply rubs my back and keeps singing her lullaby.
“You need rest,” she says when my stomach is completely empty. “The herbs should protect your mind for now, so no one can bother you in your sleep. Keep an onion under your pillow to draw out the evil spirits in your mind.
I nod, wipe my miserable face, stand up on shaky legs, and look at her small frame.
“I will help you however I can, but this journey is yours to walk.”
It’s been a hell of a day. A new gang is trying to come up in the south of the city, and they want to start a turf war. Seer and I spent the day scoping them out, and we don’t like what we found. With all our troubles, trying to stop a young gang was not on my agenda.
Neither was coming to a seedy nightclub, but Seer clearly needs the time off. He’s been extra silent and moody today, and I know it has something to do with Tory. He won’t talk about it, and I won’t force him. He’ll bring it up if he feels he needs to. My only job tonight is to drink and ignore the leers coming my way.
“You’re good to come,” Seer shouts over the music. “I know this isn’t your scene.”
I shrug as we push through drunk bodies to reach the bar. He owes me a drink and he knows it. He orders two whiskey sours and tells the bartender to keep them coming. Once he’s downed his first glass, he picks his way across the dance floor to take a leak. I stay by the bar, surveying the crowd.
A familiar sound catches my attention, and I whip my head around to see a woman leaving the other side of the bar, a large glass in hand. It’s filled with something pink, and I’m sure it’s one of those stupid girly drinks Abigail loves so much. But it isn’t the drink that keeps my attention. It’s the jet-black, shiny hair.
Something sparks inside of me. I stand up, pushing past drunk patrons to approach her, but when I reach the spot where I last saw her, she’s nowhere to be found. Why does this feel so familiar? I stand a good head above the girls dancing around me, but I can’t spot the black hair anywhere. I curse and turn back to my place at the bar.
Naturally, some yuppy prick has taken my place. After one intimidating look from me, he grabs his drink and walks away. I reclaim my seat and scowl at the crowd, frustrated that I lost the woman with the dark hair and annoyed to be here. The alcohol isn’t kicking in as quickly as I need it to.
Seer comes back and orders another drink. When he sees my face, he questions me. Rather than answering him, I ask him something that clearly catches him off guard.
“What does it feel like when you have a vision?” I ask. “Because I think I just had one.”
Seer stares at me in shock but quickly shakes it away. “Tell me more, mona mi,” he prompts. “What did you see? What did it feel like?”
I shrug. “There was this woman just now. I’m sure I’ve met her before, but I have no idea where. I have this strange sense of déjà vu.”
Seer tosses his head back and laughs good-naturedly. Despite the fact he’s laughing at my expense, I’m glad he’s happy. He needs the release of laughter as much as I need to find that woman.
“I don’t mean to laugh,” Seer tells me. “It’s just that visions are more complex. I feel them with my entire body. The atmosphere around me shifts, and I can tell when one is coming.”
I nod, taking a sip of my drink before sighing. It was a bad idea to bring it up, and I knew it the moment the words left my mouth. Seer can see the future, but this is something different. It’s like I’m experiencing someone from my past, but I’ve never seen this woman in my life.
“If I see ghosts, I’ll be sure to consult you.” He laughs, taking another long swig of his drink.
As he sets his glass on the table, a loud bang echoes through the club. Screams follow. Before I can process what’s happening, Seer grabs my arm and pulls me down.
Another round of shots has the club in pandemonium. Bodies run everywhere, but I can’t identify where the shooting is coming from. Seer holds my arm firmly, preventing me from investigating.
CHAPTERFOUR
We stay hidden under the bar for what feels like an eternity. The shooting finally stops and the club falls eerily quiet. I shudder to imagine the scene that awaits us. Seer slowly stands and I follow him. People cower under tables and their cries fill the room.
Bodies lay everywhere, some clinging to life, some passed to the other side. Their spirits watch over their bodies, and I mourn for them. What a violent end. Seer shouts something, but my ears are ringing and my blood is boiling. Whoever did this was a monster.
I immediately think back to the woman, and I scan the crowd, looking for her. Once people see us standing, they realize the immediate danger has passed. More pandemonium breaks out. People are frantic, getting up and running to the nearest exit. They trample over the dead and those clinging to life, and there’s no way for me to find the woman in this madness.
“Call Pocus,” Seer instructs over the noise, his phone out and pressed to his ear.
I do as I’m told. Within fifteen minutes, Pocus shows up with half the MC. They survey the scene, horrified by the sight. I don’t blame them. I’m horrified as well, but I was here when the carnage began. I’ve had more time to process it.
Graveyard runs in, his medical bag in hand, and Evanesce follows quickly behind him. I realize Seer must have called him when I was on the phone with Pocus. He and Evanesce quickly assess the victims on the ground, checking pulses and asking about injuries. If they’re conscious, Graveyard does what he can to make them comfortable. If they aren’t, Evanesce gently lays her hands on them to take away their pain.
