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“Fair enough, though maybe a No Trespassing sign would be a good idea so you don’t give a Girl Scout a heart attack when she comes to sell you cookies.”
“What fun would that be?”
He gave me the full force of his smile, and I almost backed up and slammed the door in his face. I didn’t need a complication in my life right now, no matter how attractive.
“I’m Special Agent Noah Ford,” he said, holding up a badge so I could seeFBIprinted in bold letters next to his photograph. “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”
Instead of inviting him inside, I stepped out on the porch and shut the door behind me. I didn’t think it was a good idea to invite him in, considering Erik was probably up to his elbows in dragon ash.
Agent Ford raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything as I joined him on the porch. If he really was human he wouldn’t be there long. The temperature was in the lower single digits, and he was wet. I gave him two minutes before he started shivering.
I tried to read him again, but still got nothing, so I held out my hand. I’d never met anyone who could block my probes while I was touching them.
“I’m Rena,” I said as he took my hand. “Rena Drake.” His mind was like a hundred-foot cement wall. I got nothing. Not even the smallest impression. He smiled at me like he knew what I was trying to do, and my curiosity increased.
“Yes, Ms. Drake. I’ve read your file,” he said. “You’ve been a lot of help to a lot of departments around the country.”
“When they want the help, I don’t mind giving it. For a price,” I said, giving him a hard smile. “Is that why you’re here, Agent Ford? Do you need my help?”
“In a manner of speaking.” He still hadn’t let go of my hand, so I pulled it back. “I work for the Paranormal Division of the FBI.”
I snorted out a laugh before I could control it. As far as I knew, we were the only “paranormal” creatures who’d been banished to the Earth. It was weird to think the FBI had a division devoted solely to us. Basically, what he was telling me was that he did the same job I did, only not as well because he didn’t really have a clue what or who he was dealing with.
“I get that a lot,” he said. “But I figured you’d be more receptive.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“Your file has some interesting theories. One of which is that you’re one of the most powerful psychics in the world.”
“Really?” That was something that was going to have to be remedied. I didn’t like the idea of anyone keeping a file on me.
“Forgive me if I’m wrong,” he said, though by his smirk he didn’t particularly care if I forgave him or not.
“Why don’t you tell me why you’re here, so I can say no and go about my business,” I said.
“I’ve been tracking a group of serial killers.”
“Serial killers are, by definition, loners. They don’t work in groups.”
“You’d be right,” he said. “Normally. But this is the same group, traveling from place to place, country to country. By my estimation, they’ve killed more than a hundred innocent people.”
I knew all this already. And I kicked myself for not executing the contract on them sooner, but then I started rationalizing.They were just humans. I would never issue a warrant unless the Drakán who were killing were being careless and endangering our entire race. These Drakán had only recently been bolder in their killing, so I had a reason to issue the warrant. But I had a new problem on my hands since outsiders were knocking on the door, trying to take over my case. I couldn’t help but question my judgment in delaying.
“What do you mean, by your estimation?” I asked. “Don’t you know for sure?”
“Nope.” His grin was easy going and self-deprecating, but I didn’t fall for it for a second. Something in his eyes told me this man was dangerous. It was ridiculous that I found that attractive.
“No bodies were left behind,” he said. “They’ve all mysteriously disappeared. And the crime scenes I’ve located have been swept clean. Unless you know what to look for, and I do. I’ve got missing persons that come across my desk weekly that I’ve been able to link to these monsters. I’ve spent the morning a few miles from here, just on the border. I was close this time. The body was gone and the place clean of evidence. But the smell was still there. It takes a long time for a smell like that to disappear.”
He was right. The smell of burnt flesh wasn’t something one would ever forget. I looked at the guy in front of me and knew he wasn’t someone I should underestimate. He was smart. And as human as he seemed, he was something I’d never come across before.
“So if you have no proof and you have no bodies, how exactly are you tracking this band of serial killers? And why do you think it’s something paranormal in nature?” I kept my tone disbelieving, though I was cold on the inside.
“Don’t you believe in secrets, Ms. Drake?”
“Fair enough,” I said. I had plenty of secrets of my own. “What do you want with me?”
“Like I said, just your help. You’ve made a lot of trips the past couple of months—Canada, New York, Florida, Texas, Washington, California, Mexico, Chile. Should I go on?”
