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“Thank god for small mercies,” I whispered.
By the time we reached the parking lot, two vans pulled in and several hunters piled out. Daryn and Kaine put the body of the man in the back, and we took the larger vehicle. Daryn deployed the group of hunters to the woods to watch the cave mouth, and the second team began scouting the mountain for other entrances.
The drive was solemn as Daryn wove through the forest-lined streets and neared downtown. I knew where the city coroner’s office was, but I had no idea where the supernatural one existed. I frowned when he turned down a side street that led to the mundane morgue.
“This leads to the Spirit Falls morgue.”
“That’s where we are going. We don’t need two facilities, but Noreen has spells woven into the building. If a non-human or empowered body enters, then she makes sure she is assigned the autopsy. She sends us the true report and provides the mundane authorities with a plausible cause of death. We have our own morgue at the base, but that is for demons and hunter-related... deaths. I’m surprised you have been to the city morgue. Your parents were hunters, as were their friends.”
I nodded. “Yes. But I had a couple of mundane friends growing up. A few years before my parents were killed, a classmate of mine died of leukemia. My mom brought me to the morgue to console her mother. Kathy wouldn’t leave her daughter Tracy’s side. It was... a tough time.”
Daryn’s hands fisted on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry, honey. A child’s death is about as bad as it gets.”
“In a way, what happened to Tracy prepared me for A.J.”
It was late, and we parked the van in the dimly-lit alley behind the coroner’s building. As I stepped out, the chilly night air sent a shiver down my spine, a stark reminder of the somber duty that had brought us here. A young life had been wasted, and I felt awful for the man’s family. A gurney was waiting for us, and I assumed either Indy or Kaine had prepared Noreen for our visit. Daryn unloaded the body, placing it on the rolling bed, ensuring that the body was secure beneath the sterile white sheet provided.
Kaine and Indy rolled up in their vehicle and joined us silently.
With a heavy sigh, I pushed through the unassuming back door. The coroner’s building interior was a stark departure from the bustling cityscape not far from its walls. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead cast an unforgiving glare, contrasting sharply with the shadows that clung to the corners of the corridor.
Daryn pushed the gurney as we went deeper into the serene building. The wheels rolled silently on the tiled floor, echoing faintly in the otherwise hushed corridor.
The air inside the building smelled of antiseptic and rubber. Sterile white walls bore witness to countless sad stories that had passed through these halls, each one unique and deserving of respect.
As we guided the gurney down the hallway that led to the autopsy room, a figure emerged from a side door, bathed in the sterile glow of fluorescent lights. It was the coroner, dressed in full blue scrubs. The mask covering her face had been pulled down, revealing a pair of mesmerizing aqua-blue eyes that held a depth of understanding and compassion. She had a curvy, reassuring presence that put me at ease in the otherwise stark environment.
Her eyes met Daryn’s, and there was a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation. The hallway seemed to brighten as her welcoming smile broke through the somber atmosphere.
Noreen’s scrubs, while practical and professional, couldn’t hide the fact that she was a woman of substance with curves that spoke of life’s ups and downs. Her warm demeanor reassured me, making me feel like I was in the presence of someone who truly cared about the people who graced her door under the dreariest of circumstances and the burdens they carried. With a gentle nod, she motioned for us to follow her into the room she had come from.
Stepping into the autopsy room felt like crossing a threshold into a world both clinical and solemn. The stark white walls seemed to absorb the hum of fluorescent lights, casting an unwavering glare upon every surface. The room was meticulously clean, but its purpose was undeniable.
The stainless-steel autopsy table stood as the centerpiece of the space. It was pristine, like a blank canvas, ready to receive the mysteries and stories of those who had passed on. Its cold surface gleamed with sterile efficiency, but the weight of its purpose hung in the air.
Overhead, a bank of bright lights loomed, poised to illuminate the truth hidden within each body that found its way here. Their clinical brightness contrasted sharply with the shadows that clung to the corners of the room, a stark reminder of the delicate balance between life and death.
Rows of gleaming instruments, each with its own purpose, lined the walls. They stood ready, like silent sentinels, awaiting the skilled hands that would wield them. The sight of those tools was both sobering and awe-inspiring, a testament to the dedication and expertise of the woman who worked in this room.
As I stood there, I couldn’t help but feel a profound respect for the individuals who worked in this room, for their unwaveringcommitment to unraveling the mysteries of life and death. In this clinical space, amid the starkness and precision, there was a quiet dignity, a reminder that even in the face of the unknown, there could be understanding and closure.
Noreen motioned to the body. “What do we have?”
Daryn pulled back the sheet to reveal the dead man with red eyes. Their glow had paled, and they had taken on a milky quality.
Noreen touched his lip, exposing the fangs. “You said it was a hybrid, but this appears different. We got a couple of them during the war, and I told my partner they were vampire teeth. Many young people augment their teeth these days, so it didn’t raise any eyebrows.”
I glanced around the room. “Does the mundane coroner work in this room?”
Noreen motioned toward one wall. “He has the room next to me. I prefer he not see what I am working on. I can perform a glamor spell when needed, but it saps my energy.”
She grabbed a scalpel from the tray beside her. “Do you want me to have a quick look before you go? The hybrid I did an autopsy on before had drastically different internal organs. While the transitions were obviously not complete, the organs appear to be affected before you see any outward signs.”
Daryn swore under his breath. “I am lucky you got a stray demon. I should have had one sent to you. I assumed because we knew what was causing it, we didn’t need your expertise. I was wrong.”
“You are here now. Besides, I did consult with your mortician in the early stages of the demon incursion. Kaine, will you remove his clothing?”
Indy began undoing the man’s shirt while Kaine worked on his pants. They were careful to keep his middle covered, and I admired their respect for the dead. As soon as they placed theclothes in a bin beside the gurney, Noreen made a Y incision in the chest.
