I frown as I process this information. “Is that what Sabra and her mage friends told you?”
She waves a frustrated hand in the air between us. “Let’s just call it a bit of family lore and leave it at that.”
I want to ask more questions but don’t push. Instead, I focus on the case at hand. “So you think the blood helped give the spirit passage through from the other side?”
Phoenix bites her lip in that way she does when she’s thinking hard about something. She gives the briefest nod. “It’s a possibility. In the other planes, they don’t always understand what this realm is or how it works. But human blood and the energy of bloodletting—and the soul that ebbs from the body at death—provides a huge amplification of spirit energy. It’s why blood sacrifice was so popular in ancient religions across different cultures.”
“Whoa,” I say, following her thought processes, connections snapping together. “One of the reasons you think your professor might be onto something with his theories?”
Her expression softens slightly. “Yes. I think there was power in the blood, as they used to say, and it was more than just metaphoric. It fed the spirits who’d come from other realms, strengthening their ties to this one and feeding their power. The more worshippers they had, the more temples, the more blood sacrifices they could demand.”
I nod as we start down the stairs. “That’s dark. Getting humans to do your dirty work for you.”
“Yeah, well.” She huffs out a breath as her boots echo on the concrete steps. “The spirits didn’t exactly have a conception of the worth of human life, did they? Just like humans don’t consider much about the lives of the cows they slaughter to eat.”
I have to acknowledge the truth in that. “Fair point.”
“Most spirits previously spent their lives in intangible darkness on other planes. Matter often works differently inthose places. They became wild and greedy once they got here and were able to manifest physical bodies for the first time.”
“Sounds to me like you’re the one who could give the Professor a lecture on this topic.”
We’re at the bottom of the stairs when Phoenix spins on me. “What is with you?” There’s genuine confusion in her voice now along with the irritation. “You keep bringing him up. I thought you’d be excited to hear his theories validated.”
I don’t want to look like a jealous bastard. I really don’t want to put any more pressure on Phoenix and this pretense of a marriage we’re trapped in.
“Nothing,” I say with a smile I hope looks genuine as I hold up my hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m just wary of outsiders knowing our business.”
The hard line of her mouth doesn’t budge. Her eyes search my face for something. “Well, I suggest you get over it because I think we should call him and ask for his input.”
“What?” This does surprise me genuinely. “You can’t do that.”
It’s apparent she doesn’t like me telling her what she can or can’t do.
I gesture back up the stairs toward where we just came from. “You just said no human could have done that.”
“He doesn’t have to know specific details about the crime scene,” she says with exaggerated patience. “But he’s more familiar with all the various factions of ancient religions that were active back in the day. He might have a clue about the first great exile and if there’s some sort of weakening or opening in the planes.”
“Maybe that’s true. I guess that makes sense.” I’m trying to be reasonable even though I don’t like it. “But isn’t it equally possible this could be a completely new spirit we’ve neverencountered before. We should call Sabra first and see if she sees anything we missed with her magical sight.”
Phoenix bites her lip again. “Maybe you’re right.”
I frown because I can’t help myself. Is it just me, or does shereallywant to bring the Professor in on this investigation?
“Look, I’ve seen something like this before,” she says, and her voice has gone quieter. More vulnerable. “My mother was possessed by an ancient goddess while she was pregnant with me. One who was trying to break back into this world. She was pissed she’d been kicked out of this plane and killed a lot of people on her quest to get back in.”
“What?” I’m genuinely shocked by this revelation. “You never told me that.” We spent so much time together and she never told me. I thought we were so close.
“What happened? How did your mother kick the goddess out of her body?”
Phoenix swallows and looks at the ground. “Apparently I did. When I was born.”
I can only stare at her. No wonder she knows so much about spirits in the dark and what they want. And no wonder she’s so afraid of what they just let through.
“Yeah. Well.” She looks away from me. “It’s another reason I wanted to study with Professor Rossi. I think I finally identified who possessed my mom based on his research. And I want to make sure we’re all on guard in case she tries to come back again.”
“Fuck, Phoenix, why didn’t you tell me that sooner?” I take a step toward her. “Is that why you’re different from Vlad? The goddesschangedyou somehow?”
“What?” She looks surprised by my question, and a little bit of color comes into her pale cheeks. “Oh. No. That was just a coincidence. Sort of. The other goddess could sense there was spirit activity and blood magic going on with my familyand got interested in us because of it. It’s why she chose my mom. Anyway.” She waves a hand dismissively and looks away from me again. She starts walking with a firm stride out of the building as she pulls out her phone. No doubt to text the Professor again.
