Lilac smirked. “Most dark books need something evil to bind the magic inside.”
That threw me. “I assumed it was a diary.”
“Yes, because serial killers often keep diaries,” Aurora said on an eye roll.
I shot her a dark look. “They do.”
“Name one.”
“BTK.” It was the only name that came to mind. “Dennis Rader kept a journal of his kills. That’s how they got him.”
I felt Galen’s eyes on me but refused to look. “How do you know that?” he asked.
“I know things.” I stared elsewhere.
“How?” he repeated.
“I happen to be a very smart woman who researches a great many things.”
“How?” he said one more time.
I made a disgruntled sound deep in my throat. “There was aDateline.”
“Ah.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “That’s my girl.”
“He’s not the only one,” I said, turning to stare at him. I should have left it alone — I was out of my element — but my mouth often got away from me. “There was … .” I searched for anything to throw at him.
“Westley Allan Dodd,” Lilac volunteered. She had her phone out. “Melvin Rees. Ooh, his killer name was The Sex Beast. I don’t want to know why.” She kept reading. “David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam killer. Leonard Lake, who apparently did terrible things with a partner.”
She lowered her phone. “It appears Hadley is right about serial killers leaving diaries.”
Aurora swished her lips. “She took a shot in the dark.”
“She was right.” Lilac gave Aurora a quelling look before glancing at me. “I can see why you thought it was a diary, but it’s definitely bound in skin.”
“Lovely,” I muttered. “What kind of skin?”
“Not human,” Galen replied. He leaned forward and sniffed. “Doesn’t smell like demon either.”
“It kind of smells like vampire,” Aurora said. “Not exactly like a vampire but sort of like a vampire.”
“Dhampir?” I guessed.
Aurora lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “A decent guess.”
For once I wasn’t happy to be right. “I doubt it was made from Declan’s skin.”
“Something tells me it was somebody else’s skin,” Aurora agreed. “That suggests it was sought by Declan. Maybe he was using it in his quest for immortality.”
“Is there a legend of an immortal dhampir?” I asked.
“I have to imagine there is,” she replied. “There are legends of immortal witches and shifters. Why not a dhampir?”
I glanced at the book for a lingering moment. “You don’t think the book will come alive and try to hurt us once we unlock it?”
The question made Galen grin. “Is it any wonder I love you more than anything?” he crooned.
“I’m serious. I’ve heard about that stuff happening.”
