Highly disturbing.
All of a sudden, something rustled in the woods near them.
It wasn’t a golf cart.
Luke moved in front of her to protect her at the same time a giant white wolf came rushing at them. It launched toward them, then transformed into a tall, incredibly beautiful woman with white-blonde hair.
“You’re scaring my new partner, Laura.”
She looked past him to where Sorcha stood. “Sorry, hon.”
Luke tsked. “No, you’re not.”
“Of course not. Like you, I don’t believe in apologizing. Except for when I first meet someone and scare them.” Laura wiped her hands together as she surveyed the area. “I know this’ll be a giant surprise to you, but there’s nothing here.”
Sorcha was confused as Laura turned in a small circle near Luke. “What do you mean?”
“No Dire has come near this place…ever.” Laura turned back toward Sorcha. “I’d know if they had. We leave a very distinct scent. And it usually lingers like a dead polecat.”
That made her stomach sink. “If there’s no Dire Wolf…”
“What is everyone seeing and reporting?” Luke held his hand out and the police folder appeared in his palm. He pulled out the photo and showed it to Laura. “What is this?”
She scowled as she took it and saw the image. “A Dire.”
“So what’s a Dire not a Dire?” Sorcha asked.
Luke sobered with an intensity she found as disturbing as when he’d rested his hands on her shoulders. “Trouble.”
Chapter
Three
Sorcha sighed as they investigated the last sighting location in the woods that led to a Kroger parking lot where the wolf had been spotted two days ago.
Just as with the other sites, Luke and Laura felt and smelled nothing.
“Is it demonic?” she asked. “Maybe it’s just a really big animal?”
Laura pulled her blonde hair back with a ponytail band. “Has to be a demon or other critter. It’s definitely not my breed and a demon would be the only thing I can think of that could mask its scent from me. Even if it was another kind of shapeshifter, it would leave a scent I could detect.”
That was all Laura kept saying.
“Why would a demon be roaming the woods of a small town?” Sorcha looked at Helly.
The imp shrugged. “Not a demon. I’m an imp, but it could be all kinds of reasons. Maybe they’re hunting the set of The Walking Dead? A lot of demons have crushes on Norman Reedus.”
Laura snorted. “That’s set in Senoia…one town over.”
Luke laughed as his phone rang out with ACDC’s Hell’s Bells.
“Really?” Sorcha asked.
Ignoring her, he held the phone to his ear. “Hey, Captain. What’s up?”
While he took the call, she watched a golf cart of teenagers ride past them with their radio blasting.
Laura shook her head. “Good to be young, eh?”
