Page 46 of Hell’s Half Acre

Vedrana scowled at him. “What? No. He gets along with everyone.”

How he wished that was true. “Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

Luke glanced to his sister before he answered Vedrana’s question. “He was found murdered earlier.”

Disbelief darkened her eyes a split second before grief set in. She stumbled back and would have fallen had Terrabeth not been there.

For the first time, Luke respected his sister as he saw the kindness in her. She pulled Vedrana against her and held her gently in her arms as Vedrana cried hysterically.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m here.”

Vedrana couldn’t speak as sobs wracked her entire body. Dreadful soul-wrenching sobs.

The kind he imagined Sorcha had cried the night her sister had died. He’d never been that close to anyone, so this level of grief was astounding to him.

Then again, he didn’t want to think about losing Helly or his mother.

Or Sorcha.

That would devastate him. The very thought caused fire to encircle his hands. He quickly brought his emotions under control before anyone saw it.

Honestly, he didn’t understand where these strange emotions came from. In Hell, he was used to pain. To creatures screaming out in agony and rage. Begging. Praying. Those trying to bargain to get the torment to stop.

Grief was different. It was a lot worse. Physical pain could be dealt with.

Emotional loss…

There were no words. Both were excruciating, but there was something about the loss of a loved one that far exceeded the physical. It left a hole inside the soul.

Until his banishment, he’d never realized it. Which was probably good. If those in Hell had any idea of the pain, they’d rethink their torture devices.

Vedrana drew a ragged breath as she met his gaze. “What happened?”

For the first time in his exceptionally long life, Luke hesitated. More than that, he hated the fact that he was a harbinger in her life. Now he understood what the captain and Bernadette meant when they said notifications were the hardest part of their jobs. And this was why he hadn’t brought Sorcha along to talk to Vedrana. Even though Sorcha stood strong and brave, he knew how much it hurt her whenever they dealt with a victim’s loved ones.

It took her right back to that night she’d learned about her sister. That was a pain he did his best to shield her from.

Swallowing, he took Vedrana’s hand in his. “It looks like he was jumped and didn’t fight back. I’m thinking it had to be someone he knew.”

Fury replaced her grief. It was so deep that it caused her fangs to descend. “Who?!”

“I don’t know.” He didn’t have the heart to tell her that Lawson had been beheaded. She’d learn that truth soon enough.

“Find them!” she growled.

“We’re trying.”

Vedrana stopped leaning against his sister and stood upright. “I will find them. And they will bleed and beg for mercy I will never give them.”

“Understood. I’d expect no less.”

Vedrana wiped at her tears as she pulled herself together in an action he more than understood. Her grief would resume later. Now, she was fired by the need for vengeance. That would keep her together for a while.

What he pitied were the times when that need for throat would ebb and leave her desolate.

“I’m really sorry, Vedrana.” He meant those words.