I most definitely would’ve walked the other way if I came across this prior to learning Connor’s true identity. I wouldn’t have known what the power signature meant, but it vibrated with potency and menace—not something I’d take lightly at any given time, and definitely not something I’d raise. “Makes sense.”

  I walked around the statue to the other plots and froze.

  The upturned dirt was the first sign all was not well in the graveyard.

  Connor cursed.

  I quickly scanned the tombstone: Frances Sharrock.

  “My grandmother.”

  “Not to be insensitive, but why would they go for the most recent burial?” I knelt by the open grave and ran my hand through the dirt to send my magic into the ground, searching.

  If I had to retrieve bones, I’d go for the older graves so there’d less likely to be tissue and other remains inside.

  What a morbid thought.

  My magic flowed through the surrounding earth, relaying information about the nearby remains and death magic.

  Connor walked up to the open grave. “It’s empty, isn’t it?”

  I swallowed and nodded. The person who dug up his maternal grandmother’s grave had taken everything. I didn’t need to open the casket to know not a single bone remained.

  “I’m screwed,” Connor whispered.

  I straightened and turned back to the statue. “Maybe the person didn’t know your family’s identity as barghests. Maybe they just searched cemeteries until they found this. And it’s your maternal side of the family, your identity may still be safe because you have a different last name.”

  “And it may not be,” he said. “They might know exactly who and what I am.” And his whole family was now vulnerable to exposure. He could lose his job. His friends. Everything.

  No. That wasn’t quite true. He wouldn’t lose me, Jacobs or his family.

  Connor curled his hands into fists. Anger and power radiated from him, and his whole body vibrated. He opened his mouth to say something, but only a snarl came out.

  “Connor?” I stepped forward.

  He didn’t look at me. Instead, he squeezed his eyes shut as a low growl escaped his lips. “Run.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice. Spinning on my heel, I took off, running as fast as I could toward the car. I knew enough about Connor to know I likely had nothing to fear from him harming me in his barghest form, but he didn’t want me to see his transformation. He didn’t want to risk me at all. And he didn’t want to risk losing control.

  So I ran.

  I ran to give him space and now he had one less thing to worry about. As I reached the car, an ear-splitting howl shattered the calm night.

  Chapter

  Thirteen

  I pulled up outside the house of Lily Zheng’s parents and shoved the gear into park. Originally, I’d planned to come here with Connor, but he never returned to the car and hadn’t replied to any of my messages, yet, so I decided to cross some things off the list while I waited for him to return to his magnificent human self.

  My phone vibrated with a text message from Jacobs. I’d asked for Connor’s sister’s number.

  Is he okay? Jacobs asked after supplying the number.

  He’s fine, I replied before hitting the contact information. I might be overstepping, but Connor in barghest form running around the city and an unknown grave robber in possession of barghest bones, I felt compelled to tell someone in Connor’s family, and a sister seemed more approachable than parents.

  She picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

  “Hi. Is this Jane?”

  A hesitation. “It is.”

  “Hi. My name is Lark Morgan and I work with—”

  “I know who you are.”

  Oh.

  I paused and stared at my phone screen for a couple of blinks. How did Jane already know my name? Obviously, Connor had spoken about me, but what exactly did he say? “Uh…okay. Cool.”

  Cool? Seriously?

  I groaned and mentally face palmed. Denise was right. I was awkward. “Look, I’m probably overstepping, but I wanted to call someone in Connor’s family to warn you.”

  Silence answered me. Then, “Is he okay?”

  “Connor is fine, just…unavailable for phone conversion right now.”

  Jane snorted. “Tactful.”

  “Thank you.” I took a deep breath. “Someone has raided your maternal grandmother’s grave. They’ve taken all the remains and we believe they’ve used some of the bones to destroy at least one spirit. I’m sure Connor will call once he’s able to, but I wasn’t sure how long he’ll need, how pressing this information is or how immediately you needed to be informed.”

  Jane spat out a string of impressive curses.

  My eyebrows rose. “I’m sorry if I should’ve minded my own business.”

  “No,” she said. “No, you did the right thing. I can see why he likes you.”

  My heart caught in my throat.

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to hang up now and make a bunch of calls,” Jane said.

  “Of course. Understandable. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

  “Take care of my brother and don’t break his heart,” Jane said before hanging up.

  I sat in my vehicle and stared at my phone again for a few moments before collecting myself. I’d left Connor alone to lose control and ran off to interview the parents of a murder victim. Did that count as taking care of him?

  I winced and shoved my phone into my pocket. Guess I’d find out. Barghests didn’t exactly come with a dating manual.

  Walking up the steps, I approached the solid oak door, painted a tasteful dark blue to go with the gray siding. I used the gold knocker. A breeze blew past me, bringing with it scents of ocean salt and pine needles.

  An older East Asian woman opened the door and blinked at me, her brows pinching in, her body posture tensing.

  The full necromancer outfit had a way of intimidating people. In hindsight, I should’ve gone with jeans.

  “Mrs. Zheng? I’m sorry to impose on your day. My name is Lark Morgan and I’m a contractor with the Victoria Police Department. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time?” I held up my identification.

  Mrs. Zheng stepped back, her mouth dropping open to form a perfect O. “A necromancer?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Her arms fell to her sides, slack. “Is this about Lily? The police have already contacted us.”

  “I’m afraid so. I understand if this isn’t a good time.”

  “No…” She looked off into the other room, her chin trembled. “No. Now is as good a time as any.” Mrs. Zheng opened the door more and stepped back to allow me space to enter.

  As I stepped into the tidy West Coast styled home, crisp and refreshing air washed over me.

  I nodded to Mrs. Zheng and removed my boots before following the woman into the living room. The walls were painted a soothing shade of seafoam green that complimented the natural wood panelled ceiling and exposed beams. Sunlight streamed in through the large picture windows.

  An older East Asian man sat in an armchair, a newspaper open and spread across his lap. The paper forgotten, the man stared out the window.

  “Tony!” Mrs. Zheng snapped.

  The man jerked upright in his seat, his gaze focusing first on his wife and then on me. “Who are you?”

  “This is Ms. Morgan from the VicPD. She’s a necromancer,” Mrs. Zheng said, her accent so soft, I hadn’t caught it right away.

  “Oh.” Mr. Zheng nodded to himself. “Oh. Have a seat.” He waved at the plush, cream-coloured loveseat adorned with soft, teal and navy blue accent pillows to his right. Mrs. Zheng excused herself to make some tea.

  I sat down and folded my hands over my lap. “I am very sorry for the intrusion. I know this can’t be easy for you. We were hoping you might answer some questions to help us make sense of recent events.”

  Mr. Zheng shook his head, his mouth flattening into a thin line.

  “It’s been awful.” Mrs. Zheng carried a tray with a teapot and cups into the living room. She must’ve already had the water prepared. “We struggled with saying goodbye the first time and just when we’re finding a sense of peace, we have to relive it all over again.”

  She set the tray down on the intricately carved wooden coffee table before picking up the teapot. She first poured for me, then her husband and finally for herself before setting the teapot down and taking a seat.

  I thanked her for the tea and lifted the cup to my face. Hot steam lifted from the surface bringing a light, fresh orchid aroma to my nose.

  “Tell me about your daughter Lily.”

  Mrs. Zheng placed her cup down. “There is so much to say. Where do we start?” She glanced over at her husband. He had left his tea untouched and was staring out the window again.

  “Maybe we should start with what I know,” I said. “I know she was fatally injured at a busy intersection four years ago while waiting for her boyfriend to pick her up. She was four months pregnant. Although the boyfriend was a suspect, no one was arrested for the hit and run, and her murder has remained unsolved. Days ago, her body reappeared at the same intersection as if the accident had just happened except she bore no wounds.” I paused to collect my thoughts. “Her grave had also been dug up and her bones removed. This indicates that something supernatural is involved, at least in part. Was Lily into the occult? Did she have any magical abilities? Did she know someone who did? That is the kind of information we’re looking for. Anything to help us find the person or persons responsible.”

  Mrs. Zheng nodded again, gaze darting back and forth. “If you’re a necromancer, can’t you…can’t you just ask her? If you need our permission, you have it. I’ll sign whatever you want.”

  I didn’t need parental permission to raise a spirit for a police investigation, but that’s not what sent ice flowing over my skin and pain squeezing my chest. Under no circumstances did I want to tell them the soul of their beloved daughter might’ve been destroyed. “Lily didn’t answer my call.”

  Mrs. Zheng blinked at me. “Why…why would that happen?”

  “There are many reasons, but none of them change the outcome, so we’re trying to focus on the glamy angle that could explain her reappearance.”

  Mrs. Zheng bit her lip and looked away.

  “Mrs. Zheng?”

  “Please, call me Alice,” she said. “Lily had so many talents, so many things to live for, but she didn’t possess any magical or supernatural abilities. She was a drab like the rest of us. I think she may have known a witch or two through school or sports, but no one major in her life.”

  “Not even the boyfriend?”

  The dad scoffed. “The only thing significant about that boy was how deep his parents’ pockets went.”

  “Tony,” Alice warned.

  “Well, it’s true. A rich kid was seen fleeing the scene and doesn’t get arrested. If that’s not money talking, I don’t know what is.”

  “Do you think he did it?” I asked Tony.

  He turned his gaze to me. “I know he did.”

  I sat back on the couch and tapped my teacup. “Why would he do it? Because she was pregnant?”

  Tony grunted and looked out the window again.

  Alice reached forward and tapped his knee. “Tony always thought the parents gave that boy an ultimatum—the money or the girl.”

  Still, that was a big leap to murdering your lover.

  “The part that hurts the most is that she didn’t come to us,” Alice spoke softly. “Sure, we were strict. Our parents came to this country with nothing, and we had to work hard to get where we are today. We wanted to instill that work ethic and drive in Lily. But we would’ve helped her. We wouldn’t have shunned her or turned her away because of an unplanned pregnancy. That’s what cuts me the deepest.” Alice’s lips quivered. “She died thinking we didn’t love her unconditionally and now it’s too late…it’s too late to tell her.”

  “I’m sure she knew in the end.” I put the teacup down and pushed back the feelings threatening to overwhelm me. I’d just lied to Alice. And now, because Lily’s spirit had most likely been irrevocably destroyed, their daughter would never get to hear the words from her parents.

  I managed to ask a few more questions before thanking them for their hospitality and choking out a goodbye. One thing was perfectly clear to me—Lily’s parents loved her very much.

  When I reached the car, my phone started buzzing.

  “Morgan,” I answered.

  “It's me,” Connor’s deep voice rumbled through my phone’s speaker.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” A pause. “I’m sorry for that.”

  “Don't be. I was worried, though.”

  “I don’t think I’d ever hurt you in that form, but I didn’t want to risk it, and frankly, I didn’t want you to see the transformation. It’s not…pretty.” Another pause. “Do you happen to know why I have a number of missed calls from Jacobs, my sister and my parents?”

  He’d called me first. Not that it was a competition because I’d never get in the way of Connor and his family, but knowing he was concerned about me enough to call right away sent warmth spreading across my chest. I didn’t know what to do with the upwelling of emotions, so I went with verbal diarrhea. “I’m sorry. I was worried about you and your family and didn't know how long you’d be…away. I called your sister and gave her a heads-up in case this situation needed immediate attention. And I got her number from Jacobs. I hope I didn’t overstep.”

  “That…that was really thoughtful. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Just finishing up with Lily Zheng’s parents.”

  “How’d it go?”

  “Well, I’m super sad now and we don’t have any more answers than before, so not good. Father thinks the boyfriend did it.”

  “No answers still provide information. You’re eliminating possibilities and narrowing down the suspect field. Thank you for doing that. My next stop was the boyfriend. Would you like to come?”

  I thought of all the witty responses, especially since I did a lot of coming last night, but settled with, “Yes.”

  Chapter

  Fourteen

  I pulled up to the blue and gray townhouse wedged in a row of complexes on the west shore. Jacobs and Connor waited for me on the sidewalk. Connor had changed, so he must’ve gone home first and had his partner pick him up.

  I shut the door and joined them on the sidewalk. “Hey.”

  “Hey, Morgan.” Jacobs smiled. “Kang filled me in on your visit with Lily’s parents. Next time, take one of us. I know part of this investigation is a little off the books with all the soul stuff, but you should have backup.”

  “Okay.” I glanced at Connor…Kang.

  He’d filled in his partner? Exactly how much had he shared?

  “I am glad to have your help on this one,” Jacobs continued. “I wish they’d hire necromancers as officers.”

  Connor didn’t say anything. He settled his dark gaze on me and nodded.

  I rocked back on my heels and shoved my hands in my pockets. I’d rather run them down Connor’s chest to make sure he was okay, but apparently, we were being standoffish.

  Jacobs looked at me expectantly.

  “Yeah, sure. No problem,” I said.

  Jacobs frowned and glanced between the two of us. Awkward silence settled over the sidewalk.

  “You two really need to just make out already.” Jacobs turned and walked up the stairs.

  Probably for the best because the heat burning my face meant I must’ve turned so red I’d blend in at the fire department.

  Connor leaned over. “You’re blushing.”

  I shoved his shoulder. “You obviously didn’t fill him in on everything.”

  He clicked his tongue and shook his head. “A gentleman never kisses and tells.”

  I snorted and walked past him. “Sure you’re not trying to keep your options open?”

  “With Jacobs? Neither of us swing that way, but if we did, he’d have already broken my heart by now.”

  I stopped and gaped at him.

  Connor winked and sauntered up the stairs to join me.

  “Are you two coming?” Jacobs called down from the top of the stairs before turning to knock on the door.

  I pushed my feelings for Connor to the side and joined Jacobs at the door. “Interesting choice of words.”

  Jacobs barked out a laugh.

  Connor smirked at me, but I focused on the entrance as it opened to reveal a young, attractive man. He had brown hair, brown eyes, and an olive complexion. He stood over six feet tall with wide shoulders and looked like he should be on the header for some bougie sailing club’s monthly subscriber’s newsletter.

  “Hello?” the man asked.

  “Mason Miller?” Jacobs asked.

  “Yeah?” His gaze flicked over us.

  “My name is Detective Jacobs, and this is my partner Detective Kang and our DM Consultant, Lark Morgan.”

  “DM Consultant?” Mason asked.

  I silently thanked him for the question because Jacobs had never used that term before, and I was completely out of the loop.

  “Death Magic,” Jacobs said, somehow keeping a straight face. Fuck police work, this guy should’ve gone into acting.

  I managed not to groan or snort.

  Connor remained silent and observant, a big ball of dark energy at my back.

  These detectives probably didn't need me here for anything other than show and to protect Kang’s true identity.

  Shaking off the thought, I smiled when Mason’s gaze snagged on my face.

  He flinched and quickly looked away. Maybe I smiled a little too hard.

  Connor stepped forward, positioning himself between us. “We’d like to ask you a few questions about Lily Zheng.”

  “Lily?” Mason paled. He looked away and swallowed. “I heard…I heard her…” He swallowed again. “I heard the news.”

 

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