I Am the Wild (The Night Firm #1)- Karpov Kinrade Page 0,49

be overly harsh in their judgements. It's our job to make sure our clients get a fair trial. That they aren't unnecessarily punished beyond what is reasonable for the crime they committed, or, if innocent, that they are not punished at all."

"And Dracula? Do you really believe he's innocent?" I ask.

He shrugs. "I don't know. I don't think he would kill Mary, but then again, I can't be sure I'm being impartial when it comes to him. As I'm sure you've gathered, our history with him is complicated."

"Yeah, that is pretty clear."

Lily opens my door and I slide out, with Sebastian following. I notice a ruined cathedral opposite of Dracula’s manor. A mighty structure of gray stone, its two twin towers almost reaching the Dragon’s Breath. Half of its roof is caved in, and chipped Gargoyles perch on what remains, their gazes old and tired.

Sebastian follows my eyes. “The place has been in disrepair for so long, most call it the Broken Cathedral now,” he says.

“What was it called before?”

He shrugs. “I don’t partake much in religion.”

Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. “And what sort of religions exist in the Otherworld?”

“The same as in the mundane world. The cathedrals are open to all faiths carried over into this place.”

I nod, and we make our way to the villa. It's even more stunning up close. There's a beautiful garden in the courtyard we pass, and Lily squeals at the flowers blooming under the shifting lights of the Dragon's Breath. "This place is amazing," she says, clearly delighted.

"Remember, we're here to investigate a murder, not to have afternoon tea," Sebastian says.

I frown at him. He really needs to learn to lighten up sometimes.

Lilly doesn't take any offense. "I know, Uncle Seb. I just think it's pretty here. That's all."

Yellow eyes peer at us from behind a bush, and I kneel and make a clicking sound, luring a beautiful Egyptian Mau out of hiding. The cat hisses at Sebastian but nuzzles against me purring. I give the sweet thing some love and then stand when someone comes out to greet us.

The butler Dracula mentioned. "You must be from the Night Firm?" he asks.

We nod.

"The Count said to expect you. Please, follow me."

The cat scurries away as the butler leads us through an open living room, and upstairs into a master suite larger than some apartments I've lived in. It would be a gorgeous room if not for the bloodstains soaking the bed and staining the white silk sheets.

"This is where the mistress and her child were killed," the man says quietly.

"What's your name?" I ask.

He looks up in surprise. "Leonard," he replies.

"Thank you, Leonard. Would it be possible to get some tea and blood? Lily can help you."

He looks at me with an expression of relief. "Of course. Yes. I can do that. Will you two be okay here?"

I nod, smiling, and he leaves Sebastian and I alone in the bloody bedroom with a look of relief. Lily follows him out.

"We are going to need to Memory Catch him," Sebastian says, once they are gone.

"He's human?"

"No, so it can't be used in court, but it can give us useful information regardless. Even if his memory's been tampered with, that in itself can be a clue."

"Can you tell if he's messed with it?"

"We can, yes. Usually. Someone has to be really skilled at memory manipulation to deceive us. We've been doing this a very long time."

I nod and study the room, imagining Mary's final moments of life, bleeding out on the bed, her dead baby in her arms. Who did this?

"Are there no surveillance cameras?" I ask.

"No, we don't use technology of that type here. That's why I said you wouldn't be needing a new phone. The Otherworld is… slow to change. Technology is frowned upon. There are no cell towers or electricity. Everything is powered by magic."

"Huh. Wow. Do you prefer it here?" I ask.

He shrugs. "There are advantages and disadvantages. Certain technology is useful and is considered contraband here. You can get into legal trouble for owning so much as an electric toothbrush. But, here I am not subject to the whims of the sun, and I do not have to hide who and what I am."

"Good thing you have a magic castle that can go anywhere, then."

He smirks. "Yes, good thing."

I scan around the room, refocusing on our task. "So, what are we looking for?"

"Anything that might give us a hint into Mary's life. Did she have other lovers? Other children? Enemies?