Lyra had to fight to stay upright. In fact, she had to fight to stay in that spot. What she real y wanted to do was turn and run.
Theron set his hand on her shoulder, but said nothing. What could he say? There was nothing that could make this better, nothing that would stil the way her body shook and the way her skin crawled.
“I thought it was you,” Mahina said, looking at Lyra. “When I arrived at the scene and saw the victim, I cal ed Caine right away to make sure you were stil alive and kicking.”
Caine looked from the body to Lyra. “The resemblance is uncanny.”
And it was. So much that it made her stomach clench and her throat run dry. The victim had the same face, bone structure, hair color and hairstyle. If her eyes had been open, Lyra knew they’d be the same tawny brown.
“Is it a coincidence?” Eve asked.
Mahina shook her head. “Not likely. The victim’s hair has been hacked off recently. I’d say to match Lyra’s.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Caine continued to stare at Lyra. “This is a warning.”
Final y, Lyra reacted. Snapping out of her shock, she glared at Caine, anger surging through her veins. It was better than all owing the shock and fear to paralyze her into inaction. Anger she knew. It was an emotion she had wrapped herself in long ago, as a way to deal with life’s unfairness. “You’re not taking me off this case.”
“This kill er isn’t messing around, Lyra. He knows who we are.”
“We’re no more at risk than we usual y are on a case.”
“Jace nearly died when he was attacked in San Antonio. I won’t have the same thing happen to you.”
“I can take care of myself. My magic is strong.”
“His is stronger.”
Lyra swiveled around and glared at Theron. He hadn’t met her gaze but stil stared down at the body. His face was paler than normal, drawn in, haunted.
“Black magic is strong, Lyra. Binding spel s and simple charms are no match for its power.”
Her fingers twitched, eager to invoke a spel to purge her emotions. “I have more than simple charms in my arsenal, dhampir. So I’d watch what you say if you don’t want to end up as something slimy.”
Caine took a step forward, his hand up as if to ward off an attack. The action was futile. If Lyra wanted to cast a spel , there’d be nothing to stop her. “If you weren’t alone all the time…”
That had her eyes sparking. “You want to take me off the damn case because I’m single?” she hissed.
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then what are you saying, Chief? Because I real y want to know.”
“Let me assign someone—” his gaze brushed fleetingly over Theron “—for your protection.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“A police presence then, when you’re not at the lab.”
She glanced at Theron, at the body, then back to Caine.
“Fine. But no one is coming in my house. They can stay out in the car.”
“Agreed.” Snapping on latex gloves, he gestured toward the scene. “Now, let’s do this before the sky opens up.”
“Too late.” Mahina had her palm turned toward the sky.
The first fat drops of rain splattered Lyra on the nose and cheek. A slice of white lightning dissected the black clouds, confirming Mahina’s statement. The boom of thunder fol owed in its wake. The rumbling sound prompted the crew to action.
Caine, Eve and Mahina scrambled to get more tarps over the body and the area. Lyra raised her hands, palms out, toward the crime scene. She knew a protection spel that would save the integrity of the scene. Mumbling words under her breath, the beginnings of a yel ow glow started at her fingers, but the spel wasn’t strong enough. The rain was coming too fast.