'The Coalition for Better Understanding between humans and shapeshifters,' I said.
'Yes' - and the word was calmer - 'yes, and you were mentioned in several stories as living with him.'
I wondered if the stories had talked about Nathaniel, the guy who lived with us, or the fact that I was also 'dating' Jean-Claude, the Master Vampire of St Louis? I almost never watched the news, so I didn't always know what was being said in the media about any of us.
'Why didn't you call the Coalition number and ask for Micah directly?'
'He said really awful things to me last time we spoke, Ms Blake. I think I'd fall completely apart if he said that again to me with Rush hurt like this. Can you please tell him, and then if Mike wants to see us, to see Rush, before ... in time ... I mean ... Oh, God, I'm usually better than this, but it's so terrible what's happening to Rush, so hard to watch.'
'Happening? What do you mean?'
'He's rotting ... he's rotting alive and aware and the doctors can't stop it. They have drugs that can slow it, but nothing slows it down much.'
'I'm sorry, I don't understand. You mean that something preternatural attacked Mr Callahan and now he's got some disease?'
'Yes,' she said, almost a breath rather than a word.
'But they've seen it before, this disease?'
'Yes, they say it's the first case outside the East Coast, but they've learned enough to slow it down. There's no cure, though. I overheard a nurse call it the zombie disease, but she got in trouble for saying it. The older nurse said, "Don't give it a name that the media will love." I heard doctors whispering that it's just a matter of time before it hits the news.'
'Why do they call it the zombie disease?' I asked, partly to just give myself time to think.
'You rot from the outside in, so you're aware the whole time. Apparently it's incredibly quick, and they've only managed to prolong the life of one other person.' Her breath came out in a shudder.
'Mrs Morgan, there are questions I want to ask, but I'm afraid they'll upset you more.'
'Ask, just ask,' she said.