It was as if something had actually brushed her soul.
Valerius could feel Tabitha shaking, but to her credit, she didn't scream or lose control of herself.
"Is it gone?" she asked.
"I think so." At least he no longer felt it.
"What was that thing?" she asked with a tiny trace of hysteria in her voice.
"I'm not sure. Did you recognize it or the voice?"
She shook her head.
A human scream rang out.
Valerius let go of her so that he could run toward the sound. He knew Tabitha was right behind him and he made sure he kept her there. The last thing he wanted was to leave her behind for that thing to attack.
It didn't take long to reach the small, dark alcove where the scream had originated.
Unfortunately, they were too late. A body lay on the street in a heap.
"Stay back," he told Tabitha as he inched closer to it.
Tabitha started to argue, but didn't really want to see what was obvious. To be honest, she'd seen more than her share of dead bodies.
Valerius knelt down and felt for a pulse. "He's dead," he said.
Tabitha crossed herself, then glanced away. As her gaze touched on the building, she frowned. There on the old faded brick was bloody Greek writing. Tabitha could speak the language, but couldn't read the Greek words. "Do you know what that says?"
Valerius looked up. His face turned to stone. "It says, 'Death to those who meddle.'"
As soon as he read it, the words vanished. She swallowed as a new wave of panic swept through her. "What is going on here, Val?"
"I don't know," he said before he pulled out his phone and called Tate, the parish coroner who was a long-time friend of the Dark-Hunters.
"I'm surprised Tate will talk to you," she said after Valerius hung up.
"He doesn't like me, but after Ash had a talk with him, he's learned to tolerate me." Valerius rejoined her. "We better go before Tate arrives with the police."
"Yeah," she said, feeling sick to her stomach. "Do you think we should call Ash and tell him what happened?"
"We don't really know what happened. There wasn't enough time for a Daimon to kill him and steal his soul."
"So what does that mean?"
"Have you or your sister conjured up anything?"
"No!" she said indignantly. "We know better."
"Well, something seems to have your number, Tabitha, and until we find out what it is, I don't think I should let you out of my sight."
Tabitha couldn't agree more. In all honesty, she didn't want to be out of his sight. Not if that... thing was going to come back.
"Tell me something, Val. Are Dark-Hunters any good against ghosts?"
"Honestly?"
She nodded.