Past Due (27 page)

Frankie noticed that both Mark and Alex looked as exhausted as she felt; they were all failing and if this didn’t end soon they would lose.

That thought gave her another small burst of strength and she lunged at the demon, where she thought its heart might be but her sword struck nothing. The beast was gone.

The next thing she knew she was flying across the room; landing roughly on the concrete floor. Exhausted, she wanted nothing more than to sleep but she forced her eyes open as she looked at the chaos around her.

The zombie was broken, literally unable to stand. Frankie hoped the man he had been was well and truly gone, that he wasn’t having to suffer through any of this. Adam was lying on the ground, facing away from her. Alex and Mark were behind her so she couldn’t see them.

Josh crawled over to Mark and murmured softly to him. Frankie then saw Josh rise slowly to his feet and limp past a man who was kneeling in the middle of the room. Frankie didn’t recognise the man. Maybe he was one of the witches.

She refocused on Josh as he came towards her and noticed how hurt he was. As well as limping, he was favouring one of his arms and was covered in blood. Her gaze continued up and she flinched when she saw his expression. If vengeance had a face, this is how it would look, she thought.

Josh’s gaze drifted over her and Mark and his eyes turned so dark she’d almost swear they were black.

He stepped past them but Frankie didn’t have the energy to turn and watch. She didn’t have to, though, because the next instant he was dragging Brad back with him.

Frankie watched as Josh hauled Brad to his feet. Battered and bruised as he was, Brad still had enough energy to be terrified and trembled violently as he looked into Josh’s face. Frankie couldn’t blame him since Josh looked completely inhuman in his rage.

Josh slowly pulled his fist back, enjoying the fear he was creating in Brad but only when Brad finally wet himself did Josh strike him. Frankie heard his neck snap and watched as he fell to the floor, his lifeless eyes looking right at her.

For Frankie that was the final straw and she closed her eyes and allowed exhaustion to overtake her.

Frankie woke up alone in Alex’s bed. She felt sore and battered but basically okay. She was also fully dressed which probably meant she hadn't been asleep long.

Though anxious to find out how the others had fared in the battle, she needed some time to process things.

It was over, finally. She felt as if this case had been her whole life for months, though in reality it had barely been a week. She felt as though everything should be different somehow and the idea that the world would just carry on as normal around her made her feel lonely.

Frankie had spent most of her young life wanting to be alone and most of her adult life alone, but she had never felt lonely until now.

She supposed she would adjust.

Josh had looked fine. Beaten and badly wounded, but alive. She had started to trust him, to like him even, but the face she had looked into when he killed Brad had been totally alien. The mask had slipped and the monster was showing through.

He had also watched her shower and seen her naked whilst disguised as a cat. Frankie didn’t know how she felt about any of that, or him, so for the moment she pushed those thought aside.

She didn’t know how Adam or Mark had fared but she hoped they were both okay.

Had the demon actually been defeated? Or had it taken over Mark’s mind and expelled her and Alex from it? Maybe this wasn’t over!

Despite vehement protests from her muscles she flew out of bed and rushed to the living room to see that everyone was there.

“
Frankie,” Josh smiled and got to his feet to greet her. He reached out and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek.

Alex looked almost apoplectic but he calmed when he saw her flinch.

Josh stepped back. He looked hurt.

“
How are you?” he asked, formally.

“
I’m fine.” She bushed his concern aside and focused on Mark. “Are you okay?”

He flashed her a tired version of his trademark easy-going smile and Frankie wondered how he would recover. Having a demon invade your mind couldn’t be very pleasant. “I had a thumping headache for a couple of hours but now I’m fine,” he reassured her.

Frankie flopped onto the sofa, next to Alex. “What happened?” she asked.

Alex took her hand.

“
It’s over,” Adam told her. He was seated on the arm next to his brother. Frankie was glad Mark had someone to help him through this.

“
But how is it over, what did I miss?”

“
One of the witches knew a blocking spell,” Adam explained. “When we got there we thought we were too late but when he saw what you and Alex were doing he realised the demon hadn't taken hold yet and closed the portal before the demon completely came through.”

“
And the police?”

“
Dad and Alex altered the memory of the first two officers and the passersby so they remember Brad shouting about killing those women and threatening people until a large nondescript man punched him in the face and broke his neck before running away, scared. With all the satanic crap in there, not to mention another corpse, they’ll close the case and probably try and pin a medal on the imaginary hero.”

Frankie nodded. It would all make sense soon, she was sure. She stood up. “Thank you all for your help. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some reports to write. Don’t worry, I’ll protect your secrets.”

She turned towards the door.

“
Frankie?” She turned back to Josh. He looked hesitant. “I’m sorry I called you an idiot. You’re one of the bravest women I’ve ever met and if it hadn't been for you…” he looked at Mark briefly, contemplating what he could have lost, and when he turned back to her, Frankie saw the pain in his eyes. “Thank you.”

Frankie nodded and turned to leave. At the front door she was surprised to realise Alex had followed her.

“
Wait, your bag.” He ducked into the study and returned with her handbag and her coat. Frankie wouldn’t even have thought of them. “Are you sure you’ll be alright?” he asked, as he helped her into the coat.

“
Of course.” She frowned, realising she’d planned on driving home. “Where’s my car?”

“
At your home. The keys are in your bag. Shall I call you a taxi?”

“
It’s fine, there’s a taxi rank over the road, I’m sure there’ll be plenty.”

“
Frankie it… It feels like you’re saying goodbye.”

“
Alex, I don’t know what I’m saying. Nothing feels real anymore and I need a few days to adjust.”

“
You’re sure that’s it? You’re not still mad about me shutting you out of the case?”

In all honesty she’d forgotten about that, at least for the moment. “When I have the strength I’ll probably be pissed at you again, but right now I just need time to process everything.”

Alex nodded but he didn’t look happy. “Okay. Goodnight Frankie.”

Frankie smiled and cupped her hand to his cheek. “'Night, Alex.”

Finally she made it out of the door but before she pulled it closed she could have sworn she heard Josh say “Until next time, Cara Mia.”

She shivered in the cold night as she descended the stairs and she realised her cheeks were wet. She was crying.

She paused briefly to collect herself before she thought that perhaps it was okay, just this once, to cry. After everything she’d seen this week she surely deserved it.

She crossed the street and climbed into the back seat of the first taxi.

“
Where to?” the driver asked, looking at her in the rear view mirror. She saw his eyes widen at the sight of her and Frankie realised what a mess she must look.

“
Home,” she said with relief. “Take me home.”

Epilogue

It had been two weeks since that night and Frankie had felt like an automaton for most of it. She had filed her reports, called Will, called her mother and worked her regular cases but she had just been going through the motions, feeling numb.

Now the loneliness she had feared was seeping back in.

Alex had left her messages but she had ignored them, unable to consider the future. Now she found herself parking at the rear of the club and walking around to the entrance. It was early so there was no queue yet and she walked straight in. She paused inside and looked around for him.

When she spotted him standing by the bar he was already looking at her, smiling.

He walked over to her and took her hand. “I missed you,” he told her.

She smiled back. “I’m here now.”

He nodded. “How are you?” Alex thought she looked tired and pale.

Frankie shrugged.

“
Lets go somewhere we can talk,” he said, leading her towards his office. Frankie followed.

As she reached the top of the staircase that led to his office she turned back and looked around the club. By going though the door now she was crossing a line, committing herself to something. Alex paused and waited for her, seeming to understand she needed a few moments.

Frankie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted this, she reminded herself, that was why she came, after all. Alex was a good person and he cared about her. He would never hurt her.

She turned her back on the club and walked into his office, smiling when she heard the faint click as the door closed behind them.

The End

HALF PaST

When Josh comes to Edinburgh and begs for Frankie's help with a rogue vampire, she once again finds herself plunged back into the dangerous world of vampires.

Forced to stay away from Alex until they've finished, Frankie begins to realise just how much he has come to mean to her and how much losing him would hurt.

But Josh is hiding something from her, a deadly secret that could get them all killed.

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About the Author

Cat Winchester was born in East Anglia. After trying many different places, she is now happily settled in Edinburgh, with her family and three dogs.

www.cswinchester.net