I didn’t like having even more enemies. I most especially didn’t like the idea of one I didn’t know the identity or motivation of.

A witch with more power than sense, Thruor had said. And the members of a certain coven had scattered to the winds.

But this didn’t seem their style. If it was them, they’d try putting a curse on me or something. Something more subtle.

I honestly suspected careless hunters. Which meant I needed to make a call to Seb.

“I’m…a…bit…busy!” he said.

“Where are you?”

“Rock Creek!”
That wasn’t enough info, and a moment later I heard his phone hit the ground. Dang it, I thought. Dang it…

I had to rescue Seb now and I wasn’t sure how to get there fast enough. I needed one of those “bikes.”

Instead, I set off at a run, hoping my instincts would be able to find him. I also tried summoning the fyrhund.

And it actually came, loping along next to me, tongue hanging out. I suspected anyone looking would see a young, enthusiastic Labrador.

Did fyrhunds come in different breeds? I elected not to care, but rather whispered, “Find Seb.”

It took off at a run I wouldn’t have been able to follow if I was merely human. Even as it was, I was struggling. “Slow down. Some of us only have two feet.”

It did. Slightly. Leading me into the park. Last time…yeah. I had bad feelings about Rock Creek Park. I suspected Seb’s trouble was, it being dark, of the fanged nature. Into the park…I hoped I was in time.

I didn’t want to think about something happening to him. Then instinct screamed at me to stop.

I did. I skidded to a halt, then turned and ran the other way.
The explosion still caught me, just the edge of it, like a fire burning. It didn’t damage by jacket, but I felt it like a sunburn underneath.

And the fyrhund was gone. No. If they had…if they had hurt a creature that was there because I called it?

Somebody was going down for this. I pulled out my phone. “Seb?”

“It’s okay. I got help.”

“We need to talk.”

“I…”

“Now, Seb.”

I wasn’t sure who these people were, but I knew I needed to convince Seb that they were, while possibly on our side, incompetent at best and utter idiots at worst.

“It’s important.”

I waited for him, then, but when he showed up, two women in, to be honest, the most ridiculous vampire hunting gear ever flanked him.
And one of them immediately lowered a gun at me. “This is your friend?” she said in utter disgust.

I felt the anger start to boil up within me. They had injured me, possibly killed the fyrhund, they…

“You know there’s no such thing as a good one.”