Chapter 1
The morgue held a sharp chill. They kept it cold to preserve the bodies, but the lowly humming sound of the freezers gave it an eerie feel. The presence of death swirled in the air. Strangely, I felt at home amongst it and that idea made shivers surge down my spine. The shadows in these corridors were darker, more refined because of the white walls. They became their own people, following you closely behind. I’ve always wondered whether the whispers, I always heard down here, were from the ghosts or in my head.
While I pushed the large door open with my shoulder, I pulled on my latex gloves. Greg, the coroner, was stood over the top half of the body, examining the body’s head wound. “I was just about to call you, Detective Sparrow. The toxicology came back. He was poisoned.”
My eyebrows clenched immediately, “so the head wound didn’t kill him.” The victim had been found by his wife in a pile of broken glass, where he’d landed on a coffee table in the living room of their flat.
“Well, Detective. Do you see the blue tint on his nails and lips?” I nodded as he pointed to the areas. He added, “that is from cyanide poisoning. It causes dizziness and could have led to the fall onto the table after the vic lost his balance. The force would have been enough to kill him. It was a small dosage, given over a longer period of time.”
“That throws alibis out of the window. We need to find someone with access.”
I said goodbye to Greg and returned to the corridor but this time the air felt different. I stopped in the centre. He was here. I felt him breathing down my neck, his body warmth on my back and the way his presence made my skin crawl. I caught his wrist before he could touch me and turned to see his face. It hadn’t changed. His hair was still the colour of raven feathers and his eyes flickered with orange like a blazing flame. The way he was staring at me at that moment, they seemed more like an inferno. He was looking down at me from his tall height. I was used to him making me feel small. I knew him better than most and I knew that he can turn most people to ashes at his feet. I had to be strong. I had to be stern. “Why are you here?” He was a being not by nature but created by magic. He also walked with incredible arrogance and narcissism.
With my hand still holding his wrist, he stepped closer. “You know why I am here, my beautiful Sparrow.” His words sounded so loving and it made me angry.
“Get away from me, Chaos!” I growl threateningly. He didn’t even flinch and that infuriated me more. I pushed him away from me and turned to walk in the opposite direction. I blinked and felt my back slam against the wall and I opened them to find his face centimetres from mine.
“Do not walk away from me.” His voice was low and quaked with power. The sound would have turned me on years ago.
“I am not yours to command!” My knee hit his groin hard, making him stumble enough for me to maneuverer out of his grip. Bouncing back, he dragged my head back by my hair.
“Still got that killer strength, I see. I always adored that fire in you. It definitely makes my dick twitch.” He leaned down and began to kiss my neck. My stomach turned and began to boil with fire.
“Stop!” It was a threat. He knew it because he smiled against my skin. I was already pushing him away unsuccessfully with both hands. I struck out towards his neck, causing him to cough and splutter saliva. When he looked at me again, I punched him straight in the nose. Not many people can make a Blood knight bleed. They bleed a silver, oozing liquid. He wiped his swollen nose with the back of his hand.
“Did you kill that man?” I questioned accusingly. He seemed taken back.
“How could you believe for-”
“DID YOU KILL HIM?” I cut him off. I could believe he could do it. He was capable and wouldn’t carry an ounce of guilt.
“No” he simply answered.
“Then leave.”
And I walked away.
