It was odd seeing hands the size of mine trembling, but they shook as I tore the reports, notes, and photos from the crammed envelope.

Aurie picked up a fuzzy sepia of a brunette with swollen eyes, a split lip, and a neck that was mottled with bruises. She dropped it and rubbed her hands together as if trying to rub off the ugliness. Her feet danced past scores of other beaten, battered women.

I selected a report and read out: "Subject, name redacted, states she heard her daughter—age fifteen years—screaming from inside the house. Subject entered the home and found the accused, Mr. Darcy Cyprian, having carnal knowledge of the juvenile without consent."

Mys expelled vapor. "That's enough. Don't do this."

"Nahin, I don't think it is enough," I said. "See, that's from the seventies. Things were a bit different back then. Hell, they considered domestic abuse like therapy for husbands. Might've colored the report a bit, so let's jump to the present day. How about this?"

Launching to my feet, I smacked another report with the back of my fingers and waved it for them to see. "Subject Yalina Ravani." My voice cracked, and I swallowed a burning lump in my throat. I didn't need to read the report because I knew it by heart. The words were in my head, whether anchored to this sheet of paper or lost to the cold case files storage room.

I recited from memory, "Ms. Ravani states the accused hired her as a tutor, but she soon discovered he wasn't a Louisiana State University student. She freely admits they had a consensual relationship for two months. During that time, the accused allegedly became progressively more controlling and abusive.

"Subject has no police reports, but she produced medical records for lacerations and bites, a broken arm, and sustained concussion from three separate incidences. Manufactured, no doubt, because she heals as quickly as I do, but that goes to show you how desperate she was to get away from him.

"The accused, Mr. Cyprian, denies the relationship. Subject presented video evidence of him breaking into her home, for which the police were called. The accused suggested he mistakenly entered the wrong unit after a night of partying with friends. Nothing was stolen and no one was harmed, so Ms. Ravani was persuaded not to press charges.

"Subject relates that when her family became aware of the toxic relationship, they made arrangements for her to leave the country for her protection. However," I said, my voice climbing, "Mr. Cyprian intercepted her at the airport, kidnapped her, held her against her in an unknown location, and subjected her to repeated sexual assault over the course of several weeks."

I took a deep breath. "Yalina Ravani tried to poison herself, something our lycanthropy has trouble repairing. Darcy had no choice but to bring in an experienced Supernatural physician, and Yalina was able to escape. Fortunately, she survived, but there's your suicide victim. He's trying to give you my sister's body."

The report that had disappeared from official police records years ago fell from my numb fingers and joined the rest littering the coffee table and floor. When I was able to lift my head, I found Mys with soundless tears. Aurie hugged herself, trembling with emotion. The flat was deathly quiet. All that could be heard were distant rumbles of thunder from the passing storm.

"She was barely your age when he did that to her," I said as I brushed through the pile of papers and found the original photograph Aurie had presented. I handed it to her. "I'm sure Cyprian would like to think that he broke my sister so entirely that she never recovered.

"He had no idea how strong she is," I said with pride, my voice breaking again, "how smart, how determined. She's not brain damaged. She's completing her master's at a university in Europe far beyond his reach."

"From the bottom of my heart, I apologize. I had no idea she was your..." Aurie trailed off.

"I know. Cyprian was counting on the fact I never talk about her. He was using you to deliver the message that he can still treat her like she's disposable. On the contrary, Yalina isn't just some body he can take control of whenever he pleases. I won't let him turn you into that, either. No matter what he promises, your Soul is worth more than he can afford, Aurie."

"I'm shook. He told me you were using me as bait, and I believed him," she said with regret.

"Hey, we made mistakes he exploited." Mys shifted from the barstool and put the files back into the envelope, saying, "I, for one, am glad he's finally showing his hand. We know what Darcy's after, and we know how he intends to get it, although his plan to use a sacrifice he can't access is—"

"A mind game, plain and simple," I said.

Aurie agreed, "He capitalized on the secrets being kept from me." She assisted Mys collecting the case file and putting everything away. "Of course, it didn't help that Yalina wasn't the only secret you kept." She glanced at me.

Chagrined, I looked down. "I guess I'm used to being a lone wolf."

"Same," Mys replied. "I'd hazard a guess Aurie knows the feeling, too, aside from taking care of Haley. But if we want to go up against Darcy, we have to get used to teamwork."

I paced, unable to bring myself to tell them the Council had canceled our meeting. "Cyprian is more formidable than I remember. I had a visit from my insider at the Council last night telling me the vampire had a pet on the inside foiling my investigation. By the time I got up this morning, I was already suspended. I wanted to throttle Mayfield."

"You let your emotions control you too much, Senpai. Darcy Cyprian knows it, which is why he sent that photograph to distract you with a side quest. He wants you worrying about Yalina." Mys handed me the loaded envelope and turned to Aurie. "And you."

"He knows you'll martyr yourself to save your friends," said the Empath. "Beaucoup de Chair closing isn't my problem. You shouldn't make it yours, any more than you should take on Zyr's suspension. I know if you asked your family, they'd tell you they would rather die in obscurity than let you sell yourself to advance their careers."

Aurie didn't respond but her face said Mys was right. She dropped to the couch as her roommate stepped into the bathroom a moment. "This vampire is clever," Mys called through the partially open door. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's been watching us since the night of the hit-and-run. He knows our weaknesses, and he's trying to use them against us. That's why we have to stay a step ahead of him."

"By meeting with the Council and getting them to open an official investigation," Aurie acknowledged. Uh-oh. There was no getting around it. It was time to be upfront about the odds we faced.

Mys stepped out of the bathroom in the kimono. "Stop communicating with that creep, Aurie. You don't owe him anything. As for you, Detective, solving this case will require your full attention. I propose we contact some of these other victims. Their testimonies, along with Aurie's case, will give the Council concrete evidence Darcy Cyprian has been at it for decades."

"We, uh, have a new dilemma," I sighed. "I rushed off last night to meet with my insider. The Council declined to grant us a formal audience. We can no longer publicly present our findings."

Mys groaned. "Let me guess. Darcy got to them?"

I nodded. "They gave us two weeks to come up with unassailable proof of his wrongdoings. It'll be examined in private to determine whether the entire Council needs to see it. Whatever we send has to be top-notch, but we no longer have police resources. I think we'll need more people on this."

"We're all we have," said the Empath.

"Doesn't your friend Kittie Cad know about our world now?" I asked.

"Yeah, but she's not talking to me currently."

"Well, make amends. I told Detective Stoney about Overlay City, too. She and Kittie are the only two humans equipped to work this Supernatural investigation while you and I keep a closer watch on Aurie. What do you say to that?"

"I say..." Mys extended a phone to me. "Convince Mayor Rhemus his girlfriend wasn't high when you met her last night, and you've probably got yourself a deal."

"My dudes?" Aurie squeaked out, raising a finger to get our attention. "One last thing. We don't actually have two weeks. Darcy kind of gave me...seventy-two hours to get him an answer."