Disclaimer: I do not own Blood Ties or any of its characters. They are Tanya Huff's creations.

Thanks to my story consultant, Lena! All your suggestions were very helpful in writing this chapter.

Chapter 9

Vicki couldn't believe what she had just seen. What Henry had just done wasn't humanly possible.

Wasn't… humanly possible.

She pinched herself hoping that she was dreaming but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Maybe there was a grain of truth to what Mike had said before but if the supernatural did exist, why weren't more people aware of it?

She heard footsteps hitting the metallic stairs of the fire escape. "Vicki, Vic!"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just finished having a conversation with Henry. If that really was Henry."

Mike rubbed the stubble on his face. "I'm not sure there's anywhere we can go where they won't find us."

Vicki crossed her arms in defiance. "Well that's fine by me. We can make our stand right here."

"We're going to need reinforcements." Mike pulled his cell from his trenchcoat and dialed.

Henry never thought that Vicki wouldn't trust him but thanks to his imposter that was indeed the case. Somehow he would regain her trust but for now he would focus on keeping her safe.

First he needed to determine what had taken his form. Was it Norman, some other demon, a shapeshifter or something else? What was their endgame?

Finding answers to those questions would have to wait until tomorrow though. Dawn was fast approaching. The trunk of his Jaguar would have to serve as a temporary shelter for the day again. He hated sleeping in his car's trunk. It reminded him of a coffin. But desperate times called for desperate measures he would just grit and bare it for Victoria. He pulled the trunk release and climbed inside.

"Hi, Mike. Hi, Vicki." As Coreen entered, Mike checked the hallway before locking the door.

"Don't worry, Mike, I wasn't followed."

"How can you be sure?"

"I have lost a tail before."

"Why doesn't that surprise me anymore?" Mike replied. "But unless I missed something you never had any official training so if you don't mind I'll keep checking."

Vicki's eyes shifted from Mike to Coreen. "I don't understand how Coreen can help us. Does she have some sort of special powers I don't know about?"

"Don't I wish." The Goth settled on the bed near the bathroom. "Let's just say I dabble in magic. Nothing hardcore. Just the light stuff."

"Okay first Mike tells me about demons. Now this. Am I in the Twilight Zone?"

"Trust me, Vic, the Twilight Zone doesn't even come close."

Vicki dropped on the other bed and yawned. "I going to bed."

Vicki could see Henry through the glass panes of the door. She opened the door.

"Hey, I need you to take him to a motel. Make sure you're not followed, pay cash, don't contact anyone."

"Ok."

A distinguished looking older man with glasses was standing between them. "How do I know I can trust him?"

"Because I trust him with my life," she responded.

Henry looked a little surprised that she had spoken those words. "You do. Thank you."

Before anyone could leave a pale figure with a black winter hat passed through the door. Justice Pettigrew ran upstairs. Vicki grabbed the intruder's ankle. Her tattoos illuminated. The man escaped her grasp and quickly ascended the stairs. She and Henry ran after him. Justice Pettigrew was lying on the floor. She attempted CPR.

Henry crouched near her. "Vicki, no."

"Don't." She pushed his hand away.

"Victoria, he's dead. I can smell it."

Vicki felt someone touched her arm. Her eyes flew open. Coreen.

"You were talking in your sleep. What were you dreaming about?"

The blond haired woman looked around the motel room. "Where's Mike?"

"He had to go to work. He'll be back later. So what were you dreaming about?"

Vicki traced her fingers over her tattoos. "My tattoos were glowing. I guess it was a ghost. I was able to hold onto a ghost."

"That sounds like Magnus O'Connor. His crazy mother bound him to her and used him to kill everyone who helped put him behind bars."

Vicki's eyebrows climbed into her forehead. "And you're not the least bit freaked out about what I'm telling you?"

"Nope, you don't remember this but we deal with things like that all the time."

"I wish I was more comforted by that statement but I'm not. This is a lot to absorb."

"Just give yourself time. Everything will make more sense as more of your memory returns."

"Yeah." Vicki bobbed her head even though she didn't really believe what her assistant was telling her. All she did know for sure was that the word strange didn't even begin to cover her current situation.

As Aurora searched Victoria Nelson's apartment, she noticed a medallion on the nightstand. She wrapped her fingers around it and concentrated.

The private investigator was in a motel room which had white walls. A nightstand was situated between two twin-sized beds. Victoria Nelson was looking at a pale young woman with dark hair. At the hospital she had heard the private investigator refer to the girl as Coreen.

Aurora broke the connection. She'd seen enough. A location spell would give her an exact location for Miss Nelson. She had to admit it had been fun masquerading as the vampire for a while but now she was anxious to finish what she had started. And if Henry Fitzroy got in the way again, she could kill two birds with one stone. She smiled to herself as she envisioned their bloodied bodies at her feet.

Author's note: I was able to squeeze out another chapter for this story before my classes got into full swing. I will probably write one or two more chapters to finish up this story but I can't say when the next update will be.