Of A Darker Nature by Michelle Clay Read Free Book Online Page A

dirty socks, stale cigarettes, and sweat. Dirty clothes and take-out boxes littered the floor. Half eaten containers of food sat on the counters, and a moldy plate lay in the sink.
    “I guess the cleaning lady hasn’t been by?” 
    “You’ve made a big mistake.” She wrapped her hands around her elbows and stared at him. “Ted and Ace will be back any minute and they’ll have friends with them.” 
    Marcus smiled. “We’ve got a few minutes.”
    Darla swallowed audibly and stiffened beneath his touch. “Are you gonna kill me?”
    “It depends on how helpful you are.” He shoved her onto the couch. “Don't move.”
    A receipt for ten thousand dollars was amongst the papers on the coffee table. The memo line read: “Disposal.” He dropped it into her lap. “Who was this paid to?”
    She looked up at him with watery eyes. Clear snot ran from her nose. “I don't know.”
    “How often do they pay for disposal?”
    “I don't know.”
    He grasped her scrawny arm and dragged her through the other rooms.
    Trent and Pete hadn’t been here in a while. Their scent had faded, just a memory now. But the others, the ones who helped with the fire, were still here. As far as he could tell, two of those people had stomped his brain into mush a few nights ago. Starr might not stay here, but she visited those who did. Her woodsy perfume lingered ever so faintly.
    Marcus pilfered through the paperwork on tables, in drawers, and under the sofa. He even looked over their caller ID. “Other than Ted and Ace, who else lives here?”
    Darla moistened her cracked lips with a flick of her tongue.
    “There’s a new guy and a girl. I don’t know their names.”
    “Does she have red hair?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe.” Her brow creased. “Wait. Ted mentioned a redhead the other day.”
    “Think real hard. What did he say?” He pulled her along with him toward the last bedroom. She fell onto the bed and watched him move around the small space. 
    He turned to rummage the dresser, nightstand, and closet. A box filled with various silver items sat at the bottom. A retractable baton encrusted with what appeared to be dried blood and hair lay among them. The box also contained baggies of herbs and junk he didn’t recognize.
    “That’s for their spells.” Darla sat on the edge of the bed and watched him paw through the box. 
    He ground the smelly herbs into the carpet with his heel. “Focus. What did he say about the redhead?”
    “Only that Starr had found her. She works at a funeral home here in the city.” Her eyes widened. “Do you think that’s who they paid to do the disposal?”
    “Could be.” He spied a yellow post-it note on the bedside table. Someone had scribbled an address in Witcher Springs across it. He pocketed it then moved toward the living room again. Darla followed without being manhandled.
    “She can supposedly read the dead. Starr wants her to help.”
    “Read the dead?”
    “Yeah, she touches whatever's dead, and it tells her what she wants to know. Starr thinks she'll be able to find the mistress of the city by making her read vamps.”
    Marcus's skin tingled with the memory of the redhead's contact. Had she read him while he lay on the table? He couldn't help but wonder what she had seen. His hand lifted to touch the area where her hand had rested against his arm. The faint memory of her warm skin was almost like a calling card. It begged him to seek her out.
    Heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway and voices drew near. Marcus could smell their sweat and frustration. 
    Darla grinned wide, exposing a missing tooth toward the back of her mouth. “Maybe they'll start with you.”
    A woman’s shaky voice outside the door said, “Guys, I don’t know about this. I mean, I don’t want to hurt her. She’s my friend. Can’t we find another way to get the info Starr wants?”
    “Relax,” a deep voice consoled. “We just need to get her to do a couple jobs. That’s all. Starr said she won’t