Succubus Lost (Files from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, #2) by Tiffany Allee Read Free Book Online Page B

damaged? Tell me about the circumstances,” Natalie said.
    “Only ashes remained,” I explained. “Mostly. A few more minutes and we wouldn’t have been able to determine the ashes were human without a sensitive. Not even enough was left of the teeth to be certain it was a human being.” I took a deep breath. “But it was enough to get the paranormal unit out there. Our sensitive verified the ashes were human remains, or an otherworlder. There is definite energy on the body that is OW in nature, but she can’t say for sure if it’s from the victim or the person who burned the body. And there’s not enough of it left for Astrid to identify what kind of otherworlder was involved.”
    “Astrid Holmes?” Natalie asked, voice sharp.
    “Yes,” I said.
    “Guess she didn’t want to come with you to talk to me.”
    “She’s working other leads in the case,” I lied.
    “Humph. Sure she is.” Natalie pursed her lips. “Well, I probably can’t tell you who the victim was, not off a little ash. You might do better with a psychometrist. But I can tell you what could have destroyed the body.” She held up a finger. “A witch, for one. A not-so-strong one with an affinity for fire could have done it, perhaps. Especially if intense emotion was involved. A powerful one with no affinity for fire could have done it as well—although that would have required a lot of time and trouble.” She held up another finger. “A salamander. But it would have to be a strong one.” And another finger. “A firebird—but again, it would have to be an especially strong one. Was there damage to the surrounding area?”

    “No, the damage was concentrated on the body itself.”
    “Probably not a firebird, then. They aren’t all that accurate.”
    “What about a phoenix?”
    Natalie waved her hand in the air. “That’s just another word for firebird—they’re the same species, really. They just won’t admit it. I guess it could also be some sort of elemental shaman. They’re similar to witches, but their magic is far more…primitive.”
    “Anything else?”
    “Not that I can think of offhand.”
    “What can you tell me about salamanders?” I asked, keeping my tone light. I was only curious because of the case—not because of Costa. And if I told myself that enough times, maybe I’d believe it.
    She shrugged. “Like all species of otherworlders, they vary in strength, but they are more accurate than a firebird.
    Most commonly they are fire resistant—maybe closer to immune. Their eyes turn black like a true salamander’s when they are feeling intense emotion. Most are like a lighter, in that they can start a small flame. They can drive some energy into a fire.” She shrugged. “But melting fillings...how long did this person burn?” I frowned. “It’s hard to say, but it couldn’t have been more than an hour or so. He or she was found in an alley at night, but the bar that used the Dumpsters closed at 2:00
    a.m., and they took their trash out after closing. A bakery on the other side of the alley had workers in by four. They found the body at four thirty, and it was already reduced to smoldering ash.”
    “Sounds like you definitely have something, then.” Natalie’s face scrunched, a cute expression on her, and oddly it reminded me of Astrid’s expression back in the alley when she had been concentrating on using her sensitive powers on the pile of ash. “If I had to hazard a guess, I would put my money on an amateur witch with very strong fire acumen.”
    “Why not the others?” I asked. “Seems like a Covenant witch would be just as likely.”
    Natalie laughed, a light musical sound. “Oh, I won’t argue with you that a Covenant witch would be more likely to have that kind of juice, but our numbers are limited.
    Besides, Viktor has been in town all week. No way would one of ours try to pull something like that with a council member in town. That would be...suicide. Professional suicide, of