The Darkness

e smells flooding her senses, she was in some heap of trash. Lifting her body in weak arms, she could va

nced to her left only to see the silhouette of a man growing into a large creature. The screams, followed by a roar, forced Yada to pull back into a small ball. The sound of thick footfalls coming her way alerted her that she was not alone. She shifted her weig

d inches from Yada’s face. Instinctively, she pushed the creature away, bringing her arms in front of her f

to her, and a curious sniff against her neck was the only response. The beast moved her

e way, it was best to go the other. About twenty feet in, Yada tripped over something. Looking down, she could see what was left of what she could assume to be a man. Yada backed up slowly as the horror of the blood and s

o for help.” Jimmy had one hand moving over Yada's hair to calm the girl, and the second holding the Glo

them. Jimmy and Natalia were driving to get coffee and just happened to have the windows open, allowing them to h

a's shoulder. “I'll take her to the car when Curtis gets h

quiet night,”

est, and noticed the slice mark on her cheek. “Come o

” but Yada never got the rest of the words out. She t

scorted Yada back to the car. There was another patrol car pulling u

sh opened his trunk and removed a blanke

ound four nights earlier. “Natalia, when Curtis gets here, I want you to go throug

t did this?” Natalia asked, twisting her

r name over at Behavioral Health, Alexandra,” Jimmy finally remembered her

rd the car. Natalia spotted Curtis pullin

?” Curtis was retrieving the

ed her chin, pointing in t

just here?”

lead,” Natalia commented as she looked at the

ley, leaving Nat alone in the car. He stood to Jimmy’s side and shook his h

one.” Jimmy patted Curtis’ shoulder with a mock sm

e is no mutilation. Perhaps our friend interrupted the ki

y no

re are multiple bite marks along the shoulder an

ew. Have Andrew take the kid to Alexandra Williams. She wil

his head before talking to replace Natalia and

did this, our jobs just g

to talk to us about what she saw.” Jimmy squatted and

ken away,” Curtis said, snapping the ends of his latex

my said, returning t

said, pausing to open

rive this tim

nto a small garage below an older apartment building. “It's not much, but it is home.” Jimm

you, Verspea.” Natalia

he first door on the right. I have to lock the g

he steps and waited for h

door frame, and looked at the lock before opening the door. He w

lia asked unsure abo

behind her. “Long story, I m

ugh the living room, noticing the pictures on the wall. They were of J

rry, nothing in here b

shoulder at him. “Perhaps, but i

kitchen, returning a few moments later with a bottl

d to talk to me since we became partne

shrugged and offered her a sm

oss what looked to be a shrine. In the center was a lone picture of a fam

ew years ago.” There was a

now?” Natalia

the lump in hi

know.” Natalia hones

like partners,” Jimmy confessed. Sophia’s death a

k one of the glasses in her hand. “I tho

st, then his. Jimmy downed his liquor in

I know we don’t know each othe

and then his temples before lookin

how.” Natalia asked as

treets to carry a detective badge. In those years, I have probably encountered just about everything. I have been h

He was trying to get something, and she tho

seen things out of nightmares. Don't think me insane when I tell you this, but I have had nightmares of t

iously, she snuffed the air. What she was lo

mmy shrugged. “But this isn’t a Hollywood bloc

Natalia had already smelled it in

ington, New York. Since then, I have been aware, they are real.” It wasn’t a compl

ilted her head sli

atalia,” Jimmy noted as

t, sitting in silence. Final

n the alleyway and glanced at Natalia when he notice

Natalia looked over the

rd before anyone else is killed.” Jimmy didn’t s

u know?” Natalia narrowed her eye

.” Jimmy sat down next to ge

g the glass before him to fill it

n’t want to have to kill you.” Jimmy mused, thi

think you can kill me

he years. I know how to deal with a wolfi

something?” She asked and moved closer to him. Natalia placed her hands on the cou

belly, but he tossed it on the couch cushion beside him before looki

” Natalia brea

d her down to his lips, kissing her hard before releasing h

ing Jimmy below her. “Who said we were going to h

“You frustrate the hell out of me, a

m you.” Natalia used her th

, and I'm a man.” Jimmy rested his weight

forefinger before pulling his weight on her. “

pposed to be an attraction between us.” Jimmy sounded against them being i

ged as her nails ra

or partners,” Jimmy said, rising fr

he balcony, where the sun was just coming up over t

ust not ready for our society to

f?” Natalia asked soft

ff her body. He knew she was close

settled on his side as she moved, so she was c

hs we clean up, and I want to lose myself with you.” Without another wo

~

g off the memory. “You know what I should have done back then?” Jimmy

talia curi

d have shot you that night in my