"Good," Alec said.
"Good?" Brittney repeated. "My brother's been attacked and it's good?"
"It's good they didn't use a wulfser," Alec said. "If they did, he'd be infected. Instead, they probably just used a hellion. Did it have horns, Peter?"
"Yes."
"See?" Alec said. "That means he'll heal, and he'll be fine. Nobody is to be anywhere alone, not even at home. From now on, we stay together. Everyone is coming back to Afterlife, to my apartment. We have enough couches that we can make it work. Someone call Conner."
"But Harper and I are working on the arson case," Brittney said.
"Fine, but as soon as you're done, come back to Afterlife. It's not safe in this house right now," Alec said.
"I'll call Conner," Harper said. She called up Conner's phone, but couldn't get hold of him. "He's off with the demons still, I'm guessing," she said.
Alec cursed and then breathed out slowly. "Okay. Conner and Janice can take care of themselves. Brittney, before you and Harper get back on the case, get Peter moved to my apartment. Sarah, you and I will go pick up Chloe."
"It's going to be awfully crowded," Sarah said.
"We'll make do," Alec said. "I don't trust this councilwoman. If she attacks like this, she'll do anything. We stick together. It's our only option till we get the rain stopped. Peter could have died." He pulled Sarah to the side. "How bad is it?"
"It's bad," she said. "But he'll live. It's not as deep as it looks. He lost a lot of blood so we need to keep a close eye on him."
"Good," Alec said. "You'll be by his side. Be his nurse."
Sarah nodded. "I'm not a doctor though, Alec. He should really see one at some point."
"If we take him to the doctor, the police will get involved," Alec said. "That's the last thing we want right now. We've drawn too much attention to ourselves as it is."
"I know," Sarah said. "Come on, let's go get Chloe."
THIRTEEN
Once they were back in Alec's apartment, Sarah made sure Peter was comfortable in the guest room. She set up a small desk beside his bed and put her laptop on it.
"So, you're going to be a doctor?" Peter asked, interrupting her.
"That's the goal," Sarah said. "I wanted to be one when I was a little girl, I just fell out of studying when I learned how to transform."
Peter nodded. He sat up a little, winced, and put a hand on his chest. "What's it like? Transforming? I mean, not the actual process of it, but how does it feel when you're in an animal form? Do you still feel like you?"
Sarah was surprised. Not many people had asked her about her transformations. She tried to think of the best way to describe it.
"I still feel like me," she said. "But I also feel like the animal I'm becoming. I get their instincts. When I'm a wolf, I feel more primal. Colors aren't the same. Humans see with three color cones. Blue, green, yellow. Wolves only have two, so the colors are greatly reduced. But their sense of smell is amazing."
"I bet that sucks sometimes," Peter said with a smirk.
"Sometimes," Sarah conceded. "But for the most part, it's nice. I can track just about anything. I can use my human brain to stay on track, but let my wolf instincts guide me along so I can find what I'm looking for. It's similar when I'm a panther, but I feel more predatory. I feel like hunting when I'm in my panther form."
"I wish I could do it," Peter said. "I'm jealous. You all have such cool abilities, but I can't do anything. I don't know why Alec's even letting me be your guys' clean-up man. It's not like I'm Brittney, who's a good shot and great at pretending to be an FBI agent."
"You'll find your thing," Sarah said. "Everyone has something special about them, Peter. You just have to give yourself some time to figure out what that thing is."
Peter sat up a little straighter again, and then winced once more. "Maybe you can teach me. Before, you said it wasn't genetic. So maybe it's something that can be taught to others."
"I don't think it is," Sarah said. "I spoke to a fairy about it. He told me that it's caused by trauma and your brain's way of handling it."
Peter looked at her curiously. "What trauma did you suffer?"
For a moment, Sarah said nothing. She had forgotten that Peter wasn't really one of them. He didn't know her history like the others did. She thought about telling him that it was none of his business, and then closed her laptop.
"When I was a kid, I saw my father beat my mother into a coma. She never woke up."
"Oh," Peter said. "I'm sorry to hear it. But hey, maybe getting attacked by a demon is enough of a trauma that I can shape-shift. What do you think?"
"You'll find your thing," she told him. "Stop trying to steal other peoples'."
"I'm not trying to steal anything," Peter said. "And by the way, you're basically already a doctor."
"What?"
Peter nodded. "I can tell that I'm not the first person you've patched up, right?"
"Right."
"So why bother with school?" Peter asked. "I mean, unless you're planning on getting a job in a hospital. Are you?"
Sarah blinked at him. She hadn't thought about it, not really, but when she did, she realized she had no interest in getting a job working in a clinic or hospital. She didn't want to deal with stuffy noses and itchy eyes.
"No, I'm not going to get a job as a doctor. But the medical knowledge I can learn is invaluable. It can really help Afterlife, especially in cases like this."
"But you already knew what to do," Peter said.
"Well, yeah," Sarah said.
"So why are you going to waste your time in school?" Peter asked. "I mean, you already have a hundred things going on, why bother adding more to it?"
"I don't know," Sarah said.
She had never considered it that way before, and none of the rest of her crew members had ever pointed it out like that. They'd been nothing but supportive of her idea of going back to school to become a doctor.
"I guess I just thought that I needed the degree," she said.
"Well, you don't," Peter said. "You're more than capable already, and you're just learning more each time you help someone. You can spend your time doing so much more than just doing assignments for the next however many years."
Sarah nodded and glanced at her laptop. She'd been going over the classes she'd learned when she was in pre-med. Most of the information she remembered, but she did occasionally find something she had forgotten about.
"I don't know if it's a waste of time," she admitted. "Nobody's ever said it just like that before. You really don't think I need schooling?"
"No," Peter said. "I mean, I'm going to live, right?"
"Right."
"That's because of you," Peter said. "You were there when I needed you, and you're always there when someone else needs you too. You don't need school for that. It's like me; I didn't need school to be good at business. That's why I dropped out."
"I thought you just didn't like business," Sarah said.
Peter laughed. "Yeah, I don't like it. Not really. Not the sort of business that my father wants me to go into anyway. But I'm good at making deals already and I know how to secure good business relationships. I didn't need school to teach me that. I was wasting my time, and I was tired of it."
"I just don't know if I will have the energy for it," Sarah admitted. "I mean, I want to be a doctor and I don't mind those classes. I don't want to do English Lit and all the other classes you have to take to get your bachelor's degree."
"I'll tell you what," Peter said. "Study with me."
"What?"
"I'll help you learn everything you need to know," Peter said. "I mean, I'm not a doctor or anything, and I have no idea how to go about sewing someone up, but we can study together outside of school. I'll quiz you and everything. I owe you anyway."
"You do," Sarah agreed teasingly.
Peter smiled at her. "So that's it, then. You're done with college."
"I haven't even started yet," Sarah said. "But y
ou're right, and if you're willing to help me learn what I don't already know, then I guess it's as good as going to a classroom. Besides, then you can learn it too. It wouldn't hurt to have two people who can patch someone up."
"That's true," Peter said brightly.
"You know that you're awfully cheerful for someone who just almost died," Sarah said.
"I like to look on the bright side of things," Peter said. "This is an opportunity. Now everyone will have to let me learn to fight like you guys. I'm a target. I have to be able to defend myself. And you can teach me about transforming."
"I told you, it doesn't work like that," Sarah said.
"Maybe not," Peter agreed. "But maybe it does, and if it does, I'm sure the hell going to find out."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of pushy, Peter?" Sarah asked.
"I've heard it before," Peter said. "Doesn't bother me. Pushy people get what they want. See, I'm a good businessman. Now, how do I do it?"
"I told you," Sarah started to say, but Peter interrupted her with a shake of his head.
"I don't want to hear that it's something you can't learn," he said. "Just describe to me how you do it, and I'll see if I can."
Sarah sighed. She knew it would be impossible for him to do, but she also knew he wasn't going to stop pestering her about it. She cleared her throat and stood up. She transformed into a fox, and then back into a human again.
"I just let my mind slip," she said. "I don't try to envision it or anything. I just let go, and slide into an animal's state of mind."
Peter nodded. He focused for a moment and then nothing happened.
"See?" Sarah said.
He waved her off and refocused. This went on for a several long hours. Sarah stayed with him, occasionally checking his wound and vitals to see how he was doing. He seemed to be recovering fine.
"You're stressing yourself too much," Sarah told him for the tenth time. "That's not good for your wound. Just try and sleep or something."
Peter stifled a yawn. "Just once more," he said.
He focused, and then a minute later, a small dog was on the bed. It was a chihuahua. She stared at him, coming to her feet. She approached the bed and looked at the animal. It was bleeding from a wound in it's stomach. There was no doubt that it was Peter.
"How in the hell?" she asked. "How did you -- what are you?"
A moment later, Peter reappeared, naked and bleeding. She hurried to get new bandages to put over his wound.
"What was I?" Peter asked. "I know I was something else."
"Well... to be honest..." Sarah said, as she put the bandage over his wound.
"Was it cool?" Peter asked.
Sarah laughed. "I wouldn't say that. You turned into a chihuahua."
"What?" Peter exclaimed.
He glanced down at his clothes, which thankfully weren't shredded, because the animal he'd transformed into had been so small. He quickly got dressed and then relaxed on the bed again.
"You mean, I can do it, but I can only turn into the smallest, most annoying kick-me dog?"
"Pretty much," Sarah said, struggling to contain more laughter.
She was amazed that Peter could do it at all, but she was more amused at what he could turn himself into. She knew how hard it would be for him to learn how to transform into something else, but it would be possible.
"How did you know you could do it?" she asked. "You were so sure."
"I just knew," Peter said. "Can you do me a favor, Sarah?"
"Of course."
"Don't tell anyone," Peter said.
Sarah stared at him, nonplussed. "You don't want anyone to know? Why not? You should be proud of yourself. I mean, I know it doesn't seem that cool or anything, at least not now, but you'll be able to learn to do so much more."
"I am proud," Peter said. "But I want to learn to control it better first. I want to be able to show everyone that I can be useful first. So promise me, alright? And help me practice."
"Sure," Sarah said. "I guess."
"Thanks," Peter said.
"Now, no more transforming right now," Sarah said. "You don't want to rip that wound open again. It was bad enough this time. Once you're healed, then we'll practice, alright?"
"Alright," Peter agreed. He laid back and closed his eyes. "I think I'm going to sleep now. Is that alright?"
"Perfect," Sarah said, still amazed. She was glad he could do it though; it meant, even if it was Brittney's younger brother, she was no longer alone.
FOURTEEN
Harper and Brittney had spoken to George for information about the firemen and then made their way over to the fire marshal's home. He was a tall man named Aaron Jerkins. They were there to interview him about the fires that had been started and grown to infernos.
Harper knew that Brittney would rather be in Alec's apartment with Peter. She wanted to be there as well -- she had grown up with Peter. He was like a brother to her. Him getting attacked was a slap in the face from Rebecca Stanley, and she knew that the woman would be on their radar from there forward. They would have to take her out at some point.
Harper knew she wasn't powerful enough yet to do that. She knew she still didn't have a handle on all her powers. She wasn't getting precognitions regularly yet, and there were other abilities she needed to learn to do. Once she was in control of her powers though, and the others were as well, they could go after her and put an end to her career.
She didn't know if they could kill her; she was a human, and a well-known one. They didn't kill humans, though she thought if they could get away with it they could make an exception. But the fact that she was a councilwoman would make it impossible. She would be missed. There would be an investigation. It'd get back to them somehow.
Harper put it out of her mind and knocked on the door. Aaron answered.
"Hello," he said. "Thank you for coming, I got a call from Detective Grady saying you'd be showing up soon. Would you like to come inside? My wife made iced tea. You can have a glass while we talk about this."
"Sounds good," Brittney said.
She and Harper followed him into the house and into the dining room where they took seats.
"I'm Special Agent Conley and this is Special Agent Hawthorne," Brittney said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Aaron Jerkins," he said, shaking their hands.
Aaron's wife, a pretty woman with long hair brought them iced tea. There was a little girl in the living room that peaked in on them and then ran away giggling.
"My daughter, Gabriella" Aaron said, waving at the direction of the living room. "She loves the police but she's also intimidated by them. She's very shy."
"Oh," Harper said. "Well, she's very pretty. She looks like you and your wife."
Aaron smiled. "Thank you. She's the light of my life. Now, you're here about the fires."
"Yes," Harper said. "Do you have any information for us? Information that hasn't been released to the public, that is."
"Yes, I do," Aaron said. He brought out some files to show them. "You see, we know the fires are arson. The public believes they were set off by lightning, but we found evidence pointing to the contrary." He showed them some images. "Right here and here. I've already shared this with Detective Grady, but he said the FBI wanted to speak directly with me."
"Thanks for speaking with us on such short notice," Harper said.
"So, any idea how the fires were started?" Brittney asked. "Was it matches?"
Aaron laughed. "It was more than matches," he said. "Sorry, but that's a bit of an amateur suggestion. Not that I'm saying anything against you, it's just as a fire marshal, I know what to look for. We found gasoline cans at all the sites. Someone wanted these fires to spread."
"Is this type of serial arson common?" Harper asked.
She hoped it was; they knew who was in charge of setting the fires, but hoped the fire marshal had no idea. They wanted to catch Hannah Baker before the anyone could point the finger at her so they could save her
from going to prison.
Aaron frowned. "It reminds me of the time this one woman started a bunch of fires. She was locked up for arson. The pattern fits. They're all large fires and gas cans were found at each one."
"Do you remember her name?"
Aaron nodded. "Yeah, her name was Gina Peseki."
Harper and Brittney looked at each other in surprise. That wasn't the right name.
"Gina Peseki?" Harper repeated. "I haven't heard that name before."
"Five years ago, she was convicted of arson. She was released a year ago, and now the fires are starting again. I don't think it's a coincidence. I know there's been a lot of copycat arsonists out there, but I'm sure Gina is behind it."
Harper looked down at the images again, then back up to the marshal. "I see. Marshal Jerkins--"
"--Aaron, please."
"Aaron, did this woman have anything to say for herself the first time around?" Harper asked. "Do you remember why she started the fires?"
Brittney cut Harper a sharp glance, but Harper ignored it. She had a theory but she wasn't sure about it just yet. She needed more information first.
"Actually, yes," Aaron said. "She said she was possessed by a demon -- it was in the papers. They considered sending her to a psych unit, but she just went to prison instead. It's a shame when someone like that needs help and they just get prison time."
Harper nodded. She had thought as much when he'd said the other woman's name, but having confirmation was good. She stood up and shook Aaron's hand. "Well, thank you for the information, Marshal," she said. "And please thank your wife for the iced tea. It was very good. We'll make sure whoever is responsible is brought to justice and that if it's someone who needs help that they get the help they need?"
Aaron nodded. "Thank you, Agents."
Brittney stood and shook Aaron's hand as well. "You have a lovely family, Aaron. Take care of them. In this weather, anything can happen."
"Don't I know it," Aaron said. "There are some real crazies showing up out there in the rain. I heard about a little girl, barely older than my Gabriella, who was killed. The paper said whoever did it did a number on her. Now you tell me, what kind of monster would do something like that?"
Make it Rain (Afterlife Book 10) Page 7