“We think it might not be a ghost at all,” I said to Benicio. Then I looked at Lucas. “I think it’s time to consider exorcism.”

He nodded. “Past time, by the look of things. We should—”

“No exorcism,” Jaime said.

“Yes, I realize they’re unpleasant,” Lucas said. “Yet it can’t be any worse than what you’re enduring now. This has gone far enough—”

“No, it hasn’t,” she said firmly. “It hasn’t gone far enough. Not yet. Whatever this thing is, it has a message it’s eager—painfully eager—to deliver to you guys. It’s a rough ride, but I’m prepared to tough it out if it’ll help solve this case.”

“What if it’s not trying to help us?” I said. “Look at the way it’s acting. That’s not normal behavior for a helpful spirit.”

“But it has helped, right? It gave us the vampire clue and led us to Cass—” She stopped, eyes going wide. “Oh, my god. Paige is right. It is evil.”

“I heard that.”

I twisted to see Cassandra in the open doorway between the cabins. She stifled a yawn.

I smiled. “Got some sleep?”

“A nap.”

“Good.”

She started forward, then blinked, seeing Benicio. She slanted a look my way, and I knew she wanted a proper introduction this time.

I gestured toward Cassandra. “Benicio, this is—”

“Cassandra DuCharme,” Benicio said, standing and extending a hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Cassandra’s brows arched.

Benicio smiled as he released her hand. “When Lucas first raised the possibility that we were dealing with a vampire, I suspected it might have been you I met at Tyler Boyd’s apartment. The Cabal keeps very good records on all supernaturals of influence, so I only needed to check our dossiers for your photograph to be sure.”

“One advantage to vampire mug shots,” I said. “They’re never out-of-date.”

“I assume you’re here to represent the vampires’ interests in this matter?” Benicio said.

“Yes,” Cassandra said. “Something which, I fear—” She stopped and her gaze swept across the other side of the cabin, her frown growing as she saw no one there. She gave her head a sharp shake. “Which I fear may become—”

She wheeled, one hand shooting up, palm out, as if to ward something off. She scowled at the empty space behind her.

“Huh,” Jaime said. “Good to see I’m not the only skittish one this morning.”

Cassandra’s gaze shot to Jaime, getting a look at her for the first time. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Same thing I think is happening to you,” Jaime said.“Without the clawing, bitch-slapping, hair-pulling, and all that fun psychic wounding stuff.”

“Jaime’s spirit is back,” I explained. “It’s probably here now. Is that what you’re sensing?”

Cassandra cast another look around. “I’m not sure. What—”

Jaime flew forward, nearly onto Lucas’s lap. He lunged to grab her, but before he could, she jerked back into her seat so hard she ricocheted off it and would have toppled to the floor if both Lucas and I hadn’t caught her.

“What?” she shouted at the ceiling. “We aren’t moving fast enough for you? Impatient bitch.”

“It’s a woman?” Benicio asked.

Jaime flourished a hand at the claw marks down her face. “Either that or a demon with talons. Fights like a woman, I’ll tell you that much.” She fingered her scalp and winced for effect, then looked at me. “You don’t see any bald spots, do you?”

I lifted up in my seat for a better look, then shook my head. “Nothing a good brushing won’t fix.”

“Thank God. Last thing I need is—”

Jaime’s head whipped back so fast her vertebra crackled. Lucas, Benicio, and I all jumped from our chairs, and even Cassandra stepped forward. Twin indentations appeared on the side of Jaime’s neck. Before anyone had time to react, the dents punctured through the skin and blood spurted.

Cassandra shouldered me aside. Jaime yelped, her hand going to her neck as she backed away from Cassandra. Blood gushed over her fingers. Lucas reached to grab Cassandra’s arm, lips parting to cast a spell. Then he saw that I wasn’t trying to stop Cassandra.

“It’s okay,” I said to Jaime. “Let her—”

Jaime’s bloodied hands shot out to push Cassandra away.

“She can—” I began, but Jaime’s scream cut me short.

Cassandra reached for Jaime, but Jaime kicked her back. Arterial blood continued to spurt from Jaime’s neck. As Lucas dove to grab her, I cast a binding spell, but it failed. Benicio was on the phone, calling for help. By the time a medic arrived, it would be too late, but there was no time to tell him this. I cast the binding spell and, again, in my panic, fumbled it. Lucas grabbed Jaime’s arm, but it was slick with blood and she yanked free easily. She was fighting blindly now, kicking and hitting at anything that came close.

“Jaime!” I shouted. “Let Cassandra—”

Lucas tackled Jaime. She fought, but he pinned her down. Cassandra bent over Jaime. Blood sprayed Cassandra’s face as she lowered her mouth to the wounds. Jaime screamed and bucked, throwing Cassandra off, but when she jerked upright, the wounds had closed, leaving the tiny punctures invisible from where I stood.