“Yeah, yeah, we’ll work on that later. What’s the word up in Burlington?” Tanya Demidova asked.

“The dentist is dead. Missed him and his killer by just a few hours,” came a soft voice from the ceiling speaker.

“The demon is covering his tracks,” Chris said.

“Her tracks, and she didn’t cover them very well because they’re very prominent in the carpet.”

“That nurse that Toni remembered?” Tanya asked.

“Most likely. Tore the dentist and another person, maybe a receptionist or technician, into bloody chunks.”

“You didn’t feed, did you?” Chris asked, which instantly earned him an incredulous glare from his wife.

“Of course not, and you deserve every bit of the look you’re getting from Tanya right now. I’m a professional.”

“Sorry,” he said, giving his wife a silent, apologetic shrug, a toddler balanced on each upturned palm. Interestingly, both youngsters were sitting quietly, heads tilted almost exactly alike, listening to the familiar voice on the room’s audio system.

“Do I hear a note of concern in your voice?” Tanya asked.

“There is a possibility that I could have left a hair strand or two in the crime scene,” Nika said. “I’m on my way to Arcane to enlist Declan’s help.”

“Good plan. Listen, with confirmation of the demon’s presence, Chris and I will head up there immediately, as soon as the plane is ready,” Tanya said. “Gina at Arcane should be able to provide day cover.”

“Yeah, or I’ll just hunker down in the Kid Wonder’s dorm room for the day.”

“That could work, but make sure you tell Stacia, or better yet, have him do it,” Chris said, looking slightly worried.

Tanya rolled her eyes but said nothing.

“Okay, well, I’m pulling into the parking lot at Arcane, so I’ll hang up now.”

“Right. We’ll see you when you get up later today,” Tanya said.

“Call is ended,” came a different voice through the speakers. It sounded like a young male. “Filing a flight plan for Burlington and have called up the pilots to prep for takeoff.”

Chris grinned at his wife, who frowned at the voice. “Thank you Omega,” he said while Tanya stuck her tongue out at him. Her initial awe of the world’s most advanced computer had turned to something like worry.

“Nika?” Cora asked.

“Yes, that was Auntie Nika on the phone,” Tanya said, attention now completely focused on her children. “How was the baby hunting?”

“They are getting craftier by the day. Although this one,” Chris said, hefting Cora, “likes to attack from ambush. And this one,” hefting Wulf, “is as protective of his sister as she is of him.”

“They shouldn’t attack at all. They have no weapons yet.”

“That will come with time. For now, they are learning to hone their talents. A human would not have found them. Eventually, they’ll learn to fool supernaturals too.”