Page 72 of Bad Medicine

“I can’t just start a fightwith a shapeshifter in the middle of the street,” I said, then turned to getinto my car. “When we do fight, it’s going to end one of two ways. He’ll killme, or I’ll kill him. And I’m not sure I’m ready for either one of us to die.”

He got in and buckled up. “Youthink there’s a chance he could kick your ass?”

“Are you being serious rightnow?”

“Well, yeah, Kait. I know you.I don’t think there are many people who could beat you if they didn’t cheat.”

“The shapeshifter is one ofthose who could, Joe.”

“If he joins you, he won’t tryto kill you.”

I pulled away from the curb,navigating the ambulances and the cop cars. I spotted Rick standing in theSims’ yard, talking to a small group of people. His stare followed my car as Idrove away.

One more dead asshole, one moresaved kid.

“He can’t stop,” I told Joe.“And one of these times, he’s going to kill an innocent woman.” I glanced athim. “Like Lucy. He’s losing control.”

“You’re a good person,” hemurmured. “You’re a better person than me. Sam—”

“Let’s talk about somethingbesides Sam.”

“Okay. So when are we goingback to the office?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.There’s so much to do that it’s hard to find time to clean houses.”

“I miss it.”

“Me too.”

I drove in silence for a fewminutes before I spoke again. “How about this. I’ll get up earlier and we’ll goto the office for a couple of hours every other morning until we have to chaseafter the daywalkers. So far, they’re quiet—but that won’t last. Soon, they’regoing to give us something to chase.”

He nodded. “Sounds good to me.And on alternating mornings we’ll go clean houses.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll text Max and tell him tobe at work at nine a.m. sharp.”

“Ugh.”

He laughed, then brought outhis phone and lost himself in a conversation with Max. “He’ll be there,” hesaid, five minutes later. “You want to head back to Shadowfield to eat and getsome sleep before your early morning?”

“Yeah. I need to stop at myhouse first, though.”

“Wake me when we get toShadowfield.” He slid down in his seat, folded his arms, and went to sleep.

I drove on autopilot, eager tograb some things from my place and get to Shadowfield and the alpha. The nighthad been harsh and I was sick to death of humans.

Why the hell, then, did I keeptrying to save them?

“Because of little boys likeHenry,” I murmured. “Because of men like Joe and Zach. Because of women likeLucy.” I smacked the steering wheel, but lightly. “Because it’s the right thingto do.”

I was clinging to the only me Iknew, because I was terrified of changing. Why? I didn’t know. Maybe I wasafraid of becoming just another monster in a world overrun by them. I wanted tobe the good guy.

And maybe I was just foolingmyself and it was already too late for me.

Chapter Thirty-Four

I’d gone home to get someclothes and ended up grabbing the dwarf’s blade as well. I’d see if I couldcobble up Saul’s belt to make it hold another blade, because I really didn’twant to lose it if I shifted. It wasn’t every day a dwarf spirit appeared andhanded me a weapon. I still couldn’t remember his face, but there was somethingvague and fuzzy in my head, and when I saw the blade, I couldn’t leave itbehind.