“You’re mate is in trouble.”

Agnes didn’t need the ghost to tell her that. He wasn’t the only one in trouble.

Frank hurried through the crowd, his wide shoulders, forcing people apart who were jamming around the balcony door. Dread sunk into Agnes’s heart. What had Hoss done?

Her brother seized her arm. “What the hell are you keeping from me?”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

He led her into an empty bedroom. “Your boyfriend just jumped off the balcony.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “No, you’re lying.”

“Am I? Then I saw something that couldn’t possibly be real.”

Her throat turned dry, and she could barely speak. “What was it?” She knew. She knew before he said it.

“He transformed into a fire-breathing dragon. I have to be hallucinating. Dragons aren’t real. There must be something in the air vent.” His voice was hard, but fear flickered in his eyes. Sweat glistened off his temples.

He knew what he saw, but wouldn’t believe it. Just like when they were kids, and she would tell him about ghosts.

“Agnes.” Laura’s ghost formed on the other side of Frank. “You must leave. Hoss is dying. Only you can save him.”

“No, that’s not true.”

“I know what the hell I saw.” Frank ran his fingers through his hair.

Before she could stop herself, Agnes blurted, “I wasn’t talking to you.”

He frowned. “Then who?” He dropped his shaking hand. “A ghost? Is that who you think you’re talking to?”

Agnes tilted her chin, not willing to be drawn back into another humiliating argument.

“Damn it, Agnes. You’re determined to dig your own grave.”

“Are you going to tell them what you saw?”

He glared. “No. I’m overtired. It doesn’t make sense. Unlike you, I’m not willing to flush my career down the crapper and report something that’s not real.”

She winced.

“Agnes, stop arguing with him. Hoss is dying. He needs you.”

Laura’s urgent voice pulled her away from the same age battle. Ignoring Frank, she said, “Tell me where he is. I’ll call nine-one-one.”

“He’s a dragon. Only you can save him.”

“You’re nuts.” Frank left and headed straight for the captain.

A tornado of frustration twirled around inside Agnes’s gut. “I can’t save a dragon.” Tears formed in her eyes. She looked through Laura’s flimsy form to watch Frank spouting off to the captain. Her career was definitely going to be in the toilet.

“Go now!” Laura urged.

“I can’t…save a dragon.” Her voice choked.

“Yes, you can. You’re his mate.”

She wiped a heated tear off her cheek. “How do you know?”

“I am an empath.” She pointed. “He’s in the park next to the station. Go before it’s too late.” She faded away, which prompted Agnes into action.

She wouldn’t let Hoss die. She didn’t know what she could do, but she had to try. She headed for the door, but a cold voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Detective Malloy.”

She looked up into Captain Morgan’s harsh eyes.

“Yes, Captain?”

He gestured toward the hallway. “A word with you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ve been trying to be patient with you, Detective, but this has gone on for long enough. First, you lost our number one suspect.”

“What suspect? You mean Hoss?”

“Hoss, is it? You’ve become very familiar with him.”

Agnes braced her shoulders and held his gaze.

“Somehow he escaped from the balcony,” he said. “There could be another murder, which would be all your fault.”

She flinched. “But Captain?”

“Don’t but Captain me. Second, Frank tells me you’ve been talking to a ghost at this very crime scene.”

She opened her mouth to blurt out that Frank saw a dragon, but what would be the use? Frank would only deny it, and her accusation would only pound another nail in her coffin.

“I can’t keep protecting you, Detective. I gave you a chance, but you blew it. You’re officially off the case. Go home.”

Years of hard. work whooshed around in the garbage disposal. “You can’t do that, Captain. I’ve figured something out. He’s copying the Jack the Ripper murders.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. I am.” She pulled out her iPad. Her hand shook as she went to the screen. “Here look. I can prove it.”

“Captain Morgan, the mayor wants to talk to you.” Frank held out his phone.

“I’m sorry, Agnes,” the captain said. “We’ll look into it. Go home before I have to take your gun and badge.”

Frank gave her a triumphant look. She forced the tears back. He’d finally won. Tomorrow, she’d either be handing out parking tickets or typing reports.

“Agnes,” Laura whispered in her ear. “Go, now. Hurry.”

Not wanting to lose the only man who believed in her, Agnes rushed down the hall and into the elevator. She pushed the button, wishing she could make it go faster. When the elevator opened, she flew out the doors. Several police officers looked at her curiously, but she didn’t care. Tears stung her eyes and cheeks. A ball of shame formed in her throat, and she drew on every nerve not to burst into sobs.

She’d fought long and hard for this position, but it was all for nothing. Her captain had totally lost faith in her, and Frank would be back smearing her name. He’d probably claim that she or Hoss put something in the ventilation system to make him hallucinate. Would anyone else even notice that he was the only one?

She ripped open her car door and hauled out of the parking lot, wheels screeching. She had to get to Hoss. She couldn’t lose him too.

She didn’t remember driving to the park, her mind was so preoccupied with fear, disappointment, and anger. She flew out of the car and hurried. People were gathered around something. She knew right away it was Hoss.

The voices of crowd blurred. “What is it…? It’s a dragon… Is it real?”

Agnes rushed past some curious teenagers, who all had excitement flashing in their eyes.

But excitement was the last thing that she felt. Hoss’s tongue hung out of the side of his jaw. His eyes were closed. His wings were crumpled underneath him and his legs curled into him like a dead lizard.

She knelt next to him. “Oh, Hoss. I’m so sorry. I should have gotten here sooner.”

“Lady, what are you doing?” someone asked.

But she ignored them. The sobs wouldn’t be held back. Her shoulders shaking, she stretched on top of him, her tears flowing onto his scales and her fists clenched. She listened for his heartbeat, but only silence echoed in her ears. He was gone. She was too late.

Everything had gone wrong. The Mistonian would keep on killing, and she’d be powerless to stop him. She needed Hoss to help her catch or destroy him. Her heart bounced against her chest as if to make her listen to the truth.

That wasn’t the only reason. She needed him as a man. He believed in her when no one else would. With him, she didn’t feel like a freak, and now he was gone.

She kissed his still chest. “Hoss, come back to me.”

But it was a foolish gesture. He was gone, and he wasn’t coming back. Her hair covered her face, hiding the quiet sobs that shook her body, wishing she could have turned back time and done things differently.

A quiet thump-thump-thump broke through her sorrow. She slowly lifted her head. Hoss’s eyes fluttered. She held her breath. Was she imagining it? Was the moon playing tricks on her?

“Over here, Officer! Over here! There’s a dragon! I swear!”

Red lights flashed as a police cruiser pulled up into the park. Hoss slowly transformed from a dragon into a broken man. His right arm was twisted underneath his back and blood congealed around his throat.

“We need an ambulance right now!” Agnes yelled. She immediately put his head back and started to do CPR. “Don’t die on me now.” She put both hands over his chest and pumped, hoping to get a pulse. She pinched his nose and exhaled into his mouth.

“Breathe, damn it, breathe.”

“The dragon… He’s gone,” a confused voice said over Agnes’s shoulder.

A teenage boy was looking around to see where a dragon limped off. He pointed. “See, that’s where he fell.”

A bright light shone on Agnes, and she winced, holding her arm out. “Get that light out of my face.” She looked down at her sweater, and her stomach churned. Blood coated her jean jacket as if she’d just taken a bath in it.

“What happened?” A police officer moved his flashlight down Hoss’s torn up body. “God, it looks like a coyote or a dog ripped him to shreds.”

No, a possessed dragon. But Agnes kept the thought to herself. In a clear voice, she said, “I’m Detective Malloy. Send for an ambulance.”

“Dispatch,” the officer said. “Send for paramedics.” He turned around. “Okay, everyone back. Give them some room.”

She put her head on his chest, praying for a heartbeat, but was only met with terrifying silence.

“Don’t leave me. Help is on the way.”

Agnes’s voice strained to be heard.

Her palms pressed down again and again on his broad chest. Weariness settled into her arms, and sweat leaked into her eyes.

Live, damn it.

But his stubborn heart refused to respond.

“Come on, Hoss, I need you.”

Nothing stirred.

She pinched his nose and breathed into his stiff lips. A warm puff of air rushed into her mouth. Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

A siren screeched in the distance. “They’re coming, Hoss. Hang on.”

Stormy silence killed her hope. Her frantic rhythm hadn’t slowed. Laura had said she was the only one, who could save him. Her prophesy better damn well be right, or Agnes would hunt her in the afterlife forever.

The pokey paramedics finally drove up onto the grass. They rushed over with a stretcher to where she sat, holding Hoss’s lukewarm hand.

“Excuse, ma’am,” one of them said. “Let us take over.”

She reluctantly stopped pressing onto Hoss’s large chest and allowed the paramedics to do their job. They put an oxygen mask over his bruised and scratched up face. One of them cut away Hoss’s shirt to hook up a defibrillator. Two pads with electrodes were attached to his large chest.

“Hit it,” one of them said.

The paramedic closest to Hoss hit the defibrillator. A charge zapped and Hoss’s body arched up.

His partner used a stethoscope to listen for Hoss’s heartbeat. He shook his head. “I’ve got nothing.”

Hope died in Agnes’s heart.

“Hit him again.”

Hoss’s body arched up higher again and slammed back down onto the ground. His body still silent.

The paramedic put the stethoscope on Hoss’s chest again. “Again.”

Hoss lurched high into the air, his arms and legs flailing.

Tears blurred her vision, and she hurriedly wiped them away. She’d seen this many times before––paramedics trying to resuscitate someone who was already gone, but this time, it was personal. She gasped for breath and looked at her blood-stained hands. Dizziness gripped her, but she shook her head, trying to stay focused. She was a hardened detective and should be used to this.

The realization hit her. She cared about Hoss. She cared about him a lot.

“I have got a heartbeat,” he said. “Let’s get him to the ER.”

Agnes thought she’d never heard such sweet words.

A deadly whisper killed her joy. “He’ll never survive. I’ll finish him and then, I’m coming for you.”

Chills rushed down her back. She whirled her around, her gun drawn, but no one was behind her. She trembled uncontrollably, furious she couldn’t stop. She hadn’t imagined the voice. Daidhl was here, and he planned on murdering Hoss, then her. What if he were here and she couldn’t see him?

She couldn’t leave Hoss alone. He was barely alive and extremely vulnerable. She looked wildly around the ambulance, afraid Daidhl was already inside, ready to unplug something. She held on tight to Hoss’s hand, refusing to let go. Normally, she would have called for a guard, but how could she say that the killer was invisible? Nobody would ever believe her.

She needed help, and the only one who would believe her was her stubborn-ass brother. He had seen Hoss transform. She had to convince him. Without his help, they’d both be dead.

The ambulance pulled into the emergency entrance. She got out first, then a couple of staff wheeled Hoss into the hospital.

“He’ll be okay,” one of the paramedic said.

His reassuring voice failed to calm her fears.

“I hope so. He’s so pale.”

She followed the paramedics into the emergency room where an admitting nurse greeted him.

“What happened, Detective?”

“He was attacked. I’m not sure by who,” she lied, wringing her hands.

The young nurse escorted her to the waiting room. “As soon as I know anything, I’ll report to you.”

Agnes nodded. She kept looking over her shoulder afraid she’d hear that same taunting voice. She had no way of knowing whether the bastard was here or not.

A few minutes later, the nurse came out with a bag. “We’re not sure what these were, but they seem to be some kind of weapons. We thought you should have them, Detective.”

Agnes slowly took the bag. “Thank you. I’ll take it from here.”

Inside the plastic bag was the belt that Hoss wore around his waist. There was also a weapon that looked like a Star Trek phaser or a Star Wars blaster, and a sophisticated tape recorder with a screen. Anyone else might think they were fake, but Agnes knew better.

She thought about taking them out and examining them, but she had no idea what they could do. Maybe she could use them to convince her brother that dragons were real.

She walked to the back of the corner and prayed that Daidhl wasn’t following her. Luckily, she hadn’t smelled anything sour. But that didn’t mean anything. Hoss hinted that the creature had hidden talents. She quickly dialed Frank’s number.

“What do you want, sis?”

“I need to talk with you.”

“I’m not going to try and get you back on the case.”

His voice was so hard and cruel she almost hung up, but what she had to say involved Hoss, Kathy, and all the other women who were in danger.

“I’m not asking you to.”

“Then what? I’m a little busy right now.”

“I need you to come to Lutheran Hospital right now.”

“Why? Are you hurt?”

At least he had the decency to show some concern in his voice.

“No, but Hoss was attacked. I don’t know…” Unfortunately, her voice cracked. She cleared her voice. “Frank, I don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

“I told you that you were too involved in this case.”

Trying not to lose her cool and get in a screaming match with her brother, she counted to ten before she answered.

“Are you there?” he demanded.

“Yes. Frank, listen. If you care about me at all, the killer’s after me. He said he’ll kill Hoss, then me. I need you to come to the hospital. You’re the only I can trust.”

She held her breath, waiting for him to answer, waiting for him to reject her.

“I’ll be there in ten. Don’t go anywhere. Understand?”

She exhaled. “Yes. I’m in the waiting with room with lots of people.”

They hung up and all she could do was sit like the other worried men, women, and children, eager to get news of loved ones.

She gripped the plastic bag. Every time a nurse would come out, she hoped it was about Hoss, but the nurse would call someone else. Hoss was an alien dragon. What if the doctors were unknowingly killing him?

She studied the weapon and strange equipment in the plastic bag, wondering if any of them had the ability to heal him. She wanted to try, but what if she zapped half the hospital into the netherworld? She couldn’t stand waiting any longer.

“Excuse me,” she asked a nurse and an orderly sitting at a small desk. “Is there any news of a man brought in here earlier? I’m Detective Malloy and need to talk with him. His name is Hoss.”

She clicked on her keyboard. “He’s still unconscious. Right, now, the doctor is giving him a blood transfusion.”

Agnes’s gut tightened. What if a human blood transfusion would kill him? Shit, this was getting worse and worse.

She looked at the bag, trying to figure out what to do. Somehow Hoss had communicated with a ship, but she had no idea how.

The glass doors opened, and Frank walked in with a terrible scowl. He grabbed her by the shoulders. “I got here as fast as I could. Now, tell me what all this nonsense is about.”

People in the waiting room, the nurse, and the staff gave them curious glances.

Her face turned hot. “Would you keep your voice down?”

He released her. “How can I?” he whispered. “When you keep digging yourself a hole in believing this mumbo-jumbo crap?”

“Come here. I want to show you something.” She led him to the corner of the room where an elderly gentleman slept in a chair.

Frank folded his arms across his chest. “Talk.”

She hated when he did this, but she refused to be rattled. She held up the plastic bag. “These are Hoss’s weapons.”

He raised his eyebrow. “You brought me all the way down here to play Star Wars?”

“Will you listen? You didn’t imagine what you saw.”

He glanced around nervously as if he were afraid people were listening.

“Yes, I did. I was overtired.”

But she could hear hesitation in his voice and in his eyes.

“No, you’re not. Hoss is an alien. A dragon from outer space.”

“Sis, you’re scaring me. I think you’ve seen one too many space movies.” He narrowed his eyes. “You need to be serious. Women are being slaughtered, and you’re acting like you’re staring in a Star Trek episode.”

“Excuse me, miss?” The admitting nurse interrupted. “Hoss is awake. He’s asking for you.”

She grabbed his arm. “Come on, Frank.”

He broke free. “No, I’ve got to get back to work. I have a murderer to catch.”

Suddenly, Agnes inhaled spoiled milk. “He’s here. I can smell him.”

“What the hell are you babbling about, sis?”

The old man who had been sleeping raised his head. Agnes couldn’t move. His eyes were gold, the same color as Hoss’s.

He curved his mouth into grin, revealing sharp, jagged teeth. Smoke puffed out of his nose and whooshed into Frank’s face. Frank coughed, tears welling in his eyes.

He laughed. “Catch a killer, boy? You couldn’t catch a cold if you tried.” With that he transformed into a slender younger man, then vanished.

Cold air brushed over them, and the glass doors opened by themselves.

The nurse gasped and put her hand on her chest. “Oh, my god.”

The staff and other people in the waiting room stared at them as if they were off their rocker. One woman pulled her two-year-old boy who wandered over toward them. Shit, they hadn’t seen the creature.

Frank’s face slowly drained until it was ashen. “What just happened? God, I feel sick.”

Agnes met his frightened gaze. “That was your killer. He smells like sour milk.”

He fixed his tie, his hands trembling. “No, I just imagined it.”

“Then I imagined it too,” the nurse whispered.

“Neither of you did.” Agnes touched the nurse’s shaking hand. “You’re safe. He won’t come after you.” She hoped it wasn’t a lie. He’d only hunt her if she were someone’s mate.

“I think I better go sit down.”

Agnes led her back to the front desk where the orderly gave them a curious gaze.

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

“I’m just tired,” the nurse said. “I need some coffee.” She kept staring at the front doors as if she was terrified the old man would return.

“Frank, we need to go see Hoss now.”

Her brother took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m ready to listen.”

She expected to find Hoss on death’s doorstep, dying from a human transfusion, but when she walked into his room, her mouth dropped. He sat up on his bed, his color had returned, and despite the ugly stitches running along his down his throat, he smiled.

“I thought you would be half-dead,” she managed to squeak out.

“Don’t you know, a dragon has eleven lives.”

Frank entered. “Don’t you mean a feline has nine lives?”

Hoss frowned. “I’m not a cat.” He glared. “What’s he doing here?”

“I called him. Hoss, the killer was in the waiting room.”

“What?” He started to get out of bed.

Agnes grabbed his arm. “Wait, there’s more.”

“Then spit it out.”

“I know I’m going to be locked up in a psych ward if anyone hears this,” Frank muttered. “But he can physically change his appearance.”

“Not only can he become invisible,” Agnes said. “But he can transform into another person. He was even able to hide his smell. I didn’t know it was him until he changed.”

“Then, things just got a lot worse.” Hoss rubbed the bridge of his nose. “He wanted you to see him.”

“Why?” Frank asked.

“Because this creature feeds on emotions, and in this case, terror. We have to be very careful. He can transform to look like anyone of us at anytime.”

Frank looked between both Agnes and Hoss. “How do we know who’s who?”

“We don’t,” Hoss said.

His harsh voice sent chills down Agnes’s spine.

Silence overcame them like a dark shroud. The only voices were the ones outside the room. Agnes glanced warily at the door, realizing that any of the doctors, nurses, patients, or visitors might not be who they think they are. The killer could be inside this very room, listening.

Agnes took her iPad out of her bag and motioned for Frank to come closer to Hoss’s bed.

“What?”

She put her finger up to her mouth for him to remain quiet. He rolled his eyes, but followed her lead. She quickly typed on her iPad

We need a code word that only the three of us can share. The word is Jack.

They all nodded in agreement and just as fast, she deleted the word, praying the killer hadn’t been looking over her shoulder, grinning.