Violet Fire
Prologue

“I hate leaving her like this,” she kept her voice low.

“Evelyn, we can’t bring her with us,” the reproach was gentle.

The arm holding her gun dropped a fraction.

“I realize that, Caleb, I just have a nagging feeling that something bad is going to happen.”

Caleb paused, looking around the corner before turning back to Evelyn.

“You say that every time we’re working on a case.”

He could barely see her shake her head in the dark. “This time is different.”

There was a crash to their right, just around the corner.

They nodded to each other grimly, the dim light reflecting off of the badges clipped to their belts. They plunged into the alley on high alert, their motions practiced. The only thing in the alley was a tabby cat.

Evelyn laughed nervously, the barrel of her gun lowering. “Are you the one making all that noise?”

The cat meowed quietly, rubbing against her legs. A faint blue glow lit the alley as Caleb whispered her name.

“What is that?”

Evelyn came to stand next to Caleb as the outline of a door appeared in the alley wall. Evelyn’s eyes widened as she looked between the cat and the doorway.

“They found us,” she whispered.

Caleb’s wide eyes met hers. “I thought that was a dream.”

Her head shook slowly, the door opening before them. There was a soft meow behind them and they started being pushed towards the door.

Caleb grabbed Evelyn’s hand tightly. “What do they want?”

“Our daughter.”

There was a flash of light in the alley, then it was dark again. The tabby sat on top of a trash can, purring as it cleaned its paws. A homeless man stared open-mouthed at the spot where the couple had disappeared.

“Did you see that?” he asked the cat.

The cat smiled.