Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            “Not this time.” Jenks took to the air now that his wings were dry again.

            “I thought you were working downstairs,” I said as I leaned in to give her a quick hug. I was going to miss her when she left the church, but I totally understood. There was nothing there for her. Not really.

            She shrugged, clearly pleased with herself as she eyed the chaos in the emergency waiting room. “I am,” she said, then pulled me aside as an empty gurney came in. “But they ask me to help out up here when it gets busy. I heard you were bitten.”

            “Me? No,” I said immediately. “It was someone else. I’m looking for Trent. He’s okay, but he came in with a man named Lee Saladan.”

            “Let’s find him.” Stef rocked into motion, and both Jenks and I followed her to a smaller desk set to the side. The man behind it glanced at the other window placard, then relaxed when Stef walked behind the counter and found a hospital tablet. “S-A-L-A-D-A-N . . .” she murmured, tapping the pop-up keyboard. “Got him. Mr. Saladan was treated for a severe Were bite, but he’s got some movement issues so they took him in for a deeper scan.” She set the tablet back on its charger. “Trent’s probably still with him. Were bite, huh? Good thing you can’t turn from that.”

            “Parker is a mean bitch,” Jenks said, his dust now a bright silver.

            “She doesn’t fight fair, either,” I added, grateful that Lee had tried to stop her. “Ah, speaking of which, the I.S. brought her here for treatment after she fled the scene and landed on a bus from a third-story balcony. Any chance you can get me in to see her?”

            “The other half of this nightmare Oreo cookie?” Stef smirked. “I don’t see why not. She’s downstairs. I’ll take you. We don’t have a line painted on the floor for that.”

            “Downstairs?” I questioned, pushing forward to meet the woman’s fast pace as she gave the security by the door a little wave. I lifted my hospital ID for him to see, but he didn’t care, more concerned about the Weres collecting in a corner. “The undead’s emergency facility? How bad was she hurt?”

            “It’s not how bad she’s hurt. It’s because she’s the reason most of these people are here.”

            “Right.” I reached for my phone, then thought better of it. “Jenks, could you find Trent and tell him I’m downstairs checking on Parker?”

            “You got it, Rache.” The pixy darted away, clearly glad for the excuse to snoop around.

            “Oh, and tell him where I left his car!” I added loudly, since he was already halfway down the hall. I’d left the fob atop the visor, seeing as his car locked with a code, not a key.

            “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” the pixy shouted, garnering surprised looks from those he passed.

            “I’ve never been down to the undead’s emergency department,” I said as Stef and I started forward again. “I’ve seen their morgue, though. Is it nice?”

            “It is, actually, and quiet right now.” Stef stopped at an oversize elevator, the multitude of rings on the arch of her ear swinging as she hit the down button. “They have better security, not to mention a separate entrance/exit bay that isn’t in use while the sun is up. Doyle insisted. Soon as they rule out a concussion, he’s moving her to the I.S.”

            True, I’d hidden from the I.S. last night at Trent’s, but Doyle hadn’t given me any trouble at the festival, so why would he here? He wanted this settled as much as I did and would probably let me talk to Parker despite what his superiors wanted. I think. I had to find out who the mage was.

            “Sorry for the wait. It’s a dedicated elevator, but they keep it at the bottom,” Stef said as she stared at the closed doors. I wasn’t surprised. Most undead vampires were compliant, but if you got an ugly one and had to vacate the area, you didn’t want to have to wait for the elevator.

            Finally it dinged and opened, and we filed in. There was only one button, and Stef hit it. “So,” I said as the doors closed and the faint scent of undead vampire tickled my nose. “You like working down here?”

            “I do,” she said immediately. “The regulars don’t appreciate me, though.”

            “Your smut?” I questioned, and she shook her head.