The Shifters. Alexandra Sokoloff

no point in lying to him; he always knew. “I want a sitting. To see what he’s seen out there.” She knew Case would know she didn’t mean on the streets but in the astral.

      Case shook his head mockingly. “Danny’s not home tonight.”

      Meaning Danny was high, as if she didn’t know. Her anger burned. “How do you live with yourself?” she asked, not bothering to hide her contempt.

      “Same way Danny does, cher. One hit at a time.”

      Too angry to speak, she turned and stalked for the door.

      His voice came from the dark behind her, mocking. “Rough night out there. Don’t forget your glamour.”

      She faced him stoically. He was right, of course.

      He stared across the dark courtyard, into her eyes. “And don’t forget—I taught you that, little sister.”

      “Yes,” she heard herself saying bitterly. “You taught me a lot.”

      She turned again and was gone.

      Inside the club, she leaned against the wall in the narrow hallway and breathed deeply until she could focus enough to pull the glamour back on.

      The music was blasting, but strangely, the rhythm made the glamour easier to conjure. When she straightened away from the wall, the drunk bridesmaids who tumbled by her en route to the bathroom didn’t even give her a glance.

      Caitlin weaved her way across the crowded floor. On stage, Danny was at the piano, hair shimmering like dark water over his shoulders, beautiful and empty-eyed. Caitlin turned away, disturbed…and caught a glimpse of Case standing on the dance floor in front of the stage. He suddenly crouched down, dropping out of sight. Caitlin stopped, craning to see what was going on. He was on his haunches talking very seriously to a blonde little girl of maybe five, sporting a rakish, sequined hat. As the little girl watched, enthralled, Case twirled a drumstick between his fingers and then extended the drumstick toward her.

      She took it and without hesitation twirled the stick in imitation. As Case laughed, his whole face transformed.

      Caitlin blinked back tears and fled the club.