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about something, and she’s just detecting your anxiety?”
    “She wouldn’t have to be a very sensitive barometer. I’m basically worried about everything these days.”
    “Are these domestic worries, or professional ones?”
    “Well, they’re kind of permanently mixed up. I’m taking care of two orphans, and the CORE is watching me to see how I do. If I screw up, they could take Mia and Patrick away from me.”
    “But you’re Mia’s legal guardian. The CORE doesn’t have the authority to take away your parental rights.”
    “They don’t need it. We both know that.”
    He gave me a funny look. “Why do you assume I know that?”
    “Because you work for them. You know what they’re like.”
    “We work in very different departments, Tess. I don’t engage feral demons in combat. There’s a very low mortality rate in this office.”
    It was weird that he used the word “feral.” Like he and I were domesticated demons, not in any way connected to a vampire, or a pureblood. Mages were hybrids, strictly speaking, who’d inherited nothing through their demon DNA except for the ability to detect and control materia. Goblins were a much older species who’d migrated only over the last few centuries from their underground communities. Cities like Vancouver still had dedicated goblin safe houses, well hidden from prying human eyes.
    “Sure. My job is stressful. But that hasn’t changed for the last ten years. I’m used to it by now.”
    Hinzelmann consulted his notes for a second. “Last year you engaged in combat with an elder demon, correct?”
    “An Iblis.”
    “You were in the hospital for a week.”
    “If by hospital you mean a private CORE clinic, then yes. I miss it there sometimes. The Demerol was great.”
    He didn’t smile. “Chemical dependency can also be stressful.”
    “I didn’t say I was dependent. Just that I missed it. And if you’re fishing for more information, then the answer is no, I haven’t taken any more Hex.”
    “I wasn’t fishing for anything. Just stating a fact.”
    “Right.” I stared at the blank space on his desk. “Dr. Hinzelmann, can I ask you a personal question?”
    “Of course. But call me Lori.”
    “Okay. Lori, do you have a girlfriend?”
    I don’t know why I was curious. I just was.
    His expression didn’t change. “We’re talking about you right now. That’s the point of these sessions: to assess your level of anxiety since the incident last fall.”
    “Is that what they’re calling it? The ‘incident’? I think of it more as the fun time I got to have spinal surgery.”
    “Do you feel like you’ve recovered physically since then?”
    I still had debilitating headaches, nausea, and a bit of memory loss. Other than that, I felt like a trooper.
    “I’m fine.”
    “And emotionally?”
    “Depends on your unit of measurement.”
    He wrote something else down. “How are you sleeping?”
    I dreamt about the Iblis once a week. I could still feel its fingers locked around my throat, crushing my windpipe. I could still see the purple flame rising in vapors from its eyes and mouth.
    “Fine,” I said.
    “And what about Mia? How is she acclimating to the tenth grade?”
    “Pretty good. Especially if you consider the fact she’s immunosuppressed from all of the antiviral drugs that they’re giving her.”
    “That sort of treatment can definitely have side effects. You should have her see a naturopath as well.”
    “She’s being treated for vampirism, not for a wheat allergy.”
    He shrugged. “Homeopathic remedies can make a difference. They’d probably help with your headaches as well.”
    “How do you know I’m having headaches?”
    “This is your third visit, and all three times, my receptionist has seen you popping aspirin in the waiting room. Plus, you don’t look like you’ve been sleeping soundly, and your left eye is twitching. Just slightly.”
    I exhaled. “Is it really that obvious?”
    He nodded. “And it’s much easier