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you?”
    “Do you realize what your inaction has cost? To those around you? To the world?”
    “What are you talking about?”
    Dr. Ramirez closed the book and breathed several times. With a sudden movement, he slammed his flat hand against the desk, his gaze boring into hers.
    Paige nearly leapt out of the chair to get away from him, but his pure black eyes held her in place.
    Demon!
    Her mind went sideways, like she’d had one too many glasses of wine. Her ears rang. She couldn’t focus.
    “What are you doing, Peanut?”
    A flash of light hit her eyes. Visions swirled through her skull. Conversations ricocheted into her ears.
    “Peanut.”
    She turned and glanced up at Balnore Ramirez dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. The sun shone bright. They stood outside Grandma Alma’s large house. She smiled and hugged him in greeting. “Bal, I couldn’t do any of this without you.”
    His expression filled with worry.
    Paige blinked, pulling herself out of the Twilight Zone, white-knuckling the arms of the chair.
    He rolled his chair around the desk. “Why did you call me?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
    Her heart raced. She had to get back some semblance of control. She gripped her pen and fell back to what she knew best. “Investigating a series of murders.” Her voice trembled. Anger flared within her, burning the fear away slowly. Too slowly. “What are you doing here?”
    “Keeping an eye on things.” His hands clenched. “As I’m supposed to. As you’re supposed to.”
    “Who are you?”
    His fists opened. His jaw tightened.
    “Dr. Ramirez?”
    He closed his eyes, his body visibly relaxing.
    As soon as his eyes closed, it felt as if a chokehold had been released. She took in a deep breath, though her pulse continued to race.
    “If you’re withholding something that could help my investigation . . .” she said, her words strong, her tone barely above a whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I could hold you in contempt of court.”
    He stared at her, his eyes shining with familiarity and something else. Desperation. “Damn it, Peanut. Please, break through.”
    She blinked at him.
    “Peanut.”
    “A war is coming.” Balnore stood in front of her, desperation filling his black, human eyes. “You have to be ready.”
    “Bal, I am,” Paige heard herself say.
    “You’re not.” He took a step forward and held her shoulders. “I’m glad you have Leah, but you have to be careful. She can be used against you. You’re a weapon and someone is going to find a way to use you. Or get you out of the game.”
    Paige rolled her eyes in the bright afternoon sun. “The demons? I doubt it.”
    “Paige, don’t do this.”
    “Peanut,” the doctor whispered, putting his elbows on his knees.
    “Stop calling me that.”
    “Do you want me to help you remember? Or do you want him to break those memories open for you?”
    “Who?”
    “The thing currently possessing you.”
    Her frantic heartbeat screamed at her leave. “Do I know you?”
    “Yes,” he answered just as quietly.
    “How?”
    The doctor was still for one long, silent moment. “We worked together.”
    Paige swallowed hard. Her hands trembled in her lap despite how she tried to still them.
    “Ask for my help. Ask me to return your memories.”
    “Why?”
    “You’re vulnerable without them.”
    “Then why didn’t you give them back before?”
    “I can’t—” His expression folded in torn sincerity. “Peanut, you have to remember.”
    Paige couldn’t look away. “What’s going on?”
    “Something a lot bigger than you and me. A lot bigger than a couple of murders.”
    “What could be bigger than murder?” Paige demanded. “People are dying.”
    “That’s what you need to remember.”
    Paige clenched her jaw. “Where were you on March eighth at two a.m.?”
    “Goddamn it, Paige,” the doctor said, slamming his fist against the desk. “Don’t do this. Not now.”
    Her heart skidded to a halt as she