Page 44 of Outrun The Devil

“Sometimes,” Xavier said with a shrug. “But it’s not always clear. Visions can be vague and open to interpretation. And they can be triggered by different things. Emotions, sensory experiences, even objects.”

“So you knew this whole time and decided to keep it from me?” Olivia frowned, shaking her head. “But why me? Why was I born with this ability?”

Xavier studied her for a moment before answering. “Some believe that seers are born with their gifts as a result of a curse or a blessing from the gods. Others believe it's simply a genetic mutation that occurs randomly. Regardless of the reason, it's a powerful gift and one that you must learn to control if you want to survive in the supernatural world.”

Olivia nodded slowly, her mind whirling with new possibilities. She knew that she had to learn as much as she could, and fast. The killer was still out there, and he was getting closer to his next victim. With Xavier's help, she might just have a chance.

But as she turned to leave, Xavier caught her arm and pulled her close. “One more thing,” he said, his eyes gleaming with hunger. “There's something else you must know about being a seer.”

Olivia's heart raced as she looked up at him. “What is it?”

Xavier leaned in close, his breath hot on her neck. “Your blood, it's different. It has a unique flavor that vampires find irresistible.”

Olivia's eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. “Are you saying that vampires will be drawn to me because of my blood?”

Xavier nodded. “Yes. And not just any vampires. The more powerful ones, the ones who crave rare blood.”

Olivia's mind was spinning with this new information. And she could feel a headache coming on.

But Olivia had a job to do, and she would do whatever it took to catch the killer and keep people safe.

Xavier walked her to the elevator, it was time she left his penthouse. “I know of a wolf. He has similar taste in women as the ones you've found. Let me do a little digging and then I'll send you what I know when I find it.”

Olivia nodded. “I would appreciate that.” There was still some apprehension there from her. And almost a sense of betrayal as well.

Regretting already, she paused before leaving his penthouse. “Would you happen to know why a seer would feel blocked?”

In this whole case she was struggling, the silence from her visions was more deafening than she could handle. They once flowed rather regularly even if she didn’t get the whole picture, something would always flicker or give way. But not this time. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that something else was in play.

Xavier was quiet for a moment, his face contorting and eyebrows knitting together before he answered finally.

“The only thing that could come to mind is some magical angle,” he turned to face her, his glass of bourbon in hand, “Could be a magical item or even a spell. But that’s not really my area of expertise per se, as I said before witches are normally bad news. But I can reach out to a few witches I know, and see if that might shake an answer for you?”

A sigh escaped as everything overwhelmed her. All this time, supernaturals were living right under her nose. And hell, she was one of them. Sort of. Her tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip before retreating in.

“How does one kill a werewolf?”

Xavier's eyebrow arched in response, a fleeting micro-expression that danced across his features. She squinted, searching for the meaning behind that unguarded moment. Intrigued, perhaps? Yet, his gaze shifted away almost as quickly as it had appeared, a veil of inscrutability falling back into place. It was like trying to decipher a code written in shadows.

"Silver," his response was succinct, a single word that held a world of implications. But his demeanor, a mix of restraint and intrigue, made it clear that there was more to the story.

"Like in the movies?" Olivia's skepticism rose like a challenge, her arms folding across her chest. The truth seemed too simple, too neatly packaged, to fit the tangled narrative she was grappling with.

A hint of amusement danced at the corners of Xavier's lips, a fleeting smile that hinted at a deeper understanding of the complexities at play. Olivia's gaze bore into his, a determination that was unyielding.

"There is a caveat that most overlook," his voice held a measured tone, his pause calculated, as though he was navigating a minefield of information. She watched, waiting for his revelation.

"Werewolves are connected to the moon," his words wove a tapestry of intrigue, each thread leading her deeper into the labyrinth of the supernatural. She leaned in slightly, her body language a silent signal of her intent to uncover the truth.

"The silver, no matter what you make it into, must be charged by the moon," his pause, a moment suspended in the air like a held breath, left her hanging on the precipice of understanding. His eyes met hers, a silent challenge daring her to grasp the weight of his words.

"So I just leave it out at night in the moonlight to, as you said, charge it?" Olivia's voice carried a hint of skepticism, her words a careful echo seeking validation.

“That is what I said, detective.”

Getting the answers she needed, Olivia turned to leave. Something told her to stop and the detective pivoted back towards Xavier.

“Also, could you stop breaking into my apartment? It’s creepy.”