Chapter 1

• The Seer Book 2 The Alterealm Series by J. Risk / Jacqueline Paige
• I patted her cheek again. No reaction. She didn’t even stir. Looking around to make sure we were hidden in the shadows, I sat down beside the crazy woman with the fantastically bright red hair, trying to figure out what I should do.
• This was a complication. I didn’t do complications. In fact, I did everything possible to avoid them. Go out each night, do what was inevitably necessary. Go home. A perfect complication-free routine.
• I looked back down at her. I’d seen her around a few times, sure, but that didn’t make us friends. I didn’t even know her name. Then again, I tried not to get close enough to know them. It never ended well. That was one thing I learned many years ago. While friendships and love may relieve the endless loneliness, it wasn’t worth the heartbreak. Watching friends die was something you could never get used to, and they always did.
• Do I sit here until she comes to? I didn’t even know why she sat down and then fell over. I reached over to check her pulse, it seemed strong enough, not that I would know, but I did know alive and she was that. Her skin wasn’t clammy in the way the drug users got when they overdosed. So, what was wrong with her? Did I call for help? Then what? Calling for help lead to questions—that I’d most likely prefer not to answer.
• Shit. I couldn’t just leave her lying in an alley. There were too many creeps and sickos in the neighborhood to do that. As a woman, I knew what could happen in the wrong places, never mind when unconscious. I looked around, checking we were in the shadows and no one was lurking close by.
• She needed to wake up and explain how she knew I was freaked out by the weirdo in the yellow contact lenses. My skin had been crawling when I’d been near him, then she breezes by and grabs me to rush me out of there. Why had she said I was being followed, and we had to hurry? Hurry to where? Followed by whom?
• A chirping sound came from her pocket. Reaching in, I pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. It said Raf with a smiley face beside it. Maybe they could help shed some light. I hit the call button.
• “Hello?”
• “Crissy?” A deep male voice asked.
• I looked at the woman again. “Is Crissy petite, bright red hair and a little nuts in the head?”
• “Who is this?” A woman asked.
• “She grabbed me and said we had to hurry, so we rushed out of the club and ran down the alley. Then she just sat down and,” I looked at her again, “I think she passed out.”
• “Where are you?” The male demanded.
• “In an alley…”
• “What alley?” The woman asked.
• I looked around for a moment, seeing which dark ally we’d stupidly run into. “The one across from the perv club…”
• “I know where that is. Stay with her, I’m on my way.” The woman said and then the line went quiet.
• I hung up the phone, looking at it before tucking it back into her pocket. Well, one question answered. Someone was coming to get Crissy. I studied her, she looked like a Crissy.
• The sound of boots on the pavement had me backing deeper into the shadows, reaching up under the back of my jacket, I squatted, ready to spring into action if needed.
• “Crissy?” Someone whispered.
• They must have been around the corner when they called. I stood slowly, silently, then stepped away from her. “She’s here.” I said as I stared down into the darkness.
• A woman stepped into view, gave me the once over, then dropped down beside Crissy. “Was she hurt?” She asked, as she checked her.
• I shook my head. “Not that I know of. She grabbed me in the club and said we had to hurry, then we ran out the back exit.” Two very large males moved into sight. I wrapped my hand around the dagger strapped to my back.
• One dropped down beside Crissy, worry and concern written on his face. He must be the Raf with the smiley face. The other stood stiffly, assessing me with cold, flat eyes. There was something about him that set off alarms inside me. Not entirely bad, but not good either. There was more about these people than the eye could see. I knew better than most could ever imagine. Things were not always as they appeared.
• I couldn’t sense their emotions, other than seeing their concern for Crissy. Something was not right. The sooner I got out of here, the better off I’d be.
• “I need to get her back to my place.” The woman said.
• “I got her.” The man beside her said as he scooped the little redhead up in his arms.
• Standing up, the blonde woman looked at me. “Thank you for staying with her.” She glanced at the stiff one standing behind her, then back to me. “What was Crissy trying to get you away from?”
• I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I took a step in the direction of the narrow alley between the two buildings. “I hope she’s alright. I’ll get going now.”
• “Wait,” She held up her hand. “You should come back to my place until Crissy wakes up so we can find out. You could be in danger.”
• Danger wasn’t anything new to me. I looked at the drooping redhead in the big guy’s arms and debated on it for a brief moment. The entire scenario screamed of attachments, and I knew too well how that always ended. Shaking my head, I glanced from her to the one with the strange vibes. “I’m going to pass. I need to be somewhere.” It wasn’t a complete lie, I needed to be anywhere but here.
• Not giving them a chance to stall me any longer with chit-chat, I backed up a few more steps and then gave them an abrupt nod. Turning, I hit a full run in a few short seconds and took off away from the dark alley.