by S D Hegyes
He snorted. “It’s not the matter of them being vampires. It’s because vampires hate phantoms.” His jaw tightened, and his eyes widened.
Sorsha narrowed her eyes at him. She knew him well enough to know he’d said something he hadn’t meant to. “How did you know I was a phantom?” she asked in a low voice.
He rubbed the back of his head. “I. . .”
“Tanner, how did you know I was a phantom?”
He sighed. “I’ve been using your Phantom Mystics services since you opened it.”
“What?” She reeled back, her mouth twisting in confusion. “No you hav—” The words died in her throat at the guilty expression on his face. “You’re Michael Tanner.”
He gave her a sheepish smile. “Michael’s my first name, but I hate it so I tell people to call me Aiden, which is my middle name. And everyone who knew me in the army still calls me Tanner.” He gestured at her. “Like you.”
She curled her fingers into a fist and slammed it into his chest. “You lied to me! I can’t believe you lied to me!”
He grabbed her wrist before she could hit him again. “Phantom, I lied to you because I didn’t know if you knew anything more than your own abilities, and I wasn’t certain how much you knew about them either.”
She looked down, calming herself. “You mean, like knowing vampires and hellhounds exist? You going to tell me there’s werewolves and other creatures as well?”
He chuckled. “Well, yes. Of course there is. I wouldn’t be a monster hunter if I didn’t. How did you find out anyway?”
She chuckled, a dark and ominous laughter that started as she looked up at him from the floor. “The vampire you seem set on killing told me.”
Tanner’s eyes widened for a moment as shock flickered across his features, but then he frowned. “I’m sorry. What? A vampire—a phantom’s enemy—told you—a phantom—how to use your powers?”
“Crazy, huh?”
He rubbed the back of his head again. “Yeah, Phantom. That’s pretty crazy.”
“Oh, then you’ll love this.” She grinned at him. “You’ll remember how I told Michael about someone helping me leave a cult?”
He winced at the dig, but then his mouth dropped open as he stared at her. He closed his eyes and waved his hands back and forth. “Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me your roommate is the same man who helped you leave Shaded Glade ten years ago?”
She nodded.
“And he’s a vampire?”
She nodded again.
“And he didn’t kill you then?”
She shook her head. “He didn’t kill me then, and he hasn’t killed me now.”
Tanner took a step back and walked toward the couch, side-stepping the puppy as he did. “I kill monsters like him to keep people like you safe.”
“Well, how was I supposed to know you were a monster hunter? I figured you were part of a private militia.”
“Well, I mean. . . It kind of is. I work for a privately-owned company, and we’re sent out on missions to kill various monsters. I’m basically a gun-for-hire, going after the supernatural.” He sighed. “Look, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that once the local vampires get note that you’re a phantom that made it to adulthood, they’ll hunt you down.”
She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “I’m not leaving.”
He blew out a heavy breath. “How’d I know you were going to say that?” He shook his head. “Alright, well, at least let me meet your monster boyfriend. I’ve got to know he’ll keep you safe.”
“You won’t stake Larz?” She still couldn’t believe he carried one in the first place.
He didn’t answer right away, but when she didn’t budge, he finally said, “Not unless he harms you.”
She nodded. “Good enough. Put this away then. I don’t want to see it back out while you’re here.” She handed the stake back and watched him tuck it back into its sheath at his waist. Now that she looked at it, she realized she’d mistaken it for a knife and never questioned it.
“How long have you been a monster hunter?”
“Since you became a civilian. Had a run-in with a rabid werewolf. Things went south on the team’s part, and I joined as their new leader.” He grinned. “Learned how from you.”
“You lead a monster hunting team?” She rubbed at her temples. Tanner had been lying to her for a long time it seemed. “Fine. I’ll let you meet Larz.”
She turned and knocked on Larz’s door, curious as to why he hadn’t come out during her argument with Tanner. They’d raised their voices enough that anyone without sensitive hearing might have heard.
“Larz? There’s someone here I’d like you to meet. He promises not to stab you if you promise not to bite.” Behind her, Tanner chuckled. She aimed a rude gesture his way, which only made him chuckle again. “Larz?”
She tried the door, surprised when it opened easily. Larz always kept his door locked when he was home. She knew why now—he hadn’t wanted her to know he was one of Kazal’s children—but she hadn’t expected the habit to die now that he’d been outed.
“Larz?” She cracked open the door, waiting for him to respond, and when he didn’t, she pushed it open, her eyes widening in shock at the lack of items in the room.
It looked exactly as it had the day she’d shown it to him. There was only one added item in the form of an envelope on the made bed. Larz never made his bed.
What is going on?
She frowned and walked over to the envelope, reading her name on the front. It wasn’t sealed, and she pulled a single sheet of paper from it and unfolded it. Her eyes scanned the contents of the letter quickly, and her eyes welled up with tears as she looked inside the envelope once more and found a check.
“Sorsha?” Tanner called from the doorway. “Everything alright?”
“No.” Her voice shook as she stared at the letter and the check. “It’s not alright.”
He entered the room, his eyes roaming the empty space as he walked over to stand beside her. “What’s going on?”
“It’s Larz.” Her voice was low. The puppy pawed at her leg. She bent down and scooped him up, needing the comfort. She didn’t mind it coming from the hellhound puppy. She scratched behind his ears as she looked up at Tanner.
“He’s gone.”
Continued in DAMNED AND DEADLY
About the Author
Want to learn more about S.D. Hegyes and her upcoming releases? Sign up for her newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest news.
S.D. Hegyes is a pen name Skye writes and publishes paranormal romance books under. Skye currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two monster-munchkins, a bearded dragon, a dog, a bird, three cats and a partridge in a pear tree where she writes about monsters (and other creatures that go bump in the night) falling in love.
Also by S.D. Hegyes
Fur, Teeth, and Claws (2021)
Paw Prints + Broomsticks (2021)
DAMNED AND DANGEROUS QUARTET
Damned and Desolate
Damned and Dangerous
Damned and Deadly (January 2021)
Damned and Demonic (March 2021)
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
Dear Satan
Demon Rider (2021)
Angels Fall (2021)
