“I’m sorry,” he whispers, his lips kissing my ear. “I have been lying to you … Not about telling the hybrids about where Ryleigh was, but about other things. Not because I don’t trust you, but because I don’t want you getting hurt … And I don’t want to lose you. I can’t ever lose you …”
My eyes pop open, my body giving a harsh jerk as I suck in a sharp breath.
Hunter sits back, his eyes roaming up and down my body, inspecting every inch of me. When his gaze collides with mine, the storm of worry pouring from his eyes is so overpowering that my breath gets lodged in my throat.
“Tell me you’re okay.” His voice cracks.
I bob my head up and down. “I’m fine. I swear.” I start to sit up, but he places a hand on my shoulder and guides me back to the ground.
“Don’t sit up just yet,” he instructs. “I want to examine you and make sure you’re okay.”
“Aren’t we a little too old to play witch doctor?” I give a feeble laugh.
He doesn’t laugh with me, worry still creasing his brow. “I need to make sure the broken contract didn’t cause any permanent damage.”
Worry seizes my throat. “That’s what the pain was?”
He nods, slipping off his jacket. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking when I nodded.”
What the hell does he mean by “when he nodded”?
I’m so lost. And worried. And on edge. Plus, the pulsating headache from the broken spell isn’t helping, either.
“So, you were lying …? About what?”
Cupping the back of my neck, he slips the balled-up jacket beneath my head like a pillow. “You said you should’ve known better than to think I’d ever lie to you and”—he audibly gulps—“I nodded without thinking.”
I stare up at the shooting stars now blazing across the midnight blue sky as I attempt to process what happened before I blacked out. He’s right; the pain only came when I declared he hasn’t ever lied to me, and then he nodded.
“So … you have been lying to me about something else?”
He smashes his lips together and nods. “But I promise that every single one of them is for a good reason.”
My eyes enlarge. “Every single one of them? As in, you’ve been lying to me about more than one thing?” I move to sit up, needing some space, but his fingers splay across my shoulders, securing me in place.
“Eva, I don’t want you getting up until I examine you,” he says, keeping me pinned to the ground. “I want to make sure everything is healed from the contract breaking before you start moving around.”
I rub my aching chest. “You might want to check my heart first, because it hurts the worst.”
“Eva …” A heavy amount of remorse weighs in his tone as his hand finds my cheek. “What I lied about … I did that to protect you. And to protect our friendship. If you knew everything I’ve done … what I’m still doing … you’d probably hate me.”
I shake my head. “The only thing I could hate you for is if you did put my sister in harm’s way. These lies … do they have anything to do with her?”
“Not entirely... But that doesn’t make it any better.” He moves his hand away from my cheek, sits back on his heels, and stares out at the road in the distance. “I’ve been lying to you for years. What kind of friend does that make me?”
“The normal kind, probably.” I turn my head to look at him. He seems so haunted, so broken, so unlike the Hunter I see every day. Does this pain have anything to do with what he’s keeping from me? “Besides, if you can deal with me possibly being a hybrid, then I can get over you telling me a few fibs.”
“Me being able to deal with that is part of the reason I’ve been lying to you,” he admits, turning his head toward me. If possible, his expression conveys even more guilt. The sight sends my heart thundering in my chest.
“What do you mean, it’s part of the reason? Wait … Have you known I might be one?”
He steadily carries my gaze, but his hands tremble. “I have.”
And just like that, my heart goes from being wounded to being completely shattered.
Chapter 5
I don’t know how long I lie there, staring up at the sky, wishing on every single shooting star that what he just said was a lie. Sadly, I think this might be the first time he’s ever been entirely truthful with me.
No wonder he hasn’t mentioned anything about the demon saying I was a hybrid. He already knew!
“How long?” I finally manage to choke out.
He kneels in front of me, his gaze locking with mine. “Before I answer that, I want you to know that our friendship”—he motions between us—“is real.”
“How long?” I repeat, ignoring him.
While I want to believe he’s been my BFF this entire time, I’m unsure what to believe anymore.
He closes his eyes and inhales shakily. “Since the day I met you.”
Quite possibly the worst answer in all of witches’ time.
A lump swells in my throat. “So, from the day you met me, you’ve known that I’m part demon?”
“Not the entire time... There was a while where they weren’t sure what you are.” A drop of panic creeps into his tone.
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. “Wait, just how many people know this about me?”
He hesitates, his eyes skimming the fields around us. “Eva, I really think we should go somewhere private to talk about this.”
“Fine,” I lie. Like hell I’m going anywhere with him, not right now, not ever. “But you have to let me up in order to do that.”
He gives me a suspicious once over. “Fine. But I still need to examine you first.”
“Okay. I’ll wait.”
I lie perfectly still as he taps his wand against his palm, causing the tip to pierce the darkness with a pale orb of light. Then he gradually spotlights the light across my face, down my neck, my chest, my abdomen, and my legs with his head slanted to the side.
Despite how much I want to despise him at the moment, my body reacts to his attention. My skin erupts with blistering heat and restlessness stirs inside me, begging me to move.
Finally, I can’t take it anymore.
“I think that’s enough.” I nudge the wand away from me. “I’m sure I’m fine.”
He studies me momentarily before reluctantly nodding. “Yeah, I think you’re good—”
Without waiting for him to finish, I push him back, roll onto my stomach, and spring to my feet. Then I take off in a mad sprint.
“Eva, don’t!” Hunter shouts, chasing after me.
Quickening my pace, I barrel down the desolate driveway and toward the street. While it’s not that late, not a single vehicle is around, which is typical for this area, since nocturnal creatures mostly populate this side of town.
“Goddammit, Eva! Stop running!” Hunter yells over the sound of his hammering footsteps. “It’s too dangerous for you to be running off on your own, especially around here.”
“How do you know it’s dangerous?” I throw over my shoulder. “Is that part of another one of the lies you’ve been keeping from me?”
When he doesn’t reply, tears sting my eyes. Was anything real? Was everything a lie?
“If you’ll stop, I’ll try to explain what I can,” Hunter pleads as he races after me.
Conflicted over what to do, I continue to run toward the end of the driveway. Once I reach the edge of the road, I veer right. My legs ache as I move swiftly down the side of the street, heading toward where the fields shift into boarded up warehouses and older, rundown homes.
As I near the first building, I wonder if maybe I should’ve ran the other way. Sure, that way leads out of Mystic Willow Bay, but this side of town is so sketchy.
What makes the situation worse is that not a damn creature seems to be around. Yet, as I dash past grimy windows and closed doors, the feeling of being watched overcomes me.
“Eva!” Hunter sounds much nearer.
; I try to quicken my pace, but I’ve never been much of a runner, and I’m running out of breath. Plus, my shins and lungs are killing me.
God, I really need to start working out more.
A hand lands on my shoulder as I approach the curb. I wrench forward in an attempt to escape, but all the running has weakened me, and I end up tripping over my own feet.
Fortunately, Hunter catches me before I faceplant onto the concrete.
For a snap of an instant, gratitude washes over me. Then he reels me around and backs me up against the warehouse behind us, and just like that, my gratitude flies away on a broom, which yes, we actually do use sometimes.
I sidestep to the right to get away from him, but he shoots his hands out and barricades me between his arms.
Warning alarms fire off inside my brain as he inches closer to me until I barely have any room left to breathe.
“Now, will you please calm down for two seconds and listen to me?” His low, cold tone sends a shiver creeping up my back.
I seal my lips together and stare him down, refusing to answer.
He arches a brow. “Eva, I need you to promise to hear me out all the way through. If you don’t, this is going to look worse than it is.”
I laugh hollowly, my heart splintering apart. “Look worse than it is? Which means what? That it’s bad, yet not as bad as I think?”
He searches my eyes, and then sighs. “Honestly, that’s probably how you’re going to look at it, regardless.”
Another hollow laugh escapes my lips. “Okay, well, please enlighten me, then. Tell me what you’ve done that’s not as bad as I think, yet still pretty bad.”
His lip twitches, either out of amusement or frustration. “You know, you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.”
“I know,” I agree. “But right now, I think I have a pretty good reason for it.”
His lips quirk again, his gaze never wavering from mine. “Perhaps.”
I tap my foot in impatience. “Are you going to explain what’s going on? Or just stand there and internally laugh at me?”
He removes one hand from the wall and scrubs his palm across his jawline, contemplating. “I will, but …” His gaze wanders toward the warehouse and then to the street before conclusively landing back on me. Then he dips his head in, keeping his voice hushed as he says, “I don’t think talking out here is the best idea right now.”
I open my mouth to declare that I’m not going anywhere with him until he explains further when a hiss slithers through the air.
Hunter’s muscles wind tight as he lets out a low, “Fuck.”
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” a deep, male voice asks.
Hunter’s gaze fastens on mine, and in the quietest voice ever, he whispers, “Eva, just know that whatever’s about to happen, you need to trust me.”
Before I can respond, he pushes back from the wall and turns toward the street.
“Carter,” Hunter says with a slight nod of his head. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has,” the voices hisses. “I’ve been wondering what happened to you.”
“Yeah, sorry, I’ve been busy,” Hunter casually replies, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “What’ve you been up to?”
Wanting to put a creature to the hissing voice, I lean to the right. Then instantly regret it.
Standing on the edge of the curb is a guy who looks around Hunter’s age with snow white hair, blue lips, and fiery red eyes.
A demon.
And he’s staring at Hunter like they’re long lost friends.
What the crazy world is going on?
A grin spreads across Carter’s face. “I’ve been looking for you, actually.” His smile grows as his gaze shoots toward me. “I’m glad to see you followed through with your end of the deal. I was worried you weren’t going to.”
I half-expect Hunter to throw me a reassuring look, but his smile mirrors the demon’s.
“Like I would ever stab you in the back.” He reaches back and grabs my arm, dragging me forward. “Of course I followed through with my end of the deal. It just took me longer than I thought, that’s all.”
The demon’s eyes gleam red as he reaches for me. “Good. Then I’m guessing the shield’s down?”
Hunter nods, tugging me toward the demon. “She’s ready to go.”
I dig my heels into the ground and yank back, not like where this is going. “Let me go.”
Hunter tightens his hold and pulls me closer to the demon. “Eva, quit making this difficult.”
My heart feels like it’s being torn to shreds. Hunter, my best friend in the world, is handing me over to a demon. I want to break apart. Collapse to the sidewalk. Scream until my lungs combust. But the will to fight is greater.
I lift my leg to kick Hunter. The damn backstabber is too speedy, though, and easily dodges my lame attempt at hurting him.
“Will you stop it?” Hunter’s fingers constrict around my wrist, and I wince from the light pain. If he feels bad for hurting me, he makes no show of it. “Now, come on; don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.” He lugs me toward the demon, who sticks out his hands greedily.
“Yes, give her to me,” he hisses. “If she is it, then the master will be so pleased. And you’ll be rewarded for taking down the shield.”
“I don’t know what you think I am,” I seethe at the demon as I twist my arm, trying to escape Hunter’s death grip, “but I’m sure as hell not it.”
“We’ll soon find out,” he says, making grabby hands. “Now, give her to me.”
Hunter stops a few inches away from the demon, and then shoves me toward him, still not releasing my arm. Before the demon can grab me, though, I jump backward and practically body check Hunter.
He grunts, and his hold on me loosens. I start to run, but he snags the back of my shirt and hauls me back. Then his arm snakes around my waist while the other circles my chest, trapping my arms to my sides. I then bring my foot up to try to kick his shin again, but he lifts my feet off the ground.
“I guess we’re going to have to do this the hard way, then,” Hunter breathes into my ear as he carries me toward the demon.
With my back trapped against his chest and my legs dangling below me, I can barely move, let alone escape.
“I hate you,” I growl in a pathetic attempt to wound him.
The really sad part is, even knowing he’s about to give me to a demon for whatever reason, I still don’t hate him. My reaction makes me hate myself.
Hunter chuckles at my lameness. “No, you don’t. Not even a little bit.”
Anger floods through me that he knows the truth. “Yes, I do. I hate you so much, Hunter. And I’ll never forgive you for this.”
“Liar,” he whispers in my ear, sounding as though he thinks this conversation is the funniest thing in the magical world.
“Grr …” I fist my hands, wishing I could punch him. “You’re the worst friend ever.”
“That might be true,” he utters under his breath as he stops in front of the demon. “Careful. She’s a little feisty.”
The demon’s eyes illuminate with glee. “Just how I prefer them.” He extends his hands toward me.
I hold my breath, hoping Hunter will step back. However, his feet remain welded to the ground as the demon’s fingers circle my arms.
“Lovely,” the demon purrs as he looks into my eyes. “And so powerful.”
I want to laugh in the demon’s face.
“Powerful? Yeah, you definitely got the wrong girl,” I tell him.
The demon shakes his head, awe all over his face as he digs his fingernails into my flesh. “You have no idea what you are, do you?”
I open mouth to say … Well, who knows what? I never get to find out because an ear-bursting scream pierces the night, and then the three of us collapse to the ground.
Chapter 6
I lie flat on my stomach, my cheek pressed against the cool concrete, waiting for s
omething insanely crazy to happen next, like the ground splitting open, or a hairy monster beast gobbling me up. But the air completely stills.
Opening my eyes, I look around at the empty street in front of me, and then to my right where the demon lies. His head is angled toward me, his arms and legs limply sprawled across the ground.
“Well, this sucks.” The demon’s lips move like a puppet, his eyes open and lifeless.
“Are you dead?” I whisper, not daring to move.
The demon gives me a dirty look. “Thanks to you, I am.”
Huh?
“He should be dead,” Hunter mutters from the other side of me.
I grit my teeth, turning to face him. “Great, you’re still alive.”
“Aw, Eva, I’d be hurt if I didn’t know you really don’t mean that,” he jokes, his fingers grazing the back of my arm.
I jerk away and roll over to get some distance between us before facing him again. “Don’t touch me.” Then I trip to my feet, brushing the bits of gravel and dirt off my legs. “In fact, don’t ever touch me again.” I start to storm off down the street, but the memory of the scream has me slowing to a confused stop. I glance around at the silent street, my gaze traveling to the shut doors, broken windows, and the crooked rooftops. “Where did that scream come from?”
“From Carter.” Hunter moves up behind me, lightly skimming his finger along my lower back.
“I said don’t touch me.” I say that, yet I make no effort to move forward as I turn my head to meet his gaze. “The scream was from the demon?”
Hunter nods. “He was in pain.”
“Why?”
“Because he was dying.”
“Again, why?” I gesture for him to get along with it. “Come on, dude; you gotta give me something because, right now, I’m freakin’ out and am seriously one step away from running from you again.”
His hand darts out and snatches ahold of my wrist. “Don’t.” When I wince in pain, he frowns. “What’s wrong?”
“You hurt my wrist early when you grabbed me,” I tell him bitterly. “You know, when you showed your true evil colors and tried to force me into a demon’s arms.”
Mystic Willow Bay, Witches Series: The Secret Life of a Witch Page 11
