The Hunted

by C.J. Hart

  He clears his throat. “We will.” Picks up the TV remote.

  Keeping me close, Seb relocates us to the couch—me in the middle. Kat flicks through channels and settles on a sitcom. He jostles me with his elbow as he guffaws.

  I’m pleased he can entertain himself. I’m no longer in the mood to play hostess.

  I am numb.

  Lost.

  C’mon, get up.” I rip the blankets off Cass.

  Her glare, an inferno. “Is this the tough love approach?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Go away.” She tries to yank the covers back up.

  I sweep her into my arms. Her protests are weak, and she gives up. I stand her in front of her wardrobe.

  “What are we doing?”

  I open her closet doors.

  “It’s not time for spring cleaning.” She spins away.

  I catch her wrist. “It’s been fourteen hours, Cass. And I’ve been watching you slip away.” I choose a dark pair of jeans and a Nirvana T-shirt. “I can’t handle it anymore. I’m losing you.”

  Her voice is as dead and flat as roadkill. “You’re not losing me.” She tries to jerk her hand free. “Lemme go.”

  “No.”

  “Let me go! My friend is dead!”

  “Sweetie, you don’t know that for sure.”

  “As good as, then.”

  “This isn’t you talking. You’re a fighter, Cass.”

  “How the hell would you know?”

  “It’s the grief.” I hand her the clothes. “Put these on.”

  “Why, so you can kidnap me, too?”

  “No. I’m taking you to lunch,” I say.

  “Not hungry.”

  I sigh. “If I wanted to Cassie-nap you, it’d be in the dead of night.” I feel her tense.

  Her eyes widen. “Like midnight.” Her grip on my hand slackens as she meets my eyes. “The movie finished at ten. We got some burgers and fries at ten-thirty. Eve dropped me off at eleven forty-five. Her car’s in their driveway.”

  She’s right. “It was an ambush.”

  “We’ve got to do something.”

  “Kat and I—we’ll think something up.” Maybe plan an ambush of our own…

  “I want to come.”

  Her sudden audacity shocks me. “What? No. No way.”

  “Please. She’s my bestie,” she says. “What if it were Kat in trouble?”

  I heave a sigh. “I’ll see. No promises.”

  She hugs me, snatching the clothes. “Turn around, mister.”

  I spin away. “Are you gonna tell me why the sudden change?”

  “I feel as if I need to help her, save her from those beasts. Don’t know why.”

  Maybe she has some of the Hunter gene in her chromosomes after all. And here we thought it was only the males—like her father and uncle—that grow up to be Hunters and destroy my kind. Maybe it’s diluted for her.

  She taps me on the shoulder, and I swivel to face her.

  “Where’re we going for lunch?” she says.

  “Where’d you wanna go?”

  Five minutes after, we’re sitting on a bench in the park.

  I twirl a lock of her blonde hair in my fingers. “What d’ya feel like eating?”

  She shrugs, her mouth set in a semi-permanent frown.

  “C’mon.” I brush my lips across her forehead. “What do you feel like?”

  The slight breeze ruffles her hair. She shifts closer to me. “Burger and fries. And a big sundae with hot fudge and sprinkles.” Her lips quiver, fighting a grin.

  “Oh? Quite an appetite for someone who ten minutes ago said she wasn’t hungry. I’ll see what I can do…” From the corner of my eyes, I look at her. “You’ll be okay by yourself?”

  She groans and shoves me. “Go.”

  I kiss her before jogging across the road to Java Joe’s and placing my order.

  Kat and I plan to speak to the pack while Cass is at school on Tuesday. If we return in one piece, I’ll tell her everything. If not…

  I hate to think of the alternative.

  Minutes pass. As I wait for my order, I refine our plan for Tuesday in my head.

  The girl who Cass tells me is Eloise smiles at me. “Seb?” She hands me two cardboard containers and two plastic cups. “Have a super awesome day. Tell Cass I said hi.”

  “I will.”

  When I return, Cassie’s smiling.

  “What is that?” I say, leaning close. “A grin?” I steal a kiss, and then pass her a container.

  “Y’know what?” she says. “This does make me feel better.” She leans over to press her lips to mine. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. And Eloise says hi.”

  “Oh?” She shovels fries into her mouth. “I’m not looking forward to this week—school. Everyone will know. They’ll pester me for answers, any spare detail the police may’ve left out.”

  “Your uncle’s pretty thorough, though. I doubt they missed anything.”

  “Mmm.” Her eyes shift out of focus. She’s somewhere else.

  I leave her be, watching the birds swoop and weave through trees.

  A moment later, Cass snaps out of her reverie, unaware time has passed. “Will I ever be able to introduce you to Dad, bring you home without sneaking you in?”

  He already knows what I am. But she seems not to know who he is. How can that be? “I don’t know.”

  “I dream of us not having to hide.”

  I steal a quick glance around us. “We’re out in the open. We’re not doing a good job at hiding.”

  She chuckles. “You know what I mean—from our parents.”

  I dream of being with you forever, no matter the struggle or consequence, I think. “I hope so.”

  Her brow puckers. “I’d hate to be forced to choose between family and you.”

  “I already have. I chose you.”

  In English, I sit next to Eve’s vacant seat, pretending it’s an average day at school. That everyone’s heads aren’t hanging low. That Mrs. Browne isn’t staring at Eve’s desk. That my heart is flawless, unbroken.

  It lasts precisely two minutes until the classroom door opens and Mrs. Adams, the school counselor’s assistant, shuffles in. Her gaze hovers on me for a beat too long.

  Eve’s friends have been disappearing from our shared classes all day. Now it’s my turn. Time to face my hell.

  Silently, I shove my books and pencil case back into my bag and stride up the aisle of students. Mrs. Adams drapes an arm over my shoulders, leading me into the hallway.

  The counselor’s office is in the next building. When we arrive, Miley is leaving. She shoots me a weak smile, dries her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, and says, “See you at lunch.”

  Mrs. Adams knocks on the counselor’s door.

  Do not cry. Don’t you dare cry!

  Seb

  Chad hands me a large box. “Sort these.”

  “Someone spends way too much of his free time on Amazon,” I tease, dropping the box beside the counter.

  “Hey, if it weren’t for my studliness, customers would stop buying CDs from us.”

  I snort and pry open the cardboard flaps.

  “We’d be out of business.”

  A man in a faded AC/DC shirt steps up to the counter. “Do you have the latest ZZ Top album?”

  I shake my head as I bag his purchase. “Sorry, no.”

  Chad crouches and rifles through the box. He straightens, flashes us a blinding grin, and waves La Futura in front of us.

  “How much?” says AC/DC guy.

  “Hmmmm. Fifteen. ’Cuz I happen to be a lover of AC/DC.”

  “Cool, thanks.”

  I ring that up, too. “Forty bucks.”

  The bell above the door jingles. Cass wanders in and pretends to examine the Florence and the Machine display stand. She selects a CD and stares at it—upside down.

  Something’s wrong. I can feel it, the tension rolling off her shoulders. I hand the customer his change
and wait the five tremendously long seconds for him to leave.

  The store is empty now, apart from us, and Chad in the back room. I sneak up on her and wrap my arms around her. “Can I interest you in a Ceremonials CD?”

  Her brow creases further. “Pardon?”

  “The one you’re pretending to read.”

  “Oh.” She replaces it on the stand.

  My arms tighten, and I kiss her cheek.

  “Should you be fondling potential customers?” She giggles weakly. “I should complain to the manager,” she quips, turning in my arms.

  “That would be me,” I say.

  “Ah.” She seems distracted again.

  “Wanna talk—?”

  “I sincerely hope that’s your girlfriend, Abandoned One.” Chad had appeared in the doorway that led to storage and his office.

  Cass flicks an inquisitive glace at me.

  “That’s what Hok’ee means,” I say. “Abandoned.”

  “And your surname?” she says.

  Chad guffaws. I want to punch him.

  “Nat’aanii—leader.”

  Whatever troubled her seconds before vanishes from her features. She bursts with laughter. “Abandoned Leader?”

  “Ironic, right?” I say, a smile curling my lips. I’m thrilled to see her happy again, even for a fleeting moment. Even if she’s poking fun.

  Chad disappears into his office. She sobers. My hand reaches up to touch her cheek.

  Instead, she buries her face in my chest. “It was awful.”

  “What was, Cass?”

  “School.” Her voice is muffled by my T-shirt. “Counselor.”

  My brain joins the dots of what she’d failed to mention. “About Eve.”

  “I’m, like, the star witness—last one to see her alive.” She gulps in breaths. “There were so many questions.”

  “I’m sure there were. It must’ve been awful.”

  “I feel sick. Truly sick.”

  “No yacking on the carpet,” Chad says from his office.

  “Nice,” she says. “Way to kick a girl when she’s down.”

  “Ignore him.” I tow her behind the counter and sit her in my chair. “Think of him as a nipping puppy. All bark and no bite.”

  “Hey, I totally bite!”

  “She doesn’t want to hear about your sexcapades, Chad,” I say over my shoulder.

  Cass wrinkles her nose and mouths, “Sexcapades.”

  “Like I said, ignore him.” I brush a clump of her hair back. “Feeling better?”

  “A little, I guess.”

  “Can I get you anything? A snack? The place next door makes a pretty wicked sundae.”

  “Sure. Ice cream will fix all my problems. It should run for president.”

  I know she doesn’t mean to be spiteful. “I’ll get you a massive one, then,” I say, swiveling in the direction of Chad’s office. “You lay one filthy finger on her and I’ll rip your insides out.”

  “I can take care of myself,” she says.

  I don’t doubt her for a second.

  Cassie

  Five seconds after Seb leaves, Chad appears in the doorway behind the counter. “Cassie, right?”

  I eye him, wary. “Yeah.”

  “Great to finally meet you. Seb talks about you a lot. Like, he won’t shut up about you.”

  “Um, thanks?”

  “He’s a great guy.”

  “The best.”

  “And it’s awesome how he wants to be a musician and everything…”

  This catches me by surprise.

  Chad’s eyes dart over my features. “Can’t sing for his damn supper, but plays guitar like a freakin’ god.”

  Hm. Why haven’t I heard of this? “Guitar?”

  Chad nods, picking at his nails. “Got a divine talent, that one.”

  Seb prods open the door.

  Chad perks up. “Ah, we were just talking about you!” He leaps forwards.

  Seb arches an eyebrow, cutting his eyes to me.

  “Musician, hey?” I accept the plastic cup he holds out to me.

  He rolls his eyes skywards. “It’s just a hobby.” He shoots his boss a glare.

  Chad vanishes into his office.

  Seb collects another chair and sets it beside me. “If I had any choice in my future, I’d probably be an engineer or something to do with mechanics.”

  “What do you mean if I had any choice?” I toss the lid onto the counter.

  He passes me a spoon. “The elders,” he scowls, “dictate our future.”

  “You’re not under their rules anymore. The way I see it, you can do anything you want. Go to college. Get married. Heck, be a muso.”

  He shakes his head. “Just ’cuz I ran away from my pack doesn’t mean I escape them. I’m still their puppet.”

  “We could both apply to colleges.”

  “You’re not hearing me, Cass.”

  “I am. I simply choose not to accept your predestined future as the only option.”

  “You’re a pain in the ass sometimes.”

  “I know.” My lips quirk into a smile. “Supposedly, I got that from my mother as well.”

  “She must’ve been a tremendous woman.” His brow knits together. “Brave.”

  I spoon some dessert into my mouth. “She was.” She still is to me.

  “I got you something else.” His hand dives into his front pocket. Extracting a foiled object, he proffers his palm to me.

  A heart-shaped chocolate.

  I feel a grin spread across my face. It’s the little things like this that make me happy, that matter to me. I snatch it and heave myself onto his lap, planting kisses all over his face. “Thanks. So much.”

  He rubs my nose with his, and then touches his lips to mine. “You’re welcome.”

  Two customers enter. Hopping off his lap, I slink over to my chair, giddy. I stay until closing time, feeling steadier in his presence.

  Seb counts the cash in the register before turning to me. “What’re you doing tonight?”

  I shrug. “Homework.” I’m so behind.

  His face falls a little. “Oh.”

  “Why? What were you thinking?”

  “You could come home with me, for a bit.”

  Tempting. “Hm, I don’t know,” I tease. “I’ll have to see if I can cancel my other date. With, y’know, Marcus.”

  His eyes flare with loathing. “I hope you’re joking.”

  “I am.”

  “So?” He closes the door behind him and turns the key in the lock.

  “Okay. Since you begged me to come.” I wink at him. And hey, Mrs. Adler usually has freshly baked goodies waiting, from what I can recall.

  “You drove here, right?”

  “Yeah.” I kiss his cheek. “I’ll meet you at the Adler’s.”

  Three minutes later, I pull in behind Seb. He motions for me to follow. I hop out, jogging to catch up. He slips inside.

  Mrs. Adler sashays into the hall. “Hi Seb. How was work?”

  “Fine,” he says. “I brought home a stray, hope you don’t mind.”

  She peers around the corner at me. “Cassie!” She pulls me into a hug. “Gosh, it’s been too long!”

  Mom and Sarah were best friends. She was like a second mother to me, Liam a brother—but after Mom died, our families drifted apart and we lost contact. A side effect of death.

  It seems Seb has reunited us again, and I gotta say, it’s lovely to be back.

  “Are you hungry?” she says to both of us.

  “Starved,” Seb says.

  I nod. “Same.”

  She tows me into the kitchen, pressed to her side. I bet Seb’s been telling her about me as well. Has he told everyone?

  “I have tomato soup. Or I could whip you up some quesadillas?”

  “I’ll take one of the latter.”

  “Same.” Seb sits adjacent to me. “Double order.”

  “Quesadillas all around!” She looks at us. “Run along. I’ll brin
g them to you.”

  I hop up. “Thanks.” I find the living room without any guidance, sinking into the couch next to him. A thought has been bothering me for the last couple of minutes, so I voice it. “Hey, does Sarah have any idea of what you are?”

  “Yep. Her grandmother used to be a very superstitious woman, apparently, and Sarah grew up listening to her stories.” His fingers are lightly skimming up and down my arm. “Of course, like most people, she didn’t believe them at all.”

  “Until she saw you.”

  “Yeah…”

  The next moments pass in comfortable silence, and then I redirect the conversation back to careers. “I’d like to revisit this future business.”

  “Naturally you would,” he mumbles under his breath.

  “Just imagine for a minute—if there were no restrictions, what would you do?”

  He thinks for a moment, and then meets my eyes. “I’d get away from Arizona, buy us a house, and get you the biggest damn rock for your finger.” He reaches for my hand. “Marry you.”

  “I’d like to add an apple tree to this plan, if I’m to be included. And a dog named Fido. And a ginormous kitchen that we can cook and bake apple pies in all day.”

  “You do love your apples.”

  “And a darkroom, a library, and a—”

  He chuckles. “I’ll get you anything you want. But Cass, one thing at a time. Our safety’s the number-one priority.”

  Nodding, I kiss him. I can see my future in his eyes. I was born for this, to love him, to want things that I never could’ve imagined before. Seb’s my destiny. And I couldn’t be happier.

  “What’s that smile for?” he says, tracing my lips with his thumb.

  “You.” My heart swells and thuds in my ears.

  “I wanna spend forever seeing you smile and listening to you laugh.” He cradles my face.

  “Me, too. Forever.” Can it be long enough?

  ***

  The next morning before school, I visit the Murphey’s.

  Xavier’s outside playing with Riley when I pull up outside of the beige home. They both offer me a grim smile as I cross the grass, and Xay rises to greet me.

  “Hey, Cass.”

  “Hey.” Sparing a quick glance towards the house, I say, “Miley’s here?”

  “Yep. She wanted to visit.”

  I crouch in front of Riley as he plays with his matchbox cars, ruffling his hair. “How’re you doing, bud?”

  “When is Eve coming back?”

  I can feel Xavier’s uncertainty mix with my own, though I reply, “Soon, Ry. Soon.”

  He stops pushing the tiny Ferrari along, but he doesn’t look up.

  Leaving them to play, I venture inside. I locate Miley and Eve’s mom in the kitchen.

  After hugging Hazel and Miley, and giving them both a sincere “we’ll find her,” Hazel offers me a mug of coffee.