Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Acknowledgments

About the Author

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 by Amanda Carol

Editor: Carmen Richter at CPR Editing

Proofreader: Angel Nyx at Horus Proofreading

Cover Artist: Lenka Ashani Siberova at Ashani Graphics

Interior Book Formatting: Clara Stone at Reader Central

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.

Independently published.

“How lucky am I to have something, that makes saying goodbye so hard.”-Winnie the Pooh

To Grandma, I will always love you.

We are sitting at the dinner table waiting for Declan to emerge from his room.

“Aria, please go and check to see what is taking your brother so long,” my Dad, Preston, requests as he starts to put some meatloaf on his plate.

Ugh, meatloaf again? Gross.

“I know you guys are eighteen now, but this is one of our last meals together as a family before the both of you are off to college,” he insists. “You know your brother will be at football camp most of the summer and you’re going to go back to New Orleans with Abby.”

I roll my eyes. “Why don’t you go and get the stubborn mule?”

He’s right, though. Declan and I do have a busy summer before school starts in the fall. And my parents have always been big on family dinners.

“Aria Elizabeth Matthews, watch your attitude,” my Mom, Debora, scolds from across the kitchen. She grabs a bottle of wine from the wine rack and two wine glasses before walking back over and sitting down at the other end of the table.

I huff as I push myself from the table and stomp my way up to my brother’s room. When I walk by my art room, I think about just sneaking in there for a few minutes to pass the time it would take to grab Declan. I’ve already had to cover for him all day. The least he can do is show up to dinner on time. But, being the best sister ever, I decide to wait until after dinner to finish my painting.

Without even knocking, I storm right into Declan’s room and see him face-down in his bed. I march right over to him and yank away the covers, which earns me a groan.

“Hey, fuckface, get up. Mom and Dad want you downstairs for dinner,” I say, dropping his blankets on the floor next to his guitar case and crossing my arms over my chest.

“You’re chipper this evening,” Declan grumbles, rolling around and putting his hands on his head. “Just tell them I have a headache or something. Which isn’t that far from the truth.” He winces, rubbing his temples.

“Oh, no. I already covered for you earlier today. Wait, you’re still hungover from James’ end of the year bonfire, aren’t you?” I ask, laughing. Serves him right.

Last night, we both snuck out to our mutual friend James’ house. Every year, he throws a bonfire party to celebrate making it through another school year. Although last night was epic because it was our last one. We’d finally made it through high school.

My best friend, Abby, and I left the party early. But when I went to check on Declan this morning, he wasn’t home, which meant he’d stayed the whole night. I had to do damage control, so I’d told our parents that he mentioned something about playing a game of flag football with the guys since most of them were leaving for vacations with family.

“Please stop talking so loud.” Declan groans again, which makes me laugh even harder.

Turning on my heel, I leave his room and head into our shared bathroom to grab him some ibuprofen and a glass of water.

“Here.” I say, handing it to him.

He takes the pills from my hand, popping them in his mouth and then taking a big gulp of water.

“You know, you owe me big time for covering for you all day. You know Mom and Dad don’t like James,” I tell him, sitting down next to him.

“Thanks,” he sighs, draping his arm around my shoulders and kissing me on the cheek. “You’re the best sister I’ve ever had.”

“And don’t you forget it.” I chuckle, nudging him with my shoulder.

I’m about to say something more, but then we both hear a crash and a bone-chilling scream downstairs. Declan’s wide gaze locks with mine and we both stand up at the same time.

He rushes toward the door with me right on his tail. Once he gets to the top of the steps, he stops dead in his tracks.

I run right into him and I’m about to throw out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush, but he turns to steady me, then puts a finger to his lips to shush me. If it wasn’t for the look of terror on his face, I would probably still cuss him out, or at least hold up three fingers and tell him to read between the lines. He turns, grabbing my hand, and we both walk slowly down the stairs.

At the bottom, we round the corner to the kitchen and, with one glance, the image in front of me is now permanently imprinted in my memory. Our dad is on the floor, bleeding from his neck. I was just talking to him less than ten minutes ago, and now he’s gone.

I’ll never forget the glassy look in his eyes.

I start to scream, but a hand covers my mouth. Declan must feel me jerk my hand back, because he turns abruptly to face me, eyes wide and ready to fight. His face relaxes slightly, and I hear my mother whisper in my ear, but loud enough for Declan to hear as well.

“Keep quiet and follow me,” she hisses.

I clutch both my mother’s and my brother’s hands, and we quickly make our way back up the stairs and into my parents’ bedroom. Mom releases our hands, then turns to lock the door behind us.

“Mom, what the hell is going on? What happened to dad? We need to call 911!” I exclaim.

My mother walks right over to me and puts her hand on my mouth again. My breathing is ragged and my heart feels as if it’s about to burst through my chest.

“Aria, baby, please. I don’t have much time,” she whispers. “I need you to be quiet and listen.”

I nod, and she releases me. She grabs Declan and I into her arms and hugs us tight. When she pulls away, I notice for the first time that she’s covered in blood and there’s a gash on her forehead.

“I love you both so much, and I’m so proud of the man and woman you have become. I need to tell you something that I have tried very hard to protect you from. But it seems like we’ve run out of time.”

Releasing our hands, she rushes over to her closet and grabs a shoebox from the top shelf. She rummages through it, then pulls out two necklaces. They’re silver, and both have circular charms. One has a sun in the center, the other a moon. She gives the sun necklace to Declan and the moon one to me. Then she reaches into her pocket, tossing Declan’s car keys to him.

“Take this. It will explain everything you need to know,” she says, handing me a journal that I didn’t know she had. “Listen to me very carefully. I need you to put these necklaces on and, whatever you do, never, ever take them off. There are things in this world that are more terrifying than you can imagine, but right now you need to understand that vampires are real and they’re dang—!”

She’s cut off by the door swinging open, and she abruptly turns and pushes us behind her. Declan and I quickly put the necklaces on. I stare wide-eyed at the man in front of us while I grasp the back of Mom’s shirt. Declan puts a protective arm around me, inching us backward.

“I really wish you would stop running from me, Debora.” He rolls his eyes, then glances behind Mom at us.

He grins and licks his lips. Oh God, there’s blood around his mouth, and…oh God…is that my dad’s blood?

“Ah, I see you’ve saved me some dessert!” he chuckles.

“You’re going to have to go through me first!” Mom threatens the man.

He steps forward and I finally get a good look at him. His hair is jet black, he has the eyes to match, and his skin is a stark contrast to those features, so pale that it’s almost pure white. I suck in a harsh breath and clutch my mom tighter, trying not to think about the blood around his lips. My dad’s blood.

“Is that so?” the pale man challenges, taking another step forward while my mom takes another step back.

I bump into the windowsill, and then I realize what Mom is doing. She’s helping us escape. The window is slightly cracked, and I feel the cool summer breeze on my back. I glance up at Declan and meet his gaze. He knows as well. Call it twin intuition.

“Mom!” I plead, tugging her closer. Tears fill my eyes and one slips free.

She turns her face toward me and gives me a sad smile. She knows these are our last moments together. She mouths I love you to me, and another tear falls.

“Mom, please!” I cry.

“Aww, isn’t that sweet. I’m sorry to interrupt this touching family moment, but—wait. No, I'm not.” The pale man opens his mouth and a hiss comes out as his fangs appear. “Time’s up.”

The man lunges forward, and Mom pushes Declan and I back toward the window and meets the man—er, vampire—head-on. I fall, landing on my butt, and my head hits the windowsill. I’m momentarily stunned, but seeing our Mom fly backward and hit the wall pulls me from my stupor.

“Mom!” I shout, just as Declan grabs me and hauls me up.

I’m still holding the journal and Declan has somehow managed to get that damn window completely open.

“Aria! Declan! Get out of here!” Mom gasps as the vampire grabs hold of her throat.

I didn’t see her grab a knife, but suddenly it’s in her hand, and she manages to stab him in the shoulder. He lets out a roar and tightens his grip.

“You’re going to have to do better than that, Debora. Silver doesn’t affect me!” The vampire throws my mom back against the wall with a loud thud.

“Screw you,” Mom says, wiping her lip and standing up. She throws herself at the vampire again.

“We have to go. Now!” Declan exclaims, grabbing my arms and pushing me out the window.

I hit the ground with a thud and air whooshes out of my lungs. I try sucking in a breath, but it’s hitched. I hear Declan land right next to me. He picks me up and grabs my hand and we start running toward his Honda HR-V.

We honor our mom’s final wish.

We never look back.

I pop in my earbuds, set my music player to my running playlist—which is mostly a lot of 90’s grunge music—and, after shutting the door to the motel room, take off on my nightly run. Running is not something that I’ve ever enjoyed doing, but it sure as hell beats doing yoga.

No offense to people who do yoga. It’s just not my thing.

I took one class and almost laughed out loud. We were supposed to be clearing our mind and focusing on our breathing. My brain decided at that moment to have anything, and everything that was funny pop through like the Kool-Aid guy did in those commercials. My twin brother, Declan, bet me twenty bucks that I’d never go back, and I bet him twenty just to prove him wrong.

He made twenty bucks that night.

Since I’m stuck in a car for most of the day, sometimes longer, running helps release pent-up energy and works my muscles. Don’t get me wrong, I take Jiu-jitsu and Krav Maga classes to help keep me in shape too, but running seems to be the only thing that helps me forget about that night three years ago. What started out as a typical evening for my family turned out to be the night that would forever change the world as I knew it. But if I hadn’t seen my parents killed by a vampire with my own two eyes, I would never have believed that vampires even existed.

I don’t blame Declan for getting us out of there the way he did. He’s always been the logical one out of the two of us. Mom always told me that I let emotions cloud my thoughts.

I’ve toughened up since that night, though.

Once we got our inheritance money and left our hometown of Frederick, Maryland, we sat down and read mom’s journal. We both believed that vampires existed at that point. In the journal, Mom explained the ways to kill one.

A stake through the heart is the most effective. It doesn’t have to be wood, but you do have to actually puncture the heart all the way through. Silver doesn’t kill them, but it does wound them. But the older the vampire is, the less effective it is on them. As time goes on and the vampire gets stronger, its effectiveness wears off until eventually it just doesn’t work at all. Mom wrote that it would stun them and prevent them from healing quickly. Of course, you can always behead the damn things, which is my go-to move. I get a sick satisfaction from it. I don’t know what that says about me.

We aren’t sure why mom told us to wear the necklaces or what they do, but Declan and I never take them off. It was the last request Mom had.

Declan and I have been on a mission to track down the vampire who killed our parents. We find leads on the web or local newspapers by looking for key words like “animal attack” or “severe blood loss.” We’ve traveled to almost every state and killed every vampire we’ve come across. We haven’t found him yet, but we will.

Three years’ worth of training and self-defense classes have made Declan and I stronger. Although we have noticed that we are much stronger and faster than we ever used to be. We wondered why at first, but then realized that it doesn’t really matter. It makes hunting vampires easier.

I’ve just rounded the corner of an office building, and I suddenly get the tingly feeling in my bones that a vampire is near. Slowing my pace, I take out my earbuds. At first, all I can hear is my own heavy breathing. Then a scream pierces the night.

I don’t even think. I charge toward the scream.

I sprint along the pavement toward the direction the scream came from, and I hear the same shrill sound, followed by the soft thud of a body hitting something. I slow my pace, stopping just outside an alleyway.

I can sense that a vampire is near.

That’s a new thing too. Declan and I can sense when a vampire is near, but I’m better at finding their exact location. I know Declan’s a bit jealous of that, even if he doesn’t want to admit it.

Luckily, since it’s midnight, not many people are out. Vampires don’t immediately turn to dust like in that show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, although that would be super convenient. Then I wouldn’t have to answer questions from unsuspecting strangers.

The victim, which I now see is a girl, tries to get up and run, but the vampire quickly blocks every exit. The son of a bitch even laughs at her. I inch around the corner.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?” I yell.

I reach for the silver dagger from the back of my leggings. I don’t pull it out, not yet, but I need to make sure it’s there. A while back, I managed to sew a little hilt into all of my leggings so I can safely wear it while running. I never leave the motel without it.

The vampire stops, turns around slowly, and glares at me, the girl behind him now forgotten. He has light hair, so he isn’t the vampire who killed my parents. But he’s still going to die.

We haven’t run into any vamps for weeks and I’ve been chomping at the bit for a good fight. Like I said, I’ve toughened up in the last three years. What I’m not prepared for is how quick this guy is. I know vampires are fast, but this guy is faster than any other we’ve come across so far. For a fleeting second, I wonder if he’s going to say “meep meep” and drop an anvil on me. I’m just glad I’m quick on my feet.

A second ago, he was holding this poor girl, and now he’s right up in my face. I flinch. Right, Mom mentioned in her journal that the older the vampire is, the faster and stronger they will be. I quickly recover, never breaking eye contact. I’m not afraid of vampires, and if he notices me flinch, he doesn’t comment on it. Instead, he leans in close—too close—and he…he sniffs me.

“Interesting,” he whispers. “If I couldn’t hear your heart beating, I would have thought you weren’t human. What are you?”

The bloodthirst can make them hear heartbeats—if they’re close enough, that is.

“I’m Aria, the girl who’s about to kill you,” I state flatly, ignoring his comment.

The vampire laughs, and I use that distraction to my advantage. Vampires are smart, but they suck at being on the offense because they’re cocky bastards. Lifting my hands, I grab his head, allowing my knee to make contact with his nose. I hear a satisfying crunch and then I bring my fist upward. His head shoots up and backward.

It doesn’t take him long to recover, because those bloodsuckers have super healing. He speeds forward. I’m not quick enough, and he punches me in the gut. I groan, wrapping my arm around my stomach. Then he grabs my hair and pulls my head back, exposing my neck. I narrow my eyes on his as my temper starts to flare. I hate when they get the upper hand.

“Dick move. Hair pulling? Really? You fight like a girl!” I spit, grabbing his wrist and spinning out of his grasp.

I lift my leg and kick out. My foot lands on his chest, effectively sending him backward. Being in my element now, I grab the dagger from my leggings and lunge forward. But he’s quicker, sucker-punching me in the face. I land hard on the ground. The fall knocks the wind out of me and my dagger slips from my grasp.

“I fight like a girl?” he growls, grabbing my shoulders and bringing my face up to his. I groan in response, but I meet his stare. “I haven’t even broken a sweat. Oh, I just love it when they fight back.”

He smiles at me, blood still smeared across his teeth. Gross. When he tilts his head back to drop his fangs, I throw my head forward hard into his.

“You bitch!” He drops me to rub his head. “I’m ending this.”

Narrowing his eyes at me, he speeds forward. I quickly duck and roll, grabbing my dagger before landing in a crouch. I know that stabbing him with silver will only slow him down for a moment, but I don’t have time to think about it. He comes at me and I lunge forward, lifting my arm and bringing the dagger down right into his shoulder. It won’t kill him, but it’ll sure as hell stun the sucker.

He staggers back, falling to his knees. I look around for anything sharp. My eyes lock on a piece of hardwood that’s slightly pointed on the end. Well, it’ll have to do. Picking it up, I plunge the wood deep into his chest and straight through his heart. Blood splatters all over my white tank top and arms. The vampire lets out one last breath, then collapses on the pavement.

Reaching down, I pull my dagger from his shoulder and wipe the blood off on my leggings. I guess it’s a good thing they’re black. I look around and see my phone on the ground by the entrance of the alley. I reach down and pick it up. Well, damn. I'm going to need new earbuds now. Declan won’t be thrilled because that’s the third pair this month. I’m always losing them, or rather, leaving them at the motels. I’m about to walk away when I hear a soft whimper.

Looking up, I see the girl sitting up, clutching her neck, with tears streaming down her pale cheeks. Right, I almost forgot about her. I use the dagger to cut a fairly clean strip off my tank top and walk over to her. I kneel down beside her and remove her hand from her neck.

“Here, put this on it,” I tell her, placing the strip on her neck and bringing her hand back up to hold the strip in place. “Are you okay?”

I rest my hands on my knees. She nods, too stunned to really talk.

“Wh-what was that? Wh-who was that?” she croaks out, grabbing my hand.

I hold onto her hand, pulling her into a hug.

“Nothing you need to worry about now. My name is Aria. What’s yours?” I ask, hoping to change the subject to take her mind off of what just happened. I know it won’t work, but I still figure I should try.

“Olivia,” she whispers, pulling away. “Is he dead?”

Her wide eyes meet mine, then her gaze drifts behind me to where the dead vampire is.

“Yes, he’s dead and he won’t ever hurt you again,” I assure her. “I need to ask you something and I want you to be honest with me. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” she whispers again, nodding her head in case I need reassurance.

Well, okay, time to make things even more weird.

“Did he make you drink his blood?” I ask, and Olivia grimaces. “Trust me, I know how that sounds, but please, it’s okay. You can answer. Did he?”

She looks down at her hands for a moment.

Please do not say yes, I silently plead.

In order to become a vampire, a vampire needs to drink your blood, then you need to drink the vampire’s blood that has both a human and a vampire’s blood mixed in. It’s this whole drinking game that I so do not want to be a part of. If he didn’t make her drink his blood, then she’s safe. Physically, that is. Mentally, I'm not so sure.

“N-no. No, he didn’t,” Olivia mumbles.

Oh, thank God. One crisis down and another averted. I let out a soft sigh of relief.

“Olivia, is there anyone you can call to come get you?” I ask her.

I’m really hoping she says yes. I have to get back to the motel before Declan calls a search party. That is, if he’s not hooking up with some girl he met at the bar we were at earlier. Before I left, he was chatting up some chick whose name started with a “B.” Becca? Betty? I don’t even remember.

“Yeah, I do. I can call Luke. He’s my boyfriend,” she stammers, reaching for her phone in her back pocket.

She sends out a quick text, and not even a minute later, Luke responds, saying he’ll be here in about fifteen minutes. I stand and pull her up.

“C’mon, let’s get you out of this alley,” I say, taking her hand in mine.

“Will you please stay with me? At least until he gets here?” she asks, her sparkling blue gaze meeting mine.

At first, I’m reluctant because my tank top is covered in blood. Olivia’s neck is wounded and if people see us, they’ll most definitely ask questions. Questions I know I can’t give a logical explanation for. But I also know that feeling. She’s scared and helpless. And I was in her shoes not that long ago.

So, I stay.

Olivia’s boyfriend shows up about fifteen minutes later and thankfully he doesn’t ask questions. Before she gets inside the car, she turns to me.

“W-will I turn into one of…one of them?” she asks, her blue eyes sparkling again with unshed tears.

“No,” I simply say, hoping she doesn’t ask for details.

She doesn’t. She just nods and goes to get in the passenger seat.

“Hey, wait!” I shout. “Be careful out there. Try not to go wandering off alone in the dark again. Deal?”

“Deal.” She gives me a small smile, then gets in the car.

Luke gently shuts the door, mutters a thank you, and then drives her to the hospital.

After I take care of the vamp’s body, I make my way back to the Motel Six where Declan and I have set up camp for the week. We saw in our research that there were mysterious deaths here in Atlanta and came to scope it out. And, well, I think I just solved the town’s problem.

Declan won’t be happy about that, but at this point, I’m too tired to care. We never go after a vamp alone and if we see one, we keep our distance and follow it to its nest. Then we come up with a plan of attack. Together. I never come up with the plan because if it was up to me, I’d just storm the place. The element of surprise and all that. That’s why my level-headed twin comes up with the plan.

I open the door to our motel room and am greeted with a half-naked woman and a shirtless Declan. I see more than I ever wanted to see. Now I need to scrub my eyeballs out with the complimentary soap.

“Oh, my God!” I yell, covering my eyes.

The girl squeals and pulls a blanket up to her chest and Declan jumps out of the bed.

“Jesus! Aria! Ever heard of knocking?” Declan shouts, bending over and grabbing his shirt from off the floor while the girl next to him is looking around for her clothes.

Thank God he still has his bottom half covered. That’s a part of my brother I don’t need to see. Like, ever. I part my fingers to uncover one of my eyes and am relieved to see that both of them are fully dressed now. Unfortunately, not before I got an eyeful of Declan and boobs. I think I’m scarred for life.

“Um, Declan, who is this?” the girl asks, looking super annoyed and apparently jealous.

I glance over at her. She has light brown hair and dark brown eyes and is standing with her arms crossed over her chest, looking expectantly at my brother. The girl is pretty, but she’s not the most colorful crayon in the box. I raise an eyebrow at my brother.

“Is she serious right now?” I ask him.

The ghost of a smile forms on his lips. We’re identical twins, for crying out loud. He runs his hand through his cropped platinum blonde hair and his green eyes meet mine once more before he glances down at my shirt. Oops. I’d completely forgotten until now that I’m covered in vamp blood. And possibly Olivia’s too.

Declan’s eyes flash a darker green and his lips form a thin line. Uh-oh. I’m up shit’s creek without a paddle. I cross my arms over my body to try and hide the blood but apparently this girl is so oblivious that she doesn’t even notice it. But then again, she’s too oblivious to notice that we’re twins, so…

Declan walks across the room, grabs a hoodie out of his suitcase, and throws it at me without saying a word. He then turns his focus to the girl.

“Look, Brittany—”

“It’s Bethany,” she corrects him, rolling her eyes.

“Right, Bethany,” he says, walking across the room, picking up her shoes, and handing them to her. “I think you’d better go.”

“You cannot be serious!” she hisses through clenched teeth as she snatches her shoes out of his hands and puts them on. “Why doesn’t she come back later?”

Declan’s head whips in my direction, giving me a pleading look that basically says keep your trap shut. Well, I’m not in the mood for this shit. It’s been a long night and once she leaves, it’s going to get even longer.

“She has a name. And if I’m not mistaken, Declan asked you to leave. Not me. So, take the hint, Becky.” I narrow my eyes at her and purposely fuck up her name just to mess with her.

Her gaze meets mine and she finally gives me a once-over. Good thing I put that sweatshirt on. Otherwise we might have to do more damage control tonight, and I’m already exhausted. I can feel my cheek starting to swell and a headache is starting to form behind my eyes. All I want to do is take a nice, hot shower and crawl into bed.

She narrows those beady little eyes at me and I’m expecting something even more stupid to come out of her mouth. But instead, she turns to my brother and kisses him full on the mouth, tongue and everything! Ugh! Gag! She motions for him to call her and finally leaves. Once the door is closed, I can’t contain the laugh that’s bubbling up inside my chest.

“Oh, my God. Declan, that was great. She’s a keeper. You should totally put a ring on it,” I laugh as I walk farther into the room.

“Yeah, well, girls like her are easy. All you have to do is tell them they’re beautiful and that they can do anything they set their mind to. Hook, line, and sinker.” Declan winks.

“That’s horrible. I can’t wait for the day when one girl walks into your life and changes everything.”

“I doubt that’ll ever happen. We’re never in one place long enough for me to even consider something serious. I just happen to like sex. And I never lead girls on. I let them know up front what the deal is. I’m not a total tool. Maybe you should try taking a page out of my book. You might not be so uptight,” Declan jokes.

I want to punch that damn smirk off his face. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. It’s not like I'm a virgin, but I haven’t had sex since before our parents died. Sex has always meant something to me. I can’t do one-night stands like Declan.

I’ve also been so focused on training and finding the vampire that killed my parents that the whole romance thing just hasn’t been number one on my priority list. Besides, Declan saved us that night. He did the one thing I couldn’t do. So, I owe it to him. I let out a sigh, uncross my arms, and let them fall to my sides. I shift my gaze to the floor, feeling unsure of myself.

“Anyway,” Declan finally says after a beat. “Do you mind telling me what in the actual fuck happened out there tonight?”

He comes over to stand in front of me; I glance up at him. His fingers tilt my chin up and move it from side to side, looking at what I now suspect is a nice bruise on my cheek.

“A vampire attacked a girl tonight,” I state.

Declan takes a step back.

“Fuck! What happened to the plan, Aria? You were supposed to follow the SOB and then come and get me. We never go after a vampire alone. It’s too dangerous!” he shouts, running his hands through his hair. “How could you do this? What if he killed you? Huh?”

I wince. I hadn’t thought about that. Declan needs me just as much as I need him. We’re all each other has left. Our Uncle Johnny, who was our mother’s brother, died in a car accident when we were ten years old. Since we were eighteen when our parents died, we didn’t need a guardian.

“I know! I didn’t think—” I started.

“You’re damn right you didn’t think!” Declan cuts me off.

“He was killing this poor girl. I just acted on instinct! Was I supposed to let her die?” I shout back at him.

We just glare at each other for several beats before Declan runs a hand down his face.

“No, but you were supposed to be smart about it.” He sighs, coming back over and pulling me to him. I wrap my arms around him, and his chin rests on my head. “God, Aria, the moment I saw you covered in blood earlier…”

He doesn’t need to finish that statement.

“He’s dead,” I state flatly, pulling away and walking to my backpack. I pull out the ibuprofen, take two out, pop them in my mouth, and swallow.

“You killed him? By yourself?” Declan asks, surprise dripping from his tone.

“Yes. I can handle myself in a fight Declan. Why is that so surprising?” I defend, walking over to my suitcase. I pull out some fresh clothes and my toiletries before making my way to the bathroom.

“Aria, stop. I didn’t mean it like that.” Declan comes to stand in front of me, blocking my path.

I stop and narrow my eyes at him.

“I’m sorry, okay? I know you can take care of yourself. I’ve seen you fight and you’re a badass fighter. I just…” He pauses and lets out a harsh breath. “Please, just don’t do that to me again. I saw the blood on you and I…I can’t lose you too.” His eyes meet mine and I can see the fear on his face.

“You won’t lose me. I promise I won’t do that again. I love you too, bro. Even if you are a man-whore.”

He laughs, and I pat him on the shoulder.

“Now that we’ve had this whole heart-to-heart moment, can you please move? I’d like to not look like I just walked out of a horror film,” I joke.

He moves out of the way, and I walk into the small bathroom and close the door. I set my clothes on the floor and turn on the shower with the heat on full blast. I turn and face the mirror, meeting my own gaze for the first time since the encounter with the vampire. Yep, I was right. There’s a nice bruise there, but it’ll probably be gone by morning.

Another perk? We heal faster than normal now. We aren’t sure why. It’s not like we never questioned it. We did. But we both think that, whatever the reason for it is, it’s a good thing. Right? We hunt vampires for a living. We’re bound to get hurt. At least, with the accelerated healing, we don’t need to explain why we look like two abused kids on the run from deadbeat parents.

I strip off my bloody clothes and toss them to the side. Stepping into the shower, I let the hot water cascade down my body, wincing when it hits the little cuts that I somehow managed to get during the fight. I close my eyes and tip my head back under the water. I wash my hair and scrub my body twice, making sure that all the blood is gone.

Once I’m out of the shower, I change into my clothes and head back into the room. Declan is sitting at the tiny table in the room with his laptop open. I walk over and lean against the chair behind him. I take one look at the screen before throwing my hand over my eyes.

“Oh, God! You aren’t watching porn, are you? I think I’ve seen enough for one lifetime!” I laugh as I pull my hand away from my face.

“Ha-ha. You’re so funny,” Declan replies sarcastically.

“I’m hilarious. So, got anything new?” I ask.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t had anything new come across as far as vampire attacks are concerned. But check this out. I was looking for the usual and the unusual came up,” he says.

I give him a confused look.

He sighs. “I’ve been researching the norm. You know, trying to find articles about animal attacks. But I found this article about New Orleans. They haven’t had an animal attack in over a decade. Which sounds weird to me. I’m not sure, but I really feel like maybe we should check this out.” He rubs his fingers against his chin.

“Okay, we should check it out. Your instincts have always been on point. It wouldn’t hurt to stop by,” I remark, walking over to grab my brush.

“It’ll take us at least eight hours to get there, though,” Declan replies, seemingly in deep thought.

“We can leave first thing in the morning. We can take turns driving too, so we can get there quicker,” I suggest, crawling into my bed.

“Yeah, okay. Sounds good,” Declan says as he closes his laptop and puts it away.

He makes his way over to his bed and turns the light off. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m out like a light.

My alarm goes off way too freaking early. I am not, never have been, and never will be a morning person. Declan, who is a morning person, knows this and always has a fresh cup of coffee waiting for me on the nightstand. I inhale the magnificent scent and sit up in bed. After rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I reach for my coffee. That’s when I notice that I’m aching more than I normally would be. I guess that’s what happens when you haven’t fought off vamps in a few weeks.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Declan chimes from the windowsill.

He’s always on guard and on the lookout, mostly during the early morning hours and at night. My brother, the protector and worrywart. We can sense vampires, so I’ve never gotten why he’s always on guard.

Most of what you see from TV shows and movies about vampires is wrong. They don’t need an invitation to come and take what they want. There aren’t even any precautions you can take to prevent them from coming in. I mean, sure, a spell could probably work, but Declan and I haven’t run into any witches. Yeah, mom’s journal mentioned witches too.

“Morning,” I grumble before taking another swig of my coffee.

This coffee is okay. The best coffee I’ve ever had was at a place called Emma’s Coffee in Sunny Pines, Wisconsin. I loved it because Emma, the owner, had a chalkboard that customers would write their favorite quotes on. It seemed fitting that the day Declan and I went in for coffee, the quote of the day was, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I asked where the quote came from and Emma said that it was from her. She had been reading this book about a teen girl who overcame something horrific.

I close my eyes and feel the hot liquid go down my throat. I love coffee. Declan teases me that I have an addiction. I’m okay with that. I mean, there are worse things I could be addicted to.

“We need to get going soon. We’ve got about an eight-hour drive and I want to try and get there before nightfall,” Declan says before turning to his suitcase to pack.

“Duly noted,” I huff. “All I need is ten minutes.”

I get out of bed and stretch my sore muscles. Today’s car ride is going to suck ass.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I glance at myself in the mirror. The bruise that was prominent last night is now a pale yellow with some purple hues to it, a sure sign that it’s already almost healed. That’s a relief. At least I won’t look like I went a few rounds in the boxing ring.

I sigh and grab my makeup bag, throwing on some cover-up, which always comes in handy. I don’t always wear makeup, but sometimes it’s needed, like now. There are times when Declan needs some too, and of course it’s my duty as a sister to poke fun.

After coating my face, I apply some mascara and eyeliner. Resolved with the way my face looks, I now need to tackle my hair. My platinum blonde hair falls in waves just below my shoulders. It’s hot and humid and we’re going to be stuck in the car for eight hours, so I decide that just a ponytail will suffice. Another quick once-over, a nod at my reflection, and I’m finished. I put on a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top and pair the outfit with my black Converse. Grabbing the clothes that I’d used as pajamas last night off the bathroom floor, I go back into the room to put my stuff in my suitcase.

“All set?” Declan asks, getting up from the chair, picking up his bag, and walking out the door.

“Yep. Did you check us out already?” I ask, following him out and shutting the door behind me.

“Yeah, I went before I got us coffee. I told them that you were just finishing up.” Declan opens the trunk of our Honda HR-V. He puts his suitcase in first, then reaches for mine, which I hand to him.

“Thanks,” I mumble, walking around to the passenger seat.

Declan always drives first. We switch off when I’ve had enough caffeine to participate in society. He shuts the trunk and then gets in the driver’s seat. Before starting the car, he turns to me, concern etched into his features.

“Aria…” he starts, but pauses as if he can’t think of the right words to say.

“Declan,” I state flatly as one eyebrow quirks up.

“Last night was—” he starts to say, but I cut him off.

“Stupid? Dumb? We had this conversation last night. I should have waited and kept my distance. Followed him home and then came to you. I’ve apologized for it. But what I’m not apologizing for is saving Olivia’s life!” I snap, looking away from him and crossing my arms over my chest.

“Olivia?” he questions. Now it’s his turn to lift a brow.

“The girl I saved last night. That was her name,” I whisper, still not looking at him.

I feel his gaze linger on me for a moment longer, and then he turns his head.

“Look, I’m not asking you to apologize—”

I turn my head, cutting him off with a sharp glare.

“Then what are you asking, Declan?” I challenge.

“What I am asking you, is to just be smart next time!” Declan all but shouts back at me.

I just huff in response.

He takes a deep breath. “Just…please be careful the next time you go running alone, okay?”

His voice is low. I turn to look at him again and all the anger that I just felt a moment ago is gone in an instant. Dark shadows cross his features and for a moment, he looks older and scared.

“I will. I promise,” I whisper back, giving him a reassuring smile.

Truthfully, that’s a promise I intend to keep. It’s just the two of us now. There’s no more family, and we had to leave our friends behind when we fled after our parents’ murder. Declan’s more than just my brother; he’s my best friend. And I’d do anything to keep him safe. To keep us both safe.

* * *

After a few hours of driving, we switch places. Declan is now using his laptop in the passenger seat. Thank God, because if I have to listen to one more rap song, I’m going to rip my ears off. Damn you, broken earbuds!

“Whatcha looking at?” I ask, trying to make conversation because I’m bored as hell.

I hate being in the car for long periods of time, so I always try to drive as fast as I can just so we can get to our destination quicker.

“Just researching more on New Orleans. It’s like the land is sacred or possibly protected somehow,” Declan answers, never looking up from his laptop.

“You think maybe what’s in mom’s journal actually exists? I mean, we’ve been on the road for three years. You would think we would have run into a witch or something by now. Granted, all we’ve really been hunting is vampires,” I muse.

“Maybe. I mean, It’s possible. Seeing is believing, though. Mom seemed to think other supernatural beings exist. Vampires are real, so who’s to say that witches and wolf shifters aren’t real too?”

He’s right, as always. Seeing is believing. I never believed vampires existed until I saw one. But then again, I never paid attention to the news. I was always out with my friends or Declan, without a care in the world.

My old life seems like a lifetime ago. Over the last year, I’ve lost touch with Abby. She went to a college in Maryland for social work. We trade emails back and forth when we can, but it’s been a while since I’ve heard from her.

Sometimes I wish that I could tell her that this whole other world exists, but how do you tell your best friend that nightmares are real? That things really do go bump in the night? I need to keep her life full of light and not this darkness. So, I did the best thing that I could think of to protect her from this life. I left.

After a few minutes, Declan looks at me quizzically, lips tipped up.

I frown. “What?”

“What did you do with that vamp’s body last night?” he asks.

He quirks a brow, and I bite my lip. Typically, we would burn the body, but seeing as I didn’t have any matches on me last night, I ended up tossing his body in the dumpster. Classy, I know, but it gave us enough time to get the hell out of town.

“Aria.” He narrows his green eyes at me.

“Well, you see, uh...” I trail off, trying to find the words to tell him.

I feel his eyes bore into the side of my head and I try to focus on the road ahead of me.

“Holy shit.” His mouth drops open and he laughs, the deep belly kind of laugh. “You tossed it in a dumpster, didn’t you?”

He laughs even harder now, and I can’t help but giggle.

“Don’t worry, I ditched the piece of wood I stabbed him with down a storm drain.” Now I’m full-on laughing right along with him.

* * *

We finally arrive in New Orleans before nightfall. We stop at the nearest diner for dinner and bring it to the motel room we rented for the night. Declan finishes eating before me and goes back out to the car to grab our things. We decide to wait until morning to check out the area. Since vampires can’t walk in the sunlight, I agree that would be our best option. However, it’s not going to stop me from taking a run.

Declan sets my suitcase on my bed and I rummage through it to find my black leggings and a workout tank. I make sure to pick out a black one this time. We definitely don’t want another repeat of last night. I head to the bathroom to change, and when I come out, Declan has his running shorts and a tank top on. Hunting vampires does wonders for our bodies. Well, his anyway. I’m in shape because I run, but I don’t have six-pack abs like my brother. I like pizza and tacos too much.

“You’re not going to go prey on some poor innocent woman tonight?” I ask, walking over to my suitcase to dig out my running shoes.

Declan laughs. “No, not tonight. I think I want to run with my baby sister.”

He flashes me his signature grin. It’s also my signature grin, since we’re twins and all.

“Just because you are exactly one minute older than me, it doesn’t mean I’m your baby sister,” I growl, grabbing a pillow off my bed and chucking it at him.

Declan tries to duck, but the pillow still smacks him in the face. Score one for Aria! He laughs again and finishes tying up his shoes. Since he’s running with me, I decide to leave my phone and headphones here. I grab my silver dagger and tuck it into my leggings. Declan does the same, except I sewed a hilt into all his gym shorts for him to hide his dagger in.

“Ready?” I ask.

“Lead the way, little sister.” He grins at me again.

I roll my eyes and take off running before Declan has time to shut the door.

New Orleans is a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I was supposed to come with Abby for the first time that summer, but well, that never happened. However, running in New Orleans in the middle of summer is not something I thought through. It’s hot and humid. I’m drenched in sweat and we haven’t even run two miles yet. The air is thick and I’m having trouble evening out my breathing. Declan must be feeling it too because he’s keeping his pace next to me when he’s usually a step or two ahead of me.

There are more people out late at night than we were used to, and I notice that we’re trying to run on Bourbon Street. We slow our pace and start walking on the sidewalk. People are drunkenly spilling out from one bar and walking to the next. Neon signs and lights beckon us to come in and try whatever’s on tap. Since neither Declan nor I drink that much anymore, we bypass those. Plus, I realize that I’ve left my wallet and ID at the motel.

Damn it.

Jazz musicians litter the street and people are gathering around and stopping to watch. This is one of the things that always fascinated me about this city. I love music, any music really. Classic rock is my all-time favorite genre. But jazz? You feel that shit in your soul.

New Orleans is the place you visit when you need to get in touch with your soul and live in the moment. I close my eyes and really listen to the brass instruments and I can feel the hum all the way down to my bones. I feel a smile stretch across my face, but when I open my eyes, I suddenly get the familiar sensation that a vampire is nearby. My instinct is telling me that it’s close, but is keeping its distance.

I look up at Declan and the look on his face tells me that he can feel it too, so we step closer together. He grabs my arm and steers me away from the growing crowd and off the street. In the exact opposite direction of the vampire. I almost tell Declan that, but he has this determined look on his face. Once we reach the sidewalk, he leans down to whisper to me.

“This place is crowded. We’ll have to come back later,” he hisses into my ear.

I hate that because it could kill someone in the meantime. I hate not being able to do something about it now. But he’s right and I know it. Even though I told Declan we wouldn’t have a repeat of last night, I don’t think I’d be able to walk away right now if I was alone.

I’m not sure how far we walk, but I stop feeling the tingle about a half a mile away from wherever we are now. The vampire is nowhere near us anymore, which makes me even more uneasy. We’ll have to come up with a plan to hunt it down.

I look around and realize that we’re in the French Quarter because I can see Café Du Monde. I’ve read all about this place and I’ve been determined to try beignets. Apparently the ones here are for real, and I’m not going to pass up my opportunity to try some.

Not giving my brother any warning, I grab his arm and lead him straight to the restaurant. He rolls his eyes, but he knows he’d lose any argument he’d try to start. Declan’s still on high alert, even though I know we’re okay. Still, we sit at one of the outside tables where we can both see the street, just in case.

Our waiter comes over and takes our order. I’m giddy with excitement, but it’s hard to enjoy it with my brother on edge. I glance over at him and our eyes lock. He still looks worried. He doesn’t have the instinct that I have when it comes to the proximity of vampires. It’s one thing I’m better at than he is. I always know how close one is. I’m better at hunting them than he is.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

Declan gives me a half-smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. He seems to relax a little, but his shoulders are still tense.

“That was weird, Aria. I’ve never gotten that feeling before. I mean, I have, but this time…” he trails off, sighing and slouching in his seat.

I’ve never seen him like this before. Not since after…well, you know. I don’t know what to say, so I don’t say anything.

He has a point. That feeling did seem more intense than normal. We both sit in silence, watching the crowd around us. A drunk couple is making out across the street by the bench. A group of college kids walks past us, talking loudly about some football team.

Ten minutes later, the waitress returns with our coffees and beignets. I reach over and pick up a beignet and…oh, my God. My taste buds explode. This is better than tacos. And I love tacos. My mouth waters and I let out an embarrassing moan. Declan’s head whips towards me and a huge shit-eating grin plasters across his face.

“That good, huh?” he asks, amusement lacing his words.

I nod in agreement. He picks one up and takes a bite, and he too moans in sweet, sugary satisfaction.

“Oh, my God. These are amazing. We should put an order in to go.”

All I do is nod in agreement while I pick up another.

All of a sudden, every hair on the back of my neck starts to rise, and I notice the second Declan feels it too. We both stop eating and stare at each other. It’s that feeling again. We both stand at the same time, startling the people around us. Declan pulls out his wallet and drops a twenty on the table.

He grabs my hand and we both take off at a jog down the street. We zig and zag around people, needing to be away from them in case a fight breaks out. I spot a cemetery up ahead of us. Declan slows down just enough to glance at me. I nod, knowing exactly what he’s thinking.

Sneaking in through the rickety gates of St. Louis Cemetery, we slow down to assess our surroundings. Out of habit, we stand closer together and I reach for my dagger. Yep, still there.

We stay silent. The only thing I can hear is the crowd in the distance and the sound of our breathing. I know without a shadow of a doubt that a vampire is stalking us. We start walking and then Declan turns, signaling me to stay put while he walks up ahead of me. I nod and put my back against one of the crypts. If anything does attack me, it won’t be behind my back.

Keeping my eye on my brother, I hear a noise to my right just as I sense that the vampire is near me. I turn my head just as a hand comes around the side of the crypt and grabs me. Caught off guard by the movement, I let out a scream. I’m slammed into a crypt on the other side and find myself face-to-face with a vampire. I’m not sure if this is the vamp that’s been following us though. My skills are good, but not that good. He has his hand on my mouth so I can’t scream anymore, and his other arm is trapping me against the wall. He eyes are dark and crazed, and he’s pale and has brown hair. He towers over me and when he glances down, his smile is malicious.

“Well, aren’t you a pretty one? You’re rather small, but you’ll be a nice appetizer,” he says in a low sing-song voice.

I try to shake him off and reach for my dagger, but I can’t move. I try twisting my body and kicking out, but his body is angled to where my attempts to kick him are getting me nowhere. I’m only kicking air.

“Oh, yes, I’m going to take this nice and slow.” His breathy voice is inches from my ear.

I flinch back, but my head hits the cement crypt behind me. God, this is bad, very bad. Where is Declan? I struggle a little more and then I notice Declan right behind him, silver dagger in hand. He puts a finger to his lips and tiptoes towards us.

Vampires aren’t as fast as they are portrayed in movies, but they are faster than your average human. But then again, so are Declan and I. Not only did we get stronger, we also got faster, and at a time like this, I sure as shit am not complaining.

Once I see Declan, my body easily relaxes, and I use that moment to gather myself. I pick up my right leg, plant my foot on the wall behind me, and push out with all my weight. The vamp is caught off guard by the sudden movement, but only for a fraction of a second. He turns, letting go of me, and I catch myself before I face-plant on the ground.

I push up off the ground and get to my feet just in time to see the vamp grab Declan’s left arm and turn. I hear a crack and Decan grunts in pain.

“Declan!” I yell, getting to my feet quicker than I have before.

I start to charge forward, but I hear a howl in the distance and the vampire’s head snaps up in the direction that it’s coming from. He drops my brother to the ground like a hot potato and takes off running. Okay, that was weird. But I ignore him and run straight for Declan.

“Oh, my God! Declan, are you okay?” I ask, kneeling beside him and gently examining his arm. “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch!”

I clench my teeth as I realize that my brother’s arm isn’t broken, but dislocated. I’ll need to pop it back into place before he starts to heal.

“Relax, Aria. I’m okay. I’m just glad I heard you scream. What the hell happened?” he asks, trying to sit up. He winces as he moves back to lean up against the closest crypt.

“He was strong and a lot faster than what we are used to. I think—”

I stop talking when I hear heavy footsteps quickly approaching. Declan looks up at me. I stand and put my back against the wall, waiting for whoever or whatever it is to walk around the corner. I can still sense the vampire’s closeness, so I grab my silver dagger and, when the footsteps get closer, I jump around the corner, dagger flying downward.

A strong hand grabs my wrist and stops me before my dagger can connect to flesh. I look up and see that this is not the vampire who attacked us. Bright blue eyes are staring down at me, wide and curious.

Holy crap on a cracker.

They remind me of the Caribbean Sea.

“Dude, you almost got taken out by a girl!” a red-haired man laughs from just beside us. He’s bent over trying to take in a breath between laughs.

I pull my wrist free and take a step back. I glance back up at the guy who I almost stabbed, who seems to be at least 6’5” with short, shaggy black hair. My gaze falls from his eyes, trailing down his chest and I notice that he’s wearing a black Henley t-shirt that’s tight against his broad shoulders. It’s tucked into tactical pants that sit low on his narrow waist, and he’s wearing black boots to match. Oh crap. I realize that I’m checking him out and feel my cheeks flush.

I reluctantly pull my eyes away from him and focus on his red-headed companion. His eyes are a light amber color and he’s got some stubble to match his hair, which looks like his companion’s, only a little shorter. He’s a little smaller than the black-haired guy, but still muscular. He’s wearing the same thing, black Henley and tactical pants, almost like a uniform. I’m really hoping they aren’t undercover cops or something. I’m not sure I could talk myself out of this.

“Hey, Blondie. I’m Bennett. This guy right here who you almost stabbed is Hunter.” The red-haired guy steps forward, offering his hand.

I look up at him then at black-haired guy, whose name is apparently Hunter, then back to Bennett. I warily take his outstretched hand.

“Aria,” I simply say, shaking his hand.

Hunter is still looking at me, his expression unreadable. Meanwhile, Bennett still has my hand.

“Can I have my hand back?” I snap, raising my eyebrows.

Bennett starts laughing as he releases my hand.

“She’s feisty!” He looks at Hunter, then back at me. “You’re feisty. I like it. So, Blondie, what’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” He crosses his arms over his broad chest.

“Aria, a little help here?” I hear Declan say before I can answer.

Ignoring the newcomers, I turn on my heel and walk around the crypt. I’m not surprised to hear them following me. I reach down and grab Declan’s right arm and pull him up. He staggers forward a bit and I catch him. He quickly gathers himself and turns to face the two guys.

“Holy shit. They’re twins!” Bennett stares at us, eyes going wide.

“Really, Benny?” Hunter finally speaks. His voice is deep and husky.

“No, seriously, dude. They’re, like, identical twins,” Bennett elaborates.

Hunter looks at me and then at my brother, and a look of curiosity runs across his striking features as he takes in the resemblance.

“Yeah, the doctors were just as surprised as you are,” I say, rolling my eyes. We get this all the time.

“I’m sorry about him. Are you okay, man?” Hunter looks at Declan with raised brows.

“Yeah, I’m good. I just think I dislocated my shoulder. I tripped while I was running with my sister and I tried to catch myself,” Declan replies flatly, the lie rolling off his tongue like melted butter.

Hunter and Bennett exchange a look like they know he’s lying, but they don’t say anything.

Right, that reminds me. Turning to my brother, I reach for his arm without warning and, with a method we use more frequently then we like to admit, I pop his shoulder back into place.

“Fuck! Damn it, Aria! Warn me next time!” Declan hisses through clenched teeth.

I giggle and he shoots me a dirty look. I shrug and turn my attention to the two men standing before us. Both look slightly amused at the exchange.

“So, are you from around here? I’ve never seen you guys here before,” Hunter asks.

“No, we aren’t from around here. Just passing through,” Declan answers, rubbing his shoulder.

It takes a lot of restraint for me not to burst out laughing again. He hates it when I don’t warn him. But if I try to count beforehand, he always tenses before I get to three and it makes it harder for me to pop it back in, so I always do it when he doesn’t expect it. And I always laugh when he curses.

“Ah, okay. Where are you guys staying? I’m parked just outside the gate. We could give you a ride.” Hunter nods in the general direction of the gate.

“I think we’re good, man, but thank you,” Declan reassures him.

As we’re about to walk around them, we hear a cracking sound from deep within the cemetery behind us. Every bone in my body locks up and I feel Declan tense next to me. I glance at Hunter and Bennett and their gazes are locked behind us. I’m pretty sure I hear Bennett growl.

Hunter takes a step toward me, but keeps his eyes glued to the area behind us. Both he and Bennett look prepared to fight. Maybe they’re cops or the CIA or something. After another tense moment, we hear nothing but silence and everyone seems to relax. I can’t sense the vampire anymore, but I’m still on edge from the fight.

“I guess a ride couldn’t hurt after all,” Declan finally says.

I glance over at my brother. As much as I want to stick around and hunt this vampire, the look on my brother’s face tells me now isn’t the time. We need a plan.

“Alright, cool. Let’s get out of here.” Hunter motions for us to follow him.

“I’m Declan, by the way, and you’ve already met my sister, Aria,” Declan says as we’re walking back the way we came.

The adrenaline rush is starting to wear off and I glance down at my stinging hands, realizing for the first time that they got scraped up in the fight.

“Yeah, your sister and I go way back.” Bennett smirks, then winks at me.

I look up and roll my eyes at him. Such a charmer, this one.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Benny,” I tease, using the nickname I heard Hunter give him, as I try to ignore the stinging in my hands.

“Hey, now. Only a select few friends can call me Benny,” Bennett argues, pointing a finger at me.

“What? We aren’t friends? I thought we go way back.” I put my hands on my chest in mock surprise.

I hear Hunter laugh in front of me, and Declan just shakes his head.

“Touché, Blondie,” Bennett quips, coming over to walk next to me and putting his arm around my shoulder.

He leans in close to my ear and I turn my head ever so slightly. Now our noses are almost touching.

“You can call me Benny anytime you like,” he whispers.

I roll my eyes, throw his arm off me, and give him a slight shove.

“You’re disgusting,” I say.

He laughs a deep belly laugh. I can tell he’s a flirt and a charmer, but he’s not creepy. I’m beginning to suspect that he’s all bark, but no bite.

“Dude, that’s my sister,” Declan remarks, scrunching up his nose.

“Don’t you start too. Or do I need to remind you about Becky?” I tease.

“Bethany.”

“Whoever.” I scoff and turn to Bennett. “The girl Declan had in our hotel room last night thought he and I were a couple.” I wince, shuddering at the memory.

“What?” Bennett laughs. “Did she not notice you guys are twins?”

“Apparently not.” Declan shrugs.

“You lucked out,” Bennett remarks. “Tell me you at least got to touch her boobs.”

“Benny, I love you, man, but I’m sure Aria does not want to hear her brother talk about touching boobs,” Hunter chimes in, saving me.

Our gazes lock and I smile, silently thanking him. I’m not a prude by any means. It’s just weird to think about boobs and my brother in the same sentence.

“Aww, way to be a knight in shining armor, Hunt. Coming to the fair maiden’s rescue.” Bennett slings his arm around Hunter and puts him in a head lock.

“Get the fuck off me!” Hunter curses, pushing him off.

He’s trying to hide his smile, but failing. He glances back at me and his smile grows, revealing dimples. I bite down on my bottom lip and his eyes flash a bright blue. If I hadn’t been looking, I would have missed it. I must have hit my head harder than I thought. Storing that thought in the back of my mind until later, I realize we’ve finally reached the gate, and we hang a right.

“So, Dec. Can I call you Dec?” Bennett asks, putting his arm around Declan. Man, what is it with him and personal space?

“I’d prefer if you didn’t. But I have a funny feeling that’s not going to matter,” Declan says.

I kind of like Dec, actually. It almost sounds like dick. I let out a laugh and all the guys turn to me.

“Got something to add, Blondie?” Bennett asks, raising a brow.

Before I can reply, Declan stops dead in his tracks. On instinct, my guard goes up and I look around, waiting for an attack, which is weird because I don’t sense anything. Then I see what’s stopped my brother, and it’s not a bloodthirsty vampire.

“Dude! Oh, my God! Is this your ride?” Declan asks, excitedly walking towards the sleek black car parked by the curb. “’67 Chevy Impala? Man, this is my dream car.”

Declan does a full walk-around of the car, admiration written all over his face.

“Yeah, man. She’s my baby. I bought her in a junkyard a few years back. I nursed her back to health and she’s as good as new,” Hunter gushes.

I will never understand guys and their cars.

“Amazing. My dad and I talked about getting a ‘69 Mustang and building it up together before I left for college but…” Declan pauses, his eyes finding mine.

My heart sinks. I know what he was about to say. Declan has always been more open about our parents’ death. He’s tried to get me to talk about it, but I always shut him down. I don’t want to talk about it. It hurts too much to even think about it, so I don’t.

“But what?” Hunter asks, noticing the slight pause.

“But our parents died.” Declan’s voice is soft, and there’s a hint of sadness.

Hunter’s bright blue eyes lock with mine. I quickly look away, not wanting to see the pity on his face.

“Man, I’m sorry about your parents,” Bennett says, clasping my brother’s good shoulder.

Declan nods and walks around to the back passenger-side door. Hunter starts walking around the car to get into the driver’s seat. I start to follow Hunter to get in behind the driver’s seat.

“Hey, Blondie, you can ride shotgun,” Bennett all but shouts. A mischievous smirk forms on his lips.

I glance over at Hunter, and he’s looking at me intently. A small smile reveals a dimple in his cheek. I feel my face flush again. You’d think I’ve never been around hot guys before.

“Can we go now? There’s a pizza in my fridge that’s calling my name!” Bennett says before he exchanges a devilish look with Hunter, who just quirks a dark brow.

He glances at me, winks, then walks around and is about to open the door when an ear-piercing scream startles us all.

The scream is coming from inside the cemetery where Bennett and I tracked the bloodsucker that we’ve been following all night. But the damn thing keeps evading us. He’s smart and old. I can tell he’s old because not only is he fast, but he also has a certain…odor. I open the telepathic link to Bennett.

Don’t shift in front of them.

Dude, I know the law, but we have got to get back in there. What should we do? Bennett uses the link to respond.

My father is the Alpha of the New Orleans pack and his word is law. Law number one, don’t reveal yourself to humans. We already have to worry about vampires killing us all off, and to add humans to the mix? Yeah, it won’t end well. For any of us.

Humans only see in black and white and they’re small-minded. Anything out of the norm is evil. It’s why my father came up with the law to never reveal yourself to a human. The reason why New Orleans hasn’t seen a vampire attack in decades is because of our pack. Wolves have protected this city for centuries. In the last decade, we’ve had a lot help with a powerful witch coven. My father allows them refuge in our city because vampires love the taste of witch blood. Now we protect each other.

I glance at Aria. Her pale green eyes widen and her gaze locks with Declan’s. They share an all-too-familiar look. A look that, seconds ago, I just shared with my best friend and pack member. I think these two know more than I thought they did. But I’m not about to shift in front of them and break my father’s law. He’d have my ass. Declan shakes his head ever so slightly and if it weren’t for my keen eyesight, I would have missed it.

Another scream pierces the night.

Aria takes off at a sprint back toward the entrance of the cemetery.

“Damn it! Aria!” Declan yells, taking off after her.

She’s almost to the gate before he catches up. Man, that girl is fast. So is Declan, but I’m not really watching him. From the moment I laid eyes on Aria, she’s knocked me off my axis.

She also almost stabbed me.

With a silver dagger.

Yeah, they definitely know more than most humans.

“Hunt, you and I both know they just ran right into a trap. They know about vamps, man. We have to go,” Bennett says, rocking back on his heels and waiting for my command.

Since my father is Alpha, that automatically makes me his Beta, second in command. So, out in the field, I’m in charge. Not that I really want to be, but I don’t have a choice.

“You’re right. Let’s go. But damn it, Bennett, don’t fucking shift until we know for sure,” I tell him, jogging around the front of the car and staring him down.

He submits by reluctantly bowing his head and we both take off after the twins. Once we’re inside the gate, it doesn’t take me long to track Aria’s scent. It’s a calming scent of lavender and vanilla. Never thought I would find a scent calming.

I finally spot her and Declan. The vampire is close. I can smell the metallic scent of blood in the air. I also know that he’s ten feet away and to the left of Aria. I’m the best tracker in the pack. I can tell exactly where a vampire is if I’m close enough. I can also smell that the person he had is now dead. Since wolf shifters have amazing senses, we can see and smell better, making tracking much easier.

I speed up to get to Aria before that bloodsucker does. I’m almost caught up, but she stops abruptly about ten feet from where he is. Declan almost runs right into her but stops just in time. She pushes her back up against the crypt and turns ever so slightly to her brother, who mimics her position. At that moment her gaze locks with mine and she nods. Bennett and I stop at the crypt next to them.

She puts a finger to her beautiful, full lips to tell us to be quiet. I know that, but damn it if my dick doesn’t get a tad happy at the gesture. Declan turns to us and just gives Bennett and I a single nod. Aria glances around at the three of us, then turns to face the opposite way. She’s quiet and I can hear her breathing heavily. Then she turns back around, points her thumb behind her, and holds up both hands showing us the number ten. I glance at Bennett and open the link again.

She’s right. The vamp is ten feet ahead of us to the left. She’s good, I think, impressed that she knew how far away he was. She doesn’t know he’s to the left. But still, I’m impressed.

I think someone’s got a crush on Blondie. I hear Bennett laughing in my head and I can also feel him shaking next to me. Damn it, I forgot to block the link!

I give him an incredulous look. But he’s right; this girl intrigues me. Shaking my head slightly, I turn my focus back on Aria. She reaches behind her and pulls out a silver dagger. Where in the hell did she keep that in those tight leggings?

She creeps forward, while Declan trails slowly behind her. We start to follow them and in the space between the crypts, I don’t even have to give the command because Bennett turns left while I follow Aria and her brother. Bennett may be a goofy son of a bitch, but he’s a damn good fighter.

Aria and Declan make it to the next crypt. I quicken my pace and slow just as I reach them. I walk past Declan and stand to the right of Aria. Without really thinking, I inch closer to her and I hear her sharp intake of breath, but she doesn’t move.

We’re about five feet away now, and the damn bloodsucker is still around the corner, no doubt prepared to attack. Aria puts up her hand and tells us to wait. Declan does, and she continues to move forward.

Is she the bait? Oh, hell no. I will not fall back behind while she puts herself in danger. I go with her.

She turns her head and narrows her eyes at me, but she doesn’t say anything. I feel a nudge in my brain, which signals that Bennett is trying to contact me through our link. I open it up only to hear INCOMING!! as Aria and I both step into the opening.

All I see is Bennett hurling straight towards Aria. I reach forward to grab her, but I'm too late because Bennett smacks into her. She comes flying backward into me as Bennett lands in a heap on the ground.

I grab her waist and spin us, so I take the brunt of the fall. We both let out grunts as we hit the ground. Her small hands are on my chest and she pushes herself up slightly. Her green eyes meet mine. Our bodies are lined up in all the right places, and again, my dick responds accordingly. I feel like I'm fifteen all over again. No control over a pretty girl.

“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice low and husky.

Her breath hitches and her lips part. And that catches my attention too.

“Yeah. I think so,” she whispers after a beat.

I hear a slight commotion, and then she’s ripped from my arms. Her scream lights a fire under my ass and I jump to my feet just in time to see the vampire with his pale arm around Aria’s chest and his other hand angling her neck to the side. She’s trying to fight him off, but he’s too strong. His fangs puncture her skin as he sinks his teeth into her. He slowly lifts his head and takes in a deep breath, not that the sucker needs air to breathe.

“You taste…” He pauses, probably for dramatic effect. Leave it to a vampire to be theatrical. Bastards. “You taste euphoric.”

He dips his head down back to her neck and her soft whimper is enough to make me angry enough to let my wolf take over. I break the number one rule of the pack.

I shift.

“Fuck! Hunter! God damn it!” Bennett curses. He doesn’t shift, but I can see it in his face that he’s dying to let his wolf out.

Sorry, Benny. This one is mine.

I lower my head and snarl, effectively distracting the vampire’s attention, and he lifts his gaze to me, eyes going wide. That’s apparently all the distraction Aria needs, because she throws her head back, hitting him in the chin.

Taken off guard, the vampire stumbles back as Aria turns and delivers a nice swift kick to his nuts. He doubles over, and she grabs his head and brings it downward at the same time her knee comes up and connects with his face. He quickly gets himself together and catches her wrist, which holds the dagger that was aimed for his chest.

He twists her wrist and the dagger drops from her hand. Next, she uses her right arm to try and punch him, but he grabs that too. She drops her arms, bends her knees, and then jumps and does a back flip out of his grasp.

“Damn!” Bennett gasps. “Blondie can fight!”

I just growl in response, ready to jump in. Once she’s back on her feet and out of his grasp, she tries to take a step back, but she’s not quick enough and he grabs her by the throat. I let out a roar at that moment and charge forward, baring my teeth.

The vampire lets go of Aria and she falls to the ground.

Protect her, is all I say to Bennett through the link without looking back.

The sucker starts to run away, and damn, he’s fast. But he won’t outrun me. Shifters are made to be faster than any vampire. Digging my paws into the ground, I leap forward and as I'm about to sink my teeth into his neck, the bastard turns at the last minute, catches my fur midair, spins, and throws me against the crypt wall.

No vamp has ever been able to get the upper hand on me like that before. He must be older than I thought. Okay, new strategy. Getting up, I shake off the hit, and just as I look up, I see a flash of silver dart past me. The vamp freezes, eyes wide and he lets out a grunt.

I don’t hesitate. I lunge forward and sink my teeth into his neck. I jerk around until I feel his head come off his body. He falls to the ground and I land on all fours, a few feet in front of Aria. I don’t want to scare her. Not that I think anything would scare this girl. Or at least, nothing that goes bump in the night. I sit back on my haunches.

Wait. I thought I told Bennett to protect her. I turn my head and look at a guilty Bennett.

“She threatened to chop my balls off if I didn’t let her go, man. I happen to like my balls. I’m attached!” he says, running his hand through his red hair.

I huff and bow my head. I look back up at Aria, who is looking at me, seemingly in deep thought. Like she’s trying to figure out a puzzle. After a few moments, she slowly walks forward toward me. Once she gets directly in front of me, she kneels. The words that come out of her mouth shock me to my core.

“You’re a wolf shifter.”

Mom wrote about different types of supernatural beings in her journal. Since Declan and I have been on the road, we’ve never run into anything other than vampires. Because of that, we’ve always just figured that the rest of the things she mentioned were just myths.

Imagine my surprise when Hunter shifted right in front of me.

I knew something was different about them the moment we met. I could tell they weren’t vampires, but I also knew that they knew more than they were saying. Once I saw them follow us back into the cemetery, my suspicions were confirmed. I just didn’t think they were shifters. In mom’s journal, she wrote that shifters are a vampire’s biggest enemy, with their strong jaws and teeth made for ripping heads off. I guess that would explain why New Orleans hasn’t had any attacks.

Of course, Declan and I have some explaining to do.

I look at Hunter sitting in front of me, still in wolf form. His fur is pitch black like his hair and his eyes are still that Caribbean blue, but they are glowing. I wasn’t imagining that earlier. I lift my hand to touch his face but quickly pull back. I barely know this guy. You can’t just go around touching random guys’ faces, even if they are in wolf form.

Suddenly, he shifts back into a man and we are both in the same kneeling positions. Our eyes lock and I suck in a breath, mesmerized by the shift. Hold on….

“You’re not naked?” I blurt out.

I feel my cheeks heat up. I look anywhere but at Hunter’s face, but then I hear a soft chuckle and slowly my eyes land back on his.

“Um, no. I’m not. Our clothes don’t rip off like they do in the movies. Not as long as we’re wearing natural fabrics like cotton or hemp or genuine leather. Something about them being from nature like us, allows them to shift with us. My father could probably explain better than I can. When it came to pack history, I kind of tuned out. Which is bad considering he’s the Alpha and I'm the Beta,” Hunter explains, shrugging.

He stands and then offers a hand to help me up. I place my hand in his and he pulls me up so fast that I don’t have time to brace myself and I end up pressed against his hard chest. I get a whiff of his scent: cedarwood and ocean.

“Thanks.” I flush, taking a step back and suddenly finding my shoes interesting. “For saving my life and all.”

I peek back up at him and he’s staring at me. His eyes start to glow slightly. Then he blinks and it’s gone.

“It’s no big deal. It’s my job to protect,” Hunter murmurs.

I just nod and turn, only to stop about a foot away as something catches my attention. I turn my head slightly, then immediately turn it back forward. There, to the left of me, is the body of the girl that I heard scream.

“Don’t worry. We’ll have someone come and collect her body,” Hunter whispers from behind me.

I nod and then start to walk over to Bennett and Declan. I stop dead in my tracks. Where is my brother? I rush forward as panic starts to set in.

“Where’s Declan?” I shout, pushing past Bennett to go to the last place I saw my brother.

My heart skips a beat as I see him lying there, not moving.

“Oh, my God! Declan!” I scream, running over to him.

He’s lying on his side facing away from me. I pull him around, noticing a huge cut on his head. He must have gotten knocked out at some point. I curse under my breath. Tears threaten to spill out, but I refuse to let them fall. I feel for his pulse. He’s not dead, so I let out the breath that I’d been holding and sink further down on my knees.

“We need to get him to a hospital,” I say flatly, standing and struggling to pull my brother up with me.

I’m strong, but you try carrying a 200-pound man who’s dead weight. We’re fast healers, but not that fast. This gash is deep. He needs to be looked at by a doctor.

“Here. We’ve got him, Blondie.” Bennett grabs Declan’s arm from me to put it around his broad shoulders. Hunter gets on the other side and does the same. “We’re going to take him back to the Compound.”

“The Compound?” I question. Sounds like the name of a prison.

“It’s just what we call the place we live,” Bennett explains as we walk back toward the entrance of the cemetery.

“Oh,” I mumble numbly.

“Don’t worry, Aria. It’s safe there. The grounds are protected by the witch coven. And we have healers there. Kora will take good care of him,” Hunter reassures me.

I just nod. It’s not that I don’t believe him. But Declan’s the only family I have left. And I’m not sure I can survive losing him, too.

We walk the rest of the way to the car in silence. The guys don’t even break a sweat carrying my lug of a brother. When we reach Hunter’s Impala, I quickly get in the backseat as they place my brother in next to me. I gently guide Declan’s head to my lap as Hunter and Bennett get into the car a few seconds later.

“Here, put this on his wound. It’ll slow down the bleeding until Kora can look at it.” Hunter hands me what looks to be a bundled-up t-shirt.

“Thanks,” I whisper, taking it from him.

He offers me a small smile before turning to start the car. I place the shirt over my brother’s wound and put pressure on it as Hunter speeds away from the curb. I turn my face to the window and let out an inaudible sigh. I guess this is why we always have a plan. We got lucky with Hunter and Bennett being there. If it weren’t for them, we’d probably be dead right now. I shiver at the thought and push it aside.

Bennett turns in his seat. “Alright, spill, Blondie.”

I pick my head up off the window and look at him. He’s smiling but his tone is serious. Guess it’s time to fess up. Ugh.

“What do you want to know?” I shrug.

I hate talking about this. But they are helping us out, and they did save our lives. I'm also under the impression that they broke some sort of rule tonight.

“Well, for starters, how do you know about vampires?” Bennett asks, softening his tone.

I stare at him for a moment before I answer with the short version.

“Three years ago, a vampire killed our parents. Our mom gave us these necklaces…” I gesture to them. “…and a journal explaining everything we needed to know about how to kill one. Declan and I have been on the road, hunting them ever since.” I leave out the part about wanting to find and kill the vampire who killed our parents. “She even mentions shifters and witches, but we’ve never met any. Until today.”

“Oh, man, that sucks. I fucking hate vampires. Evil bastards.” Bennett turns back around in his seat.

He doesn’t ask any more questions, which I am grateful for. Declan groans as he starts to come to, his hand coming up and laying on top of mine. His eyes are unfocused as they flutter open.

“Wh-what happened? Aria?” he moans, trying to sit up, but I hold him still.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just close your eyes and rest. I’ll explain everything later,” I whisper to him.

He doesn’t fight me at all and closes his eyes again. He’s really having a rough night. I glance up and my eyes lock with Hunter’s in the rear-view mirror. They stay like that for a beat before he turns his gaze back on the road.

We drive for another twenty minutes before Hunter turns down a hidden road. It’s surrounded by endless trees. After several minutes, we finally reach the clearing, and what I see takes my breath away.

“Oh, my God,” I gasp, sitting up straighter and pressing my face against the window to get a better look. “Wow, this place is…” I trail off, at a loss for words.

There is a huge red barn in the center with a wrap-around porch. Cabins surround the place, trailing back into the woods and there are what look to be twinkling lights dangling above the ground, lighting up the pathways to each cabin. I don’t see many people, but a few are standing around outside on the porch of the barn when we finally pull up.

“Home sweet home, down in the bayou. That’s the barn. It’s got a cafeteria, training room, and a medical facility,” Hunter says, throwing the car in park, then turns to Bennett. “Go get Kora and tell her to hurry.”

Bennett quickly gets out of the car and takes off running toward the cabins. Hunter gets out and opens my door as I quickly climb out and help him carefully drag Declan’s limp body out of the car.

“Kora is a witch. She’s part of the coven who live here on the Compound. She’s also the coven’s healer,” he says, adjusting Declan’s weight so he takes most of it.

“Hunter? Is everything okay?” I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn around and feel my eyes widen when I see my best friend from my old life.

“Aria?” she gasps.

“Abby? What are you doing here? I thought you were taking summer classes?” I ask, my words coming out in a rush as I throw myself at her.

“I was but I took the summer off…” She trails off and pulls away, but keeps her hands on my shoulders. “It’s so good to finally see you! I’ve missed you so much. Wait, is that Declan?” She finally notices Hunter standing there with my brother. “What’s going on? What happened?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Abby.” I narrow my eyes at her, then shake my head.

One thing about Abby: you can never be mad at her. Like, ever. She’s the sweetest person on the planet. But if this is a place for witches and shifters, then I’m assuming Abby is one of them. Which would make her more than human. But that’s a conversation that’s going to have to wait.

“It’s not important right now,” I sigh. “We need to make sure Declan is okay. Then we can have some serious girl talk. I think we both have some explaining to do.”

She nods in agreement.

I hear a commotion behind me. An older woman with long grey-blonde hair pulled tightly back in a neat bun approaches us. She’s wearing a long pink robe and matching slippers. She rushes past us and walks up to my brother, gently cupping his face between her hands and moving his head from side to side.

“Hmm…” she murmurs, taking a step back and glancing at Hunter. “Come, child. Let’s bring him inside. Bennett, would you be a dear and grab my granddaughter for me?”

She turns on her heel, walking toward the barn, and motions for us to follow her before quickly turning around.

“Oh, and tell her to grab my kit!” she yells to Bennett, who is running back in the direction that he came.

We all climb the stairs and enter through the barn doors. Once we’re inside, my eyes widen. This place is magical.

The outside of this barn looks small, but the inside is huge. Straight in front of me, through a set of glass doors, is what looks like a training room. I can kind of see some workout equipment from where I'm standing. To my right are tables. Some people are eating and others have their noses buried in a book. There’s a buffet line with all sorts of food lined up. This must be the cafeteria. Then, to my left, which is where we are headed, is a closed-off room. Kora waves her hand and the distinct “click” sound of a door unlocking rings through my ears. The door swiftly flies open as she glides inside.

Hunter follows her, supporting Declan, who is basically being dragged at this point. Poor guy. Abby and I are close behind them. When we enter the room, we see beds lined up parallel to each other each separated by curtains. This must be the medical room.

“Place him on any bed, Hunter. It doesn’t matter which one,” Kora says, waving her wrist.

Hunter places Declan on the closest bed and backs away. I step around him and go to my brother’s side. Abby goes to stand on the opposite side of me as Hunter moves to stand back behind me against the wall. Declan stirs again and blinks his eyes open a few times.

“A-Aria?” he questions again, trying to sit up.

I push on his shoulder to get him to lie back down. He’s weak, so he doesn’t put up much of a fight. I know we heal fast, but I’ve never seen him like this. Then again, we’ve never been this seriously injured before. His eyes are still open and he’s looking around.

“Where are we?” he asks.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here. We’re safe. I’ll explain everything later, but first, this woman is going to help you okay?” I whisper, taking his hand.

He nods as the door slams open. A petite girl with long golden hair walks in. She’s wearing Converse too. I like her already.

“Here, Grandma,” she says, handing Kora the medical kit.

Kora takes it from her and starts rummaging through it.

“What do you need me to do?” the girl asks. She glances our way for a moment before her gaze lands back on her grandmother.

I look behind me at Hunter and notice that Bennett has joined him against the wall. Both are standing there with their legs spread apart and arms across their chests.

“Here, Ciera. Take this,” Kora commands, grabbing my attention.

I watch as she takes out some gauze and puts this thick yellow paste on it. It looks like thick yellow mustard.

“Put this on his wound. It’ll help stop the bleeding. I’m going to make Gumba Paste to help speed up the healing process then mix a potion to help with the concussion,” she finishes.

I’m not sure whether or not I should tell her about our accelerated healing abilities, so I just keep it to myself for now. It’s not like we’ll be staying here long anyway.

Ciera nods and takes the gauze from Kora. She walks over to Declan and places the gauze on his head. He turns to look at her and his gaze softens.

“You’re an angel,” he says, smiling. “I must be in heaven.”

I lift a brow. Uh…okay. Who is this guy and what has he done with my brother?

He places his hand on top of hers and closes his eyes. The goofy-looking grin never leaves his face. She glances at me and I note that she has blue eyes too. Not as blue as Hunter’s, but more like a dark denim blue. He pats her hand and opens his eyes again.

“You’re beautiful,” Declan whispers.

What the hell? I feel like I should hit him again just to set him back to factory settings.

“Thanks, Romeo.” She smiles. “But I think you’ve bumped your head a little too hard. Let’s get you patched up, okay?” She’s handling his charm like a champ.

“You have the voice of an angel too!” Declan says, then turns to look at me. “Psst! Aria! I think I met the woman of my dreams.”

I open my mouth, then close it again. It’s not often that he has the ability to render me speechless, but I’ll be damned. He’s on a roll tonight. He smiles, closing his eyes briefly and then opening them again, only to turn back to Ciera.

“What’s your name?” he asks.

“Ciera.”

“Such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman,” Declan sighs.

Before anything else can be said, Kora walks over with a tube of thick green paste and a small cup. Ciera doesn’t say another word as she moves out of Kora’s way. Kora removes the gauze with the yellow paste and wipes his wound with a damp cloth that I didn’t even realize she had. Then she applies some of that thick green paste to another piece of gauze and places that on his head before she seals it with medical tape. Ciera grabs the used gauze and throws it away in the trash can. Declan watches her every move.

“Drink this. It’s not going to taste good, but it’ll help ease the pain and heal that concussion you have,” Kora explains.

When she hands Declan the small cup, I lean forward to see what’s inside. It’s a blue liquid that looks like Kool-Aid. Abby and I help him sit up as he takes the cup from her. He tosses it back and makes a disgusted face, almost spitting it back out. He doesn’t, thank God. I wasn’t cleaning that up.

“I don’t know what ass tastes like, but if I had to guess, I imagine that’s exactly what it would taste like,” Declan groans.

I hear Bennett laugh from behind me and I bite my lip, trying to hide my smile. Leave it to my comedian of a brother to lighten the mood. Kora narrows her dark eyes at Bennett, then waves her hand as if smacking him on the head. I turn just in time to see Bennett’s head fall forward as if he were physically smacked. That’s actually pretty cool and now I wish I had that kind of power. I’d use it on Declan…a lot.

“Ouch!” Bennett hisses, rubbing his head. “What’d you do that for? Hunter was laughing too!”

Kora threatens to magically smack him again and Bennett visibly stiffens, holding his hands up. I can’t help the laugh that’s bubbling up in my chest. Everyone turns to me, and I quickly put my hand over my mouth.

“Alright, everyone out. I will stay and keep an eye on him.” Kora starts to shoo us out. “Hunter, I would advise you tell your father about our new guests. I’m sure he’ll want to know right away.” She glances at me, then at Declan.

“Yes, ma’am.” Hunter replies, nodding his head.

He starts heading toward the door and, one by one, we follow him out of the room. Before I get to the door, I turn to Kora. She is putting a blanket over Declan, who is finally asleep.

“Thank you, Kora. It means a lot to me that you’re taking care of him even though you’ve never met us.”

“Nonsense, dear. It’s no trouble at all.” She looks at me and her eyes go wide. “Oh, my child. Your neck! You were bitten!” She runs over to her bag again.

My hand immediately goes to my neck. With everything that’s happened within the past hour, I’ve completely forgotten that I was bitten.

“Here,” she says, handing me some gauze with the thick yellow paste that she had given Declan. “That should help stop the bleeding and ease some of the pain.” She presses the gauze onto my neck.

“Thank you,” I mutter, replacing her hand with my own and holding it there.

She walks over to her medical bag and pulls out some medical tape, then turns back to me and starts to tape the gauze in place.

“Okay, my dear. Leave that on there for at least an hour. Then you’ll be as good as new.” Kora smiles at me. “Now, run along. Your brother needs his rest. I promise I’ll take good care of him.” She all but shoves me out the door.

The door shuts as soon as I cross the threshold. Well, okay then.

I glace around and see Abby standing by the front door. I walk over to her, and she pulls me into a tight hug. We just stand there for a few moments. I’ve missed her so much. I haven’t spoken to her in months. I don’t want to lose anyone else in my life. So, I’ve made sure no one else gets close to my heart. If that meant pushing the people I loved most away to keep them safe, then it was a price I was willing to pay.

Abby finally pulls back; dark gray eyes meet mine and I give her a reassuring smile.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Abby whispers. Tears are welling up in her eyes as she pulls me back into another tight hug.

I haven’t seen her since the funeral, which was three years ago. Now I feel like a shitty friend.

“I’ve missed you too, Abby. I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch in a while…” I trail off, still in her embrace.

I don’t know what else to say. My old life seems like a whole lifetime ago now.

“It’s okay. I understand. But I think we need to talk,” she points out, releasing me.

I nod as she grabs my hand and we walk out the front door. It looks like all hell is about to break loose.

Hunter and Bennett are standing at the bottom of the steps and some man who has the same jet-black hair as Hunter, only with gray running through it, is standing in front of them. His face is red as he is glares at the two boys.

“I could understand if this was Bennett, but you…” He points a shaky finger at Hunter. “I expect better from you, son.”

“Son?” I question out loud.

All heads and eyes turn to me. I flush. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I mean, it makes sense that this would be Hunter’s dad. They look alike. His father just looks like an older version of him. My eyes land on Hunter. His expression is blank. Then I look to the man standing in front of him. His face softens slightly, but he still looks pissed. He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

“Hunter, you know there’s a pack law for a reason, son. Humans can’t know about us. It’s too much of a risk, not only for us, but for them as well.” His dad lets out a long breath.

“I know sir, but please you don’t understand—” Hunter starts to say.

His dad puts a hand in the air and he shuts his mouth. He lowers his head slightly but still doesn’t break eye contact with his father. For some reason, that doesn’t sit well with me.

“I don’t need to understand. What’s done is done. You and Bennett are off patrol duty for the next month and starting tomorrow you will be training the others with Knox. And as for the humans, I’ll have Kora make a memory potion once the boy is healed,” his dad finishes, and then he turns to walk away.

Hold up. Memory potion? Not happening. Not only did they save my life, but also Declan’s. Let’s also not forget that I also helped Hunter in killing that vampire.

“Excuse me!” I yell, my temper starting to get the best of me.

I start for the stairs, but Abby tries to pull me back. I shrug her off and stomp my way past Hunter and Bennett. They also try to stop me, but I shrug them off too. I stop right in front of Hunter’s dad. He’s a head taller than me but what the fuck ever. He has no right to mess with my or my brother’s memories. What if it takes away the good memories I have with my parents?

“First of all, I don’t care who you are or what makes you think that you can take away my memory or Declan’s, but that isn’t happening. Ever. Second, if it weren’t for your son and Bennett, my brother and I would be dead,” I spit. My blood is boiling now, and I use a finger to get my last point across. It’s probably immature, but I don’t give a shit. “And third, what makes you think that Declan and I are just some ordinary humans, huh?” I narrow my eyes at him.

We are just ordinary humans, but he doesn’t need to know that. He stands a little taller and a low growl rumbles in his chest, trying to threaten me. I never back down from a challenge.

“I can smell it on you.” He leans forward and takes a sniff. “Although your scent seems to be masked, I know you are, in fact, just a human.” He sneers.

I don’t move an inch. Before I can snap back at him, in my peripheral vision, I see another person approaching. I narrow my eyes at Hunter’s dad once more, then turn to face the newcomer.

“Mrs. Thibodaux?” I ask, shocked to see Abby’s mom here. I take a few steps toward her.

Luna was like a second mom to me. She was always very warm and welcoming. Plus, she made the best snickerdoodles ever. Every single time I was over she always had a batch ready for me. And tacos. Can’t forget about the tacos. In fact, she was the first person who I came to for advice as soon as I lost my virginity. It was a practice run for when I finally told my mom. Of course, Luna asked me what my favorite position was and how good it felt. I told her it was only one position, the boring missionary style and a tad painful. Then she went on and on about different positions and the G-spot. Oh, and to always wear protection. It was horrifying but not as horrifying as my Dad finding out. I wasn’t allowed to leave my room for a week until my Mom was able to convince him that I was not a little girl anymore. I was so glad Declan was away at football camp. Otherwise I was sure he’d make fun of me every chance he got.

“Hello, Aria. It’s good to see you, sweetie.” She approaches me, bringing me into a hug and squeezing tight.

I’d almost forgotten what it was like to have a warm motherly hug. I return her hug just as tightly. This is familiar, and after the night I had, it’s just what I need. I sag into her embrace. She pulls back and tucks the strands of hair that have fallen out of my ponytail behind my ear.

“I’m so very sorry for your loss. Debora was one of my best friends.” She gives me a sad smile as she places a hand on my shoulder.

Her chocolate brown eyes meet mine and fill with unshed tears. All I can do is nod.

She takes the hint and pulls away, gathering herself together. She squares her shoulders and steps forward, putting herself between me and Hunter’s dad, which is probably a good thing, because I might just punch him in the throat if he brings up wiping our memories again. Abby is now at my side and she takes my hand. I look at my best friend. She gives my hand a light squeeze and we both turn our attention to Luna and Hunter’s dad.

“Alexander,” Luna says sternly. “This is Aria. I’ve known her since she was a small child. She went to school with my daughter. She and her brother, Declan, are twins.”

She emphasizes the “twins” part and narrows her brown eyes at Alexander. His eyes go wide and then he nods as if understanding the meaning behind her words. I look between them both and see the silent exchange.

“Anyone want to fill me in on what’s going on?” I snap. I’m tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a shower.

Luna and Alexander turn their gazes to me.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I will explain everything to you later. It will be best to wait until Declan is better, as this involves him as well,” Luna answers firmly.

I want to demand to know whatever it is that she’s keeping from me now, but I know Luna and it’s either her way or the highway. So I just nod.

“Alright, it’s been a long night. I suggest everyone get some rest and we will discuss this more tomorrow,” Alexander orders before turning around and walking away.

“Well, he’s in a mood, isn’t he?” Luna says, talking to no one in particular.

“Yeah, he’s not happy with us shifting in front of Aria and Declan,” Hunter says, walking up from behind us. “What was that about, Luna?”

“Nothing for you to worry about tonight. I understand the pack law and the Alpha’s orders. But he needs to lighten up sometimes,” Luna half jokes.

I freeze as it finally sinks in that I lost my temper on the Alpha.

“Oh no.” I whisper, putting my hand over my mouth.

I take a step back, bumping into a hard chest. I stumble as strong hands land on my shoulders to steady me.

“Whoa, Aria, are you okay?” Hunter whispers softly in my ear.

I steady myself and turn as he drops his arms.

“Hunter, I just… Your dad, he’s the Alpha. And I’m sorry. I mean…oh, God!” I stutter. I completely lost my shit toward an Alpha. The Alpha.

Hunter lets out a low chuckle.

I narrow my eyes at him. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, Blondie,” Bennett laughs as he comes up next to us. I turn to look at him. “Believe me, it’s all good. You are not the first person to stand up to the Alpha like that. Am I right, Hunt?”

He nudges Hunter with his elbow. Hunter just rolls his eyes.

“I’m surprised he didn’t wolf out on you. He hates it when people talk back to him.” Bennett’s face turns serious.

Oh crap! Crap, crap, crap! Before I start to really freak out, Bennett starts laughing.

“I’m just kidding! You’re good, bruh,” he says as he tugs on my ponytail.

I swat his hand away.

“You’re an ass!” I narrow my eyes at him, and he laughs again. I sigh. “I guess I should probably bake him cookies or something,”

“That works too. Just make sure they’re chocolate chip cookies. They’re his favorite.” Hunter smiles at me, revealing those dimples.

“More like they’re your favorite, Hunter,” Abby joins in. “You know, if you want cookies, I’m sure all you have to do is ask. I bet Aria would be happy to bake you some cookies.” She smiles at me as she puts her arm around my shoulders.

“Oh, really? Aria, will you make me—”

“No,” I say, cutting him off.

His face falls slightly. “But I saved your life!”

“Yeah, and I returned the favor by throwing my dagger at that vamp to distract him long enough for you to kill him. So, I think we’re even.” I smirk.

“Damn, this girl is sassy.” Bennett laughs, shaking his head.

Before anyone can say anything else, I glance up and see Ciera approaching us.

“Hi, guys!” she chirps. She looks at me and hands me a bag. “I brought you some food. I didn’t know what you liked, but I figured you can’t go wrong with a burger and fries.”

I take it from her willingly as my stomach grumbles in response.

“Thanks, Ciera. Oh, and hey, I’m sorry about Declan.”

I grimace, remembering the things he said to her. It makes me wonder how he’s able to seduce women. But, then again, if they were all like Becca…or was it Becky? Whatever her name was. Anyway, I guess whatever he’s doing works. He’s got his work cut out with Ciera though. That is, if he remembers her when he wakes up.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing I can’t handle. Between working with the kids and helping my Grandma out, I’ve heard much more interesting things.” She shrugs.

“Kids?”

“Yeah, I teach the young kids how to handle their elemental magic and how to mix potions. That sort of thing. I also help with basic academic skills. I only teach the basics. There are others here who teach the more advanced stuff,” she explains.

“Oh, okay. Cool. Anyway, thanks again.” I smile at her.

“It’s nothing. Well, I’m going to check on Grandma to see if she needs anything before I head back to the cabin.” Ciera waves goodbye and heads back inside the barn.

“Alright. I’m sure you’re tired, Aria. You can stay with us for now. I’m sure Lydia can have a cabin ready for you and Declan should you choose to stay, which I sincerely hope that you will,” Luna interjects.

I’m not sure about staying yet. That’s something I should talk to Declan about. However, she’s right. I am exhausted. I need sleep, a shower, and food. But not necessarily in that order.

“Lydia?” I ask

“My mom,” Hunter says.

“Wait. All of our stuff is still at the motel. Declan’s going to want his laptop when he wakes up. It’s his most prized possession.” I roll my eyes.

Declan’s the smarter twin out of the two of us. Before our parents died, he was working hard to get a football scholarship to go to school to study criminal law. Not that we needed money, but we were always taught to work hard for the things we wanted. Our parents were rich, but they never spoiled us. If I wanted new paints, I had to work for it. When he decided he wanted to learn to play guitar, he had to work for that. We were never handed anything. But after they were killed, we put our dreams on hold.

“Where were you guys staying?” Hunter asks.

“Motel Six, just right off the highway. Also, we have a car. The keys are in the room.”

“I think Jasper and Kai are near there tonight. I’ll call them and let them know to grab your car and things and bring them here.” Bennett says, pulling out his phone and stepping away.

“In the meantime, you can just borrow some of my clothes.” Abby reassures me.

I just nod. It’ll be like old times. Abby and I are the same size, so we always used to share clothes. She’s the girly one. While I don’t mind dresses and heels, I always opt for skinny jeans, a cute top, and my Converse. If we weren’t on the road so much, I’d have a pair in every color. Abby used to tell me I was the epitome of skater girl fashion.

“All set. Jasper and Kai are going to do one more sweep through the Quarter, then head over that way.” Bennett says, walking back over and putting his phone back in his pocket. “Hey, Hunt, want to go train for a bit since we are officially off patrol duty? Somebody just had to shift to save a pretty girl.”

He winks at me. I flush and turn to look over at Hunter.

“Yeah sure. Let me park my car in my garage and I’ll head back over,” Hunter replies without looking at Bennett. He smirks. “Goodnight, Aria.”

He takes a few steps back, eyes still locked on mine. Bennett playfully pushes him, breaking our eye contact. He turns and they both start to race off.

“Hey! Wait!” I yell after them. They both stop, turning toward me. “How will Jasper and Kai get into our room without a key?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Blondie?” Bennett wiggles his brows before turning to run away again.

Hunter flashes me his dimples before turning on his heel and taking off after him.

Luna, Abby, and I silently walk down a path that leads to their cabin. The cabins are spaced far enough apart to give the residents privacy. They’re moderately sized too, and some have garages while others don’t. I glance up and take a good look at the lights that are lighting up the path around us. I realize that they aren’t lights at all. They’re more like glowing orbs.

“It’s mesmerizing, isn’t it?” Abby whispers from next to me. “It’s one of my favorite things about this place.”

“Yeah, it is beautiful,” I whisper back. “So, you’re a witch?”

She nods hesitantly, as if she’s afraid that will scare me off. It doesn’t. In fact, I think it’s pretty cool. How many people can say that their best friend is a witch?

“How does this all work?” I ask.

“Well, it’s elemental magic. It doesn’t mess with the balance of nature. Most witches only use elemental magic. But there are some who dabble in dark magic and it’s the dark magic that always comes with a price,” Abby tries to explain.

I just stare at her, dumbfounded. Mom didn’t have much in her journal about witches. I know about the elemental magic, but I always just assumed that they could make it rain or light a candle with the snap of their fingers. I have no idea what Abby’s talking about right now.

“Aria, honey, I will explain everything to you tomorrow. I promise,” Luna says, walking up the steps to the cabin in front of us. “I’ve known you long enough to know that there is no explaining things to you when you’re tired or hungry. And you are currently both. So eat, shower, and get some rest.”

She’s not wrong. I tend to not listen when I'm hungry or tired. Probably why Abby’s explanation went right over my head. And honestly, I'm too hungry and tired to argue.

The inside of the cabin is spacious. To my left, there is a wood stove and a living area with a flat screen TV that I know without a doubt never gets used. Although it might get used sometimes, because Abby is addicted to that show with the two half-brothers that play basketball together. She always made me watch it every time we had sleepovers. I follow them down the hall, past a set of steps, and into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. Luna walks over to one of the cabinets, pulls out a plate, and brings it over to me. Then she walks to the fridge and grabs me a bottled water.

“Make yourself at home. Abby will grab you some clothes. The bathroom is upstairs to the left.” She leans down and kisses my head. “I’m always here for you, Aria.”

I smile and nod at her. She says goodnight to us and heads upstairs to her room. I pull out my burger and fries as Abby pulls out the chair in front of me and sits down. She reaches forward and steals some of my fries. Typically, I’d smack her hand, but there are so many fries and I know I’m not going to be able to eat them all.

“Have you heard of a band called Chasing Ghosts?” Abby asks, playing with the charm bracelet on her wrist.

She’s had that bracelet for as long as I can remember. She told me her mom gave it to her on her 5th birthday and the feather charm was a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

I shake my head.

“They’re an all-girl band from the UK, and they’re kickass! I hear they’re going on their first US tour and they might be coming here. If they do, we should totally go to the show! Grace will want to come too, since she’s from the UK and she’s a huge fan. I know you’re a classic rock kind of girl, but I think you’ll like them,” Abby rambles.

Man, I’ve missed her and her ramblings. I’ve always loved that about Abby. I just let her ramble away because there’s no use in trying to stop her.

“Hey, does Declan still play the guitar?” she asks as I take a sip of water.

“No. We never went back to the house to grab it,” I tell her, suddenly losing my appetite.

We left just about everything behind that night. Declan left his guitar and I left my paints. She nods and doesn’t push the subject further.

“You know, Hunter plays the guitar. Maybe he can play for you and you can show off your pipes.” Abby waggles her brows, changing the subject as she gets up to get herself a bottle of water.

I roll my eyes. “I just met him!”

I mean, he’s definitely cute. Okay, fine, who am I kidding? The guy is freaking gorgeous.

“Don’t roll your eyes, Aria Elizabeth. I saw the way you two looked at each other.” Abby laughs as she sits back down.

I can’t help but smile. I’m so glad she’s here.

I throw my trash away, and Abby shows me where the bathroom is and how to work everything. I remove the gauze and look at the bite on my neck. The bleeding has stopped, and it’s starting to heal. It might leave a nasty scar though. Once I’ve showered, I change into the clothes Abby left me on the bathroom sink and make my way down the hall to her room. She’s made a makeshift bed on the floor. I crawl under the blankets and as soon as my head hits the pillow, I fall right to sleep.

* * *

I wake up the next morning before anyone else, which is surprising because that never happens. I guess my body has just gotten used to getting up early. Trying not to disturb Abby, I get up quietly and make my way down the hall to the bathroom. I use the extra toothbrush she gave me last night to brush my teeth. I glance at myself in the mirror and my platinum blonde hair has fallen in soft waves past my shoulders. I decide to just leave it down. It covers the bite on my neck. It’s healed, but there’s a crescent-shaped bite mark. It’s not that noticeable, but still. I don’t want anyone to see it.

Once I’m finished brushing my teeth, I make my way downstairs and see that my bags, along with Declan’s, are sitting in the living room. I walk over to my bag and pull out my favorite pair of skinny jeans and a dark green shirt. I change quickly and fold Abby’s clothes and set them on the couch.

I notice that the journal has fallen out of the bag. I pick it up, noting how the leather binding has become worn over the years. I open it, flipping through the pages, before coming across my drawings of the vampire that attacked our parents. I love painting more than anything, but I also draw a lot, too. It helps when I paint. Sometimes I’ll draw an outline of what I want to paint, especially if it has a more intricate design. Most of the time I just freehand it, though. Running my fingers over the face that haunts me, I take a deep breath, slam the journal closed, and stuff it back in my bag.

I make my way into the kitchen, hoping that Luna has coffee. I glance around, finding the coffee pot tucked away in the corner. Okay, now where is the coffee? You can’t have a coffee pot with no coffee, right? I start to open each drawer and cabinet, hoping to find it.

“The cabinet next to fridge, bottom shelf.”

I jump, turning abruptly at the sound of Luna’s voice. She’s standing in the doorway in a white silk robe and cheetah print slippers.

“Oh, my God. You scared the crap out of me, Mrs. Thibodaux!” I gasp, putting a hand on my chest.

“I’m sorry, honey. With Henry back in Maryland, it’s quiet in the mornings. Not used to having early risers here.” She laughs and comes to open the cabinet to my left.

Mr. Thibodaux always stayed home when Abby and her mom would go to New Orleans for the summer. He’s a salesman and can’t take a whole summer off, but he would visit when he could.

I step aside as she grabs the coffee grounds and heads over to the pot. I move over to the table and sit down, not awake enough to function yet.

“Mrs. Thibodaux?”

“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Luna?” she scolds with her back to me.

“Okay, Luna, does Mr. Thibodaux know you’re a witch?” I ask.

“Yes, he knows. When we first started dating, I kept it from him. But I decided that if he was the one, he needed to know what I was. He took the news rather well. You know, after he freaked out,” she replies, hitting a few buttons on the coffee machine before turning and leaning against the counter. “How are you feeling this morning?”

I glance up at her and her face is filled with worry. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone other than my brother ask me that question. I’ve always put on a strong front for him. But I know I can’t lie to Luna. She’s always had a special gift for knowing when I’m not being truthful. She always called it “mom’s intuition,” but now I'm not so sure.

“I’m okay, really. Just trying to take this all in. You know? It’s not every day you find out your best friend and her mom are witches,” I respond truthfully. “But other than that, I'm just worried about Declan.”

“That’s understandable,” Luna replies, walking over and taking my hands in hers. “Nothing has changed, sweetie. Abby and I are still the same people. The only difference is that you know we’re witches now.”

“I just have so many questions.” I glance down at the floor.

“I know. I promised I would explain, and I will. I just think it’s best that Declan be present as well.” Luna lets go of my hands and walks over to grab some mugs out from one of the cabinets.

She then fixes us each a cup and hands me one. I thank her and take a sip, closing my eyes as the familiar flavor hits my tongue.

“I understand. That’s also why I haven’t pressed the issue. Even though I’m dying over here,” I joke.

“You’ll live.” She winks at me. “I’m off to take a shower. Do you need anything?” She starts shuffling over to the doorway before stopping to turn and look at me.

“No. I think I’m okay, thanks. I think I’m going finish this and then go check on Declan now if that’s alright?” I’m not sure if I’m allowed to wander around this place alone.

“You’re an adult now, Aria. You don’t need to ask permission. Just go. Abby and I will catch up with you guys later.” She waves her hand as she walks out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Well, alright then. I finish my coffee, put my cup in the sink, and walk back into the living room. I throw on my black Converse and head out the door.

I start down the path that leads back to the barn. As I’m walking, I look around and notice that people are glancing curiously at me, but no one stops to ask me any questions. That’s fine by me, because I don’t have an answer to give them. Hopefully Declan is feeling better enough that we can finally get an explanation from Luna. I understand why she wants to wait, but I want answers now. My curiosity always gets the best of me. If he wasn’t feeling better, I might just drag his ass out of bed.

As I approach the barn door, it swings open and Alexander steps out, almost walking straight into me. I almost trip in my haste to get out of the way.

“Whoa. I’m so sorry,” Alexander says in a rush while reaching out to steady me.

Both of his hands land on my shoulders and I reach out and grab his arms to steady myself. Once I’m stable, he removes his hands and then clears his throat. I glanced down at my shoes, not wanting to look the Alpha in the eye.

Wait. Am I submitting? Is this what submitting feels like? I mean, I wouldn’t know, since this is the first time I’ve ever encountered a wolf pack. I didn’t back down last night, and I won’t let this man intimidate me now. So, I suck in a deep breath and look up at him.

“Ah, there she is.” He smiles at me.

Well, that’s different. Last night he all but ripped me apart. I’ve never been growled at before. Not like that, anyway. Unless you count my grandmother’s chihuahua. Peanut hated my guts and as soon as I walked in the door, he’d snarl and growl and try to bite me. Of course, he loved Declan, which was fine by me because I hated that tiny bastard.

“I was wondering when you’d finally stop submitting to me,” Alexander says, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Great. I was submitting. Ugh.

“Yeah, I seem to have a problem with authority,” I say dryly.

He laughs.

That’s not a complete lie. I did punch a security guard in the nose once. Declan and I hadn’t received our inheritance money yet and we needed some things. Not my proudest moment, that’s for sure. I promised Declan that I wouldn’t put us in that kind of trouble again, and I’ve kept that promise. Fighting vampires is one thing, but I would never make it in jail. What can I say? I just can’t rock an orange jumpsuit.

“Look, I’m really sorry about last night. It’s just that Declan and I are very protective of each other. It’s just the two of us now, and—”

Alexander puts his hand up to cut me off. “No need to explain yourself to me, Aria. I had no right making that call without knowing all the facts. I’m the one who should be sorry.”

He gives me a reassuring smile. I just stand there in disbelief, but manage to nod my head.

“And as for my son, he told me all about what happened last night. So, I do believe I owe you a thanks as well. You saved members of my pack.”

That wording seems strange, but I don’t dwell too long on it.

“It was nothing. Hunter and Bennett saved my life. The least I could do was distract that vampire long enough to give Hunter the opportunity to kill it. It was a team effort.” I shrug.

“Very well, then,” he says. “I won’t keep you any longer. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to discuss later. I have to go meet with Luna now, so I better not be late. You know how she can get.”

I laugh in agreement, and he puts his hand on my shoulder for a brief second, then starts to walk off.

“Oh, and Aria.” Alexander stops just before he reaches the stairs and turns to me. “I do hope we can start over. As far as I’m concerned, you are a part of this pack now.”

Before I can respond, he’s down the steps and walking away. Well, at least I don’t have to bake him cookies. Which is a good thing because, knowing my luck, I’d probably burn them. After another moment, I turn and walk through the doors to find Declan.

When I open the door to the medical room, I’m surprised to see Ciera sitting down in a chair next to my brother’s bed. They are deep in conversation and Ciera’s cheeks are flushed.

Declan, I swear to God, you’d better leave that sweet girl alone.

Ciera’s eyes meet mine and apparently she whispers something to Declan, because his head swivels in my direction. He has this huge grin on his face.

“Well, I’d better go. Classes are going to start soon, and I need to be there before the kids arrive. I’m glad you’re feeling better, Declan.” Ciera smiles at my brother and waves goodbye to me.

I watch her leave, then turn and narrow my eyes at my brother.

“She’s a nice girl, Declan. Please do not hurt her,” I scold.

He rolls his eyes. “I have no plans to. I genuinely like her. She’s not like any of those other girls that I meet at bars. She’s smart, funny, caring, passionate. Not to mention she’s absolutely stunning.”

He sighs. I narrow my eyes again and then soften. Declan has never been the type to settle down. He’s not afraid of commitments; he was always just too focused on school and trying to get a football scholarship into college. Then, when our parents died and we were on the move, he knew it wasn’t fair to try to build a lasting relationship with anyone because we were never around long enough anyway. But I knew without a doubt that when he found someone he cared about, she would be the luckiest girl in the world.

“What happened out there last night, Declan?” I finally ask him.

He glances away. He’s quiet for moment, then he looks back up at me.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I saw Bennett getting thrown into you and Hunter. And before I knew it, the vamp had gotten the jump on me and then, lights out,” he explains.

I reach out and grab his hand, giving it a squeeze.

“It’s okay. You’re lucky you got knocked out. I, however, was not so lucky. The son of a bitch bit me,” I grumble, pulling my hair to the side to expose the bite, although all he’ll able to see is the faded scars.

“I’m going to kill that motherfucker!” Declan curses, turning his face away from me.

“Well, that motherfucker is already dead. Hunter bit his head off,” I tell him.

Declan’s head whips in my direction so fast that I think he might get whiplash.

“Come again?” he questions, raising his eyebrows.

“Right. You were passed out when he shifted. Hunter and Bennett are wolf shifters,” I explain, and Declan’s eyes widen. “Oh, I’m not finished. Abby’s here.”

“Your best friend, Abby Thibodaux? Don’t tell me she’s a wolf shifter too?” Declan asks, looking like his mind is thoroughly blown.

“She’s not, but she is a witch,” I state, and he looks at me wide-eyed again.

“Well, shit. Remind me never to get on her bad side,” Declan jokes.

I slap his arm.

“What? I’m joking.”

I scowl at him, then smile. He and I both know that Abby Thibodaux does not have a mean bone in her body. Plus, he’s super aware that she had a major crush on him in middle school. She outgrew that phase in high school when she caught him making out with Laura Johnston in our freshman year. He became popular after that because she was a senior.

“I mean, that’s not all. Hunter’s father is the Alpha, and I may or may not have told him off last night,” I cringe and look anywhere but at my brother.

Declan knows about my temper. Now it’s his turn to narrow his eyes at me.

“What did you do?” His cautious tone causes me to look him in the eyes.

“Well, I-I mean, he said that he was going to erase our memories, and I just kind of, well you know, flipped out.”

Declan lets out a sigh and runs a hand over his face, letting his head fall back onto the pillow. Before anyone can say anything, the door to the room flies open. We jump at the sound, both taken off guard by the sudden loud interruption.

We silently watch Kora set her bag on the table and start to rummage through it. We exchange a look when we hear her curse under her breath. She apparently hasn’t noticed that Declan is awake, and he has a visitor. She finally turns around and lets out a loud gasp, clutching her chest. She recovers quickly and starts to walk over to my brother’s bed. I move out of her way, stepping off to the side while she examines him.

“Your wound seems to have healed rather quickly and your concussion seems to be gone. I know my potions are good, but they’re not that good,” she says to no one in particular.

She tells Declan to follow her finger with his eyes and he passes with flying colors. He seems to pass every other test Kora throws at him. She looks at him quizzically, as if trying to figure out a puzzle. His gaze locks onto mine and he winks at me. I roll my eyes in response. Of course Kora doesn’t know. But once she gives the all clear, we’ll be one step closer to finding out some answers.

“Well, everything seems to be okay. If you experience any dizziness or headaches, come find me. Otherwise, you’re free to go.” Kora heads to her bag, packs everything away, and quietly shuts the door behind her as she leaves.

“Alright, bro, get up. Mrs. Thibodaux said she’d fill us in on everything once you were awake and got the all clear from Kora,” I say, pulling the blankets off of him.

Declan glares at me, but then gets up off the bed and stretches. We walk out of the medical room and into the common area, as now I like to call it. We’re just about to head to the front doors when a whistle catches our attention.

“Hey, Blondie!”

I glance over in the direction of the whistle and see Bennett waving at us to come over. He’s not alone. Hunter turns around in his seat and his blue eyes land on me. He gives me a small smile and nods. My heart skips a beat and I smile back as Declan and I head over to them.

If Declan sees the exchange, he doesn’t say anything. As we approach the table, I notice that both guys have at least two plates full of food. Bennett has a stack of five pancakes, with eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. Hunter has the same, only it looks like he opted for more bacon instead of hash browns. Declan takes the empty seat next to Bennett, which leaves me to sit next to Hunter.

“So, how are you feeling, Declan?” Hunter asks, taking a sip of his orange juice.

I glance down at his plate and my stomach lets out a loud grumble. I glance around the table, my cheeks heating up. Declan is shaking his head, Bennett is laughing, and Hunter is looking at me with an eyebrow raised.

“Well, we know Aria is feeling hungry,” Bennett says just before he shoves a forkful of food in his mouth.

I don’t know whether to be disgusted or impressed by the amount of food the guys have. I mean, they are wolves, so I guess they need to eat more than I do.

“Benny, slow down. We have time before we have to meet with Knox to discuss training,” Hunter says, picking up a piece of bacon and taking a bite.

My mouth starts to water and my stomach grumbles again. Hunter finishes his piece and reaches down for another slice, but instead of putting it in his mouth, he hands it to me. I take the piece from his hand and take a bite.

Holy shit. This is the best tasting bacon I’ve ever consumed in my life. And that’s saying something. Our Grandpa always made the best bacon on New Year’s Day for the family. We would spend the night at their house and in the morning, he would make us all a New Year’s feast to “start the year off right.” But this, I hate to say, blows Grandpa’s bacon out of the water.

I take another bite and close my eyes, moaning at the salty but tangy goodness. When I open my eyes, Hunter is staring at me.

“That good, huh?” he asks, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

I look at the other two members at our table. Bennett has his fork stopped halfway to his mouth and is staring wide-eyed at me and Declan is shaking his head. Then my eyes shift back to Hunter.

“Actually, yes,” I challenge, quirking a brow. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I might go and grab some sausage too. I love a good, thick piece of meat.” I lick my bottom lip before taking it between my teeth.

The smile on Hunter’s face vanishes and his eyes narrow in on my mouth. Bennett chokes on his food and out of the corner of my eye I see Declan shaking with silent laughter. With that, I stand and walk toward the buffet tables. I make sure to swivel my hips a bit more, too. I just hope I don’t look like a doofus.

Before I grab an empty plate, I turn my gaze back to the table and see Hunter staring at me. His eyes flash briefly before he blinks and turns his attention back to the guys.

I guess I don’t look like a doofus, then.

I smile to myself as I fill my plate with two pancakes, an egg, and some bacon. Oh, and I can’t forget the sausage. I grab another cup of coffee, because one can never have too much coffee, and head back to the table. The guys are in deep conversation about cars, so I focus my attention on my food. It’s nice to have a warm meal that’s homemade. All Declan and I have eaten is takeout or diner food. On rare occasions, we would go to a nice restaurant for a juicy steak. Once I’m full, I tune back into the conversation.

“You can take her out for a test drive if you want,” Hunter says, leaning back in his chair.

“Really? Dude, that’s awesome! Thank you!” Declan gushes. Dad was into cars and would take Declan to old car shows and drag races. It was their thing.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I glance around the table and notice that everyone has an empty plate in front of them except Declan.

“Declan, did you eat?” I interrupt their conversation.

He looks at me before glancing away and blushing. Did my brother just blush? Oh, my God. This is great. I haven’t seen Declan blush since Jenny Michaelson kissed him on the cheek in seventh grade. Declan never blushes, ever.

“Yeah, um, Ciera brought me breakfast this morning,” he explains running his hand through his cropped platinum blonde hair.

“Ciera? As in Kora’s granddaughter?” Bennett asks, looking at Declan, who just nods his head. “Nice. She’s a total sweetheart, but she’s also not afraid to put you in your place if she has to.”

“Yeah, she’s told you off a time or two,” Hunter chuckles.

“Well, I probably deserved it.” Bennett shrugs as everyone at the table laughs in agreement.

This is the first time in a long time that I have truly laughed. It feels good. I glance at my brother, who’s got this carefree look on his face. He hasn’t talked to any of his friends much since we’ve been out on the road. I’ve managed to send emails to my friends and I'm lucky I have Abby here, so I’m happy to see that Declan is making new friends. People who know about the things we do. People we can relate to. People we don’t have to hide our true selves from.

Hunter and Bennett clean off our table and we all head outside. As we file out the door, there’s a man who doesn’t look much older than us approaching the barn. He’s wearing a fitted black tee and black tactical pants, much like Bennett and Hunter are wearing now. The difference is that Hunter is the only one wearing a white t-shirt. He has dark brown hair that slightly curls in the front and dark eyes and he’s got stubble on his jaw. He walks like he commands an army.

“Ah, if it isn’t the Daredevil himself. You know, class doesn’t start for another hour, so I have plenty of time to show up late.” Bennett smirks as he leans his tall frame on the pillar at the top of the stairs.

“Benny, I really don’t care, because as far as actually training the students, you’re about as useful as a knitted condom,” the man says, stopping just at the bottom of the stairs.

The laugh that’s bubbling up in my chest comes out as a snort, making Declan chuckle. I sneak a peek over at Hunter, who just shakes his head. It’s clear that these two like to give each other a hard time, but they still seem to be friends.

“Oh, you think that’s real funny, don’t you, Blondie?” Bennett narrows his eyes at me, but he can’t stop the smile that’s forming on his lips.

“Alright, we can talk about this later,” the man says. “Hunter, your dad’s called an emergency meeting. He asked me to track you down, along with our newcomers. Abby is gathering Zayne and Kat. I was asked to grab Grace.”

His lips form into a soft smile as he says Grace’s name. Her name sounds familiar. Then I remember that Abby mentioned her last night. I guess I’ll be meeting her sooner than I thought.

“She’s back in the cabin, probably typing away on that new laptop of hers.” He full on smiles now, as if remembering something, then shakes his head. “Anyway, I’ll go grab her real quick then meet you back at the Alpha’s place.” He turns and heads back the way he came.

“Hey, Knox, please try and make it quick this time. We don’t have all day!” Bennett yells after him. Knox turns his head and winks at us before carrying on back to his cabin.

“Guess we should head to my parents’ place.” Hunter says, starting down the steps.

We follow down after him, except for Bennett, who jumps down the flight of stairs and lands gracefully on his feet. Show-off.

“Parents’ place? You don’t stay there too?” I ask, catching up to Hunter and walking alongside him.

Declan and Bennett are behind us talking about…well, whatever it is guys talk about.

“No, I moved out when I turned eighteen. I mean, I live here on the Compound so I’m still close by,” he explains, slowing his pace. “But I needed my own space. Growing up, my father had trouble turning his Alpha role off and just being my dad. Things sometimes got a little tense around the house. So, when I turned eighteen, I asked my parents if I could have my own cabin and, surprisingly, they said yes.” He puts his hands in the pockets of his pants and glances down at the ground.

“How old are you now?” I ask. Not that age really matters to me. I’m just curious.

“Twenty-three,” he replies.

His brows furrow together like he’s lost in thought. He looks sad, and that just doesn’t sit well with me. Without thinking, I reach out and grab his arm. His skin is warm beneath my touch.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Hunter’s head turns in my direction and we both stop walking. His blue eyes meet mine for a moment. Then he glances up as Bennett and Declan approach us and I remove my hand from his arm as they walk by, shoving my hands in my back pockets. They don’t say anything or even notice that we’ve stopped walking. It seems like they’re too lost in conversation to pay attention.

“What are you sorry for?” Hunter says, looking back down at me quizzically now that we’re out of earshot.

“I mean, I’m just sorry that your dad couldn’t be your dad. I understand that he’s the Alpha, and he’s got a pack to look after and command. But, at the end of the day, he’s still your dad. My father was the CEO of a major marketing company, but he always put Declan and I first,” I whisper.

Realizing that this is the first time in a long time that I’ve talked about either one of my parents, I take a deep breath.

“I’m just…sorry. That’s all,” I finish, looking down at my shoes.

Hunter places his thumb and index finger on my chin, and he tilts my face up so our eyes meet once more. A slight breeze catches in his messy black hair, tossing some of the locks out of his eyes.

“Don’t be,” he whispers back.

He gives me a small smile that reveals a dimple in his left cheek. In this moment, I want nothing more than to see him really smile again. If we do decide to stay, I guess it wouldn’t be that bad. He releases my chin and nods to the left.

“Let’s go. We have a meeting to get to,” he reminds me.

We walk the rest of the way in comfortable silence. It’s nice being in someone’s presence that isn’t my brother. Hunter’s presence calms me. I feel safe with him and, if I stop to think about it, it’s weird because we literally just met. But the second my eyes connected with his in the cemetery last night, I just knew I could trust him. Yeah, his looks send delicious waves to all my girly parts, but it goes deeper than that. I’m drawn to him, and I can’t explain how or why.

We approach a white two-story house. There is a porch on the first floor, as well as the second, and black shutters surround the windows. To the right is a three-car garage, which looks to be attached to the house somehow. I gasp, my eyes widening at the beautiful home in front of me. It makes me wish I had my paints.

“Hunter, this house. It’s beautiful,” I say in awe as I take it all in.

“If you think it’s nice out here, wait until you see the inside. It looks like it belongs in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine.” Hunter chuckles as he takes the steps two at a time up the front porch.

I follow his lead, only I take the steps one at a time. I may be a decent fighter, but me and steps? Yeah, we don’t get along.

We walk inside and…wow, he wasn’t kidding. It’s like the magazine threw up inside the house. It’s open and everything is chic and modern-looking. There are a lot of whites, pale yellows, and blues. It almost makes me want to use these colors in a painting somehow, and now I really wish I had my paints. Hunter takes an immediate left and we walk down a long hallway.

“Wait, the Alpha has meetings in his house? Why not the barn?” I whisper, trying not to be too loud.

“Aria, you don’t have to whisper. Typically, when the Alpha calls for an emergency meeting, he holds them here and only invites his trusted few. The barn is where we normally hold them for the whole pack and the coven if they chose to join. Since they aren’t wolves, they don’t have to come,” he explains as we come up to a set of double doors. He stops right outside the doors and turns to me, lowering his voice. “Are you ready for this?”

I take a deep, steadying breath. Suddenly, I’m extremely nervous. Almost terrified, even. I have no idea what’s about to happen.

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Mrs. Thibodaux promised us answers. Let’s do this,” I square my shoulders, trying to look and sound braver than I feel.

With one last glance toward me, Hunter opens the door and we walk inside the room.

I look around the room. There are floor-to-ceiling windows to my left, with three chairs in front of them. Alexander is sitting at a mahogany desk directly in front of me. Declan is sitting on a dark brown leather couch, which is positioned off to the right. Bennett is behind him, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest and his feet shoulder width apart.

Next to Bennett stands another man who is a few inches shorter, with his hair shaved into a buzz cut and a small beard lining his jaw. His hazel eyes give me a curious once-over, but then he turns his gaze back forward. Bennett looks between Hunter and I. He quirks a brow, but surprisingly doesn’t utter a word.

Hunter walks off to stand on the other side of Bennett, closest to the desk, as I take the middle seat next to Declan. The door opens and Luna and Abby walk in. A second later, another woman who looks to be about our age, maybe slightly older, walks in right behind them. She has shoulder-length bright red hair and she glances over at me and Declan.

She gives us the same curious look that the man behind me did, but then she waves at us, flashing a big smile. She places her hands in the pockets in her dress, that upon further inspection, has kitten heads floating in space. It’s a little too bizarre for my taste, but then again, any dress that has pockets is a win in my book, no matter what the pattern is. She takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of the floor-length window across the room from us. Abby comes over and sits down next to me. I turn to her, giving her a questioning look. She shrugs. I guess she doesn’t know anything either.

“Where are Knox and Grace?” Alexander asks, looking towards the wall behind me where the guys are standing.

“I told them to be quick, sir. They should be coming anytime now,” Bennett says, and you can’t mistake the double meaning behind his words.

I glance at Declan and we both try to hold in the laughs that threaten to come out. Luckily, we’re saved when the door opens again and Knox walks in holding the hand of a petite woman. She’s a little shorter than me and has silver hair with the ends dyed blue, which stops just above her shoulders. He walks her over to the other chair next to the woman in the cat dress. Knox stands behind her and places his hands on the back of her chair in a protective stance. She looks over at us and gives a small smile. I do the same in return.

“Is everyone here?” Alexander looks around the room.

Luna is standing off to the side in front of the desk and our gazes lock. She gives me a reassuring smile, as if she knows that my nerves are getting the best of me. If there’s another indication, Declan places his hand on my knee to stop it from bouncing. I take a deep breath to try and relax.

“Great. Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Luna and I have some things we need to discuss with all of you. Luna, you may proceed,” Alexander says, motioning for her to start.

“Right. You all know about Greek mythology, right? Zeus, Hades, Poseidon?” she asks.

We all nod.

“Well, they exist,” she announces. “Technically, they are the reason that witches, vampires and wolf shifters exist.”

My eyes widen and I'm pretty sure my jaw drops. What the what? This definitely wasn’t mentioned in Mom’s journal. A few things about vampires, shifters, and witches, but nothing about the Greek gods.

When no one says anything, Luna continues. “Thousands of years ago, the gods would gift mortals who pleased them the power to control the elements: earth, air, fire and water, or elemental magic, as we now call it. However, the gods didn’t want them to have all four, so they were only gifted with one. Over time, the mortals who were gifted with this magic were able to tap into the source of this power and create what is known as dark magic. They were able to cast spells, but not without consequences. Magic like that always comes with a price if it upsets the balance of nature. That’s why most witches never dabble with the darkness of the gift. Elemental magic does not upset the balance of nature, so we try to only do spells that maintain that balance. The consequence of a dark spell depends on what kind of spell you cast. Some affect the witch, and some may affect the person or thing.”

Okay, that makes sense. I’m following her, so far. She pauses for a few moments to see if anyone has any questions. When no one speaks up, she continues.

“Long ago, the Greek god, Apollo, fell in love with a mortal woman. He wanted to spend eternity with her, but Zeus, their ruler, forbade him to give her Ambrosia, which is the drink of immortality. So, Apollo met with a witch and created his own version of Ambrosia, but it needed the use of dark magic.”

She pauses again, looking around the room, making sure everyone is keeping up so far. Then her gaze settles on my brother and me. My leg starts to bounce again, but this time Abby grabs my hand. I have no idea where Luna is going with this.

“This spell was complicated, as it required the use of blood. Apollo gave the witch some of his immortal blood and his lover gave some of her mortal blood and mixed the two together. The witch then cast a spell as the woman drank the mixed blood, effectively making her immortal. But this upset the balance of nature, and all she craved was the taste of human blood. She needed it to survive. That was how the first vampire was created.”

Holy shit.

My leg goes still, and I clasp Abby’s hand tighter. She gives it a reassuring squeeze. Declan sits motionless beside me.

“They lived happily for many, many years, until Apollo caught her in bed with another man. So he left her, fell in love with another woman, and took her to Mount Olympus where they are still residing, I presume. No one has seen any of the gods in centuries,” Luna finishes.

“Where does that leave us?” Declan scoots forward on the couch, placing his arms on his knees.

“Here’s where it gets a little complicated, Declan. Ever heard of reincarnation?” she asks, but doesn’t wait for an answer. “First, let me start by saying that having a god and a mortal procreate isn’t the way to make a full-powered demigod.”

“Excuse me, but what?” My eyes go wide as I let out the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding. I do not like where this is headed even though I still haven’t mentally caught up yet.

“You heard me correctly, Aria. A demigod’s powers can only be awakened if one of the twelve Olympian gods personally activates them or if a witch uses dark magic to awaken those powers. Otherwise, they just live out their lives as mortals. But that dormant power passes along from generation to generation,” Luna explains.

She looks at both Declan and I. I’m pretty sure Declan is staring at her with the same wide-eyed expression I'm sporting right now. Unable to sit any longer, I spring to my feet.

“What are you saying, Mrs. Thibodaux?” My voice is now just as shaky as my body.

“I’m saying that both you and Declan are demigods.” Luna answers, taking a step forward.

I turn away and start to pace, moments away from finding a corner and rocking in it. Not wanting to hop on the crazy train, I find a single thought and latch onto it for dear life.

“Wait.” I turn to Luna. “How are we demigods? A god didn’t come down and do whatever it is that gods do to awaken our powers. And we certainly didn’t find a witch and use dark magic.”

I am unable to hide the panic in my voice.

“I will get to the second part of your question in just a moment. Demigods get their powers from whichever god they got the gene from. A demigod in Poseidon’s bloodline will be able to control the sea and earthquakes, not to the full abilities as Poseidon, of course, but you get my point.” She pauses for a beat.

“There are twelve major gods that rule Olympus, and back then, gods were breeding like their lives depended on it. They populated the earth with their demigod offspring. But since they’re power-hungry, no one ever activated the demigods’ powers. Zeus did, but that stopped after what happened with Hercules.”

My head is spinning.

“Okay, so what did you mean by reincarnation?” I ask. I’m not entirely sure if I want to hear the answer, but there’s no turning back now.

“As I said, there are twelve major Olympian gods, but some of them are the offspring of two gods. Finding demigods on Earth that come from that exact bloodline is very rare. You and Declan come from Zeus and Leto’s bloodline, so to speak. Your father carried the demigod gene from Leto and your mother came from Zeus’ line. When they got married, it should come as no surprise that a set of twins was born. You know Zeus and Leto had twins, right? Apollo and Artemis?” Luna asks.

I vaguely remember reading about that at some point in my life for a school project, so I nod.

“You are the reincarnated versions of them,” she tells us. “That’s why you’re identical twins, even though you’re different sexes. Because Apollo and Artemis were identical twins. Their divine heritage made them unique, just like you and Declan are.”

If it wasn’t for the serious look on her face, I’d think this was some huge prank. Or maybe that I’m on the show Punk’d. Okay, Ashton Kutcher, you can come out now.

“Remember when I said that all dark magic comes at a price?” She grimaces.

I just nod my head once more, not able to find my voice. I glance around the room and find everyone staring at Luna in disbelief.

“Well, those amulets you’re wearing.” She points in the direction of me and Declan. “I used dark magic to enchant them. The consequence was that when you put those on, it would awaken your demigod powers.”

“Come again?” This time it was Declan who spoke.

He was still seated on the couch. His hands were folded together, how they normally get when he’s feeling anxious.

“Your uncle wasn’t killed in some car crash. He was killed by a vampire and your mother witnessed the whole thing. She apparently did some research of her own and somehow found out I was a witch. She asked me to put a protection spell on the both of you. I advised her that it wasn’t a good idea, because all dark magic comes with a price. Putting a protection spell on anything upsets the balance, and I knew that if I did that, it would awaken whatever power lay dormant inside you.”

Luna comes over to me and grabs my hands, squeezing them tightly.

“I’m so sorry, Aria, honey. I tried to explain it to your mom, but…” She trails off, looking away.

I just stare at her. My mom… She knew? I mean, I already know that she knew about vampires, considering her journal and how she managed to hold that vampire back while Declan and I escaped but this is different. She had to have known that she would change our lives forever when she told us to put these necklaces on.

“So, my mom knew what we are?” I whisper to Luna.

I refuse to believe that my own mother would keep something like this from us. From me. I glance at my brother, but his expression is blank.

“Not exactly. Witches have always been able to sense power in other beings, dormant or not. I advised her that I sensed power in the both of you, but at the time, I wasn’t sure what. I knew that you weren’t witches, but I also knew that if I did what she asked, a price was to be paid. It wasn’t until I saw you both last night that I knew for sure,” she responds, dropping my hands. “Aria, listen to me. Your mother knew about vampires, shifters, and witches and nothing more. The only reason I did it was because she was my best friend and I think of you and Declan as my own.”

That would explain the curious glances earlier. I try to suck in a breath, but it feels like I can’t pull air into my lungs. I need a minute to process this. What I really need is air, and I'm not getting it from this room.

“I need some air,” I breathe, leaving the room as quickly as possible.

I watch Aria leave the room and it takes everything in me not to follow her. She’s just had a shit ton of information dumped on her. It was a lot to take in, even for me, and I'm not the one whose life just got even more complicated than it already is. The door doesn’t even shut before Declan rises to his feet and runs off after her, with Abby following right behind him.

“Holy shit,” Bennett whispers beside me.

I turn toward him, and he’s shaking his head before he turns to me.

“Even I’m having trouble taking all that in,” he elaborates.

“I know. Me too,” I whisper back.

“Luna, do you think she’s alright?” Grace asks from across the room, her English accent peeking through. “Should we go and check on her?”

She tosses her silver and blue hair back in a clip. I guess she changed her hair color again. Last month, it was pink.

“No, Grace, it’s okay. Give her a few minutes. Declan and Abby are with her. Aria is a strong girl. She’ll be back,” Luna says, giving Grace a reassuring smile.

“How do you know all this, Luna?” I ask, curious as to how she knew about what the twins are.

“After Debora, their mother, came to me, I did some research of my own. And then when Abby and I came back here, I talked to your father about it. I thought it would be best if he knew. I had a feeling they would find themselves coming to New Orleans eventually.” She shrugs.

“With all due respect, sir,” Knox speaks directly to my father. “What exactly are the rest of us doing here?”

“That will all be explained soon, Knox. I promise. Just be patient,” my father tells him.

If it had been me who had asked that question, he probably would have torn me a new one.

Another ten minutes pass by when the door opens and Abby walks in, followed by Declan and Aria. Aria’s hair is now up in a ponytail and her cheeks are pale. My eyes trail down and land on her neck, right where she was bitten by that vampire. She looks around the room and her gaze finally lands on me. When I give her a reassuring nod, I see her take in a deep breath, almost as if she’s drawing strength from my look alone.

She turns her attention back to Luna, squaring her shoulders, ready for more information to be thrown at her. Luna was right. She’s a strong girl, but I would use the word “woman.” Not only is she mentally strong, but physically strong, too. With a little more training, she could probably kick my ass. And I would let her.

“I’m sorry about that. I just needed a minute. Or several.” She grimaces, sitting back down on the couch in between Abby and Declan.

“Please don’t apologize, sweetie. I know I’ve given you a lot to digest,” Luna reassures her.

“Yes, but I’m sure there’s more. Please continue. Rip that proverbial Band-Aid off,” Aria commands.

I chuckle softly, causing her to turn around. Our gazes lock and she flushes, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth.

God damn.

That’s fucking hot.

I want to take that bottom lip between my teeth. Fuck, there goes my dick again. I shuffle my feet, forcing myself to look out the window, instead of at a beautiful woman and those full lips.

“Right. Well, then, where were we? Oh, right. The amulets.” Luna snaps her fingers when she remembers where we left off. “When I cast the protection spell on the amulets you’re wearing, I had to mask your scent to all vampires and try and bind your powers at the same time. You see, a witch’s blood is like a drug to vampires. The power calls out to them. When they drink the blood of a witch, it gives them temporary use of that witch’s elemental power, but it only lasts about an hour and they don’t realize that they even have it. But with you two, I have no clue. That’s why binding your powers and masking your scent was so important. Even though your demigod powers were activated, they were bound. So even if a vampire were to drink your blood, nothing would happen.”

Luna looks at Aria, pausing to make sure she’s not going to run out of the room again. I wouldn’t blame her if she did, but she surprises me by motioning for Luna to continue.

“Your mother knew about the consequence, as I explained. She told me that she only needed them as a backup in case anything went wrong and, well, here we are having a conversation I hoped would never happen…” Luna trails off again.

“Okay, let me see if I have this right. We are the reincarnated versions of Apollo and Artemis because of our parents’ bloodline and the amulets awakened our demigod powers, but also bound them so we couldn’t use them. And all of this is because our mother wanted to protect us from vampires?” Declan asks from the couch.

“Yes, Declan, you are correct. Once you remove the amulets, you will be able to use elemental magic, along with specific powers and skills Apollo and Artemis possessed. I’m not sure what powers those are. There could be one or two or even several, but we’ll find out soon enough,” Luna sums it up.

I don’t know much about Greek mythology, but I should probably brush up on it. Considering we have two demigods at the Compound and no one has any idea what kind of powers they will get from Apollo and Artemis.

“Which brings us to why the others are here. I’ve asked them to help you both learn how to use your new powers. Witches can only use one of the elements, as I explained. You will both have one-on-one training with them to gain control of your power,” Luna explains, motioning to the others in the room.

“How will we know when we’ve received our powers from Apollo or Artemis?” Aria asks. Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“I’m not sure. Only time will tell. In order to find out, you both will need to take the amulets off. You can leave them off here at the Compound, although if you wish to leave, you will have to put them back on. It will bind your powers, but it will also make your scent untraceable by vampires. We don’t need to find out what your unbound powers do to them,” Luna answers her as she leans up against the desk.

I look at my father, whose face is expressionless.

“The vampire in the cemetery bit me. Is that why he said that my blood tasted euphoric?” Aria asks as she reaches up and places a hand on the bite mark on her neck. I don’t think she even realizes she did it, because she quickly pulls her hand away.

“Most likely,” Luna answers her.

“What would you like us to do, sir?” Knox directs his question to my father.

“Well, Mr. Carter, you know I require all people who stay at the Compound to pass the training course. The three of you…” He motions between Bennett, Knox and me. “…will work with them and get them caught up. They’ve been fighting vampires for quite some time now, so I’m sure they will catch up in no time. But it is required.”

I internally roll my eyes at him. Another pack law is that anyone who comes to stay here at this Compound is required to go through a training course. Even the witches, which I don’t agree with. Witches don’t have the strength that we do, so it’s unfair to make them train with a course designed for wolves. Although, after they have completed the course, some still come to the training sessions just to keep up their strengths. Not just witches, but the some of the pack too.

“Okay, when do we start?” Declan asks, standing up from the couch and stretching.

He seems to be taking this rather well. Aria, on the other hand, is still sitting on the couch with her head down.

“You can start today if you want,” my father says, coming around the front of the desk and standing next to Luna. “We typically train in the mornings, then have the afternoons off, because the wolves patrol the city at night. But seeing as how you’ll need to train with your powers, I’ll leave that up to Luna and the rest of you.”

Declan nods as Aria stands up next to him. He’s a good foot taller than her. It’s weird how they’re identical twins, in everything except height. Aria’s features are also more delicate and feminine than her brother’s.

“You will each have one on one training with each of them. Mr. Foster—” Luna looks over to Zayne, who is standing next to Bennett.

He removes himself from the wall and walks over to Luna, nodding at the twins.

“Zayne, sweetheart, you will train Declan on the fire element this afternoon,” Luna tells him. “And then set up a time with Aria so you can work with her. I know you help your sister out with your nephew, so I’ll let you work out the times.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Zayne replies and steps off to the side.

Zayne’s a pro when it comes to anything fire related. His family showed up here at the Compound when Bennett and I were young. He was a shy little thing at first, but the three of us, and sometimes Knox before he met Grace, got into so much trouble. Zayne’s an adrenaline junkie, so he would have us going on epic adventures. Sky diving was fun…to everyone except Bennett, who screamed like a little girl all the way down. Knox? Well, he decided he wanted to jump out of the plane naked, and without a licensed professional.

“Katherine, my dear—” Luna turns and holds out an arm toward Kat, who stands up and walks over to her, her hand shoved into the pockets of her famous cat dress. “Kat. I’m sorry, I forgot you like to be called Kat. You will work with Aria on the earth element this evening, and then work out a schedule with them as well.”

“Sounds fantastic!” Kat beams at the twins.

Kat is a strange girl, but in a good way. She marches to the beat of her own drum. She’s a badass when it comes to earth-related magic though. During training one year, they were out on the terrain and there was a huge storm coming in from off the coast. A large tree was uprooted and was about to fall on some of the students. Kat was able to stop the tree midair and lower it to the ground slowly. She saved lives that day, so yeah, she’s great.

“Grace will teach you both the water element and Abby will teach air,” Luna says.

Grace stands up and walks over to Aria and Declan. She reaches out to shake their hands. Grace arrived here about five years ago. She left her coven from the UK because she wanted to see the world. Turns out, once she laid eyes on Knox “Daredevil” Carter, her dreams of seeing the world ended.

Not to mention, he’s crazy about her as well. We gave him the nickname Daredevil because there was absolutely nothing he wouldn’t do, until he met Grace. She tamed him because now he thinks twice about doing something dangerous. There was an incident that happened when they first started dating, but I don’t know much about it. Knox doesn’t like to talk about it and I never press the issue. If someone wants to talk about something, they will. No need to push for information.

After the introductions are made and everyone knows their scheduled training times, we all leave my father’s office, except for Luna. Once we’re outside, Kat says her goodbyes and walks off toward her cabin. Knox says that he’ll meet us in the training room after he walks Grace back to their cabin.

“Alright I’ll catch you guys later. My sister wanted me to watch my nephew for a bit while she ran out to the store,” Zayne says as he smacks Bennett’s hand, then mine.

He takes off too, which leaves Aria, Declan, Abby, Bennett and I.

“Demigods, huh?” Bennett jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

“Ha. Yeah. It’s a shock to me too,” Aria mumbles, casting her green eyes down at the ground.

“Could be worse. You could be a mutant alien-vampire hybrid.” I step closer and nudge her playfully.

She looks up at me with a small smile playing on her lips. Lips I wouldn’t mind claiming with my own.

“Yeah, a demigod sounds so much better than a mutant alien-vampire hybrid.” She laughs.

She has a nice laugh. I wouldn’t mind listening to that every day.

“Well, I guess I’d better change. Training in jeans isn’t very comfortable.” She motions toward her clothes.

I’m not going to protest her decision. Especially if she comes to training wearing those tight leggings again. Oh, for fuck’s sake. What am I, fifteen again?

“C’mon. I’ll walk with you,” Abby says to her and loops her arm through Aria’s as they head back to her cabin.

I guess Ciera already brought Declan a new shirt to change into, because he’s still wearing the shorts he wore last night, but the shirt is different. Bennett and I always keep spare clothes in the training room.

When the three of us walk into the barn, I tell Declan to wait for us by the weights while Bennett and I head to change in the changing room. It’s not a huge room, as most of us go home to change, but some of us like to come in after a patrolling shift and workout. Bennett and I are among those who do that. We like to blow off steam after we patrol.

I change into gym shorts and opt for no shirt because it gets hot as hell in that damn room. When we walk into the training room, Knox is already there along with a few other trainees. I know Knox, and I know he’s not about to go easy on our newcomers.

I change into some workout pants, a sports bra, and a loose-fitting tank top, then tell Abby that I’ll catch up with her later and walk out the door. With all that’s happened within the last twenty-four hours, I’m ready to blow off some steam. Finding out that Mom knew about what would happen to Declan and I once we put those amulets on pisses me off. I didn’t mean to leave the room, but a lot of information was thrown at me all at once and I still have questions.

I’m a freaking demigod, for crying out loud!

Our powers were activated by my best friend’s mother, who used dark magic to create an amulet to protect us. Which it does, but it also awakened our demigod powers without the assistance of the damn gods themselves. Oh, and we are the reincarnates of Apollo and Artemis. I’m not sure if I should be excited about getting powers or not. Because, I mean, that is pretty cool. But I’m also slightly freaked.

I wonder what powers we will get from the gods. I make a mental note to brush up on Greek mythology as I approach the front door to the barn. The air conditioning hits me like a slap in the face and sends shivers over my damp skin.

I hate the heat.

I open the doors to the training room and when I walk in, my mouth drops open. There are a lot of people in the room. Some are stretching, some are lifting weights, and some are sparring. But my eyes drift over to the corner, where a certain dark-haired man is stretching. He’s changed from his jeans and white t-shirt into a pair of basketball shorts and opted for no shirt. He has his arms stretched over his head and is smiling at something Bennett is saying. He lets his arms fall back down, placing his hands on his hips. I let my eyes wander down to his six-pack. Wait, no, eight-pack?

Is that even possible?

He has that deep V muscle that trails down under his shorts. Seriously, the man takes gorgeous to a whole new level.

His laugh brings my attention back up to his face, where his dimples are on full display. He must feel me staring because his gaze drifts over to me. The smile disappears from his face as his eyes lock with mine.

Busted.

I can feel the heat from his appreciative stare down in my core, making me squirm on my feet. His gaze slowly lifts, and our eyes lock once more. His eyes are glowing softly until he blinks and they are back to normal. I’ve never had a guy make me feel like this before.

“You might want to wipe that drool off your chin, little sister,” Declan whispers in my ear, causing me to jump.

I turn my head to him. Without thinking, I reach up and touch my chin, which is completely dry. And it’s only now that I realize my brother just caught me checking Hunter out. He’s got his famous shit-eating grin on his face and it takes everything in me not to wipe it off with my fist.

“Someone’s got a crush,” he teases as I narrow my eyes at him.

Before I can respond, he is walking away from me toward the guys. Damn him for using that twin intuition thing on me. We’ve always been able to sense things about each other. Not huge things, but we know when the other person is feeling something intense.

One time, Declan was in a car accident. Nothing major, thank God, but I knew something was wrong. I ended up waking our parents up. No more than twenty minutes later, we got a phone call from Mrs. Roberts telling us that her son, Jeremy, Declan’s best friend, had swerved to miss a deer and ended up hitting a tree.

“Alright, everyone, line up against the wall,” Knox orders from the front of the room.

Everyone around me stops what they’re doing and hurries to follow his directions. I turn to go stand against the wall as instructed. If I’m being honest with myself, Knox kind of scares the hell out of me.

Declan, Bennett, and Hunter all walk over to where I’m standing. Declan and Hunter take either side of me while Bennett stands next to Hunter. My heart rate kicks up as I take in Hunter standing next to me in all his shirtless glory. I take in a deep breath to calm my nerves when the scent of cedarwood and ocean reaches my nose. I feel Hunter’s arm brush mine and I realize that he’s moved closer to me. I refuse to look at him, though. This room doesn’t need to see me turn several shades of red.

“We have two new trainees joining us today. And while I know they’ve had some training, I would like to see how much they know. So, they will be sparring today,” Knox exclaims from the center of the room. His arms are crossed over his chest and he’s looking around the room at each individual person. “Declan, please come forward.”

Declan confidently walks up and stands next to Knox. Declan is a few inches shorter and leaner, where Knox is broader and more muscular.

“Axton,” Knox instructs.

A tall man with blonde hair tied up in a small ponytail walks forward. He’s tall and kind of reminds me of Thor. He nods at my brother and stands next to Knox on his right.

“No holding back, gentleman.” Knox takes a few steps backward.

Axton turns to face my brother, who does the same. Declan is a strong fighter, quick on his feet like me, but this guy outweighs him by at least seventy-five pounds. Declan bends his knees and balls his hands into fists in a defensive stance.

Declan is calculating and patient in a fight. He waits for the opponent to make the first move. Axton takes the bait and throws a punch, which Declan blocks. Axton then tries to kick out, which Declan sees coming and blocks again. Then my brother takes the offensive and throws his first punch which connects to Axton’s jaw.

Axton recovers quickly, then charges at Declan, wrapping his huge arms around my brother. They both tumble to the ground with Axton on top. He delivers a successful punch to Declan’s right cheek and then the left, and keeps repeatedly delivering blows.

Out of habit, I move to jump in, but Hunter grabs my hand, pulling me back. He laces his fingers with mine. I glance down at our intertwined fingers and then look up at his face. He shakes his head slightly, as if warning me not to get involved. I relax slightly and turn my attention back to the fight.

Hunter never lets go of my hand.

Declan takes a few more hits, but then he grabs Axton’s fist mid-punch and uses that momentum to shoot their hands backward up into Axton’s face. Using that distraction as an advantage, Declan punches him again and then bucks his hips to knock Axton off him. Declan gets to his feet swiftly, kicking Axton in the stomach, sending him flying backward.

As Axton gets on his knees, Declan uses that moment to rush forward and wrap one arm around Axton’s neck and the other pins his arms to the side. They both go down again, only this time, Declan wraps his legs around Axton’s body and squeezes tight, holding on for life.

The fight is over.

That’s Declan’s signature move, the move that’s saved our lives on countless occasions.

“That’s enough!” Knox shouts from where he’s standing in the front of the room.

Declan quickly releases his hold on Axton, who sucks in a loud breath once Declan lets go. They both stand, nod at each other again, and shake hands. Axton walks back to where he was standing before, rubbing his neck. A guy with dark hair pats Axton on the shoulder before giving my brother a dirty look. I don’t think he will be part of our welcoming committee. Declan is making his way back to us when his gaze drops to Hunter and I’s intertwined hands. He quirks a brow and smirks, then takes his place right next to me.

“Aria and Sloane.” Knox calls.

I try to release Hunter’s hand and walk forward, but he doesn’t let go right away. I look up at him, but he’s staring daggers at Knox, who apparently doesn’t notice. I give my hand a slight tug and Hunter finally lets go. When I turn and look at the girl I’m going to be sparring with, she’s easily twice my size. She has short brown hair, and her dark eyes give me the once over. The sadistic smile on her face tells me that she knows she’s going to win this fight. But I’m stronger than I look and royally pissed off. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, and when I open them, Sloane is charging full speed ahead toward me. I jump to my right and roll as she lunges at me. She falls to the ground as I get back up on my feet. She quickly gets back up, then starts for me again. I manage to jump to my left, narrowly avoiding her meaty arms.

Good God, it’s not like I’m wearing red.

She doesn’t fall this time, but when she turns, she growls as she charges at me, quicker than before. I brace myself for the hit, then we both tumble to the ground. I’m on my feet quicker than she is and I deliver a kick to her face. I go for another kick, but she grabs my foot and twists it.

I fall face-down onto the mat while she gets up on her feet. She kicks me in the ribs, knocking the wind out of me. I try to suck in a breath, but before I can, she kicks me again, harder this time. I grunt as she grabs my shoulders and pulls me up, only to throw me onto the mat again.

I roll into the fall while trying to get air back into my lungs. Sloane grabs me again, and when she gets me to my feet, she punches me, and I’m right back on the mat.

I hear a deep growl from across the room, but I’m kicked in the ribs again.

Okay, that’s enough.

Anticipating another kick, I grab her foot and twist, and she comes tumbling down, smacking her head on the mat. I slowly get to my feet and run my hand over my mouth, and when I pull it away, I see blood on it. Ignoring the pain in my ribs and my lip, I decide to show Sloane what it feels like to be kicked in the fucking ribs.

I get one good kick in before she blocks me, and I stumble back. She shoots up to her feet before I can gain my footing and punches me in the face. I stumble back again, but manage to not kiss the mat this time. She goes to throw another punch, but my reflexes catch her hand and keep her from making another connection with my face. I’m struggling, trying to throw her weight off, so I put my hard head to good use. The hit catches her off-guard, and she releases me, grabbing her nose.

Using that to my advantage, I throw a punch at her, then another, making a connection each time. Then, for my final blow, I throw my foot out and kick her right in the stomach.

She falls against the mat.

“Okay, enough!” Knox shouts, ending the spar.

I remain in the defensive stance for a moment longer, then let out a breath and relax my posture. I reach up and wipe my lip again, finding that it’s still bleeding. I feel something warm run down the side of my face, so I touch my hand to my forehead and wince when I feel a wound I didn’t realize I’d sustained. When I pull my hand away, there’s more blood, so I quickly wipe it off on my leggings.

“You alright, ladies?” Knox looks at me, then at Sloane, who is sitting up on the mat, blood dripping from her nose.

We both just nod. I walk over and hold my hand out to help Sloane up. She pushes my hand away gets up on her own. Then she gives me a dirty look, brushes past me, and takes her spot back along the wall. Next to Axton and that dark haired man. He, too, gives me a dirty look.

Rude.

Trying not to let it get to me, I turn and start back for my spot on the wall, clutching my side. When I look up, I see Bennett and Declan holding onto Hunter’s shoulders. His eyes are glowing a bright blue and he is snarling and glaring at Knox. It’s not until I get closer that his eyes shift to me. He lets out a ragged breath and his eyes dim down to his normal Caribbean blue. He relaxes his stance somewhat, and the guys loosen their grip. He reaches up and pulls some hair out of the cut on my forehead, and his hand freezes when I wince. Damn, that stings.

“Hunter, take her to see Kora to get that cut on her head cleaned up and to check out her ribs just to make sure nothing is broken,” Knox commands from behind me.

They share a look, as if silently communicating. Weird.

Shrugging it off, I turn toward Knox. “I’m fine.”

The sudden movement causes me to wince. It’s not the worst injury I’ve gotten, but damn, that girl kicked my ass. Either I was really off my game just now or the vampires that I’ve come across all fought like prepubescent boys.

My head starts to spin a little and I stumble back into Hunter’s bare chest. A low growl rumbles in his chest. He reaches down, putting one arm under my legs and the other around my waist, careful not to press too hard into my ribs, and picks me up. The movement is so quick that I don’t even have time to think about it, and he’s out the door before a protest can form on my lips.

I feel Knox try to open the telepathic link as I walk out the door with Aria in my arms, but I deny him.

What the fuck was he thinking pitting Aria against Sloane, who is twice her size? Not that Aria doesn’t know how to fight. She’s quick on her feet, which is how she won that fight with Sloane. It’s a damn good thing too, because Sloane is one of those girls who punches first and never asks questions. She loves seeing blood and that’s what makes her one of the best in the pack. But to put her against Aria? I feel myself start to shake with rage again.

“Are you okay?” Aria’s soft voice diminishes the anger in me, and I stop dead in my tracks.

“You’re the one who’s bleeding and possibly has a few broken ribs, and you’re asking me if I'm okay?” I look straight into her green eyes.

Her lips part on an inhale, the movement bringing my attention to her mouth. I suddenly have the urge to kiss her. No girl has ever intrigued me as much as Aria has. I’ve dated a few girls, but I’ve never really been serious with anyone, or even wanted anything serious. But there’s just something about her that draws me in.

She’s fearless and brave. And so damn gorgeous.

“You look pissed. And I saw your eyes. They were doing that glowy thing again,” she murmurs.

I feel her breath on my cheek, and now I have the urge to do more than just kiss her.

“Glowy thing?” I raise my brows, trying to distract myself from letting my thoughts wander too far off. So, I concentrate on walking to the medical room.

“Yeah. I’ve seen it happen a few times. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing things or not, but back there? Yeah, no mistaking that. Why do they glow?” she asks tentatively, as if she’s not sure she should be asking.

“When shifters feel an intense emotion, our eyes will glow. The intensity just depends on how intense the emotion is.”

I feel her eyes on me, so I glance at her and our gazes lock.

“They were really glowing. Why were you so mad?”

“I was pissed that Knox partnered you up with Sloane.” I let out a nervous breath. “Sloane doesn’t know when to stop. It doesn’t matter whether she’s sparring or out hunting vampires. She loves the fight. She gets her rocks off by beating the shit out of her opponent before she goes in for the kill.”

I reach the medical room door and when I kick it open, I hear a small scream. I look over and see Ciera on her feet, clutching her chest, her books scattered on the ground.

“Sorry, Ciera.” I say, feeling a little guilty. Talking about Sloane made me kick the door harder than I intended to. “Where’s Kora?”

I walk over to the closest bed and gently set Aria down. I turn to face Ciera again and she has her hand clutching her chest still.

She takes a steadying breath. “Um, she’s out gathering more herbs and supplies. What happened?”

She walks over to us, pulling her long blonde hair into a bun on top of her head.

“I’m fine, Ciera, really. Just give me a paper towel and a Band-Aid and I’ll be as good as new,” Aria answers, trying to sit up.

Ciera gives her a once-over, then pokes her right in the ribs. Aria lets out a grunt and a low growl rumbles in my chest.

“Down, wolf.” Ciera looks up at me and smiles. “She’s going to be fine. Luckily, her ribs aren’t broken, just bruised. Given the fact that she’s a demigod, she should be feeling better in a few hours. A lot sooner if she took that amulet off.”

She turns and heads to the medicine cabinet behind the desk.

“Wait, how do you know?” I ask her, folding my arms across my chest.

Ciera flushes. “Luna told Grandma and I after your meeting this morning. Plus, I was doing research before I was so rudely interrupted.”

She turns to glare at me before turning back around. She finds whatever it is that she was looking for and walks back over to us.

“Don’t worry. No one else knows, But Luna thought it would be good for us to know.” She pulls a cork out of a tiny glass bottle, handing it to Aria. The liquid is a pale purple.

“Oh, it’s purple. My favorite color,” Aria says sarcastically as she sniffs the vial. She jerks her head back and scrunches up her nose. “It smells awful. What is it?”

That’s cute.

“It’s a special blend of herbs and spices for flavor that will help ease the pain. You’re demigod powers will help heal the bruises faster, as I’m sure you know,” Ciera states.

“Yeah, I know why now. Before, I was never really sure why all of a sudden Declan and I healed as quickly as we did. The night before we got to New Orleans, I got into a fight with a vampire who bruised my face up pretty bad. In the morning, the bruises were almost completely gone.” Aria sits up and shrugs, then brings the tiny vial up to her lips, tips her head back, and swallows its contents in one gulp, then scrunches her nose again and shakes her head. “Ciera, that was disgusting. It tastes just as bad as it smells.”

“I never said it would taste good. I know for a fact that it wouldn’t taste any better without the spices. Believe me, the spices make it taste like candy compared to what it originally tastes like.” Ciera shivers and makes a disgusted face, then leaves to go grab something else.

I just keep my eyes on Aria, impressed with how she drank that blend. I’ve had it before, and it tastes like ass. She looks up at me and raises her eyebrows.

“You took that like a champ,” I tell her.

She flushes a nice, pretty pink. I would love to see if she flushes that pink all over.

Oh, for fuck’s sake, I need to pull my shit together. Why in the hell am I acting like a teenage boy all over again?

“Oh. Well, I pretended like it was a shot of rum, and tossed it back.” She glances down at her fingers.

I usually drink a beer or two after a long day and sometimes I’ll hit up some bars with Bennett or Zayne on a weekend off but that’s rare. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten plastered.

“You like rum?” I ask, trying to distract her.

“Yeah, I do. It’s my favorite. But I haven’t had rum in a long time. But after the day I’ve had, I could use a beer, or a Captain and Coke. Either one. I’m not picky.” She sucks in her bottom lip and it’s the sexiest look I’ve ever seen.

I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to control myself around her if she keeps doing that.

Ciera approaches us again before I can say anything else and begins to clean up Aria’s wound.

“Good news. You don’t need stitches. I cleaned it up and put a little bit of Gumba Paste on it for you, which will help prevent scarring. You can take off the Band-Aid in about an hour. Probably sooner since you heal quickly,” Ciera informs us while throwing away the trash.

“Thank you, Ciera. When can I start training again?” Aria asks her. She tries to stand back up, but winces.

“You should start to feel better soon and should be fine to go back tomorrow.” Ciera walks back over to us.

Aria nods, then lays back down. Ciera gathers her books from the floor before going into Kora’s office and shutting the door.

“Hunter, who was that dark-haired guy that was standing with Axton and Sloane?” Aria tilts her head toward me.

It takes me a second to figure out who she might be talking about. Then it hits me. Fuck.

“Blaine. Why do you ask?”

I swear, if he does anything to her, I wouldn’t mind sparring with him. He knows he can never beat me. He’s the Compound’s resident asshole who hates change.

“No reason,” she whispers.

* * *

Aria and I are there for about an hour talking before Bennett and Declan stroll into the room. Both of them are red-faced and sweaty. Knox must have worked them hard today.

“Hey, Hunt, Knox wants to talk to us for a bit,” Bennett tells me, stopping right inside the door. “Nice work out there, Blondie. No one’s ever gotten the upper hand on Sloane before. You kicked ass today.”

Aria sits up, without wincing this time. “Well, thank you. Would have been better if I wasn’t stuck in here for the rest of it. I’ll be back tomorrow. And can you not call me Blondie? I do have a name, you know.”

Bennett winks at her. “Nope, it’s Blondie now.”

Before he has time to react, Aria reaches behind her, grabs the pillow, and throws it. She hits her target—her target being Bennett—from across the room. I can’t help it; I laugh.

“Dude, you really don’t want to piss my sister off.” Declan leans against the desk casually, but he turns abruptly when Ciera emerges from the office.

Ciera glances between the four of us. “What the hell is going on out here?”

“I’m two seconds away from punching a ginger in the face.” Aria narrows her eyes at Bennett, who isn’t helping matters by laughing.

He tosses the pillow on the nearest bed and leans against the doorframe.

“Bring it on, Blondie.” He smirks at her.

Aria quirks a brow and returns his smirk with one of her own. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, Benny.”

He laughs, and it’s so infectious that after a beat, Aria starts laughing with him. I stand up from the chair I’m sitting in and make my way over to the door. I nod at Ciera and Declan, who are watching the entire show with amusement. All they’re missing is a bucket of popcorn.

“Later!” Bennett waves his fingers off his forehead and leaves the room.

I stop in the doorway and look at Aria. “See you later, Blondie.”

I wink, then leave the room, shutting the door behind me. A soft thud hits the back of the door and I chuckle. That girl’s got an arm.

I don’t stay much longer after Hunter and Bennett leave the room. Declan’s so preoccupied with Ciera that it’s like I’m not even there. I’m pretty sure I could hula hoop naked while breathing fire and they wouldn’t notice.

Declan is a smitten kitten.

I know I was flirting with Hunter too. I’ve been so focused on hunting that I never really felt the need for that. Until now. Of course, Declan would argue otherwise. But with Hunter, it seems different. He’s the first guy in over three years to make me feel something other than hatred or fear. Talking with him is easy, and there are none of those awkward pauses either. We were so immersed in our conversation that I didn’t even realize how much time had passed when we were talking earlier.

I make it back to Luna and Abby’s cabin and walk inside. No one seems to be home, so I decide to take a shower. It’s been over an hour since Ciera put that paste on me, so I figure it’s okay now. I grab my favorite pair of army green shorts that have a little pocket on the side and a loose black v-neck tee and make my way upstairs to the bathroom.

I strip off all my clothes, not even bothering with looking in the mirror. I know I look rough, but I barely feel the pain in my ribs and my head feels much better. Not that it hurts, but I can tell it’s almost completely healed. Apparently thanks to my new demigod powers.

I still can’t believe that I’m a demigod. If someone would have told me a few days ago that the Greek gods really do exist, and that vampires were created just because one fell in love with a mortal, I would have laughed in their face. May have even recommended they get some help.

I dress quickly and put on a little makeup. Not much, just a little eye liner, mascara and some light pink lip gloss. My hair always dries naturally wavy, so I just leave it alone. I head back downstairs and into the kitchen, only to see Declan standing there and talking to Luna and Abby.

“Oh, hey, guys. I’m sorry, I didn’t know anyone was home,” I say, walking closer to them.

“It’s okay, honey. I was just telling Declan that he’s going to come with you to watch your lesson with Kat. Zayne will come get him later. His sister called and said she was going to be late getting back,” Luna informs me.

It takes me a minute to remember the face that goes with the name. Right, Kat is the one with the cat dress with pockets.

“Alright, cool,” I reply.

“Oh, and I will need your amulets,” Luna adds.

My hand immediately goes to the chain hanging around my neck. We haven’t taken them off since that night. Luna must notice the worry on my face.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get them back. But you can’t tap into your powers with them on. In order for you to learn, you have to take them off. I promise I’ll keep them safe,” she assures me.

Declan and I both share a look, but then nod. We trust Luna, and we know she won’t lose them.

Abby and I catch up some more while Declan showers. I find out that she got accepted for an internship at a foster care facility in the fall. It’s June now, so at least I still have the rest of the summer to spend time with her.

Declan finally comes downstairs. I swear, sometimes he takes longer to shower than me. However, I don’t let myself dwell on that too long. Luna tells us that she wants to walk us down to meet Kat, and Abby says she needs to study, so she just wishes us both good luck. I’m excited to start elemental training tonight with Kat. Abby told me that Kat is the best at using the earth element. All witches are good at using their element, but some are better at teaching others. We walk down a hill into a small clearing, and I stop dead in my tracks. Declan almost walks into me.

“Damn it! Aria, watch where you’re—” He cuts off as he follows my wide-eyed stare to the clearing in front of us.

“Holy shit. Is that a unicorn?” I gasp.

Kat’s standing there in the clearing, and next to her is a huge, all-white unicorn. She’s brushing its mane and she turns and gives us a smile.

Luna chuckles beside us.

“You would be correct. His name is Sparkles. He’s been passed down in our family for years.” Kat pats Sparkles on his back, then continues to brush his mane.

“How is this even possible?” I take a few steps closer. Cautiously, because I’ve never seen a freaking unicorn before.

The unicorn’s gaze follows my movements and it huffs. I flinch, halting my steps.

“Dark magic,” Kat says, reaching into her bag that’s on the ground and grabbing an apple.

She tosses the apple up in the air. With incredible grace, Sparkles leaps into the air and catches it. I hear him smacking on the apple before he starts prancing around Kat, seemingly excited. I can’t help but grin.

Holy shit. It’s a freaking unicorn.

“Wait, if dark magic was used to create the unicorn, what was the consequence?” I hear Declan ask from behind me.

I turn to look at him and notice that he hasn’t moved an inch.

Kat turns, eyes wide, and scrunches her nose. “You don’t want to know.”

She shakes her head for the full effect. Well, now I want to know. Telling someone they don’t want to know is the same as telling them not to push the big red button. I want to push the big red button. Great, now I have the mental image of an old man with a horn coming out of his head. Or worse.

“Well, I’ll leave you guys to it then, but before I go, please give me your amulets,” Luna says, holding out her hand.

Declan takes his off and hands it to her. I pause for a moment before doing the same, but then I remind myself that I’ve known Luna for my whole life and she won’t lose it.

“I’ll see you back at the cabin.” Luna smiles at us before walking back in the direction that we came from.

I turn my attention back to Kat; her bright red hair is pulled back into a ponytail. She gives Sparkles another apple. This time, he doesn’t prance around. He just saunters off to…go do unicorn things, I guess.

“Alright, let’s get started, shall we?” Kat leans back to stretch out her back after she puts the brush away. “The earth and air elements are the two easiest elements to work with, since you are surrounded by nature and, of course, air.” She giggles and walks forward toward us, bending down and picking up two sticks, then handing one to each of us. “Alright, I want you both to close your eyes and clear your minds.”

We both close our eyes and I try and clear my mind like she says. I’m standing here, holding a stick, and I’m not sure what else I'm supposed to be doing. Of course, now the memory of my first and only yoga class comes back to mind and I try hard not to giggle. Concentrating hard on not laughing, I almost miss Declan’s sharp intake of air.

“What is that?” Declan asks her. “It almost feels like the stick is vibrating. Only it’s not. It’s, like, humming.”

“That’s good. It means you’re grounded. The earth is constantly moving and before you can easily harness the earth element, you have to ground yourself. Clearing your mind and focusing all your energy on one thing. This will help you with training for the other elements. Okay, Declan, put the stick down. I want you to think about that humming that you felt, and then call the stick back up to you,” Kat explains.

Declan does as she says and closes his eyes once more, letting out a calming breath. A few moments pass, and the stick flies back up into his hands.

“Holy shit!” Declan is grinning.

I narrow my eyes at him. Why does he have to be better at everything?

“Fuck yeah, dude. You’re a natural. I’m surprised. Normally it takes a while for someone to tap into their power so quickly.” Kat high-fives him. Declan has always been a natural at everything he does. Footsteps behind us make us all turn to see who’s coming to join us.

“Sorry I’m late, guys,” Zayne says as he reaches us. “My grandmother was able to take Micah until my sister came back. Declan, you ready?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Kat. I’ll catch you both later. Peace, lil’ sis.” Declan throws up the peace sign and the two of them walk off.

I look back towards Kat. “Okay, let’s keep going.”

I square my shoulders, take in a deep breath, and we start the process all over again.

* * *

I’m staring at my stick like it’s going to pop up and stab me in the eye. We’ve been at this for almost an hour now and I want to take that stupid-ass stick and throw it across the woods.

I frown. “I suck at this.”

“No, you don’t. Here, let’s try something else.” Kat takes the stick and sits down on the ground, patting the spot in front of her.

I take a step toward her and sit down.

“Sometimes we need to just center ourselves and try to relax,” she tells me. “Okay, sit up straight and take deep breaths. In and out.”

I do as I’m told and take in deep, even breaths for a few minutes until I feel relaxed. I clear my mind and focus on the ground beneath me. That’s when I start to feel it. There’s a slight buzzing feeling, almost as if there are bees flying just below the surface of the ground. I focus my attention on that feeling, and I feel it enter my body and flow through my veins.

I can feel it now.

The power. My power.

I slowly open my eyes and let out a slow breath. I glance down at my hand and turn my palm up. The stick that I was holding just moments ago starts to float up off the ground and into the palm of my hand. I close my fingers around it and let out a harsh breath that I hadn’t realized I had been holding. I look up at Kat with wide eyes.

“Oh, my God. I did it!” I shout. “I actually did it! That was amazing.”

Kat grins. “It is amazing. Now, let’s do it again.”

For the next hour or so that’s all we do. I manage to get the stick from the ground into my hand a total of five times. Not too bad for a first-timer. We’re just wrapping up when I see a black wolf approaching us.

“Hey, Hunter.” Kat waves at him.

He shifts into his human form and gives me a lopsided smile.

“Hey, Kit-Kat!” Hunter comes to stand next to me.

I raise a brow. “Kit-Kat?”

“Just something I’ve called her ever since I was little. She used to babysit me. Always snuck me Kit-Kats. She was the best babysitter ever!” Hunter smiles and I hear Kat laugh.

“Yeah, and don’t you forget it.” Kat jokes while reaching into her bag and throwing more apples on the ground.

I wonder how many apples she keeps in there. During our training, Kat told me that Sparkles just roams around the grounds, but this is his favorite spot.

“That actually sounds great. We didn’t have a babysitter growing up. But we did have Helga.” I shudder at the thought.

Hunter quirks a brow at me.

“Helga was our nanny. My mom used to work from home, and she couldn’t watch us and work at the same time, so she hired Helga. She was an old Russian lady with gray hair and a unibrow. She smelled like sweaty socks and licorice.” I shudder again.

“Oh, that’s lovely.” Kat’s tone is sarcastic as she picks up her messenger bag and throws it on her shoulder. “You did great, by the way! Next time, we’ll work on distance.”

Then she waves goodbye, leaving me and Hunter alone.

“What are you doing here?” I ask him when Kat’s out of ear shot, shoving my hands in my back pockets.

“I was just finishing up my patrolling shift when I saw you and Kat. Thought I’d stop by and say hi.” He runs a hand through his hair, and it falls back down across his forehead.

“Oh, okay. What are you going to do now?” I wonder out loud, starting to make my way up the pathway back to Luna’s cabin.

“Go back to my cabin, shower, probably drink a beer or two. Maybe play some guitar. And sleep. Definitely sleep.” His arm brushes mine as he walks closely alongside me, the touch heating my skin.

“Abby told me that you play the guitar.” I reply and his head swivels in my direction at the excited tone. “Declan plays too, you know. But he hasn’t played in a long time though.”

I frown. Declan hasn’t played the guitar for about as long as it’s been since I last picked up a paintbrush.

“Yeah? That’s cool,” Hunter smiles. “Maybe he and I can jam together sometime. Does he have a guitar?”

My heart sinks. But I answer his question.

“No. He, uh, left it back at home. We never went back to the house after…” I trail off, not really wanting to talk about it.

“Do you play?” He changes the subject quickly, and I’m grateful for that.

“No, I don’t, but I can sing. Or so I’m told.” I shrug. “I mean, I’m not terrible at it. Declan would play and I would sing at the bonfire our mutual friend, James, would throw after each school year. It was his ‘we made it another year’ party.”

The memories of the bonfire the night before our lives changed forever come rushing back, making me smile.

Hunter looks at me for a moment, a mischievous grin spreading across his lips. “Interesting. Well, I guess we should have a bonfire, then. I mean, it’s hot as hell out here, but we can make it work.”

I giggle. A bonfire in the middle of June in the middle of New Orleans. It almost sounds perfect. We reach the top of the hill when Hunter stops, looking down at me. I glance up at him, realization kicking in. His cabin must be in the opposite direction of Luna’s. I feel a sting of disappointment.

Hunter runs a hand through his hair as his blue eyes meet mine. “Do you maybe want to come back to my place for a beer?”

I give him a small smile. “Sure. A beer sounds good.”

We don’t talk much on the walk to Hunter’s cabin. I don’t need to fill the silence because I feel at ease just being in his presence. I’ve never felt that way with anyone in my life. Just being around him is enough for me.

His cabin is along the edge of the woods, not far from where we were. I notice that his has one of those garages attached to it, like some of the other cabins I saw when I first got here.

When I step in through the front door, he turns on the lights. I blink, but then let out a gasp. To my left is a wood stove, and a chair that’s big enough for two people is placed in front of it. I see his guitar hanging on a hook in the far corner. To my right is the living room, which consists of a sofa and a coffee table. A huge flat screen TV is on the wall across the room. A set of stairs leads up to the second floor to what I’m assuming is his room, because when I look up, I see a loft.

“Wow. This place is amazing,” I whisper, spinning around to face Hunter.

He’s staring at me intensely. My eyes lock onto his and I bite my lip. Immediately, his gaze narrows in on my lips and his eyes start to glow, causing my breath to hitch in my lungs.

“So, how about that beer?” I ask.

“Right, yeah.” Hunter blinks, letting out a nervous cough, and leads me to his kitchen. He opens his fridge, grabs two beers, pops the tops off, and hands one to me while taking a swig of his. “So, how was magic training?”

I take a drink, then frown. “It went well after I managed to relax and focus. Declan was a natural as usual. I was able to float a stick, though.”

I tip my beer at him before I take another sip. I haven’t had beer in so long that I’d almost forgotten what it tasted like. But rum? I will never forget rum. Rum is delicious. Okay, now I sound like Jack Sparrow.

“Would you like to see?” I ask, then flush as realization hits me. He grew up around this stuff. Why would he want to see a floating stick?

“Absolutely.” He smiles widely, revealing his dimples.

Hunter sets his beer on the counter before walking over to the door in the kitchen and going outside. He returns a few seconds later with a stick. I start laughing and set my beer down next to his.

“Okay, put it on the ground,” I command, and he does what he’s told.

He takes a few steps back to give me some space. I close my eyes, focusing on the slight hum within the stick. I can feel the power coursing through my veins. Within moments, I feel the familiar roughness of the bark and close my hand. When I open my eyes, I see Hunter grinning at me; he seems to be a little closer than he was just a moment ago.

“You’re amazing.” He whispers as he takes a step forward, removing the stick from my hand, placing it on the counter. “Really, you are.”

He takes another step forward and the tips of our shoes are touching. I glance up at him and his eyes flash a brilliant blue.

“Thanks,” I breathe.

He reaches up to cup my cheek, his gaze flicks down as his thumb caresses my bottom lip. When he leans in close, I can feel his breath on my lips. I close my eyes and our lips barely touch when the front door bursts open. Startled, I flinch back. Hunter sighs, releasing my cheek as he takes a step back.

“Hey, Hunt, you in here? Have you seen…” Bennett walks around the corner and stops just inside the kitchen. “Oh, hey, Blondie. We’ve been looking for you.”

He eyes the two of us and a smirk emerges on his lips. I narrow my eyes at him. I guess I’d better get used to my new nickname.

“Well, here I am.” I comment, crossing my arms over my chest and trying not to make it seem like I was just caught with my hand in the cookie jar. By the look on Bennett’s face, I’m failing miserably.

“So it seems.” Bennett mimics my position, leaning on the doorframe. His smirk is now a full-blown smile. “I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“No,” I say at the same time as Hunter says, “Yes.”

I feel my cheeks burn red as I glance up at him. He lets out a nervous chuckle and runs his hand through his dark hair so it falls lazily back down across his forehead. I can see his dimples again. Yeah, I'm in so much trouble.

Dimples.

They get me every time.

“What’s up, Benny?” Hunter clears his throat and leans his body back against the counter.

“Okay, don’t panic but—”

I cut Bennett off before he can get any further. “You saying ‘don’t panic’ ensures that there is a reason for us to panic!”

Then it hits me. Declan. I uncross my arms, feeling myself start to panic.

Damn it, Bennett.

“Calm down, Blondie. Declan is fine. Well sort of. There was a bit of an accident tonight when he was training with Zayne,” Bennett tries to reassure me.

It’s not working. Something must be wrong if he’s here looking for me.

“Where is he?” I ask as calmly as I can, my fists clenched at my sides.

“He’s at the barn,” Bennett says just as I rush past him and out the front door.

I have one guy on each side of me as we run together to the barn. I’m a good head shorter than both guys, so I know they’re not running at full speed. To hell with being short.

I don’t stop until I reach the steps of the barn, taking two at a time. I swing open the door and immediately turn left to the medical room with Hunter and Bennett right on my heels. I burst through the door and my eyes instantly land on my brother, who is completely fine and sitting in a chair next to a bed.

What the hell?

Tearing my gaze away from my brother, I look around the room. Ciera is sitting up in the bed next to Declan and Zayne is standing behind him. I quickly make my way over to them.

“Out of the way!” Kora shouts as she pushes her tiny frame between us.

I get pushed up against Hunter, who wraps his strong arms around me so I won’t fall flat on my face. He gently sets me upright and lets go, but he’s still standing close to me.

“What happened?” Kora is at Ciera’s side.

Gently, she picks up Ciera’s arm and examines it to find that it’s severely burned. Ciera’s face is pale, and her eyes are red like she’s been crying. Declan looks upset as he holds her good hand.

Zayne pats my brother on his shoulder as Declan’s head falls. Declan has always been careful about every move he makes. He always thinks of every possible scenario and is prepared for whatever outcome. To see him so bent out of shape means that something happened that he never saw coming.

“It’s fine, Grandma. I’m okay.” Ciera’s voice is shaky, but I can see she’s trying to stay strong for Declan.

As she says that, Declan raises his head and he’s got this guilty look on his face.

His voice cracks. “No, it’s not okay. I’m so sorry, Ciera. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She looks over at him and her face softens. “I know, but accidents happen. I knew what would happen if I stayed, and I stayed anyway. I’ll be okay.” She turns back to Kora. “Right, Grandma?”

Kora nods and places Ciera’s arm gently back down across her stomach. She turns around and walks away to grab some supplies. I watch as Declan reaches for her arm and suddenly his palms start to glow with a bright white light that has a yellowish tint to it. His eyes grow wide, but then he takes his palm and hovers it just above Ciera’s arm and the light surrounds it. When the light finally fades away, he pulls his hand away.

“Oh, my gosh!” Ciera shouts, lifting her arm up and looking at it closely. Then her eyes land on my brother, who looks just as shocked as the rest of us. “Declan, you healed me.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Zayne whistles, leaning in to get a closer look. “That’s a nifty little power.”

Kora walks back over, and we all take step back because she is seemingly unaware of what just happened. She sets some bandages, Gumba Paste, and a vile of reddish-looking liquid down onto the bed next to Ciera.

“Grandma, I don’t need any of this stuff.” Ciera tries to get Kora’s attention but fails.

“Nonsense, sunshine. I won’t have my grandbaby in pain. Now, be a dear and place that arm over here, but gently, now,” Kora demands, still not looking up to see that Ciera is now completely healed.

Ciera rolls her eyes and does what she’s commanded, placing her arm in front of Kora.

“Ciera Paige Campbell, do not play games with me,” Kora says sternly, finally looking up and narrowing her eyes.

Ciera raises her voice. “Grandma! Look.” She holds her arms up, showing Kora that both are fine. “Declan healed me. See? All better.”

Kora drops whatever she was holding and gasps, her eyes going wide.

“What? How?” is all she manages to say, and she turns her attention to my brother.

Declan shrugs. “Honestly, I have no clue. All I know is that I felt really bad, and I wanted to make it better for her.”

Ciera reaches for my brother’s hand and he glances at her. She gives him a reassuring smile and squeezes his hand before she lets go. Kora stares in disbelief for a moment longer. And to be completely honest, I’m right there with her.

“I need a drink,” she says as she gathers up all the materials and turns on her heels. She sets them in her bag and then walks quietly out of the room.

Bennett raises a brow at Ciera. “Kora drinks?”

“Occasionally. Usually only if something freaks her out. Since she’s a witch, there’s not much she hasn’t seen. Well, until today, that is.” Ciera giggles.

“Glad I could help.” Declan smiles for the first time since I’ve been in the room.

“Alright, what happened?” I ask him and Zayne, not caring who answers.

“Well, I was teaching him how start a fire. He was doing pretty well with it, so we decided to try something a bit more challenging.” Zayne is the one who answers, and I focus my attention on him. He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “We tried to throw fireballs.”

I blink.

Bennett snorts next to me as Hunter squeezes his eyes shut and pinches the bridge of his nose. I don’t understand what is so funny.

Hunter glances up at him. “Zayne, you know you aren’t allowed to do that anymore right? Or have you forgotten about the dumpster incident?”

If I wasn’t standing so close, I would’ve missed the ghost of a smile forming on his lips.

“Yes, and if I remember correctly, your drunken ass told me to ‘light the bitch up.’” Zayne chuckles. “Look, that night aside, I had it under control. I’m good at what I do. You know this.”

The muscle in Hunter’s jaw ticks and I see he’s battling something in his head. Apparently whatever battle he’s fighting is won rather quickly and he relaxes his jaw.

Hunter sighs. “I know. Sorry, Z.”

Zayne throws his hands in the air. “Don’t worry about it. I get it. Anyway, we were practicing that when Ciera showed up. And, well, I’m guessing you can put two and two together.”

“Hold on,” Bennett interrupts suddenly, and we all turn to him. “Didn’t Luna say they would each get a power or powers like Apollo and Artemis?” We all look at him and he rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me you all forgot.”

I try to go back and remember. I had a lot of information thrown at me today.

I gasp and bring my hand to my mouth. “Oh, my God. He’s right.”

“Yeah, duh. And it seems as though our Declan here has the power to heal, just like Apollo,” Bennett explains smugly.

We all stare at him in disbelief.

He taps his forehead with his finger and smirks. “What? I’m smarter than I look. I’m beauty and brains.”

“You know what, Benny? I don’t care what anyone says. You’re not that bad.” I pat him on the shoulder and smile up at him. I hear everyone in the room chuckle, even Hunter. “But wait, what power would I get?”

I still need to brush up on my Greek mythology. What can I say? I’ve been kind of busy today.

“Well, Artemis was the goddess of childbirth,” Ciera answers for him.

I stare wide-eyed at her.

“But she’s also the goddess of the moon, the hunt, and archery. But that’s all I know,” Ciera quickly adds.

“Have you ever tried shooting a bow and arrow, Aria?” Hunter’s voice is low behind me.

I turn and look up at him. He quirks a brow as I bite my bottom lip. His blue eyes narrow on my lips and glow again, but he quickly blinks, meeting my eyes again.

“Well?” he prods.

I shake my head. “No, I haven’t. I’ve always used my dagger. Or anything else that was handy.” But using a bow and arrow sounds awesome.

“I’ll show you. I’ll talk to my father and see what he thinks. It’s worth a shot at least,” he says.

I nod at him and then turn to my brother.

“Why do you get the cool power?” I pout.

“Guess I’m the favorite.” Declan winks.

I scowl at him. It was always a running joke in our family about who was the favorite. Declan always thought it was him, but really, I was the favorite.

“I’ll help you with your new power, Declan. I’ll do some research and we can work together to help you be able to conjure it on command,” Ciera tells him.

He nods in agreement.

She turns to face Hunter. “Tell your father that I’ll work with him.”

Hunter just nods.

We all set up a game plan and then leave the medical room. Declan says he’s going to walk Ciera back to her cabin. Zayne and Bennett rush off to Bennett’s cabin to play video games. So that leaves me with Hunter. And now all I can think about is our almost kiss earlier as we start to walk back to Luna’s cabin.

I want to invite Aria to come back to my cabin since our time together was cut short, but it’s late and she looks tired, even though she doesn’t let on that she is. She was so excited about showing me what she had learned tonight with Kat. She was just so happy, and I get the distinct impression that she hasn’t been this happy in a long time.

I also can’t believe I almost kissed her tonight.

I can’t believe she was going to let me kiss her.

But seeing her smile, and the way she bit her lower lip in concentration, made me want to taste her. To feel her lips moving against mine.

“When can we start?” Aria’s soft voice drags me out of my thoughts.

It takes me a second to realize she’s asking me about the bow and arrow, when all I can think about is her lips, among other things. Things that are making walking a bit difficult now. It’s a good thing my pants are baggy, or she would be getting a full view of exactly how much she affects me.

“I’ll talk to my father tonight and see if we can start tomorrow,” I tell her, and her face lights up.

We’re walking along the lighted path now. I grew up around magic, so I have seen firsthand what witches are capable of, but it still amazes me what they can do. I look over at Aria; her green eyes shine under the twinkling lights. Her blonde hair blows in the warm Louisiana breeze, and in this moment, she looks like a goddess. Which is fitting, seeing as she is a demigod.

“Well, this is me,” she says as we reach Luna’s cabin. She steps on the first step and turns so she’s facing me. “Thanks for walking me back. And for the sip of beer.” She chuckles softly.

The breeze catches her hair again, and without thinking I reach up and tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. I keep my hand on her cheek, unable to bring myself to stop touching her.

“Well, maybe we can drink a whole beer next time.” My voice is gruff even to my own ears.

I take a step forward and I hear Aria’s breath catch. Her gaze flicks up to meet mine, then down at my lips as if she’s expecting me to try and kiss her again. God, do I want to. But to my surprise, I hold back and press my forehead against hers, closing my eyes.

“If I’m going to try and kiss you again, I’m going to do it where we won’t have interruptions,” I breathe.

Aria lets out a small breath as I pull away to place my lips on her forehead. When I release her cheek and take a step back, her eyes open and her lips part on an inhale. Her usually pale green eyes are now a darker hue.

Yeah, I'm going to regret not kissing her.

But I meant what I said. I want to do this right, and I sure as hell don’t want any interruptions.

I smirk, flashing her my dimples, as I take a few more steps backward. “Goodnight, Aria.”

“Goodnight, Hunter,” she smiles, turning to walk up the steps. When she reaches the door, she glances over her shoulder at me before stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

I shift into my wolf and take off running toward my parents’ house. I sniff the air as my paws pound on the ground. I close my eyes briefly, feeling the wind against my fur. I love running this way. It’s liberating. When I reach my parents’ place, I leap into the air and shift back, landing on two feet instead of four paws on the front porch, and open the door without knocking.

“Mom? Dad?” I call as I shut the door behind me.

I hear noises coming from the kitchen, so I head in that direction. When I walk around the corner, I find my mom mixing something in a bowl and my dad sitting at the counter watching her with a lovestruck look on his face. They met at a rock concert. My mom was one of those wolves that didn’t want to be in a pack. That is, until she met my father. And, well, they’ve been together ever since.

“I just don’t see why we can’t get one, Alexander,” my mom says, setting down the bowl and narrowing her eyes at him.

“What can’t you get?” I ask, startling my mom.

She places a hand over her chest and shoots me her best “mom” glare.

“Sweetheart, you know better than to sneak up on your mother like that!” she exclaims, coming over to hug me. She’s small, so she has to stand on her tip toes to wrap her arms around my neck.

“I was just telling your father I think we should get a pool. It would help with this Louisiana heat,” she tells me.

She walks back over to her bowl to start mixing again. Fuck yes. She’s making cookies. I don’t even need to ask because I know she’s making my favorite; chocolate chip. I’ve always had a real sensitive nose when it comes to my mom’s baking, especially her chocolate chip cookies. I can smell every time she starts baking them and I always come over to grab some. So, she makes an extra batch just for me. Looks like I came over just in time.

“I think that’s a great idea!” I step over to my mom and sneak a finger in the bowl. I manage to get one good scoop before she nudges me with her hip and slaps my hand away. I chuckle. “It would be nice not to have to drive over an hour to get to the beach when we want to cool off.”

“Not you too!” My father leans back in his chair in mock offense. “Alright, I’ll think about it.”

My mom and I both turn to each other with huge grins on our faces. We both know that “I’ll think about it” means yes. Especially when it’s Mom asking. If I would have asked, I would have gotten a no.

Whenever Mom’s around, my father’s cool. But when she’s not around… Well, my father and I always clash. Mom eases the tension between us. Growing up, I always tried to please my father, but it never seemed to be good enough. Honestly, it still doesn’t seem like anything I do is good enough for him.

“Alright, I know my baking isn’t the reason why you stopped by. So out with it.” Mom waves me on while she continues to put spoonfuls of cookie dough on the sheet.

Here we go.

“There was an accident tonight at Zayne and Declan’s training,” I start to tell them.

Both pause and look up at me.

“Were fireballs involved?” my father asks, then shakes his head. “Never mind. Don’t tell me because I already know. Please go on.”

He leans back in his chair again and crosses his arms over his chest. My father knows all about the fireballs and how much trouble Zayne, Bennett, and I used to get into as kids. He was always bailing us out of trouble. I think that’s why he started to become harder on me than anyone else, which led to my rebellious phase and that infamous dumpster incident.

My father and I got into it bad one night. He told me that he wished Knox were his son because he would make a better Beta and that I wasn’t obeying every rule he had. Which I was. Sort of. I just wasn’t obeying every rule. I was seventeen, for fuck’s sake, and Knox was older.

Don’t get me wrong, Knox is amazing. He’s strong and can make the difficult decisions. Me? I try and save everyone, and I don’t always agree with the Alpha. Case in point: that night in the cemetery when Bennett and I met Aria and Declan.

Anyway, that night, I met up with Bennett and Zayne and we went out on Bourbon Street and got shit-faced. Yeah, we were too young to drink, but we looked older. We also knew which bars carded and which ones didn’t. I was so angry that I didn’t care about anything other than getting drunk and forgetting about everything.

We managed to stumble down some alley where we saw a dumpster, and at that moment, I just wanted to watch the world burn. So, I told Zayne to “light that bitch up.” We were there a little too long and the cops showed up. Luckily for us, my father is good friends with the sheriff, who is aware of what we are. Needless to say, we were up shit’s creek without a paddle and Zayne was told he couldn’t use fireballs anymore. Not that it stopped him, as is clearly evidenced by what happened tonight.

“Right, so, long story short, Declan got the power to heal from Apollo. Ciera had gotten burned during Declan’s training session with Z. We were in the medical room when Declan just...healed her. Of course, Kora saw it. Not the actual healing part, just afterward. She didn’t handle it very well,” I explain as Mom scoops the last of the dough on the cookie sheet and puts the tray in the oven.

She turns back and places a hand on the counter. “Well I’m glad Ciera is okay. I’m more worried about Kora. Poor woman is probably on her second scotch by now. But it doesn’t surprise me that Declan has the power to heal. Healing and the power of premonition were Apollo’s biggest powers. So, it was one of the two. Luna had also explained that they could get skills from them, too. Apollo was also the god of creativity among other things.” She grabs a kitchen towel from the drawer and starts cleaning up.

That makes sense. Aria did mention that Declan can play the guitar. I vaguely wonder why Luna left that out at the meeting. I guess it was just because there were other, more important, things to discuss.

“I know, but I’m here about Aria,” I mumble, and for the first time ever, I think I blush.

I look away from my mother’s knowing glare and run my hands through my hair. It’s a nervous tic. I glance back up at my mother, who’s looking at me curiously. I try and act as unaffected as I can, but I see my mom purse her lips, then tip her head back slightly. Out of all the people in my life, my mom knows me better than anyone.

“What about Aria? Has she gotten her power yet?” My father finally speaks.

“No, that’s why I’m here. Apparently, archery was a skill that Artemis had. I was wondering if I could work with her. Maybe getting her to use it will trigger something. That’s what happened tonight with Declan. Wanting to help Ciera must have triggered his power.” I shrug, trying not to give my mom more than what she already suspects.

I’d be lying if I told them that was the only reason as to why I wanted to show her, but I think my mom sees right through me anyway. I'm such a momma’s boy.

She shakes her head and pats my shoulder. “I think it’s a great idea. Don’t you think so, honey?”

My father looks at her, then at me, trying to figure out what was going on. He doesn’t seem to get it, though. Which I'm happy about, because the last thing I want to do is have another conversation about where my focus should be and how I should be more like Knox.

“I think it’s a good start. Let’s talk to Knox in the morning and work out some training time. He told me about training today,” he remarks.

I freeze, hoping that he left out the part where I kind of lost it in the room. I’m known to be a little short-tempered. Luckily, my father continues without missing a beat.

“They both did well. Declan was quick and calculating, and Aria was a bit slower, but still, she succeeded. Sloane is a tough opponent. However, they still have much to learn.”

I disagree with him about Aria. She was amazing considering who she was up against, and I’ve seen her fight a vampire before. But I know there’s no use in arguing with him.

“Alright, cool. I’ll talk to Knox in the morning then,” I tell him, keeping my face blank.

“That all, son?” my father asks, leaning forward on the counter.

I control the urge to roll my eyes. Just like that, I’m dismissed like everyone else.

“Yes, sir,” I bite out, clenching my jaw so tightly the muscle starts to tick.

My mom eases the tension like she always does by handing me a plastic container filled with cookies. I take it from her as she walks me to the door.

“Thanks, Mom. For the cookies.” I hold up the container.

“No need to thank me, my dear boy. Just come by more often, okay? Your momma misses you.” She reaches out and fluffs my hair as she always does. “And cut your hair, Hunter Alexander!”

“No fucking way in hell, Mom,” I joke and duck as she tries to smack me.

“You watch your language! You’re an adult now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still ground you!” she laughs.

I leap down the steps and I turn just as I hit the bottom.

“Have fun training Aria.” She winks, and I knew it. I can’t hide anything from her.

I grin. “Goodnight, Mom! Love you!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Love you too. And tell the twins I will work on getting them a cabin soon,” she says and shuts the door.

I open the container and pull out a cookie. God damn, it’s so good. I manage to eat half the container before I get back to my cabin, and it’s less than a five-minute walk. I set the cookies on my counter before heading upstairs to take a quick shower. When I emerge, I throw on a pair of boxers and face-plant onto my king-sized bed.

It’s missing one thing, though. Or, should I say, one person. I close my eyes and dream of a certain green-eyed blonde.

I wake up the next morning feeling excited about what the day will bring. I’m hoping that Hunter was able to convince his dad to let us work with the bow and arrow. I’m so excited that I’m actually up before Declan, who is still asleep on the couch in the living room. I shower and change into my workout clothes, toss my hair into a ponytail, and quietly make my way downstairs. Careful not to wake my brother up, although the thought is tempting, I make my way into the kitchen for my favorite thing in the world. Coffee.

“Someone’s in a good mood this morning.”

I jump, spinning around to find Declan standing in the doorway in his gym shorts and t-shirt, his hair sticking up in different directions. It’s a sight to see, honestly.

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain blue-eyed wolf, now, would it?” he smirks.

“No,” I lie.

“Bullshit.” Declan makes his way into the kitchen, opening cabinets until he finds the mugs. He grabs two and sets them down on the counter next to the pot. “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. He seems like a good guy, Aria. You should go for it.”

I scowl at him. “Why is everyone so interested in my love life all of a sudden?”

Declan gives me a pointed glare. “Do you really want me to answer that? I mean, you two make googly eyes at each other, and I swear your face lights up every time he enters the room. Not to mention he looks at you like he wants to—”

“Okay, I get it, enough.” I giggle, leaning up against the counter.

I do feel a strong connection with Hunter. It’s just, I haven’t been with anyone in a long time, so it feels like all new territory.

When the coffee is ready, he pours himself a cup, adding cream and sugar. He turns his back to the counter, his fingers tapping on the mug.

“Honestly, I think we should stay here for a while.” He glances over at me, his face serious.

“And that doesn’t have anything to do with a certain female?” I cross my arms over my chest as he shoots me a look. “Wow. I’m guessing you’ve thought about something serious with Ciera then?”

He smiles. “It’s only been a few days, but yeah. I really like this girl. She’s smart, funny, caring, beautiful—”

“An angel,” I mimic his words exactly like he did on the night we arrived.

He gives me another pointed look. “Cute, Aria, but yes she is. Plus, it’s nice that she knows our secret and what’s out there. It makes it easier to be with her, you know? I don’t have to hide who I am.”

He looks down at his mug, and the sadness that creeps over his features tugs on my heartstrings.

“See, I told you one day a girl would walk into your life and change it.” I grin as I nudge his shoulder, trying to cheer him up a bit.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, spare me the ‘I told you so,’ okay, little sis?” He sets his mug on the counter as he turns to face me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “For the first time, in a very long time Aria, I’m happy. And I think you deserve some happiness too. Don’t think I don’t know part of the reason why you ran almost every night was to make sure I got what I wanted. Yeah, sex made happy, but not like this. This is different.” He pauses. “Let Hunter in.”

He kisses my forehead before picking up his mug and leaving me alone in the kitchen. I stand there staring after him.

He totally just called me out on my shit.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I should try and let someone in.

* * *

After Declan gets ready, we head over to the barn to start training. I have an unusual pep in my step this morning. When we walk through the training room doors, I immediately spot Hunter, who is talking with Knox. As if sensing my presence, Hunter’s gaze flicks to me, and when our eyes meet, his lips tip up into a smile. Knox must notice that Hunter is distracted because he turns and spots Declan and I standing just inside the door. Knox rolls his eyes playfully before they make their way over to us.

Knox looks between Declan and I. “Good morning. You’re both here a little early. Training isn’t supposed to begin for another fifteen minutes.”

I shrug, trying to hide my eagerness to get started. “What can I say? The early bird catches the worm and all that jazz.”

Declan snorts next to me and I shoot him a glare. Although, even to my own ears, that was kind of funny. I hardly ever show up on time, let alone early, to anything if it’s in the morning.

“Right,” he drawls, amusement flickering across his face. “How are you feeling today, Aria?”

“Never better,” I reply truthfully. With the amulet off, I healed much faster than usual.

He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “That’s good to hear. Aria, look, I’m sorry about pairing you up with Sloane.”

“No need to apologize. Yeah, it was a tough fight and she’s one hell of a fighter. But I’ve been in tougher situations. In the end, I still kicked ass, though.”

I grin, but my gaze drifts over to Hunter, whose blue eyes start to glow faintly. A muscle in his jaw ticks, he blinks, and his eyes are back to normal. I frown, remembering how pissed off he was yesterday.

“Anyway, it’s fine.” I look back at Knox, giving him a small smile.

“Both of you are strong fighters. But let’s get to the point, shall we? Aria, I’ve made some changes to your training schedule. You’ll be training with Hunter from now on. We discussed it this morning and I think it would be best if you continue training just one on one, so he can show you how to properly use a bow and arrow,” Knox explains.

I can’t help the growing excitement. I get to practice with a new weapon. I resist the urge to jump up and down.

“When do we start?” I ask.

“Today.” It’s Hunter who answers, and I can’t help but admire his dimples again. “Ready?”

I grin up at him. “Absolutely.”

“Okay, wait here. I’m going to grab a few things, then we can get out of here and get started.” Hunter turns to leave before I can say anything more.

“If you’ll excuse me.” Knox nods, leaving us to walk back up to the front of the room and pick up a clipboard.

“Well, that’s perfect. You must be thrilled,” Declan says from next to me.

The door opens behind us. Bennett walks in and wraps his arms around our shoulders, popping his head in the middle.

“Thrilled about what?” he asks looking from me to Declan.

“Nothing,” I say, avoiding his gaze.

“She’s thrilled about getting one-on-one time with Hunter,” Declan tells him.

I glare at him.

“Am not,” I lie again. Man, at this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if my nose started to grow.

“Sure you’re not, Blondie. All we have to do is say ‘Hunter’ and your face lights up like fireworks on the fourth of July,” Bennett teases and, on cue, I flush. “See, there it goes. You like him, he likes you. Just go for it.”

He lets go of us and looks up.

“Ah, speak of the wolf. Hey, Hunter.” He emphasizes the name as Hunter approaches us.

He’s got a backpack, a bow and a case full of arrows. He shifts the case of arrows to the hand holding the bow and they do the “bro handshake” thing.

“Well, Dec and I must be off to train and shit. You two lovebirds have fun. Make good choices,” Bennett loops his arm around Declan’s neck, pulling him away from us.

I can hear them trying hide their laughter, and I glare at the back of their heads. Hunter clears his throat, grabbing my attention.

“Right. So, let’s get to it.” He walks past me and holds the door open. “Ladies first.”

“Such a gentleman.” I smile up at him as I walk out the door.

He winks. “My momma taught me well.”

We descend the steps of the barn. The sun is bright and beaming down on us now. Should have worn sunscreen.

“How come we aren’t training in there?” I ask as we get further along the path that leads to the woods. I realize we are headed for the clearing I was at last night with Kat.

“Well, we’re going to start practicing with the bow today and we don’t have space in the training room for that,” Hunter explains.

“Meaning you’re afraid I might take someone’s eye out?” I joke.

He chuckles softly. “Yeah, something like that.”

We finally reach the clearing and he sets the case of arrows and bow down, then reaches for the back pack. He places everything neatly by a boulder.

“So, coach, what are we starting with?” I ask, stretching my arms.

I lift them over my head to stretch my back and I feel my tank top lift slightly. Hunter’s eyes start to glow faintly as they slowly trail down my body before narrowing in on the tiny sliver of skin showing. Desire pools deep within my belly, causing me to press my legs together. He’s making me feel things that I wasn’t sure I was capable of feeling anymore.

He shakes his head and clears his throat again. “I figured we could warm up for a bit and then we can go over your blocking technique.”

Okay, moment gone. I narrow my eyes at him.

“It’s not bad, babe, but it could use a little work.”

I flush at his word choice.

“I…uh, sorry. It slipped out.” He runs his hand through his hair and looks down at his feet.

“It’s okay, Hunter,” I whisper.

I suddenly get the feeling that this might be a bad idea. I’m attracted to him, no doubt. Especially since he’s wearing black gym shorts and a white tank top, his tanned skin making the white stand out. Pair that with his messy black hair, striking blues, and those dimples? Well, a girl, meaning me, could definitely have trouble focusing. I suck in my bottom lip and push my feelings aside.

“You’re right. My blocking could use a little work. It’s the one thing that I always seem to struggle with because I’m always trying to play offense,” I say, regaining my focus.

Hunter nods, pulling out his phone, and hooking it up to speakers I didn’t see him carry out here. He pushes play and “Believer” by Imagine Dragons starts to play loudly.

Right, it’s time to get to work.

About thirty minutes pass and I’m already sweating in places that I wasn’t even aware existed. He has us doing push-ups, jumping jacks, burpees, and mountain climbers. My muscles are screaming at me, but it’s a good burn. I’m really glad running has helped me stay in shape, otherwise I’m not sure I would survive his warm-up session.

Hunter takes off his shirt before he reaches inside his backpack, pulling out two water bottles and towels. If I wasn’t already so freaking hot, I would admire the view. I thank him breathlessly as he hands me a water bottle and a towel. I down half the bottle and wipe the sweat from my face. I drop the towel on the ground and finish the water.

“Okay, are we finished warming up now?” I ask him, stretching out my tired muscles.

He chuckles before chugging the rest of his water. He tosses his empty water bottle on the ground next to mine and walks over to stand directly in front of me. He’s close, and his proximity is doing all sorts of lovely things to my body...again. See? This is a very bad idea. I inhale sharply and look up at him.

“Okay, first rule about blocking is—”

Before he finishes his sentence, he takes a step back, throwing a punch right at my face. He never makes contact and I don’t realize I have my eyes closed until I slowly open them to see his fist less than an inch from my nose.

“Never underestimate your opponent, Aria.”

My name sounds great coming from his lips, but those are fighting words. My brain clicks off as I grab his fist and twist it behind his back. He grunts at the sudden movement. Holy crap. With the amulet off, I’m even faster than before.

“What was that?” I whisper in his ear, taunting him.

I feel his whole body tense. Then he spins around, kicking my feet out from under me. I land on my back and Hunter is now on top of me, our bodies flush together. He’s got both my hands pinned above my head. His face is so close that I feel his breath on my cheek. His eyes flash a bright blue as he leans down toward my ear, lips grazing my jaw. My breath hitches, and I lay perfectly still.

“I said, never underestimate your opponent,” he whispers.

His lips gently brush the skin of my neck, and I shiver despite the blistering heat.

Then he pushes himself off me.

I take a second to get my breathing under control and sit up. He’s standing there holding his hand out for me. I grab his hand and he pulls me to my feet. I take a few steps back, putting distance between us.

“You need to watch your opponent and focus on their movements. They usually give away their next move.” He walks over to me, closing the distance I had just put between us. “I’m going to throw a punch. Watch my movements and block it.”

I do what he says and watch him. He takes a step forward with his left foot and I know he’s going to punch with his right hand.

I’m right.

His right hand comes at me to my left. I throw my left hand up, but I’m too late. His fist slips through my hands and he grazes my cheek. It stings a bit, but it doesn’t hurt.

Hunter curses and reaches forward, grabbing my chin. “Shit! I’m so sorry, Aria. Did I hurt you?” His face is full of worry as he tilts my head to the side.

“No, it’s fine. It doesn’t hurt. I promise.” I reach up and grab onto his wrist, but I don’t push him away. His thumb caresses my bottom lip as his eyes lock on to mine, flashing brighter yet again.

“Let’s go again,” I murmur.

He inhales sharply and nods, taking a step back. Then he comes at me again. I’m prepared this time and block his punch. I grin and we continue. He throws punches and I block. I have to tell him to stop holding back a few times, and eventually we fall into an easy rhythm. We work on this for another hour before we stop. He hands me another bottle of water, which I gratefully accept.

“We can work on blocking kicks tomorrow,” Hunter says before he guzzles down his water.

“Sounds good,” I say then take a few sips of water.

I watch him as he reaches into his backpack and pulls out a rolled-up poster-looking thing. He grabs a box, which I’m assuming is full of nails, because he also pulls out a hammer and walks over to a tree.

He unravels the poster, and I see that it’s of a bullseye. He starts to nail it up and I can’t help but stare at his back. Sweat is glistening off his muscles and they’re flexing as he hammers the nails into the tree. I never thought sweat could be sexy…until now.

When he’s finished, he turns and walks back to me. He puts the hammer and box of nails back into his bag and picks up the bow and one arrow. He sets the arrow, and I watch as his arm muscles flex as he pulls the arrow back, taking aim and then, after a beat, lets the arrow fly. It lands dead center in the bullseye.

He spins around, grinning at me, and I’m just sitting here gaping at him.

“Okay, your turn.” Hunter holds the bow out to me.

“And top that?” I reply sarcastically, standing up and taking the bow from him.

He walks over and grabs another arrow.

“Okay, this is your bow string,” he explains, showing me the long piece of string that’s connected on either end of the bow. “And this…” He points to one end of the arrow. “…is called the nock. You place the nock in between the bowstring, like this.”

He steps up behind me, so our bodies are flush together again, and circles his arms around me. I inhale sharply, catching his scent of cedarwood and ocean.

How does he expect me to focus with him standing this close? He places his left hand on top of my left hand on the front of the bow, before placing the arrow in my right hand. Then he guides my hand to the bowstring and shows me how to properly place the arrow. Once the bowstring is placed in the nock of the arrow, he lifts our arms up, pulling the arrow back. He takes his left index finger and nudges mine out and rests the arrow head slightly above it so it barely touches my finger.

“This is your sightline. You have to pull the arrow back and make sure everything is lined up straight and steady. Like this,” he whispers.

My body tenses as I feel his breath on my ear.

“Relax, Aria,” he breathes.

I close my eyes and take a deep, steadying breath.

“When you’re ready, take aim and let go.” He lets go.

I open my eyes back up and focus on the target in front of me. Then, I let the arrow go and watch as it lands in the tree, above the target. I sigh in defeat.

“That was great, Aria!” Hunter says enthusiastically.

I glare at him.

“What?”

“I didn’t hit the target.” I frown and look at my arrow again.

Just pitiful.

“No, but it was your first time shooting off an arrow. I didn’t even hit the tree when I first shot one off,” he says.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“No, I’m not. It took weeks for me to be able to hit the target, and even longer to hit a bullseye consistently. Just try again,” he reassures me as he grabs another arrow and hands it to me. “Try it on your own this time.”

I look up at him and I can’t say no to his puppy dog eyes. I sigh and take the arrow from him. I place the nock on the bowstring like he showed me and pull the arrow back, lining up the arrowhead with my index finger. Then I let it go and it lands just before the tree. I let out a low growl, then go to grab another arrow and try again.

* * *

“Maybe we should call it a day and come back to it tomorrow?” Hunter suggests after I shoot and hit the tree above the target.

Again.

I have been at this for a while, but I’m not hitting the bullseye consistently.

“No. Let’s try a few more times first and then call it day,” I say, walking forward to gather some arrows.

“Hey, lovebirds. How’s it going out here?” Bennett yells as he enters the clearing with my brother.

“It’s not,” I reply, bending over and picking up the last arrow and walking back over to where the case of arrows is sitting.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing fine.” Hunter places the arrows he had grabbed back in the case.

“Shouldn’t we have known by now if this was my special power? I mean, clearly it’s not,” I huff, handing him all the arrows that I had picked up.

“Not necessarily, sis,” Declan speaks up. “I think the only reason why it worked for me was because I didn’t want to see Ciera hurt or in pain. I had a strong urge to make it all better. Then I felt this power run through me, and instinct just kicked in.”

“Easy for you to say, Declan. Everything has always come naturally for you,” I groan out.

Declan rolls his eyes and approaches me.

“Aria, you’re overthinking it. Just relax. You can do this.” Declan places a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah, Ciera was his motivator. We just have to find yours,” Bennett says, and places his hand on his chin. Then he snaps his fingers. “Wait right here. I’ll be back.” He shifts into his wolf, running off.

I look up at Hunter with wide eyes.

“We’re faster in our wolf form.” He shrugs.

A few minutes later, Bennett’s red wolf saunters forward and drops an apple at my feet. He shifts back into a human, picking up the apple.

I raise my brows at him. Okay? Not sure why he brought me an apple. Does he think I need a snack?

“This is your motivation.” He hands the apple to Hunter, who takes it from him.

Then Hunter walks over to stand in front of the target, placing the apple on his head.

Oh, hell no. They seriously want me to play William Tell with Hunter? When I can’t even consistently hit the paper?

“No. No way. I’m not ready.” I shake my head and turn to Bennett, who is smirking.

“You are. Do it,” Bennett urges.

“No,” I reply sternly.

“Do it or I’ll tell Knox to do his worst to Declan in training. There’s a reason why his nickname is Daredevil,” Bennett threatens.

“You won’t.” I narrow my eyes at him.

“Oh, but, Blondie, I will. Now do it.” He narrows his amber eyes at me in return. “Shoot the apple. But try not to kill Hunter. There’s not much than can kill us, but an arrow to the head would probably do the trick.”

I huff, turning to the target where Hunter is standing. Bennett picks up an arrow, handing it to me. I take it without even looking at him. My eyes lock onto Hunter’s. He doesn’t look worried or scared that I might miss.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, clearing my mind. I open my eyes slowly and zero in on the apple. I place the nock in the bowstring without even looking and pull it back, lining up my sight. My blood starts humming with excitement. Everything around me goes still and all I hear is my own breathing.

A sense of calm flows through me as I let the arrow go. I watch as it hits the center of the apple, splitting it into two. I slowly lower the bow and shift my gaze to Hunter’s. His eyes widen, and a smile crosses his lips as he starts walking back toward us.

“Hells yeah!” Bennett shouts slapping me on the back. “You did it!”

I turn to him. “Thank you.”

He ruffles my ponytail and I swat him off.

“Don’t sweat it.” He laughs and goes back over to my brother, who looks relieved that I managed to do it.

Declan gives me a nod, his move for ’nice job,’ and they both walk off.

“That was great, Aria! How did that feel?” Hunter asks, flashing me his dimples again.

“Different. I felt excited at first, then a sense of calm washed over me. Like, I knew exactly what I was doing.”

He hands me another arrow. “That’s probably the power. You just need to relax and trust your instincts.”

I nod.

I also didn’t want to kill him, but I decide to keep that to myself.

“You ready to try it a few more times?”

“Yes. But only a few more, I have to get ready for my lesson with Grace this evening.” I smile up at him.

“Okay, sounds good. Now, this time, since you’ve felt the power, you should be able to tap into it, right? Just focus on how you felt before.”

I do as he says, and I begin to hit perfect bullseye every single time. On the last one, I manage to split one arrow in two.

“Holy shit! That was awesome!” I shout, doing a small victory dance.

Hunter laughs as he starts packing up the empty water bottles. He unplugs his phone from the speaker and puts that in his bag too. Then he stands and grabs the bow from me but leaves the arrows here. I give him a questioning look.

“The arrows will be fine here over night. The bow is mine, so I’m not leaving that out,” Hunter explains as we walk back up the pathway.

We make our way back to Luna’s cabin. We end up in a deep discussion about who the best superhero is. He says Captain America, but clearly Iron Man is superior. He has all the cool gadgets and a kick-ass armored suit.

“Have a good lesson with Grace tonight,” Hunter says as we reach the front of Luna’s cabin.

“I’ll try, thanks.” Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “If you want to stop by and, I don’t know, watch or something, you can. I mean, if you don’t think Grace will mind.”

Geez, ramble much? I grimace, praying that the ground opens up and swallows me whole.

He smirks at me, and one dimple appears on his cheek. Damn him and his dimples.

“No, Grace won’t mind.” Then his face falls. “But I don’t think I can. My father put Bennett and I back on patrols. I’m supposed to be covering a shift. Kai said he was going to be late and he didn’t know when he would be able to make it. Plus, I owe him one. But, if he gets back in time before your lesson is over I will drop by.”

I nod and start up the steps. I mean, duh. What was I thinking? He has work to do.

“Aria.” Hunter’s husky voice stops me in my tracks, and I turn around slowly.

My eyes lock onto his, and I swear they’re glowing again.

“I’ll see you later.” He flashes me those dimples again before turning around and walking away.

I grin, turning to reach for the door handle but it opens before I can wrap my fingers around it. I flinch. Abby is standing in the doorway with one hand on her hip and her eyebrows are raised.

Oh, crap.

“We need to talk,” she says, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the cabin. She slams the door behind her and crosses her arms over her chest. “Spill.”

I tell Abby everything from meeting Hunter for the first time and the moments leading up to today. Abby listens and hangs onto every word I say. She lets me go on and on about everything, but she doesn’t pressure me to talk about anything that I don’t want to, especially that night. She knows I’ll tell her when I'm ready. So, I give her the low-down on the situation with Hunter instead and I can tell she’s listening intently. When I finally finish, she is smiling at me.

“Wow.” She exhales. “I can’t say I’m surprised. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. I’ve known Hunter since we were kids and I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”

I quirk a brow, curious.

She shrugs. “It’s different.”

I never really questioned the way he looked at me until now.

Before I can ask her about it, we hear a loud thud coming from right outside the cabin. Abby and I both jump up and sprint toward the door. We’re standing on the porch looking around, but we don’t see anything until a gurgling sound comes from the bottom of the steps. I glance down at the noise and I’m stunned to see Sloane lying there, bleeding.

Badly.

“Oh, my God!” I shout, rushing forward with Abby right behind me.

Sloane’s neck has a good chunk missing. Like someone took a bite out of her. My eyes widen at the sudden realization. I strip off my tank top, putting it on her neck and applying pressure. She tries to talk but blood gurgles out of her mouth.

“Aria! We need to get her to Kora! She’s dying!” Abby yells as tears fall down her cheeks.

I try to apply more pressure to Sloane’s neck, but it doesn’t do any good.

“Somebody! Help!” she yells even louder.

I press down even harder on Sloane’s neck to try and stop the bleeding, but the wound is too deep. Abby is right. We need to get her to Kora so she can…wait! I look up at my panicking best friend.

“Abby,” I say calmly, but she seems to be going into shock.

“ABBY!” I snap my fingers in front of her face and her eyes flick to mine. “Where’s Declan?”

Her bottom lip quivers as her gaze focuses on my face. “Wh-what?”

“Where’s my brother, Abby?” I ask, more forcefully than I intend to.

“H-He’s inside. He went to t-take a s-shower,” she stutters, inhaling a shaky breath.

“Go get him. Now!” When she doesn’t move, I reach up and nudge her shoulder. “Abby! Go get Declan!”

She snaps out of it and rushes back into the cabin. I look down at Sloane, who is trying to talk.

“Shh, don’t try and talk. You’re going to be okay. You hear me? Just hang in there, Sloane. It’ll be okay.” I do my best to reassure her, but even I can see how bad this is.

She reaches up and grabs hold of my wrist, but her grip is weak. Just then, Declan rushes out of the door and sprints down the stairs.

“What the hell happened?” he asks, kneeling where Abby was just moments before. His hair is dripping wet.

“I don’t know! We don’t have time to take her to Kora. You have to heal her!” I snap at him.

He shakes his head. “What? I’m not sure if I can!”

I look up at him and our eyes lock.

“You can. Just try. Please!” I plead with him.

I can hear footsteps approaching and out of the corner of my eye, I see movement by the woods. I shift my gaze completely and I see a person—no, a vampire—staring at the scene with a bloody smirk on his face. He has dark hair and dark eyes. Like the one who killed my parents.

But why can’t I sense him?

“Son of a bitch!” I seethe as I whip my head back to face Declan. “Heal her!”

Then I get up and take off running toward the woods without a second thought.

“What the fuck?! Aria! God damn it!” I hear Declan curse.

I just hope he stays put and heals Sloane.

“We’ll go with her!” I hear a familiar voice shout.

As I get closer, the vampire tips his invisible hat, then takes off running deep into the woods. I pick up my pace and finally hit the outskirts of the woods. As I run further into the trees, I try not to trip on fallen limbs or rocks. I stop running as I lose sight of him, turning and scanning each direction, trying to see if I can sense him.

What the hell? I feel nothing.

Two wolves approach, one black with blue eyes and a red one with amber eyes. Hunter and Bennett had been the ones to follow me into the woods. They both shift into their human forms as Hunter jogs over to me. He stops just before he reaches me, his eyes glowing brighter than I’ve ever seen them before.

Oh crap. I almost forgot that I’m still in just my sports bra, but that’s not what is making his eyes glow. I look down and realize that my hands and arms are covered in Sloane’s blood. I try to wipe it on my pants, but that does me absolutely no good.

“It’s not mine,” I whisper, my eyes drifting back up to Hunter.

“You alright, Blondie? What’s going on? We heard someone shout for help and by the time we reached you, we saw you take off running into the woods covered in blood.” Bennett ignores my comment.

I tear my eyes away from Hunter, who seems to be calming down, since his eyes are returning back to normal.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Abby and I were talking in her living room when we heard a loud noise outside. We rushed out of the cabin and that was when we saw Sloane. A huge chunk of her neck looked like it had been chowed down on. I made Abby go get Declan because we were losing her, and we wouldn’t have been able to get her to Kora in time.” I shift on my feet as the words come rushing out of me.

“But why did you run into the woods?” Hunter’s voice is tight, as he stares at me intently.

When I hesitate to answer him, he quirks a brow. Obviously, he’s waiting on me to answer.

“Because I saw a vampire.” My voice sounds wobbly, but I square my shoulders. That’s all the answer I have to give.

“Because you saw…?” Hunter lets out a breath and runs both hands through his hair. “You ran after the vampire who attacked Sloane, one of the best fighters in this pack, all by yourself? What the fuck were you thinking? You don’t even have your silver dagger on you, do you?”

I flinch as he shouts at me. I shake my head.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I didn’t think and I just…” I trail off, not knowing what else to say.

I know I shouldn’t have run off unprepared. But I couldn’t let this vampire get away with what he’d done.

Bennett awkwardly runs a hand through his red hair and shifts on his feet. “Well, I’m going to check the perimeter.”

I watch him as he shifts into his wolf and runs off, then I turn back to Hunter. A muscle in his jaw ticks.

“You shouldn’t have run off like that,” he finally says after a beat.

“I know. Save me the speech, okay? I get it enough from my brother,” I snap.

I feel a dull ache behind my eyes, and I start to rub my temple. The adrenaline is starting to wear off.

“Hey, you ok?” Hunter pulls my hand away from my temple and tilts my chin up to look at him.

I lazily open my eyes and they lock onto his. They’re glowing again, but not as bright as before.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he says.

“Don’t apologize. You were right. And yeah, I’m okay. Just getting a headache, that’s all,” I whisper.

“Okay, let’s head back and see what’s going on,” he says as he laces his fingers with mine, leading the way back toward Luna’s cabin.

He releases my hand when we finally emerge from the woods. I notice there are a lot of people who have gathered around to see what’s going on. We break into a jog and slow as we approach the scene. I recognize a few people I know. Zayne has his arm around Kat, who’s covering her mouth in disbelief. Knox has Grace pulled close in his arms. Grace turns her face into his chest, and he leans down and kisses her forehead.

Hunter walks over to them and talks to Knox. There are a few others standing around and I gently push them aside and look down. Kora and Ciera are working on Sloane, who is thankfully still alive. I look around but I don’t see Declan.

“Ciera, where’s Declan?” I ask.

Her gaze flicks up to mine and a look of sadness crosses her features. She nods toward the cabin, then focuses her attention back to Sloane. I turn and see Declan sitting on the top step with his head in his hands. Abby has her arm around him, trying to comfort him.

I tear my gaze away from them. “Is she going to be okay?”

“It’s been touch and go for a few minutes, but I think we finally got her stabilized. I’ll need help getting her to the medical room though,” Kora explains while still working on Sloane. She’s cleaning up the wound, and it doesn’t look as bad as it did earlier. “Declan healed her as best as he could. If he wasn’t here, we would be having a different conversation.” She pauses for a moment to place a bandage over Sloane’s neck. “Alright, let’s move her.”

“I’ve got it,” Abby says, coming down the steps.

She closes her eyes, and when she opens them, she looks right at Sloane. Ever so slowly, Sloane’s body starts to rise and she begins floating toward the barn. Kora quickly gathers her things and walks with Abby and Sloane’s body.

I’m awestruck. My best friend is amazing.

Everyone is still rooted to their spots, until we spot wolves running up from out of the woods and heading toward us. I notice Bennett’s red fur along with two other black wolves and one gray one. When they all shift into humans, I notice at that least one black wolf is Hunter’s dad, and he’s standing next to a petite woman with dark hair that’s pulled off to the side in a braid. The gray one doesn’t shift. He runs in the same direction that Abby and Kora were headed.

“Somebody want to tell me what happened here?” Alexander says as he approaches us.

I look around at everyone and my eyes land on Hunter. I'm not sure if I should speak up or not. I mean, I know I saw a vampire, but that vampire looked like the one that killed my parents. And I'm not telling anyone that part until I know for sure. Not even Declan. We’ve been searching for this vampire for a long time and I will not give my brother false hope only to hurt him.

Hunter looks at his dad for a long moment. I briefly wonder if they’re having a staring contest. Then Alexander looks away at everyone else who is standing around.

“Alright, everyone, back to your cabins. We’re still safe here. I’ll talk to Sloane when she’s better. In the meantime, don’t wander too far off and please use the buddy system. When Luna gets back from town, I will have her check the wards surrounding the Compound. But I assure you, everything is fine,” Alexander says.

He grabs the hand of the woman who’s standing next to him as they turn and walk away. The woman looks over her shoulder at Hunter and her gaze flicks to me briefly, then back to Hunter. A smile forms across her lips as she turns and keeps walking. I’m going to take a wild guess and assume she’s Hunter’s mom.

I feel someone tap me on my shoulder and I turn to find Grace standing there. Knox has left her to go talk to Hunter and Bennett. I quickly scan the porch and find that Ciera has taken Abby’s place next to Declan, so I turn back to Grace.

“Hey, sweetie. I know we were supposed to meet tonight for water element training, but if you’re not feeling up to it, I understand,” she offers.

“No, it’s okay. I’m fine. Just another day in the life of Aria,” I shrug.

She looks at me for a long moment as if she can see right through me.

“If you’re sure?” she asks.

I nod. I’m sure. I need to focus on something else right now.

“Alright. Well, Snuck doesn’t want us to train out in the woods, the protective mutt. So, we’ll be training in my cabin. Which is actually three doors down from here.” She points down to the left and I see which one she’s talking about.

“Snuck?” I question her.

“Oh, that’s my name for Knox. I always joke with him that he snuck up on me and stole my heart. After a while, I just started calling him Snuck.” Grace smiles and her eyes flick to the guys behind me. “Anyway, I’ll see you later, yeah?”

I give her a small smile and nod. “Bye, Grace.”

I wave as she turns and walks back to her cabin, then spin around to find Knox running off after her.

“Really, dude? It’s not like we were having a conversation or anything!” Bennett shouts after him.

“Leave him alone, man. He’s just worried about her, as he should be,” Hunter sighs.

They walk up toward me. I’m about to ask why, but then I look over and see my brother staring off in the distance with a look that I’m all too familiar with.

I brush past Hunter and Bennett, approaching Declan on the step. I kneel so I’m at eye level with him. He doesn’t seem to notice until I reach out and pull his hands away from his face. He finally looks at me, and for a brief moment, his eyes fill up with tears. But they don’t fall. He blinks a few times, pushing them back.

“Declan, she’s going to be okay. Kora said that you managed to heal the worst of it,” I whisper to him.

He nods slightly then starts shaking his head vigorously, pushing me away. Since I'm on the steps, I lose my balance and fall backward. Two strong arms catch my fall, but they aren’t familiar like Hunter’s. I’m quickly set upright and I turn to see that it was Bennett who caught me.

“What’s the goddamned point of having a power if I can’t fucking use it properly?” Declan growls. “What if I hadn’t been able to do it, huh? What if—”

Declan punches the post by the stairs, and the guys start to go to him, but Ciera shoots up off the step, reaching him first. She grabs his arm, tugging it gently, getting him to turn around. He refuses to look at her, so she gently places her small hands on his face and lifts his head until he has no choice.

“But you did. You saved her. If you hadn’t been here, if you hadn’t tried to heal her, she would be dead. If it weren’t for you, my grandma wouldn’t have been able to save her,” she says sternly.

Declan stares at her for a moment, then he places his hands on her waist, pulling her close as she wraps her arms around his neck.

“We’ll work on it,” I hear her say into his cheek. She pulls away far enough to look up at him. “I’m going to check in on her and then I’ll come back, and we will practice. I promise.”

Then, to everyone’s surprise, she places a soft kiss on his lips before walking back to the barn.

Wow.

I'm glad she was here because that was intense. I’ve never seen Declan lose his cool like that before. She’s perfect for him, and I swear if he hurts her, I will make his life a living hell.

Because that’s what sisters do.

Bennett walks up the steps and places a hand on my brother’s shoulder.

“You good, bruh?” When Declan nods, Bennett lets out a breath. “That’s good, because I wasn’t going to kiss you.”

Declan chuckles as he pushes Bennett away. Bennett stumbles back but manages to catch himself before he trips and falls down the steps. Good, he’s back to normal. Suddenly, I can feel the pain in my temple again and I reach up to rub it.

“Hey, let’s get you inside and get you something for that headache,” Hunter whispers, and he grabs my hand again, leading me up the stairs and inside the cabin.

Hunter closes the door behind me, and I lead him to the kitchen. I open the cabinet to grab a cup, but Hunter walks up right behind me, reaching around to grab the cup out of my hand.

“I’ve got it,” he says, walking over to the sink and filling the cup with water. “Do you know where Luna keeps the medicine?”

I shake my head.

He frowns. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Up the steps and to the right.”

I jump up to sit on the counter as he nods and turns to leave the kitchen. I lean forward, resting my head in my hands, and start to rub my temples again. I’m not sure how much time passes when I feel Hunter grab my wrists and pull my hands away from my head. I slowly blink up at him. My eyes feel heavy, but I’m not tired. He turns my left hand over and puts two pills in my palm, then hands me the glass of water. I pop the two pills in my mouth, then chug the water. Hunter takes the empty glass from my hand, then walks back over to the sink and refills it.

“When was the last time you ate something?” he asks, turning off the water and handing me back the full glass.

I take a few sips before answering him.

“This morning before training,” I reply, leaning back to rest my head against one of the cabinets.

I watch as Hunter heads to Luna’s fridge and pulls out ingredients to make a sandwich. That’s when I take the moment to really study him. He’s put his tank top back on since he dropped me off here. His arm muscles flex as he shakes the mustard. He looks so serious while making a sandwich that I can’t help but smile. I close my eyes as I listen to him ripping open the cheese packet, and I hear the opening and closing of cabinets again, followed by the fridge opening and closing.

I feel Hunter tap my leg, and I slowly open my eyes without moving to lift my head from the cabinet just yet. He moves to stand in between my legs, setting the plate down next to me on the counter. I start to sit up slowly, wincing as my head starts to throb. He reaches up and starts to rub my temples, and I lean into his touch. He stands there massaging my head for a few moments and a small moan escapes my lips. Realizing what I just did, I slowly open my eyes—which I don’t remember even closing—to find Hunter’s blue eyes glowing faintly. My lips part as I inhale, and it draws his gaze.

He slowly leans forward, as if giving me time to back out. I sit completely still as he drops one hand to the counter next to my leg and the other moves down to cup my cheek. His nose touches mine, and I feel his breath on my lips. I reach my hand up and grip his wrist and, ever so gently, his soft lips brush mine. He pulls away slightly, and my heart starts to pound in my chest.

As soon as he is about to lean in again, the front door slams open. Hunter lets out a low growl as he places his forehead against mine for a second, his hand still cupping my cheek. He lets a harsh breath out through his nose.

“One of these days, I’m going to kiss you without any damn interruptions,” he whispers, then steps away from me.

I sigh and let out a giggle. Then I pick up my sandwich and start taking small bites as Bennett and Declan walk into the kitchen.

“You okay, Blondie?” Bennett asks, eyeing my sandwich.

I look down at it and back up to him, then I pull it to my chest and glare at him. I’m not sharing my sandwich. At least not with Bennett. I might share it with Hunter, key word being might. He just shakes his head and laughs, and I relax and take another bite.

“Yup,” I say between mouthfuls. “Already starting to feel better.”

I take a sip of water. I’m not lying; I am starting to feel much better. I guess I’m just not used to the heat and humidity New Orleans has to offer.

Bennett smiles. “Good. I’m glad you’re feeling better. But, Hunt, we’ve got to go.”

He rocks back on his heels, giving Hunter a look. Hunter nods, then turns to me.

“You good?” he whispers as he leans in closer, concern etched in his features.

“Yes, I am. Now, go do whatever it is wolf shifters do.” I roll my eyes playfully and wave him off.

He flashes me a smile, showing off those cute dimples, and chuckles slightly, then walks over to where the guys are standing.

“Laters.” Bennett throws the peace sign above his head as he exits the kitchen behind Hunter.

Then, after a few seconds, we hear the front door close.

“I’m going to go shower…again,” Declan declares and turns to walk out of the kitchen.

“Hey, wait.” I jump down off the counter and approach him.

He stops, turning to face me, tension creeping up in his muscles.

“Are you okay? Really? You can fool everyone else, but you can’t fool me.” I put my hands on my hips.

Declan sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

“I mean, yes and no. Yes, I’m glad that I was able to help save her, but no because she’s still in critical condition,” Declan confesses, leaning up against the doorframe.

“But she’s going to live,” I state, moving closer.

He clenches his jaw tightly as he stares at the wall.

“Look at me,” I demand, placing a hand on his shoulder. A beat passes before his eyes drop down to mine. “You did save her, so stop beating yourself up. And don’t tell me that you’re not. I know you better than anyone else. I’m proud of you, big brother.”

I smile up at him, and he sighs and pulls me into one of his bear hugs.

“You know, you’re a pain in my ass sometimes, but I love you just the same.” He kisses my head. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. It’s what I’m here for,” I tease.

He releases me, then walks up the steps to take another shower.

After Declan is finished, I shower quickly and change into fresh clothes. I let my hair dry naturally, then toss it up into a loose ponytail. I throw on some eyeliner and mascara with a touch of lip gloss. Then I put on my black Chucks and head downstairs.

Declan’s already left with Ciera. I’m sure there’s a lot of training getting done. Yeah right. Knowing my brother, he’s probably trying to make out with her. I shudder and stop that train of thought from going down a dark and dirty path. I open the front door as Luna is reaching out for the door handle.

“Hey, Aria.” Her voice sounds strained.

I step aside as she walks in and sets her stuff down on the couch. Then she continues toward the kitchen. I turn around and follow her.

Okay…

“Everything alright?” I ask, leaning my hip on the doorframe.

She grabs a glass, then walks over to the pantry and pulls out a bottle of wine.

“Rough day?” I quirk a brow.

She doesn’t spare me a glance as she uncorks the bottle, pours herself a glass, then chugs almost the whole thing in one gulp. I raise both eyebrows as she pours herself another.

“You could say that. Alexander told me what happened today, and I spent the rest of the day making sure our wards protecting the Compound were still up. If a vampire got in, I’m clueless as to how.” She sighs and takes another hefty sip. “Anyway, you headed to see Grace tonight?”

“Yeah, I was just on my way out. But if you’re up later, I would like to talk to you. I have some questions.” I shove my hands in the pockets of my shorts.

“Oh. Yes, of course, sweetheart. I have a feeling I’ll be up all night. We can talk later. Have a good session with Grace.”

I study her for a moment longer, then turn to leave.

I walk down to Grace’s cabin, ignoring the stares from the neighbors, mostly from old ladies. Guess I’m still the town topic. Thankfully it’s not as hot as it was earlier, because the sun is starting to set and the twinkling lights are just starting to glow. I don’t think I will ever stop being amazed by those.

I reach Grace’s cabin and walk up the steps. I knock on the front door, but I hear nothing. So, I knock again even louder, and that’s when I hear a feminine giggle and a husky groan. My eyes widen as I realize that I may have just interrupted sexy time between Grace and Knox. Just before I start to turn and walk away, the door opens and Grace is standing there. Her face is flushed and she’s pulling the sleeve of her cardigan up on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I can come back later.” I point behind me with my thumb.

“Don’t be silly, sweetie. Come on in.” She steps aside and motions for me to come inside.

I hesitate for a moment before slowly stepping through the doorway. She closes the door behind me, then walks past me, motioning for me to follow her.

“Would you like some tea?” she asks.

“No, thank you.” I shuffle after her.

We walk into her kitchen and she motions for me to have a seat at the table. I do as I’m told.

“So, what’s on the agenda for tonight?” I ask.

Grace turns, then brings a finger to her lips and winks. Just then, Knox walks in the kitchen dressed in a black V-neck shirt and tactical pants.

“Hey, Gracie-Bear, I’m off for patrols. I’ve got my phone on me in case you need me. You sure you don’t want me to stay here with you?” he asks, grabbing her waist and pulling her to him.

She smiles up at him as she throws her arms around his neck. “No. We’ll be fine here. You go and do your job. I promise I’ll call if there’s any trouble.”

She stands on her tip-toes and gives him a quick peck on the lips. Knox removes one hand from her waist and cups her cheek, deepening the kiss. I glance away quickly, trying not to stare. I start to think back to the almost-kiss with Hunter in Luna’s kitchen.

“Snuck,” she giggles, pushing him away slightly and pulling me out of my thoughts. “We have a guest and you have to go to work.” She glances apologetically at me before turning to Knox, narrowing her eyes at him. “Yes, I’m sure. Now, please go.”

“Alright. I’m leaving. I love you, Gracie.” He kisses her forehead, “Have a good training session, Aria.”

He nods, then leaves the kitchen. After a few moments, we hear the front door close.

“I love him, I really do. But sometimes he can be a pain.” She smiles to herself, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

“He seems to be very protective of you,” I comment, leaning on the table and rubbing my temples again.

The medicine from earlier is wearing off. I should have taken more before I came over here.

“Yes, he is. A few years ago, right around the time we first got together, I was attacked by a vampire. We were going to a concert to see Knox’s favorite band and I accidentally left my purse in the truck.” She walks over to the kitchen cabinet and pulls out two mugs, then grabs the kettle off the stove and pours hot water into both. “Knox, being the gentleman that he is, left me alone while he ran back to go grab it. I was snatched from behind and dragged down an alleyway. Before I could summon my magic, he’d bitten me. Knox found me just in time, and he’s never left my side ever since. I think he feels like it’s somehow his fault. He did take me out of town for a few days, though.”

“Oh, my God,” I breathe. “That’s awful, but it’s no one’s fault. Vamps are sneaky bastards.”

“I know. I’ve told him that. I don’t think he’s forgiven himself for it, though.” She sighs and places a homemade teabag in both mugs, before handing one to me. “Here. I know you said no to the tea, but you’ve been rubbing your head for the past ten minutes. That homemade blend should help with your headache.”

I smile and take the mug from her. I hadn’t realized that I’d been rubbing my head that long. I gently blow in the cup to cool it down and take a sip. I wince as the hot liquid burns down my throat, but almost immediately, I feel the slight throbbing starting to ease up.

“Wow, this is amazing. Thank you, Grace. What’s in this?” I ask, taking another sip.

She grins, “You’re welcome. It’s got ginger root and some peppermint, along with some other herbs to help offset the bitterness of the ginger. I can give you some to take home with you.”

“I don’t want to take your stock,” I whisper, glancing in my mug only to see that I’ve almost finished it.

“Oh, please. I’ve got plenty. What’s mine is yours, sweetie.” She waves her hand as she finishes her tea and takes our mugs, placing them in the sink. “Shall we get started?”

I nod and get up from the table, feeling good as new. She motions for me to follow her and we come up to a hidden door in her kitchen. When she opens it, she leads me into a built-in porch with a hot tub in the center. The windows are floor-to-ceiling, like Alexander’s office. I stare wide-eyed in amazement at the view.

“Don’t worry. You can see out, but you can’t see in. Knox made sure of that,” she says.

She snickers to herself, taking off her cardigan and shorts, revealing a cute hot pink bathing suit.

“Uh, Grace?” I question, shifting on my feet.

I didn’t know I would need a bathing suit. In fact, I don’t even think I own one anymore. I haven’t been swimming in years. Grace looks at me for a moment, her brows furrowed together, then it clicks.

“I’m so sorry, I must have forgotten to tell you to bring a bathing suit.” She claps a hand on her forehead.

“It’s okay. To be honest, I don’t even have one.” I shrug, putting my hands in the back pockets of my shorts.

“Be right back,” she says as she sashays past me back into the cabin.

I take the moment to walk over to the windows and have a look outside. The sun has gone down, but the moon is full, illuminating the woods. I lean my head up against the glass and a black shadow outside catches my eye.

My body freezes and I stare out the window, trying to focus. My heart rate picks up as I glance around and when my eyes adjust to the night, they land on black fur.

Hunter.

I instantly relax against the glass. He looks directly at the window; it’s as if he can see right through it, even though I know he can’t. I smile to myself as I think back again to our almost-kiss in Luna’s kitchen. I touch my fingers to my lips. If only Bennett hadn’t interrupted us again. I’m getting that boy a collar…with a bell.

“Alright, here you go. These should fit. Plus, they’re brand new, never worn.”

I jump at the sound of Grace coming back into the room.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She winces and hands me the bathing suit.

“Thanks.” I smile even though my heart feels like it might actually burst from my chest.

Before I leave the room to change, I glance back out the window, but Hunter is gone.

“Everything alright?” Grace asks, pulling my attention back onto her.

“Yeah, everything is fine.” I start to walk past her, but stop just as I reach the doorway and turn to her. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Through the kitchen, first door to your right.” Grace replies, and starts to get into the hot tub, the water lapping up on her hot pink bathing suit.

I follow her directions and change into the suit. I fold and lay my clothes neatly on the floor. Declan would shit a brick if he saw that. He always calls me a slob, so I’m trying to do better. I turn the light off and make my way back to the porch.

“That looks amazing on you! You can totally have it,” Grace squeals from the corner of the hot tub.

I glance down at the suit again. It’s a plain black one-piece, but the straps have small ruffles on them. Not typically what I would go for, but even I have to admit it’s actually really cute.

“Thank you, Grace, but I can’t take this from you as well.” I avert my eyes to the window, hoping I’ll see Hunter again, but it’s nothing but trees.

“Aria.”

My gaze shoots to Grace, who has scooted forward in the hot tub.

“Stop. You can, and you will. In fact, to be quite honest, I bought that just for you. After the meeting, I made Knox take me into town to shop. I had a feeling that you wouldn’t have much, since you traveled around a lot. Was I wrong?” She tilts her head slightly, quirking a brow.

Without realizing, I’m shaking my head. She is right. Declan and I have been living out of suitcases for the past three years.

“Right, then. C’mon, let’s get to work.”

I climb into the water, feeling the bubbles dance along my skin. When I sit down, I instantly feel my muscles relax and I take in a deep breath, letting the steam fill my lungs. That’s when I feel it, and my eyes snap open and lock onto Grace’s steel gaze.

“You feel it, don’t you?” Grace smirks.

She slowly lifts her hand up out of the water, palm up, and I watch as it forms what almost looks like a small waterspout, only it’s not spinning. Then she flips her palm over, her hand forming a claw shape, and the water shoots up into her palm, forming a ball. She slowly turns her hand back over, still holding the water ball. She brings her other hand over and hovers over the water ball for just a second before she drags it away, forming what looks to be a water rainbow between her hands.

“Holy shit. How did you do that?” I gasp, mesmerized.

She giggles, and the water falls back into the hot tub.

“Water is the easiest element to work with. Especially if you’re around it. If you aren’t, you have to search for it and summon it,” she explains.

“Like Zayne with fire?” I ask.

“Yes. Fire is different. But I’ll let him explain that to you since that’s his element.”

I nod.

“Okay, now, remember your lesson with Kat? How you felt the humming of the earth? It’s basically the same with water. Just relax and close your eyes. I’ll walk you through it.”

I do as she says and let the hot water and steam relax me again. I start to feel the humming sensation and I focus in on it, imagining it flowing through my veins.

“You good and relaxed?” she asks.

I nod.

“Good, now I want you to imagine a ball, big enough that you can place it in the palm of your hand,” Grace whispers.

I picture a tennis ball.

“Once you’ve got your ball, I want you to lift your hand out of the water and concentrate on the power flowing through you,” she continues.

I lift my left hand up out of the water, letting my power flow through me. It’s easier now that I know what it feels like.

“Open your eyes, Aria.”

I do as I'm told once again, opening my eyes and glancing down at a tennis ball-shaped water ball in my hand.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” I mumble. “It took me hours to float a stick.”

“Like I said, water is one of the easier elements to work with. But let’s keep working on it, yeah?” Grace quirks a brow.

I nod excitedly.

It takes me a few tries and a lot of curse words to finally master what Grace had shown me. Which apparently takes over an hour. Grace tells me that I’m doing great. Of course, I don’t believe her. I mean, I do eventually get it right, but I'm a demigod. It shouldn’t take me that long to do something as simple as make a water ball, or a water rainbow, as I like to call it. I change and walk back into the kitchen, rubbing my temples. My headache seems to be making a nice comeback.

“Head hurting again?” Grace asks, handing me a bag.

I open it and look inside and see that she has packed me some of her special tea. She then hands me an empty bag for my wet bathing suit.

“Yeah, a little bit. I think I’ve just had a busy day. Thank you for the tea, and my new bathing suit.” I smile as she leans in and gives me a nice warm hug.

I hesitate for just a moment then wrap my arms around her. Just then, I hear the front door open and close and a few moments later Knox walks into the kitchen.

“Hey Gracie-baby, I’m home.” He strolls over to Grace and pulls her in his arms, placing a quick kiss on her forehead.

“I see that, Knoxy-coxy.” She turns, standing on her tip toes, and gives him a peck on the lips before turning back to me. “He hates it when I call him that, but I do it anyway.”

She smiles as Knox wraps his arms around her and kisses her on the cheek. These two are possibly my favorite couple ever. They are disgustingly cute and deserve so much happiness.

“I hate the name, but I absolutely adore you.” He nuzzles her neck, and she playfully rolls her eyes and pushes him away.

“Snuck, I love you, but you need a shower.” She scrunches her nose.

“Will you join me?” He pouts, sticking out his bottom lip for dramatic effect.

“No. Maybe.” She pauses for a beat. “Okay, yes, but not until I see Aria off. Now, go get ready.” She practically shoves him out of the kitchen.

“Oh, wait.” Knox peeks his head back in. “There’s a buddy system in place. No one walks anywhere alone until the vampire who attacked Sloane is dealt with.”

“It’s only a five-minute walk, less if I run,” I tell him, but he shakes his head.

“Alpha’s orders. Your escort is waiting outside for you.” He winks and with that, he’s gone.

I huff and roll my eyes. I’ve been on my own before. I can handle myself.

“Don’t take it personally, sweetie. The Alpha just wants to make sure we don’t have another attack. I know you can handle yourself, but so could Sloane…” Grace trails off.

I mean, I get it. I know firsthand how strong Sloane is. I had the bruises to prove it. But really? A buddy system? When she opens the door, I step out on the front porch and a black wolf is sitting at the bottom of the steps, and blue eyes meet mine.

“Well, you both be safe getting home, yeah?” Grace quips from the door.

“Of course.” I reply, walking down the steps.

I hear her close the door behind me. Then I look down at Hunter, still in wolf form.

“Did you volunteer for this?” I ask him.

He nuzzles my hand as I pat his head.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

We start to slowly walk back to Luna’s cabin. Hunter is staying super close to my side and I idly let my fingers brush against his black fur. I start thinking about my time with Kat and Grace and how genuinely nice they have been, taking time out of their schedules to train Declan and I. Even being reunited with Abby feels weird, but it’s a good weird.

“Declan and I have been on the road for so long that I’ve forgotten what it was like to have friends,” I say out loud.

He stops walking, so I stop and turn to him. He sits and tilts his head to the side, as if asking me to explain.

“We were never in one place long enough to really make friends. I mean, I kept in touch with Abby, but it’s not the same.” I kneel in front of him, so we are eye level. “You guys have welcomed us with open arms. So, thank you.”

I don’t hesitate this time as I reach up and touch his cheek. When I start rubbing his fur, he leans into my hand and closes his eyes.

“Who’s a good boy?” I joke, starting to laugh.

His eyes snap open, narrowing at me, and then he lunges forward so he’s on top of me. He’s snarling slightly, and I probably should be scared, but I'm not. I know he’d never hurt me. Then he leans down and licks my cheek, which sends me into a fit of giggles.

Hunter shifts to his human form, and he’s smiling down at me, those damn dimples making an appearance. He rolls off me onto his back and we both lie there laughing. We turn our heads to look each other at the same time and our laughter dies down. I roll onto my side, propping my head in my hand and Hunter does the same. I know we probably look ridiculous lying here, but I don’t care.

“Declan and I left Maryland the day we buried our parents. We swore to ourselves that we would try and save as many people as we could. So, we, or I should say Declan, researched places with key words, like animal attacks, or mysterious deaths. And we went to investigate. Once the vampire or vampires were killed, we would move on to the next town. The longest we’ve stayed in a town was two weeks,” I confess to him.

I leave out the part about finding the vampire who killed our parents. It’s true that we wanted to save people, but I don’t want to tell him that what drove us was the hope that maybe one day we would run into him. Hunter just nods, letting me continue.

“The first six months were the hardest. We had taken Jiu-jitsu, boxing, and Krav Maga classes to teach us how to fight, but most of it was learning on the hunts. Our mom left us a journal on how to kill vampires. Which was good, because when you google ‘how to kill a vampire,’ nothing really comes up.” I take in a deep breath.

I haven’t really talked to anyone about this. Declan stopped trying to get me to open up a long time ago.

“You’re one amazing woman. You know that right?” Hunter’s husky voice brings me out of my thoughts and my eyes lock onto his.

Suddenly, we hear the sound of a tree branch cracking coming from the direction of the woods behind us.

Hunter shifts as he gets to his feet and a low grumble forms in his chest. I quickly sit up on my knees, but the movement causes my head to start throbbing and my surroundings begin to spin. I grab my head and end up falling back on my butt. I feel a hand grab my wrist and pull it away from my head and when I open my eyes, I see Hunter’s concerned face. I close my eyes once more. After a few moments, the throbbing pain turns to a dull ache. When I reopen my eyes, I glance around and notice that the threat was only Kat, Declan and Bennett.

“Is it your head still?” Hunter breathes, still holding onto my hand.

“Yeah. That was weird. I think I may have overdone it today or something.” I murmur, blinking a few times.

“Using magic can take its toll on your body if you’re not used to it,” Kat explains. “That typically goes away on its own once you get accustomed to using magic on a regular basis. If your headaches still haven’t gotten any better after a few days, then you should go and see Kora.”

“I will. Grace gave me some tea that seemed to help earlier,” I mumble, then glance at my brother, who’s kneeling beside me. “Wait. I thought you were training with Ciera?”

“I was. But Kora came to grab her because she needed help changing Sloane’s bandages. She felt bad about taking her away during training, so she called Kat to come take over.” Declan shrugs.

Then I glance up at Bennett, who’s standing next to Kat.

“I was patrolling the grounds when I saw them walking back from the woods. Since we were ordered to use the buddy system, I offered to walk Kat back to her cabin, like a true gentleman.” Bennett puts an arm around Kat, who rolls her eyes, throwing his arm off her.

“I will stab you with a spoon,” Kat threatens.

Bennett laughs, but stops abruptly when he notices the serious look on her face.

“Right.” I nod and go to stand up.

Hunter and Declan both help me to my feet, but everything starts spinning and I fall forward.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Hunter grabs my waist and pulls me to him.

Declan still holds onto my arm as I rest my head on Hunter’s chest and close my eyes until the dizzy spell goes away.

“We should get you back to the cabin,” Hunter whispers to me after a few moments. “You okay to walk?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” I mumble again, slowly lifting my head. The dizziness is gone, and my head still hurts, but it’s more of a dull ache now.

Kat reaches down and grabs the bags that Grace gave me, handing them to Declan.

“Make sure she drinks that before bed. It’s all natural and should help.” Kat places a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Feel better, dude.”

I give her a small smile. I like her. She’s so odd, but in the best possible way.

Kat looks at Bennett. “Hey, do you mind walking me to take care of Sparkles? I haven’t seen him today, and he gets grumpy when he doesn’t get his daily apple and brush. You know, since you’re a true gentleman.”

Bennett groans, tossing his head back. “That unicorn hates my guts, Kat.”

“That’s because when you were a pup, you used to chase him around and nip at his legs.”

Bennett furrows his brows and crosses his arms over his chest.

“No, I didn’t,” he huffs.

Kat lifts a brow.

“Actually, Benny, you did.” Hunter lets out a small chuckle when Bennett narrows his eyes at him.

“Thanks, man.” Bennett pauses suddenly, eyes wide, and looks directly at Hunter, who stiffens beside me.

A sharp pain shoots through my head again and I gasp. My legs start to give out, but Hunter catches me before I collapse. And the pain goes away as quickly as it came. Alright, that was weird.

“What is it? Everything okay?” Kat’s voice is filled with concern.

“Yes and no. Axton and Blaine spotted a vampire in the Quarter, but they didn’t know anything about the attack on the Compound. So, while he’s dead, the one who attacked Sloane is still out there,” Hunter explains.

“How do you know that?” Declan looks between the three of them.

“The Alpha told us. The one that attacked Sloane is very old. Ax and Blaine killed a newbie.” Bennett answers him, then taps on his nose. “We’ve got a very keen sense of smell.”

Declan nods his head and a look of curiosity crosses his features, but he doesn’t ask any more questions.

I look up at Hunter and his expression is unreadable. He must feel my gaze on him, because he looks down at me and his face softens.

“Are you alright?” he whispers.

“I’m fine. I promise,” I whisper back, standing up on shaky legs.

I look over at Declan and he’s looking at me like he doesn’t believe me. I just need to get back to the cabin, take some more meds, drink some tea, talk to Luna, and sleep.

“Alright, we can make a stop to see Sparkles, but you have to make it quick. Later.” Bennett fist pumps Declan and then tweaks my nose.

Kat throws the peace sign and turns on her heel after Bennett, which leaves the three of us.

I wrap my arm around Hunter’s waist for support as we start walking back to the cabin. I’ve gotten headaches before, but none of them have ever affected me like this. I’m just hoping that Kat is right and it will stop after a few days. But being near Hunter seems to help. I mean, it doesn’t take away the pain or anything, but here in his arms, I feel safe. And I haven’t felt safe like this in a very long time.

We finally reach the cabin and before Hunter can pass me off to my brother, I turn and throw my arms around his neck. Hunter sighs, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me off the ground.

“Thank you,” I whisper into his neck, breathing in his familiar scent of cedarwood and ocean. “For making sure I was safe tonight.”

I pull away slightly and he drops me to my feet. He does this little half-smile thing and the dimple in his left cheek deepens, and all I want to do is kiss it.

“Anytime,” he whispers back. “Go inside and get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He grabs my chin between two fingers, then leans down and kisses my cheek. He lingers for a moment then pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. When he pulls back, he places a kiss on my forehead then gently guides me over to my brother, who grabs me and pulls me to him. He shifts into his wolf and takes off running. It still amazes me how he doesn’t have to get naked to shift. Okay, and maybe it disappoints me a little too.

Declan whistles. “That was the hottest kiss on the cheek I have ever witnessed.”

I totally forgot he was even standing there. I playfully punch him, but he doesn’t even flinch.

“Shut up,” I flush.

“Have you even kissed yet?” Declan asks, and I shove him this time.

“That’s none of your business.” I snap, starting to walk up the steps. My legs don’t feel as wobbly anymore, so I can walk up the damn steps myself.

“That’s a no.” Declan laughs and takes the steps two at a time and reaches the top before I even get to the second step.

“Show-off,” I mutter, slowly taking the steps one at a time like a normal human being. When I reach the top, Declan grabs my arm and turns me so I'm facing him.

“Promise me that if these headaches continue, you’ll go see Kora?” Declan pleads. “I know you. You’ll lie and say that you’re fine when you’re not. You don’t even have to tell anyone. Just please let someone help.”

“I promise,” I murmur.

It’s only been one day. Who knows? I may not have one tomorrow. But if today was any indication of how bad it can get, no one will have to tell me twice. Declan stares at me for a moment and nods.

“C’mon, let’s go inside. I’ll make you some tea.” He opens the front door and motions to let me walk in first.

I head straight for the kitchen with Declan right behind me. I grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it up with water, draining the whole glass in one long gulp. The medicine Hunter gave me earlier is still sitting on the counter, so I grab two tablets and wash them down with some more water. Luna’s kitchen has an island with stools, so I sit there while Declan searches for a tea kettle. When he finds it, he fills it with water and places it on the stove.

“How did training with Ciera go today?” I ask Declan, who is now leaning back against the counter by the stove.

I feel like I haven’t spoken to my brother in months, but it’s only been a few hours.

“It went as well as can be expected. She’s helping me locate the power inside me.”

I give him a questioning look.

“It’s sort of hard to explain. With the elemental magic, you feel the power within the elements. But with healing, the power comes from within me. Once I’m able to focus on it, I’ll be able to call forth the healing power more easily than…” He trails off; his gaze drops down to the floor and he hangs in head.

“More easily than with Sloane,” I finish for him.

His eyes slowly lift to meet mine and he nods. We don’t need to say anything more. I know he still feels guilty that he couldn’t completely heal Sloane like he did with Ciera, but he also knows that he still saved her life. Declan is a perfectionist in just about everything he does. Things seem to come naturally to him, but he always challenges himself to make himself better.

When we were learning how to fight, he wasn’t happy with his kicks. Even though the instructor told him he was kicking fine, Declan wasn’t happy. So, he worked hard day in and day out to perfect them. He didn’t stop training until he was satisfied.

So, to Declan, the fact that he knows he has the power to completely heal Sloane and he couldn’t do it? It really affects him, and he’s not going to stop until he knows something like that will never happen again.

“I’ve been thinking,” Declan continues, turning and walking to the cabinet to pull out a mug.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” I say sarcastically, which earns me a glare from my brother.

“As I was saying, I think we should stay here for a while. I know we’ve been looking for the vampire that killed Mom and Dad, but it’s been three years and we haven’t had any luck. We just found out we’re demigods, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like my old self again.” Declan places a teabag into the mug before setting it down on the counter.

The kettle starts to go off and he carefully pours the hot water into the mug and hands it to me. I mumble a thanks, blow on it, and take a sip. Just like before, I can immediately feel it starting to work.

“So, what do you think?” he asks.

I take a moment to think about it. I’m glad that Declan is starting to feel like his old self again. I can see a difference in him, and even I’m okay with staying here a little while longer. I’m starting to feel like things are going to be okay.

“I think we should stay. We have a lot to learn, and it’s not like we can’t continue our hunt later.” I smile and take another sip of tea.

I’m still not mentioning to him that I think I saw the vampire that killed our parents. I want to be one hundred percent sure before I tell him. I wasn’t close enough to tell, but it looked like the same vampire to me.

“I’m glad you agree.” Declan sounds relieved. “Besides, I get to spend more time with Ciera, and you get to spend more time with your wolf.” He winks.

“He’s not my wolf.” I roll my eyes.

“Not yet.” Declan smirks, and I can’t help but smile. “Look at that blush!” He laughs. “He’s a good dude.”

“Who’s a good dude?” Luna walks into kitchen wearing pajama bottoms and a t-shirt that says, “If it’s snowing, I’m not going.”

“No one,” I say at the same time that Declan says, “Hunter.”

Luna pauses and her eyes shift from me to Declan and a small smile forms on her lips.

“I see. You know, Hunter is a good guy, and he’s got it bad for you, Aria,” she says as she opens the fridge and grabs a bottle of wine.

Why does everyone keep saying that?

“You can’t fool me either, young lady.” She points a finger at me as she walks to the counter and pulls a wine glass out of one of the cabinets. “Would you either of you like a glass?”

“No, thanks. I’ve got some tea.” I lift my mug up then bring it to my lips for another sip.

“I’ll take a beer if you have one?” Declan asks.

“Yeah, bottom shelf on the door. Help yourself,” Luna replies as she uncorks the wine bottle. After she pours herself a glass, she turns and leans against the countertop. “So, you wanted to talk to me?”

Her eyes are on me. Oh shit, I almost forgot.

“Right, yeah, I did. I have a question about this whole demigod thing. When our parents died, Declan and I noticed that we became stronger, and faster. We also get this strange feeling, like we know when a vampire is near, although I seem to be able to track them a lot better than Declan can. Does that have anything to do with our demigod powers?” I ask her, and grimace when Declan shoots me a look.

Sorry, bro. I guess there is one thing that I am naturally good at.

“Most likely. The amulets only bound your magical abilities. You couldn’t use your powers that were within you, like the elemental magic or whatever power that you had gotten from Apollo or Artemis. When a demigod’s powers are activated, they are much stronger and faster than your average human. You won’t ever be as strong as Hercules though, because that was his power from Zeus. Given the history of Apollo, Artemis, and the vampires, I don’t think it’s a far stretch to believe that you’d be able to sense vampires.” She explains, and then takes a sip of wine. “It also makes sense why you can track them better, Aria. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt.”

Declan has moved over and is sitting in the chair next to me at the island. I suck in my bottom lip, unsure if I should go on and explain to her what happened today.

“What’s wrong, Aria?” Luna tilts her head, studying me.

Of course, she would catch on. I take in a deep breath and tell them.

“Well, today, I couldn’t sense the vampire that attacked Sloane. That feeling has never let me down before, not ever. If I hadn’t caught the movement, I wouldn’t have even known he was still there.” I lean back in my chair, and eye my brother’s beer.

I’ve already finished my tea. He doesn’t even look at me as he slides the beer in my direction. I wrap my fingers around the bottle and bring it up to my lips, then slide it back to my brother.

“That’s a bit concerning. Dark magic must have been used. It would also explain how he got past our wards undetected,” she muses.

I give her a questioning look.

“We have magical protection around the Compound to keep us safe. It’s the least we could do to help. The wolves can rest without having to be on guard. They protect us and the city of New Orleans, and in return we protect them,” she explains, continuing to sip on her wine.

“That would explain why there haven’t been any vampire attacks here in decades,” Declan comments, picking at the label on his beer.

“That is correct. I’m going to talk to Alexander about this in the morning. He needs to be aware and warn the rest of the pack. Until we get this taken care of, please don’t wander off alone. I know you’ve been on your own for a while but humor me,” Luna pleads with us.

“We will,” Declan replies for the both of us.

She lets out a relieved sigh and finishes the rest of her wine, then puts the glass in the sink and walks over to us.

“Goodnight, my darlings. Get some rest.” She hugs and kisses us both on the head before walking up to her room.

I get up, throw my teabag in the trash, and put my mug in the sink next to Luna’s glass. Then I tell my brother goodnight and head up to Abby’s room.

I can tell that she’s still awake because I see the light coming out from under her door. When I saunter into the room, I find her sitting on her bed, writing in her journal. Her hair is up in a messy bun and her glasses are falling down her nose.

“Hey, Abs,” I say, walking over to my bag and grabbing my sleep shorts and a tank top.

She lifts her head, acknowledging my presence, before returning to her journal.

Abby and I have been friends for so long that we don’t have boundaries, so changing with her in the room is nothing. I fold my clothes and put them next to my bag. Declan would be so proud; this is the second time I’ve neatly folded my clothes.

“Are you okay?” I ask when she doesn’t answer me. I sit down on her bed and she still doesn’t look up. “Abby Lynn Thibodaux. Talk to me, babe. What’s wrong?”

She only writes when something is truly bothering her. I lay my hand on her journal, stopping her from writing. She lifts her head slowly, her eyes meeting mine. I notice that they’re swollen and red, as if she’s been crying.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbles.

I take her journal and pen away from her and set it on her nightstand. She folds her fingers and places them in her lap, fiddling with her silver charm bracelet.

“I’ve known my whole life that vampires existed. I’ve heard the stories about the attacks. But I’ve never actually seen one, you know? We’ve always been protected here.” She wipes a stray tear from her cheek.

I don’t press her to continue. I just sit there quietly.

“I’ve never actually seen an attack before. And to see Sloane, someone who I’ve known my entire life, brutally attacked, and almost die…” She trails off and starts crying.

I pull her to me, and she rests her head in my lap. I pull the stray hairs that escaped her bun from her face and just let her get it all out. We sit there for who knows how long, and I don’t care. I hate seeing my best friend hurting. When she finally starts to calm down, she slowly lifts her head off my lap.

“I’m sorry I cried all over you. I'm such a mess.” She takes off her glasses and wipes her eyes on the sleeves of her shirt.

“You don’t have to apologize to me, Abs. You’re my best friend and I love you. Feel free to cry on me anytime you want,” I joke, and that earns me a smile. “I’m sorry you had to witness that today.”

I fold my fingers in my lap and try not to think about the first vampire attack I ever saw.

“How do you cope with it?” she whispers, pulling her legs up under her.

“I try not to let it get to me. I guess, over the years, I’ve just gotten good at compartmentalizing it. Your first one is always the hardest,” I admit.

Her eyes glance up and meet mine. She takes her bottom lip between her teeth as she sucks in a breath. Shit, there’s that look. I don’t want looks of pity. I had that enough at the funeral.

“Aria,” she starts, but I get up from the bed, cutting her off.

“Please, Abby, I don’t want to talk about that, okay?” I pull the covers back from my makeshift bed on the floor.

“Have you talked about it at all? To anyone?” she asks, getting under her covers as well.

“No,” I reply dryly, laying down and looking at her. She’s on her side with her head propped up in her hands; her eyebrows are raised, telling me to explain. “It’s not something that I like talking about. Not now, not ever.”

I let out a sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. I know she’s only trying to help. But talking about it and letting myself feel the feelings that go along with it won’t bring my parents back.

“I'm sorry,” I finally say after a few moments.

“I know. And I get it. But I’m here for you, Aria. Whenever you’re ready,” she whispers.

All I do is nod at her. She sighs and reaches out to turn the light off from her night table. I hear her turn over and after a few moments, her breathing evens out and she’s fast asleep. I know that Abby will always be there for me, but I’ll never be ready to talk about that night. I roll over and pull my covers up to my head, letting the darkness of sleep take over.

“Dude, your dad was pissed tonight,” Bennett says, opening my fridge and grabbing himself a beer.

“Make yourself at home,” I say sarcastically, pulling out one of my kitchen chairs and sitting my tired ass down.

He ends up grabbing two and hands me one. I mumble a thanks and twist the cap off.

“Yeah, I know,” I agree. “I’ve never seen him so frustrated before. It must have something to do with the fact that there’s an increase in vampire activity around the city. Not to mention he’s pissed that one got through Luna’s wards undetected and attacked one of our own.”

Before Aria and her brother came to town, the vampire activity had started to pick up. I actually wasn’t supposed to be on duty that night they came to town, but as much as I disagree with my father about the double patrols, I’m glad I was there. It’s also why Bennett and I are back in rotation again. I hate double patrols because we’ve only gotten maybe 4 hours of sleep each night. Although, I’m not complaining about the training duty because that’s more time that I get to spend with Aria. But with every pack member pulling doubles, it makes us less efficient.

“I ended up going over to visit Sloane and see how she’s doing. Her wounds are getting better but she’s still unconscious. Kora gave her a potion to keep her knocked out until her neck heals more.” Bennett leans against my counter and takes a sip of his beer. “Ciera said that she might not remember anything about the attack when she wakes up, but hopefully she does.”

“I hope so too. Anything she can remember will help. He attacked her for a reason. Maybe he said something to her?” I shake my head as I take a sip of my beer and lean back in my chair, running a hand along my face and letting out a harsh breath. This is so fucked.

“You’re worried about Aria too, aren’t you, man?” Bennett studies me from across the room.

Leave it to my best friend to read my mind without having to use our telepathic link.

“Her headache immobilized her tonight. What if something is really wrong?” I set my beer down on the table and lean forward, resting my head in my hands.

I know I could have taken out any vamp that would have tried to come anywhere near her. That’s not what I’m worried about. I’ve grown up around witches. I’ve seen witches who are just getting used to using magic. Sure, I’ve seen them get tired and maybe even not feel well, but not a single one of them has gotten a headache that completely incapacitated them like that. Not that I know of, anyway.

“I know what you mean. Let’s see how she is in the morning. For all we know, she’ll be better after a good night’s rest. Ever since she and Declan got here, she’s done nothing but train, and not to mention she had this bombshell thrown at her.” Bennett steps forward and places a hand on my shoulder.

I glance up at him and I can feel the muscle in my jaw tick. He’s right. I’m probably overreacting. She probably does just need some rest.

“Let’s not worry too much about it yet.” He gives me a good pat on the shoulder, then backs up to the counter.

“You’re right. You stopping by Z’s tonight, by any chance?” I ask him, taking another sip of my beer.

Bennett shakes his head. “Nah, I’m pretty beat. But I told him I’d drop by in the morning to drop off his Madden game he let me borrow. Why? What’s up?”

“Just to be on the safe side, can you just let him know about what happened tonight with Aria? I won’t have time to talk to him tomorrow. I just want to make sure he’s aware just in case. We patrol tomorrow night and he’s training with her,” I ask, bringing my bottle to my lips again. Warm beer is among one of the top ten things I hate most in this world, so I tend to drink it quickly.

“Yeah, sure, bruh.” Bennett finishes his beer and tosses the bottle in the trash.

I chug the rest of mine and toss my bottle as well.

“I’m out of here bro. Catch you on the flip side,” he says, stretching his arms over his head.

I stand and walk him out. Then, I walk up the steps to my room and kick off my boots and socks. The rest of my clothes, besides my boxers, come off next and I flop down on my bed.

* * *

“Hunter.” I hear a female voice say, and I feel hands on me. “Hunter, wake up.”

That voice sounds a lot like Aria’s. Am I dreaming? Surely this is a dream. I’m hoping it is because my dick is standing at full attention. I crack open one eye and see her beautiful green eyes looking at me. Oh, fuck me. I sit up with a jolt and she jumps back.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just, when you didn’t show up to breakfast or in the training room, I got worried and came looking for you. Bennett said you might still be here,” she explains in a rush. She tucks a stray hair behind her ear and her eyes flick to mine.

I watch as her eyes drop down to my bare chest and stomach, then lower, before returning up to meet my gaze. Her face flushes that pretty pink color, and she sucks that bottom lip between her teeth. Now, my dick feels so swollen, it’s almost painful. Ignoring him, I smirk at her, and her cheeks start to turn red because she just got caught checking me out. Of course, I don’t want her to feel left out, so I let my eyes roam down her body. She’s got on those tight little workout pants and a loose green tank top that’s tied at the bottom. Across her chest it says, “Will run for tacos.” I chuckle and she quirks an eyebrow.

“You’ll run for tacos, huh?” I smile at her as she looks down and reads her shirt.

Slowly, she lifts her head back up. Her eyes are slightly hooded, and she’s got that lip tucked between her teeth again. Fuck, what is this girl doing to me? It’s as if I have the same effect on her as she does on me. I need to stop thinking about those pretty lips. Otherwise, I’ll take her right now.

“I do love tacos. They’re my favorite,” she chirps, pulling me from my thoughts of claiming her.

“I know a place in town that has amazing tacos. I’ll have to take you sometime,” I vow.

She smiles. “I’d like that.”

I look at her beautiful face for a moment. She looks tired and worn down, like she’s only here because she feels like she has to be, when she should be taking time to rest. Finally getting my erection under control, I get up out of bed and approach her. Her gaze follows me until I'm standing right in front of her.

“How’s your head this morning?” I ask, cupping her cheek as she looks up at me.

I swipe my thumb across her cheek bone, and I hear her soft inhale.

“Better,” she says too quickly.

I quirk a brow at her.

“Nothing gets past you, does it?” she brushes past me over to my bed and sits down. “I had a headache when I woke up this morning. It wasn’t as bad as last night. I drank some of Grace’s special tea and took some medicine. That seems to help for a while.” She puts her head in her hands and starts rubbing her temples.

“Do you want to skip training today?” I walk over and sit on the bed next to her. She stops rubbing her head and turns her face toward me.

She shakes her head. “No. I want to train today. I brought some meds with me and I’m feeling okay now. I’ll stop if it gets to be too much.” Her voice sounds small.

I study her for a moment, and all I see in her green gaze is determination.

“Now, can you please get dressed so we can get to work?” She smirks and shoots up off my bed and is down the steps before I can say anything.

I grab some fresh gym clothes and boxers and pad my way into the bathroom to change and brush my teeth. I throw on my socks and sneakers and head downstairs. Aria is sitting on my couch, waiting patiently for me. When her gaze locks with mine, she smiles.

“Took you long enough.” She stands and stretches, then reaches down and picks up a backpack.

I glance down at it and realize its mine. When my eyes meet hers again, her cheeks flush.

“I saw it sitting there by the steps. I cleaned it out and filled it with new water bottles from your fridge. I hope you don’t mind.” She rocks back on her heels.

“It’s fine, babe. Help yourself to whatever you want. My cabin is your cabin.” I smile.

Her breath hitches and she blushes. I realize that I just called her “babe” again. She’s not even mine and here I am calling her “babe.” I clear my throat and run my hand through my hair.

“Should we get going, then?” I mumble.

She nods, throws the backpack over one shoulder, and turns and heads for the door.

I reach for the backpack when I close the door behind me, and I’m surprised she lets me take it from her. We walk to our training spot from yesterday in silence. Setting the bag down, I pull out my speaker and hook some music up again. I glance up at Aria and she’s stretching. Her shirt lifts and I catch a glimpse of skin again.

“What?” She catches me looking at her. “Do I have something on my shirt?” She looks down and slightly pulls on her shirt to get a better look.

“No.” I stand up. This is not how I wanted this to go. “Fuck it.”

I take two steps toward her, our gazes lock as I cup both of her cheeks in my hands and crash my lips onto hers. Her hands wrap around my wrists but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, her body leans into mine. I inhale sharply through my nose and catch her scent; lavender and vanilla. I want so badly to taste more of her, but not now. I break the kiss and rest my forehead against hers.

“That was not our first kiss,” I breathe.

Opening my eyes, I note that Aria’s eyes are still closed, but then they slowly open and our eyes meet once more.

“It wasn’t?” she whispers.

I shake my head against hers, before kissing her softly again. I drop my hands and slowly walk backward. Her cheeks are flushed, her pupils are dilated, and it’s taking everything in me not to walk my ass back over to her and show her what our real first kiss will be like.

Now isn’t the right time. Aria deserves more than just an in-the-moment first kiss. I care about her, and I want to do right by her.

“You ready to get started?” I ask, pushing the thoughts of kissing Aria out of my head.

I flash her my dimples, and I hear her take in a deep breath. When she nods, I bend down to push play on my speaker, and we start to warm up.

* * *

“Aria, you’re tiny. Use that to your advantage.” I say, holding my hands up so she can punch each one. “Stay low, hit low and upward.”

She grunts. I can tell she’s getting frustrated. Her breathing is ragged, and her moves are slowing down. She stops for a moment and wipes the sweat off her forehead.

“Let’s take a break.” I drop my hands, walking over to the backpack, reaching in for a water bottle, and handing one to her.

She hesitates for a moment, then takes it from me and sits on the rock. I can feel someone trying to open the telepathic link, so I open my mind to see who it is.

Hey, Hunt. Just wanted you to know that I talked to Z. How’s Blondie? Bennett’s voice pops through.

She said her head was still bothering her this morning. She’s a trooper, though, and she’s working through the pain, I think back to him and take a drink of water.

I notice Aria wince as she drops the water bottle and brings both hands to her head. I rush over and kneel in front of her. She’s breathing heavily, and a soft whimper escapes her lips. I pull her into my arms and sit back, cradling her head to my chest.

Dude, you alright? The link is still open. What’s happening? Bennett’s concerned voice echoes through my head.

It’s Aria. She’s—

Her scream cuts my thoughts off and I shut Bennett out. Minutes pass by the time she finally loosens her grip on her head. Her hands slowly fall to my chest as she pushes herself back slightly to look up at me.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, leaning forward, resting her forehead on my chin.

“Sorry for what? You have nothing to be sorry for.” I kiss her temple as she nuzzles into my neck.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she murmurs.

I feel helpless. All I want in the world is to make this stop for her.

“Hey, look at me,” I pull her off me and place my hands on her cheeks. “There is nothing wrong with you, okay?”

She looks at me, her eyes full of worry.

“We will figure this out together, I promise,” I assure her.

She nods her head once. When I hear footsteps approaching, I don’t make a move to get up, and neither does Aria. Instead, she turns her head and rests it on my shoulder, then wraps her arms around me. I glance up and see Bennett running with Ciera.

“Everything okay? You sounded worried, and then I got worried. So, I panicked and all I could think to do was grab Ciera and rush over here,” Bennett huffs as he stops just a foot away from us.

Ciera clutches her side as she comes to a halt next to him.

“I hate running,” she says after a moment of trying to catch her breath.

“I thought you liked it, given that boy you dated who was on the track team in school. You went running with him every Saturday morning,” Bennett teases her.

Ah, I remember that kid. Pretty sure his name was Chad. He was a douche. I think they met at some underage club for students in the French Quarter. Everyone here on the Compound is homeschooled, but sometimes they go out and meet up with other kids their age. Take a break from magic and just try to be normal kids for a change. I know I liked going to those places. Since Ciera is like a sister to Bennett and I, we got real protective over her every time we saw that Chad dude. He treated her like absolute shit. When she finally broke up with him, we took her out to celebrate, as honorary big brothers would do.

“Please don’t make me punch you in the face for bringing that fucker up.” Ciera glares at him.

Her threat makes him chuckle, which only pisses her off and she sucker punches him in the stomach.

“For God’s sake, Ciera,” Bennett groans, hunching over in pain.

She glares at him for a moment longer, then turns her attention to us.

“What’s going on? All Bennett said was that it was Aria and it’s an emergency.” Ciera takes a step forward and kneels down in front of Aria.

“I started getting a bad headache yesterday afternoon. Sometimes I’ll get this super sharp pain that lasts for a few minutes before it goes away. That’s only happened twice now. But mostly it’s just a dull ache.” Aria lifts her head off my shoulder, but then lays it back down.

“Have you taken anything for it?” Ciera asks, reaching up and feeling Aria’s forehead. I know she doesn’t have a fever, but her skin does feel a little clammy.

“Yes, which reminds me, can someone get the ibuprofen from the side pocket of the backpack, please?” Aria lifts her hand and points over to where the backpack is.

Bennett walks over and grabs the pill bottle and a bottle of water.

“How many do you want?” he asks, opening the pill bottle.

She holds up two fingers, and he dumps out two into his palm and hands them to her. He opens the water bottle as she tosses the pills into her mouth, then she reaches up for the bottle. She takes a sip to wash them down. When she’s finished, I take it from her and hand it back to Bennett, who replaces the cap and sets it down on the ground.

“Thank you,” she mumbles and rests her head back on my shoulder.

I glance over at Ciera. “What are you thinking?”

She bites her bottom lip and studies Aria for a moment.

“To be honest, I’m not sure. It could be she’s just exhausted and needs a day or so to relax and rest.” She rocks herself back and stands, brushing the dirt from her hands on her jean shorts. “Or it could mean that her magic is just overwhelming her. Sometimes that will happen with the younger witches. If they don’t release some of their power, it will have side effects, which vary from witch to witch. I can talk to my grandma about it. See what she thinks.”

“Okay,” Aria agrees reluctantly from my lap. “Just please don’t tell Declan about what happened today. Not until we know for sure.”

Ciera looks unsure if she should agree, but eventually nods.

“We’re done training for today,” I declare.

Aria wiggles free from my lap and stands on shaky legs.

“No, I’m starting to feel better now. Give me a few more minutes and then we can keep going. I want to work more with the bow and arrow,” she protests, but her voice is wobbly, just like her legs.

“Babe, we’re done for today. We can get back to work in a few days, or at least when we figure out what’s causing these headaches,” I say quietly.

I can see her jaw clench like she’s about to protest, but then to my surprise, she sucks in a deep breath.

“Okay. But I’m still training with Zayne tonight. If my headaches are caused by me not using my magic, then I think it would be a good idea if I do train with him. But until then, I’ll rest. I'm not supposed to meet with him until around seven anyway. He’s watching his nephew.” Aria tries to take a step forward, but her legs give out and she starts to fall face first.

Bennett catches her. “Whoa there, Blondie. Maybe you shouldn’t be by yourself until then.”

He lifts her up, so her feet are firmly planted on the ground. I reach for her and she leans into me for support.

“Declan is training with Knox, then he will be with Ciera. And I saw Luna and Abby leave the Compound earlier,” Bennett tells me.

“She can come back to my cabin and rest there. I have nothing else to do today until our patrol starts at six,” I offer, not really going to give her the option to say no.

I feel a nudge in my head and open the telepathic link. Bennett is standing right in front of me, so I know it’s not him.

Hello, boys. I hear my father’s voice in my head.

He must have tuned in Bennett as well. Only Alpha’s can talk to more than one wolf telepathically and link them together, so we can all communicate at once.

I need you to come by before your shift tonight. We have new information on the vampire that attacked Sloane, my father commands.

I look at Bennett and roll my eyes.

Yes, sir, I answer him, and then he’s gone.

Aria hisses, grabbing her head again as her legs give out from under her. I catch her and lift her up into my arms.

“Huh. Weird,” Ciera mutters under her breath.

She studies Aria, who is trying to breathe through the pain. Her eyes are squeezed shut, and she buries her face in my neck.

“What?” I snap, not meaning to.

Ciera, of course, doesn’t care. All I want to do is get Aria back to my cabin and in my bed where she can rest.

“Did you guys use your telepathic link just now?” she asks.

Bennett and I share a look, then we both nod.

“What does that have to do with Aria’s headaches?” Bennett asks, taking the question from out of my mouth.

“I’m not sure. Maybe nothing, maybe everything.” She shrugs, taking a step closer.

Aria’s grip on me seems to lessen and I can feel her turn her head slightly. When I glance down, her eyes are still closed.

Ciera grimaces. “You are so going to hate me for this, but humor me. Try using it again.”

“Are you joking? If using that around Aria makes her head want to explode, then no, I won’t put her in any more pain!” I shout at her.

“But if it is the reason, then I can try to help her faster,” Ciera snaps back, narrowing her eyes at me.

She has a point. I clench my jaw, pissed off that I have to do this. I take in a deep breath and let it out through my nose.

“Alright,” I say flatly, and look to my best friend.

The look on his face says he doesn’t want to do this either. Then I open the telepathic link to Bennett.

I fucking hate this.

Me too, man. But if it helps Aria, then we have to do this. Just once, Bennett tells me, trying to remind me that this is for Aria’s sake.

Almost on cue, I hear Aria whimper and she turns her head back into my neck. Well, fuck. It seems like Ciera may be onto something.

“Interesting. Okay, now I have somewhere to start. I’ll check in with you guys later.” Ciera turns on her heel and runs off back toward the barn.

Bennett places a hand on my shoulder, and I look at him.

“Dude. We will figure this out. She’ll be okay.” He pats my shoulder once.

I turn to look at Aria. Her eyes are still closed, and it’s like she has no idea what’s going on around her. The muscle in my jaw ticks, and I nod.

What if I can’t be around her anymore?

No, Ciera will find something. I rid my head of those thoughts and try to focus on getting her back to my cabin.

“Do me a favor?” I look at Bennett again. “Can you pack this up and stop by Luna’s to grab her some fresh clothes?”

“Absolutely,” Bennett replies, and moves to start cleaning up the mess. “You go on ahead. I’ll be there soon.”

I nod and glance down at Aria, who seems to have passed out in my arms.

We make it back to my cabin without being seen. Which works out well because I don’t need anyone asking questions we don’t have the answers to.

It’s also no one’s goddamn business.

I bend my knees down so I can open my door, then kick it closed after I cross the threshold. I carry her up the steps and lay her down gently on my bed. The only thing keeping me sane right now is the fact that I can hear her breathing. I untie her sneakers and set them on the floor by the bed, then I cover her up. I brush the hair off her face, tucking the locks behind her ear.

“Please wake up soon,” I murmur.

I hear a soft knock on my front door, and I make my way back downstairs. When I open the door, I'm surprised to find Abby holding out a bag for me.

“What are you doing here? Benny said you left with your mom,” I point out, taking the bag from her.

“I did. We had just gotten back when Bennett stormed through our front door like a bat out of hell,” Abby scoffs. “Mind telling me what the hell is going on with my best friend?”

She crosses her arms over her chest. She may be tiny, but she’s sassy, especially when her brown hair is in a messy bun on top of her head.

“Bennett didn’t tell you?” I quirk a brow, leaning on the door frame.

She huffs and shakes her head no.

I sigh, stepping aside to let her in. “Apparently, Aria gets a sharp pain in her head when we use our telepathic link around her. Ciera figured that much out just a few minutes ago.”

“Are you serious?” she all but shouts.

I put a finger to my lips.

“She’s asleep upstairs. But yeah, I am. Ciera is working on it.” I take a seat on my couch and put my head in my hands.

“Hunter.” Abby’s voice commands me to look up at her. “Aria has been one of my best friends for years. She’s a tough girl. She will get through this. I know she will. But she’ll try and push herself too hard.” She pauses, then comes over to sit on the coffee table in front of me. “So please, don’t let her. Take care of my best friend, will you?” Her steel-grey eyes fill with tears.

“I will, Abby. I promise,” I say.

She gives me a once-over, then smiles.

“I know you will.” And with that she stands and starts to walk out the door, but turns abruptly. “Oh, I packed extra in case she wants to stay here for a few nights. I know my floor isn’t as comfortable as a bed.”

She winks at me. Then she walks out, closing the door behind her. I smile to myself at Abby’s comment. She’s just as bad as Bennett. Then I remember. I rush out after her and she’s already off the steps.

“Hey, Abby, wait!” I shout after her, and she turns.

“Yeah?”

“Aria mentioned something about a bonfire before everything went down. I was thinking maybe we can have one.”

Abby beams up at me. “That’s the best idea I think you’ve ever had. I’ll get something together. I’m headed over to the barn now to help Ciera.”

I grin. “Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything.”

She waves before turning to leave. I walk back upstairs to check on Aria. She’s still sleeping, so I grab some fresh clothes and go take a shower, hoping that she’ll be awake when I’m done.

I vaguely hear something hit a hard surface and then feel a hand gently touch my forehead. My eyes immediately open, and I bolt upright into a sitting position, gasping.

“Whoa! Hey, it’s me! It’s me!” Hunter’s soothing voice instantly calms my erratic heartbeat.

I’ve never blacked out like that before and it scares the hell out of me. I let out a shaky breath and look at my surroundings.

Okay, I know where I am.

I'm in Hunter’s room.

Oh, I’m in his bed. Right, okay.

Holy shit.

I’m in Hunter’s bed. My eyes finally land on him.

He is sitting on the bed in front of me wearing his black tactical pants and a form-fitting black t-shirt. His shaggy black hair is damp, and he smells like men’s body wash. His bright blue eyes are locked on me and he looks relieved.

“How are you feeling?” His tone is soft.

He reaches up and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. Oh, Lord. I probably look like a hot mess right now.

“I-I’m ok. I’ve got a small headache, but nothing like what it was.” I answer truthfully. My head doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode, so it’s a win for me. “What does Ciera think?”

Hunter sighs and stands up from the bed. I bring my knees up to my chest and lay my head down.

“Well…” He trails off, reaching into his dresser drawer and pulling out black socks.

I’ve never really thought that men who walk around barefoot were sexy. That is, until I'm watching Hunter stride across his bedroom floor with no shoes or socks on. He sits back down on the bed, putting them on.

“She thinks it may have something to do with the telepathic link that shifters use to communicate,” he finishes.

“Come again?” I lift my head up off my knees and gape at him.

“It’s how we communicate while we’re in wolf form, but we have the link in our human form as well. It’s like having a cell phone, only without the bill and choosing who gets to call you,” he explains, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his legs.

I have a nice view of his profile from where I am, but I scoot closer to him.

“It’s a two-way line, unless you’re the Alpha. Only an Alpha can talk to the whole pack at once if he chooses.” He turns his head to me, his expression tight. “Every time we used the link today, your pain seemed to get worse. Ciera figured it out and now she and Abby are busy looking for anything that might help or tell us why. We don’t think it’s the cause, but using it around you certainly doesn’t help.”

He lets out a sigh and hangs his head. He looks guilty, like it’s somehow his fault that this is happening.

“Hunter.” I reach down and grab his hand, wanting to comfort him the way he did for me. “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t know, and I'm okay now.”

He doesn’t look at me, so I take my free hand and pull his face toward me. He resists slightly but then slowly turns his head and our gazes lock.

“Remember what you said to me? We will figure this out. Together.” I give him a reassuring smile.

He lets out a breath through his nose, his lips forming a tight line. He still doesn’t look convinced, so I do the only thing I can think of in this moment. I lean forward and press my lips against his. When I pull away, there’s a smile forming on his lips.

“That’s still not our first kiss,” he whispers, and I giggle.

“It’s not?” I ask, biting my lip.

Hunter’s eyes flash a bright blue as his gaze drops down to my lips. It almost feels like he’s caressing my skin with just this look.

“Nope.” He smirks, flashing me his dimples, then gets up from the bed.

Damn. One non-kiss and I’m wet. One non-kiss and I’m clenching my legs together for some relief. One kiss? I’ll be screwed.

“Are you hungry?” he asks, holding out a hand to me.

I nod and slip my hand in his. He pulls me up from the bed.

“I can put a pizza in the oven.” He says, leading us to the steps. “Oh. Abby brought you over some clothes, so if you want to take a shower, you can. I laid out a towel in the bathroom for you.”

“She did?” I question. “I thought Abby and her mom weren’t home?”

“They had just gotten back when Bennett went to go grab your things.” Hunter starts down the steps and I follow. He reaches for my bag that’s sitting on the couch and hands it to me. “Here, go take a shower. I’ll put the pizza in the oven and make you some tea.” He quickly kisses my cheek and turns and heads for his kitchen.

“Thanks!” I shout after him, and then go back upstairs to his bathroom.

His bathroom is beautiful. There’s a long vanity with one sink in the middle and straight back is a bathtub. The colors are earth tones and I make a mental note to ask Luna about picking me up some paints next time she goes into town. I set my bag on the floor and open it to see what Abby packed for me. I’m thankful that she packed all the essentials and my favorite lavender-scented body wash. I pull out a pair of jean shorts and a shirt and lay them out, next to the towel and washcloth Hunter set out for me.

I walk over to the bathtub and turn the water on, making sure it’s extra hot. Taking hot showers helps to relax me, even though its hotter than hell outside. As I let the water heat up, I take a look at myself in the mirror. My face is pale, and I have dark circles under my eyes. My ponytail is falling out of my hair tie, and hair is sticking out all over the place.

Well, thanks for telling me I look like a hot mess, Hunter.

Letting out a sigh, I look away from my horrible reflection and strip my clothes off. I gather my shower supplies and set them on the edge of the tub and then step in under the stream.

I hiss at how hot the water is and step back. I was not expecting that. Although, now that I think about it, we have been staying at cheap hotels. I’m about to take the risk of burning my hand when I remember that I can use my magic. I close my eyes and feel for the humming sensation. The more I use my magic, the more easily it comes forth when I’m searching for it.

When I finally feel like I have control, I reach forward and the water stream splits in two, and I’m able to reach forward and adjust the temperature. With my free hand, I feel one of the streams of water, and when it’s at a temperature that’s not about to burn my flesh off my bones, I pull my hand away and let the water go back to normal.

I totally just pulled a Moses move.

I giggle to myself as I turn and put my head back into the hot stream. I close my eyes briefly and moan at how lovely this feels. Then I reach for my shampoo and lather it in my hair. After I wash my body from the day, I still stand under stream. But then I start to feel a dull ache in my head that quickly turns into the stabbing pain that I felt out in the clearing with Hunter. I press my palm to my forehead and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to breath through it. I think I hear Hunter shout my name, but I’m not sure.

A sob escapes my lips and I fall to my knees.

Just then, the door bursts open, and a few seconds later, the shower curtain flies to the side. I’m in too much pain to care that I’m as naked as the day I was born in front of Hunter. He turns the water off and grabs the towel. When he wraps it around me, a small, sharp pain throbs in my head and I wince.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you,” Hunter whispers into my ear as he leans forward and lifts me from the tub.

He carries me out of the bathroom, dripping water all over the floor. I bury my face in his neck like I had earlier. It’s an odd sense of calm, being near him when this happens. He doesn’t take the pain away, but I do feel safe when I’m in his presence. He gently sets me down on his bed, and when he tries to pull away, I won’t let go. I don’t want to let go. Not until the pain is gone. It’s like I need him here.

It doesn’t take much to scare me. Hell, I fight the most dangerous creatures on the planet and live to tell the tale. But this? This scares the hell out of me.

I scoot over, making sure the towel stays in place, but also not letting go of Hunter. He doesn’t say anything, but slides into his bed next to me and pulls me closer. A shiver runs through me and he takes his blanket and covers the both of us. The throbbing in my head is starting to calm down. I shut my eyes and breathe through it, because at this point, it’s all I can do. After a few moments, the pain is nearly gone and I lift my head up slightly and realize that the whole left side of Hunter is wet.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble to him, trying to push myself off of him, but he only tightens his grip on me.

“You’re sorry? I’m the one that forgot to mention to my pack about the situation. When Knox contacted me through our telepathic link to touch base I nearly wolfed out.” Hunter pulls me closer and I just lay my head back on his chest. “Then I heard you scream out and that’s when I rushed in. I’m so sorry, Aria.” He kisses my head.

He really thinks this is his fault? I make sure to have a good grip on the towel, and I pull the blanket closer just in case, then I sit up and narrow my eyes at him.

“Hey,” I breathe.

His eyes snap to mine and stay there. He’s careful not to look down at the rest of me. Ever the gentleman.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Apart from us, the only other people that know are Bennett, Abby, and Ciera. And we all just found out not even two hours ago.” I reach out, placing my palm on his cheek. He closes his eyes and leans into my touch. “Don’t do that. Don’t blame yourself.”

“But—” He sighs, opening his eyes to look back up at me. I give him a small smile.

“No buts, Hunter St. James. I’m not going to ask you to stop communicating with your pack telepathically because it gives me headaches. It’s going to be hard for you to not do that. So, if that means that I need to deal with this until we find a cure or something, then I’ll deal with it. Just don’t stop being you.”

He removes my hand from his face and kisses my palm.

“You’re amazing. You know that?” He smirks at me, flashing me those dimples. Again.

“Yep.” I chirp. I glance down at his wet shirt. “I’m sorry I got you all wet.”

His eyes glow an even deeper blue as they travel down my body. I feel the blood rush to my core and I bite my lower lip when his heated gaze meets mine. My entire body comes alive under his stare. His look alone sets my skin on fire.

He knows it.

I know it.

“What’s your favorite color?” I blurt out, unsure where that came from.

“What?” He blinks, the heat slowly dimming in his blue eyes. He closes them for a brief second and runs a hand down his face.

“What’s your favorite color?” I ask him again.

He opens his eyes and looks at me.

“Green.” His voice is low and husky.

I quirk a brow at him.

“What? Do you not like green?”

“No, it’s not that. I was just expecting your answer to be blue,” I joke. I grip the towel again. “Close your eyes.”

He does what he is told, and I get up from the bed and make my way back into his bathroom, but I don’t shut the door. Even though we just met, the connection I feel with him goes deeper than lust. I trust him.

“Why would you think my favorite color is blue?” he asks from the bedroom.

I remove the towel from my body and thoroughly dry myself off.

“I don’t know. Blue is the usual answer, I guess,” I say loudly so he can hear from the bathroom. I put my clothes on that I had picked out and start to towel dry my hair.

“You ask a lot of guys that question?”

I jump at the sound of his voice in the doorway.

“Oh, my God!” I shout, my heart thundering in my chest. “What if I wasn’t dressed yet?”

He shrugs, leaning his tall frame in the bathroom doorway. He crosses his arms over his chest. I get the impression that he wouldn’t have cared either way. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have cared either.

I suck in a deep breath. “No.”

He quirks an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with my answer. I roll my eyes and turn and reach for my makeup bag that I had set on the bathroom counter.

“You don’t need that.”

I lift my eyes and meet Hunter’s through the mirror. He’s standing right behind me.

“You look just as beautiful without it,” he elaborates.

I smile at him through the mirror, then zip up my bag and turn and face him.

“I haven’t been with anyone since my parents died. So, I’m a little rusty on the whole getting-to-know-you thing,” I whisper.

He lets out a soft chuckle. “I have a question.”

“Okay…” I drag out.

“What’s the tattoo on your ribs mean?” he asks, reaching forward and gently touching the left side of my ribs as I grip the bathroom counter. “I caught a glimpse of it earlier.” He pulls his hand away and runs it through his hair.

I inhale sharply. “It’s my parents’ birth and death dates in Roman numerals. Declan and I both have the same one.”

A look of understanding crosses his features and he doesn’t say any more.

The timer from the kitchen goes off.

“C’mon. Lunch is ready,” he says.

“Give me a minute? I’m going to brush my hair and then I’ll be down.”

He nods and leaves. I quickly brush my hair and then run my fingers through it, so it isn’t flat. One last look in the mirror, and I'm satisfied with everything. I clean up my mess and hang the towel up on the rack. I grab my bag and make my way downstairs. I set it down by the stairs and head to the kitchen.

* * *

After we eat lunch, we go into the living room and watch TV. Well, the TV is on, but we’re talking.

Or we were. I blink my eyes open and glance up at his TV to find that some car show is on. I’m not sure how I ended up with my head on Hunter’s lap, or his hand on my waist, but here I am praying to the gods that I haven’t drooled all over him. Then his lap starts…vibrating? I sit up slowly and my eyes drift up to Hunter’s face. He’s fast asleep.

I take a moment to really look at him. Dark lashes fan his face and his shaggy black hair is perfectly messy, laying across his forehead. He looks relaxed. He told me over lunch that his dad is making everyone work double shifts and team up until the vampire who attacked Sloane is found.

Then three things happen simultaneously: a sharp pain runs through my head, Hunter jumps up from the couch like a bat out of hell, and Bennett rushes through the front door.

“God damn it, Benny!” Hunter shouts, breathing heavy.

I have my palm on my head, breathing through the pain that’s starting to go away almost as quickly as it came. Hunter sits back down next to me and puts his arm around me.

“Are you okay?” he murmurs.

I nod.

Hunter’s eyes flash as he turns his gaze to Bennett. “You knew she was here. Why didn’t you call me on my cell phone?”

“I did call you. Three times, to be exact. And I even texted you. Don’t wolf out on me because you didn’t check it.” Bennett comes over and sits down on the coffee table in front of me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I glance up at him.

“I’m sorry, Blondie. When your man here didn’t answer, we got worried. I only used one word, though.” He shrugs.

I hear a soft growl from next to me and I narrow my eyes at Hunter, who’s giving Bennett a death glare.

Bennett rolls his eyes. “Will you calm your tits, Hunt?”

“I’m okay, I promise,” I murmur.

I grab Hunter’s hand and he turns to look at me. When I give him a reassuring smile, he instantly relaxes.

“Why are you here, Bennett?” Hunter sighs, removing his arm from around my shoulders but still holding my hand.

“Because it’s six-fifty and our shift starts…” He pulls up his wrist and pretends to check the time on his invisible watch. “…like, forty minutes ago.”

“Shit!” Hunter exclaims and is on his feet quicker than my brain has time to register.

“Again, calm your tits. Knox called and said that he and Axton got held up on the way back due to an accident. They’ll be here by seven-thirty.” Bennett explains, and Hunter lets out a harsh breath. They both look dead on their feet. “But your dad wants to talk to you, like now, so you still have to go.”

Hunter scowls at him, then continues to put his boots on.

“Why don’t you have to go?” I look at Bennett.

He turns to me and smirks.

“Because…” He drawls out the word. “One, I am not the Alpha’s son, therefore I am not the Beta. And two, someone has to take you to your training sesh with Z.”

Right. I almost forgot Hunter was the Beta wolf. Hunter finishes lacing up his boots and stands up from the bottom step that he’s sitting on. He grabs his keys off the hook by the door, puts them in his pocket, and then strides over to me.

“Zayne has my number, so if you need anything, have him call me. I’m going to be back late, so feel free to come back here after your training session. I mean, if you want to.” Hunter says, then kisses my forehead. Then he turns to Bennett. “Make sure she gets to Z’s safely.”

“Dude, it’s a five-minute walk,” Bennett laughs.

Hunter shoots him a look, then closes the door behind him. Bennett then turns to me and raises his eyebrows.

“What?” I shrug.

Bennett’s lips kick up into a grin.

“Was I interrupting anything?” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.

“No. We were just sleeping.”

I get up and walk over to my bag and I am happy to find that Abby packed my Converse, so I throw them on. I haven’t decided if I'm going to come back here yet. I know Hunter offered, but is it too soon to spend the night? I push those thoughts to the back of my mind. I’ll worry about that later, after my session with Zayne.

“Uh-huh. Sure.” Bennett laughs again.

I shrug, heading for the door. “Believe what you want.”

“Look, all jokes aside, I’m happy that he has you. Hunter hasn’t had the easiest time being the Alpha’s kid. His dad has always been tougher on him than any other wolf in the pack. He deserves some happiness, and from what I can tell, he’s finding it in you. And I know it’s only been a few days, but everyone can see the connection that you both have.”

Bennett’s honest confession catches me off guard and I stop dead in my tracks.

“You really care about him, don’t you?” It’s not really a question, more like a statement.

He nods. “He’s my brother from another mother. I’d do anything for him, as he would for me. There’s a lot of pressure on him since he’s the Beta.” When I quirk a brow, he raises his hands. “That’s his story to tell.”

We start walking through the Compound again. It’s starting to get dark out, so the twinkling lights are starting to light up.

“Hey, so if you guys have that telepathic ability, why do you use cell phones?” I ask, thinking back to when Bennett called the two wolves the night we got here.

“I mean, we do live in a place that has witches too. They don’t have access to the link. It’s only the wolves. I used the phone to call Jasper and Kai because we didn’t know how much you knew about us. It’s not pack law to keep the telepathic link a secret, but we try not to tell people about it. Witches can use dark magic to try and sever the link,” Bennett explains as we continue our walk down the path.

“Oh. That makes sense. How many witches know about it here?” I ask, curious.

“Not many. Kora and Ciera do, as well as Kat, Abby, Luna, Z, and of course Grace. That’s about it.” He shoves his hands into his pockets.

We approach a cabin, which I assume is Zayne’s, but Bennett reaches out and stops me.

“Hey, look, I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have used the link to get Hunter.” Bennett’s gaze shifts to his feet and he rocks on his heels.

“It’s fine. Like I told Hunter earlier, please don’t hesitate to use it if you need too. It’s what you’re used to. I’ll be fine.”

I give him a reassuring smile as his amber eyes meet mine. When I think about it for a second, I realize that not once since I’ve been here have I seen Bennett’s eyes glow like Hunter’s do.

“How come your eyes don’t glow?” I ask him.

“I’m always cool as a cucumber.” Bennett winks, and I giggle.

Suddenly, his cell phone rings from his pocket.

“Yo,” he answers, glancing at me. “Yes, she’s right here and we just got to Z’s.”

Zayne walks out of the cabin holding a blonde-haired little boy. I smile and wave, and the little boy smiles but then hides his face in the crook of Zayne’s neck.

“Alright, I’ll let them know. Do you want me to kiss your girl for you?” Bennett laughs as I shoot him a dirty look. I’m pretty sure I hear a growl right before Bennett hits the end call button on his phone. “Knox will be joining you tonight.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Because we can’t practice indoors. My sister would freak!” Zayne says, setting the toddler on his feet.

“Hey guys, I’ve got to go. Knox will be here shortly. Peace out, Girl Scouts.” Bennett throws up the peace sign before shifting into his red wolf and taking off.

“Who’s the little guy?” I walk up the steps and lean against the railing.

“This is my nephew, Micah.” Zayne kneels down next to the small boy and I do the same.

“Hi, Micah,” I coo at him.

I don’t mind kids. I used to baby sit our neighbor’s toddler to make extra money. He turns his hazel eyes to me and grins as he reaches out and touches my cheek. I make a move to play bite his little fingers and he giggles and turns to his uncle.

“He’s such a cutie,” I chuckle.

“Yeah. He’s my favorite little man.” Zayne hands a toy truck to Micah, who goes off to the side of the porch and starts playing.

Zayne and I both stand. I go back to my position on the step, while Zayne just puts his hands in his pockets.

“It’s just my sister, our grandmother, and me. Micah’s dad wanted nothing to do with him and our parents were killed just six months after he was born. My grandmother helps out when she can. But she’s got bad arthritis, so it’s hard for her to take care of Micah.” Zayne looks down at Micah as if lost in thought, then shakes his head. “Anyway, Alexander took our family in years ago. And they help when they can, too. We have a free place to stay, but my sister works to make extra money for Micah’s needs.”

“I know it doesn’t mean much, but I am sorry about your parents,” I say to him.

It’s true. I hate saying that because I always hated hearing it after Declan and I lost our parents. But I really do mean it.

A woman with short, light brown hair comes rushing up to the cabin.

“Sorry I’m late. Where’s Micah?” She walks up the stairs; Micah drops his truck and runs to her. “Hey, baby. Were you good for Uncle Z?” She kisses him on the cheek and tickles his belly, which sends him into a fit of cute baby giggles. Then he wraps his little arms around her neck, and she turns to me, holding out her hand. “You must be Aria. I’m Tessa, but please call me Tess.”

I shake her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you. Micah is super cute.” I smile at him and he grins at me.

Tess laughs. “Uh-oh, I think someone has a little crush.”

“Don’t tell Hunter that,” a deep voice says from behind me.

I turn to see Knox standing there in the same getup as Hunter and Bennett. His dark brown hair is pushed back off his forehead. Zayne laughs, and I turn and glare at him.

“Does everyone know?” I groan and toss my head and I hear everyone, including Micah, laugh.

“Yes!” Micah shouts, making everyone laugh again.

I turn my head to him and put a fake scowl on my face.

“Traitor,” I say, and he giggles.

“I’ve always said he will most likely be a comedian when he grows up.” Tess jokes. “Anyway, I’m going to get little man here inside and start the bedtime ritual. Be careful, guys!”

We all say goodnight to her as she walks inside. Then Zayne leads the way to the woods right behind his cabin. There’s an open clearing with a fire pit in the middle. Knox plops down on a fallen tree, which I notice is far away from the fire pit.

“Who’s with Grace?” Zayne asks as he gathers up sticks and places them in the fire pit.

I turn to Knox, who sighs as he runs a hand through his hair and then down his face. He looks just as tired as Hunter and Bennett, maybe even more so.

“She’s at the barn with Ciera, Abby, and Kat. They are trying to figure out why you—” He points to me. “—keep getting those headaches every time we use our link.”

Knox doesn’t sound bitter or mean saying that. He sounds more worried than anything else.

“So why are you here and not with them?” Zayne brushes his hands off on his jeans, then walks over and stands next to me. He’s not as tall as Hunter or Bennett, but he’s still taller than me.

“I’m here under Beta’s orders. I know Grace is safe at the barn.” Knox smirks and runs his index finger under his chin. “Once we are finished here, I plan on taking her back to our cabin and…”

Zayne holds his hands up. “Whoa, okay. Please do not finish that sentence. We all know you two fuck like bunnies. We don’t need any more confirmation.”

Both Knox and I laugh.

Then Zayne turns to me. “You ready to get started?”

I nod and follow Zayne to the fire pit. He walks around to the opposite side of the pit and faces me.

“Okay, so how does this work?” I ask, ready to learn something new.

“You get angry,” he tells me.

Our gazes lock and he quirks a brow.

I raise my eyebrows. “Come again?”

“Fire is different than air, water, and earth. It’s the only element that ties into an emotion. First, close your eyes and focus on the power that’s inside you.”

I do as he says and close my eyes. It’s easy to find the source of my power now that I’ve been practicing.

“Now, think of something that makes you angry,” he instructs.

I search my memories, trying to find something that makes me mad, and I come up blank. I keep searching and, after about twenty minutes, I groan.

“I got nothing,” I mutter.

“Bullshit, Aria.” Zayne leaps across the fire pit and lands right in front of me.

He stalks to my side and leans in close to my ear. I don’t turn my head to look at him.

“I know for a fact that there is one memory you have that makes you angry. One that boils your blood. And either you don’t want to admit it, or you haven’t accepted who it is that you’re really angry at,” he prods.

I clench my jaw shut and close my eyes. I know exactly what he’s referring to. I have never let myself go down this road. There are things that I have locked away and kept hidden so deep that I somehow managed to lose the damn key. The last thing I want to do is open that box. But I don’t think I have a choice. Zayne’s found the key, and he’s opened it for me.

I feel the anger flow threw my veins like hot lava. My hand feels warm, too warm. I slowly open my eyes and glance down at my hand to see that it’s on freaking fire. I don’t let myself panic, though. It doesn’t hurt. If anything, I’m mesmerized by the way the flames dance across my skin.

“You have to let it go,” Zayne demands in my ear.

The flames start to get hotter, so I hold my hand out and watch the flames leave my hand and fly straight into the pit. I let out a harsh breath and lean forward, resting my hands on my knees.

“Yeah, it takes a lot of concentration at first. But soon, you’ll be able to control it better. We can take a five-minute break and try again.” Zayne pats my back and walks around to sit on a rock.

I, however, do not have the energy to move, so I just plop my ass down right where I'm standing. And suddenly I get that feeling. The feeling that I get when a vampire is near. I’m up on my feet in a heartbeat and looking around.

“What’s wrong?” Zayne springs to his feet, and I hear Knox walking toward me too.

A loud boom sounds off to my left. We all turn and face that direction.

“That’s a signal that the wards have been breached.” Zayne breathes. “We just put that in place since the attack on Sloane.”

Knox curses under his breath. I can sense the vampire now. He’s close, and I know he’s not heading toward us, but to one of the cabins. I don’t stop to think. I take off running.

“Aria!” Knox and Zayne shout after me.

I hear their footsteps behind me and gaining, but I don’t slow down. I stay in the woods, using the trees to my advantage. Suddenly, something hits me from the side and I tumble to the ground. I roll onto my knees, then onto my feet. I look for either Knox or Zayne, but instead my eyes land on a black-haired, black-eyed vampire. And I immediately recognize him.

I am now face to face with the vampire that killed my parents.

“You,” I spit out.

I can feel my blood boiling. Knox shifts into his wolf and stands in front of me as Zayne grabs my arm and pulls me behind him.

“Relax. I am not going to hurt her. Yet.” The vampire smirks as he steps forward.

Knox lets out a growl and snaps at him.

“You son of a bitch!” I shout as I step around Zayne and try to lunge at the vampire. But Zayne wraps his arm around my waist to hold me back.

“Language,” the demon scolds.

“You killed my parents!” I shout.

Zayne’s head whips in my direction. I don’t look at him. My focus is on the bastard standing in front of me.

“Did I?” He puts a finger to his lips as if he’s thinking really hard about it. “Oh yes, Debora and Preston. You and your brother were not supposed to get away that night.”

“What?” I freeze in Zayne’s arms, but he keeps a tight grip on me. “How do you know their names?”

I hear Knox let out a deep growl. It seems like he’s seconds away from lunging at the vampire.

“We’ve been following your family line for centuries. Waiting for, well, you and your brother to be born.”

In an instant, with the flick of his fingers using the air element, both Knox and Zayne go flying in different directions. The vampire moves so fast that I don’t even have time to react. He slams into me, my back hitting the tree behind me. He grips my throat, and it tightens as I struggle against him. I am trying to drag air into my lungs, but his grip is too strong.

Then I feel the familiar hum against my back.

Duh. I have powers now, which this asshole somehow seems to have too.

Act now, ask questions later, I implore myself.

I’m not used to using my power much, but I see a stick lying close by and focus on it. It rises into the air, then flies right into the vampire’s side. He lets go of me, stumbling backward as I fall to the ground, sucking precious air into my lungs. I look up and my brain clicks off. I rush forward and wrap my fingers around the stick, pushing it further into his side. I know it won’t kill him, but I need to keep fighting. I feel the power move through my veins, I glance up at him and smirk. His eyes grow wide as I light the stick on fire and then kick his chest. He stumbles back, but manages to catch himself before falling.

“Interesting little parlor trick.” He wraps his pale fingers around the burning stick, pulls it out of his side, and throws it to the ground. “I see you’ve come into your powers. I knew Declan had, but I wasn’t sure about you.”

I was right. It was him who I saw in the woods that day. But that would mean…

“Sloane was a test?” I seethe, realizing what he’s saying.

I move to step forward, but he flicks his fingers and I fly back and land right next to Knox, who is now in his human form. He grabs my elbow and helps me up.

“Yes.” The vampire grins.

Knox lets out a low growl and lunges forward, and the vampire flicks him off to the side like a bug.

“How the hell can you do that?” Knox spits blood from his mouth.

I’m wondering the same thing too. I hear a moan to my right and look over to see Zayne starting to get up. I rush over to help him up as Knox comes stumbling over to us.

“Dark magic. It has to be,” Zayne whispers next to me.

I look up at him, and his eyes flick to somewhere off to the side of us and go wide. I follow his gaze over and see why. The stick is catching everything around it on fire. Oh, God. We have got to put that out, and fast. Otherwise it will burn the entire Compound down. I look back up to Zayne, who seems to understand what I’m thinking. I start forward, and Knox curses under his breath. The vampire flicks his damn fingers and, once again, I go flying backward. I slam into a tree and fall to the ground, the air rushing out of my lungs.

“Stupid girl. You’re not a very quick study, are you?” the vampire sneers, then rushes over to stand right above me.

I try to get up, but he kicks me hard and I go flying backward. Again. This is getting really freaking old. I groan, clutching my stomach. But I don’t have time to think, because I’m pulled up to my feet, suddenly face-to-face with the vampire.

“I have had a long time to practice using my magic. You are a fool if you think you can take me out,” he hisses.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zayne trying to contain the flames. The pain in my body makes me question why I used myself as a distraction in the first place. He tosses me to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Sounds of multiple people screaming tear through the woods, and I look over at Knox. His eyes widen and flash a golden brown. I can tell he’s torn between wanting to go back to Grace and following his Beta’s orders.

“Did you honestly believe that I came alone?” The vampire laughs, then turns and waves his hand at Zayne, who is flown right into Knox, knocking them both down. “Good try on using yourself as a distraction. But you either stay and kill me or go back to that barn.”

My heart drops.

Declan is there.

So are Abby, Ciera, Kat, and Grace, along with dozens of innocent people. This vampire is after Declan and me.

“Knox!” I yell, wincing at the sudden jolt of pain from screaming. “Go! I’ve got this. GO!”

He looks over at me, and I can tell he’s still torn.

“Knox, please,” I beg.

I need to make sure my friends are safe; they need him more than I do. He nods once, shifts, and takes off in the direction of the barn.

I look up at the vampire. “Who are you? What do you want with me and my brother?”

“The name is Ronan. And the why, I’ve already told you.” He’s in my face and I flinch. “I needed to see if you had your powers, and you do. Isabella will be quite pleased.”

“Isabella?” I try to scoot back, but Ronan grabs my ankle and yanks me toward him. He places his hand around the nape of my neck and pulls me so close that our noses are almost touching. He smells like death. “I guess the young wolf never gave you my message. You’ll meet her in due time. But—” He trails off, leaning in and caressing my neck with his nose. “I’m sure she won’t mind if I have a little taste.”

My heart drops. I’m too weak and in too much pain to push him off. But right before he sinks his teeth into me, he jerks away screaming. I’m momentarily stunned, but then I see Zayne throwing fireball after fireball at him. It’s too quick for Ronan, and he’s completely engulfed in flames.

“Are you good?” Zayne asks, running over to me and putting one arm around my waist.

I toss my left arm over his shoulder for more support, then he hoists me to my feet.

“Yeah. Let’s just get the hell out of here. He won’t be down for long,” I say.

We both look over at Ronan, and he’s lying on the ground, not moving.

“We need to hurry back. I’m going to need some help with that fire. I managed to contain it, but the spell I used won’t contain it for long.” Zayne catches me as I stumble over a rock, or a tree limb. It’s anyone’s guess at this point.

I’m about to ask him about the consequence for the spell he used, but we hear more screams and howls coming from the Compound. Then, it feels like someone’s taken knives and shoved them into my brain. I cry out in pain and fall to my knees, bringing Zayne down with me.

“Aria!” Zayne crouches down in front of me. “You’re bleeding!”

I look at him in confusion, then I feel something warm hit my upper lip. I reach up and feel under my nose. When I pull my hand away, sure enough, I see blood. My nose is bleeding. I feel another sharp pain, worse than before. I clutch my head tightly with both hands, screaming out. Before everything goes black, I think of only one thing.

Hunter.

I need all of you back now. There’s been an attack at the Compound, my father’s voice comes through my head.

I glance over at Bennett. I told my father about Aria and the telepathic link, so if he’s using it to communicate with the whole pack, I know it has to be bad.

It sounds like Aria is saying my name too, but I know that’s impossible. I must be hearing things.

We are in the middle of the French Quarter, so we can’t shift. I take off sprinting toward my Impala with Bennett right on my heels. We could make it there a lot quicker in wolf form, but there aren’t any woods that we can hide ourselves in for miles, so we have to drive. We make it to my car in record time and I peel away from the curb, not giving a flying fuck if I run red lights. Good thing my father is cool with the County Sheriff.

I grip the steering wheel and a muscle ticks in my clenched jaw. Bennett is silent in the passenger seat. We’re both worried about what’s happening back home. My thoughts are on Aria. My father opening that link probably gave her the worst kind of headache. And to have that happen in the middle of an attack… She’s vulnerable. Thank God I told Knox to stay with her. He’s the only shifter besides Bennett that I know I can trust to keep her safe. But I should have been there.

I cut the wheel and turn onto the property road, speeding down it as fast as my car will go. I’ll probably have to fix the paint job, but I couldn’t care less right now. I slam on the brakes by where all the other cars are parked and throw open the door, not even bothering to close it. I shift into my wolf and run toward the barn.

Knox is battling a vampire with Axton. Axton leaps up and bares his teeth, but the vampire ducks, reaching up and punching him right in the ribs. He lands hard on the ground, yelping in pain. I let out a growl and lunge at the vampire. He’s not expecting me, which gives me the upper hand. I bite down on his neck and rip his throat out. The vampire falls to the ground as his head rolls down the pathway.

I glance at Knox; he nods once before turning and running back over to Grace, who is standing on the barn porch with other witches and young shifters. She looks pissed off and I’d bet money Knox wouldn’t let her help.

Wait. Knox is here. But where’s Aria?

I walk over to Axton as he shifts back into his human form. He says he’s fine and waves me off. I look around and see Blaine standing over another vampire that had been taken out before Bennett and I got here. He nods once before walking over to Axton. Searching for Aria in the mess, I see Kat and Bennett take out another vamp. I shift back into my human form and run over to them.

“How many were there?” I ask as soon as I’m close enough that they can hear me.

“As far as I know, only three,” Kat replies breathlessly, turning to me. “Hunter, something isn’t right. This bastard here used the air element.” Kat’s wide gaze meets mine.

“What?” Bennett shouts. “How in the hell is that possible?”

I don’t stick around to hear that answer, because my gaze lands on Knox and I jog over to him. He’s bleeding from his head and his lip is busted open.

“Where’s Aria?” I command when I’m in earshot.

Declan comes out of the barn, holding Ciera’s hand. Abby is right on their heels.

“What do you mean? I thought Aria was training with Zayne in the woods? Once the alarm sounded, this place was put on lockdown,” Declan says, coming up and standing next to Knox.

I ignore him.

“Knox, where are they?” My voice raises and he visibly swallows. “I am not asking you again.”

“There was a vampire in the woods where we were. We heard the attack and she told me to go.” He lets out a breath; Grace wraps her hand around his elbow.

Fuck.

I know why she let him go. Knox is one of the best fighters in the pack. He needed to be here.

Suddenly, I hear a loud whooshing sound behind me and I feel heat on my back. I turn around to see the woods engulfed in flames.

“Did my sister and Zayne come out of those woods?” Declan turns to Knox.

Knox doesn’t need to say anything. The look on his face says it all.

“Hunter!” Bennett shouts, and I follow his gaze to the edge of the woods.

My breath catches and I swear my heart stops beating. Zayne is carrying Aria out of the woods; her arm is hanging loosely to the side and her head is draped over his arm. Declan jumps off the porch and takes off running toward them. I quickly snap out of it, then run after him. I quickly overtake him and end up reaching Zayne first.

I grab her from his arms and fall to my knees, cradling her limp body. Declan drops to his knees beside us, grabbing her face and checking for a pulse. He looks at me and nods once. She’s still alive. She has a cut on her forehead and her nose is bleeding, but those are the only injuries I can see. A low growl escapes my chest and I look up at Zayne, who doesn’t look much better than Aria.

“What happened?” I snarl at him through clenched teeth.

“Aria created a distraction so I could get the flames under control long enough so this—” He waves at the flames behind him. “—wouldn’t happen. But the vampire was about to bite her, so I hit him with fireballs. When he was down, I grabbed her, and we started to get the hell out of there. But then something happened with her head and she blacked out.” He winces as he sucks in a hitched breath. “Hunt, man, I’m sorry. I just needed to get us out of there.” He bends over, resting his hands on his knees. “He got away. I’m sorry.”

I clench my jaw, trying to get my anger under control. I know it’s not Zayne’s fault. He got her out of there. But I should have been here. I should have told my father I wasn’t leaving her. But Alpha’s orders told me to go. I hear more footsteps approaching, but I don’t bother to look up.

“We need to get this fire under control.” Zayne looks up at Grace.

She nods in agreement.

“Grace,” Knox pleads from next to her.

“Knox Carter, you can wait here or you can come with me, but I’m going,” Grace says firmly.

She tugs her arm from his grasp and rushes off into the woods with Abby, Kat, Ciera, and Zayne. Abby and Ciera can help control the air around the flames so it doesn’t spread as Kat and Grace work on putting the flames out.

“Let’s get her to Kora,” I growl, getting to my feet.

I brush past Knox, ignoring his silent plea. He shouldn’t have listened to Aria. He should have stayed put. I gave him an order to protect her and he didn’t obey.

“Hunter—” he starts, but stops and flinches when I turn and glare at him.

I know my eyes are glowing with all the rage I’m feeling right now. Knox just bows his head in submission. I stare at him a moment longer before I turn and continue back to the barn.

I start jogging, with Declan and Knox right behind me. As we get to the steps, Knox rushes forward and opens the door for us. Declan then rushes around me and opens the medical room doors. I look inside the room and see a few witches and wolves being treated for wounds. Kora has her hands full, but it looks like there are no serious injuries. Nothing that will prevent her from looking at Aria right now, anyway.

“Kora!” I shout, looking around for a bed to lay Aria on.

Kora comes out of her office and her eyes widen at the sight of Aria. She waves at us to follow her, and we walk past the beds to the back of the room, which holds several small private rooms for more severe injuries.

“Put her down in here.” Kora opens one set of doors and I follow her in.

She turns on the light with a flick of her wrist, and I gently lay Aria down on the full-sized bed. There are two bedside tables on either side, and a large couch up against the wall.

“Both of you, out,” Kora demands, pushing us out of the room and slamming the door shut.

Declan and I exchange worried looks before he turns and storms off. I follow him out of the medical room, and out the front door to the barn. Once we’re outside, he whirls around; I almost walk straight into him.

“Whoa, holy shit,” Knox mumbles as he sidesteps me.

He was apparently right behind us when we walked outside. No doubt on his way to check on Grace.

“Do either of you want to tell me what the hell is wrong with my sister?” Declan looks between us both.

My anger from earlier quickly disappears.

“She asked me not to say anything,” I sigh, running a hand down my face.

“Which is precisely why you should have told me anyway. She’s my sister. It’s her headaches, isn’t it?” Declan asks, directing the question at me this time.

I nod. He leans up against the awning of the porch.

“Who else knows?” He looks back up at me.

The look on my face must give away the answer, because he curses under his breath.

“Look, man, you’re right. I should have told you earlier when she passed out. We just figured out today that when we use our telepathic link, it causes her pain. Well, Ciera figured it out,” I explain as Declan pushes off the awning and runs a hand through his hair.

“Ciera knew?” He laughs, but there isn’t any humor to it. “And you…” He points to Knox. “You knew as well?”

Knox hesitates for a moment but then nods.

“Fuck. How many others knew?” he questions.

“Zayne, Kat, Abby, and Grace,” I say flatly, wincing when he curses again. “Aria asked me not to say anything to you. What was I supposed to do?”

“Um, not listen to her?” Declan spits.

He lets out a harsh breath and sits down with his elbows resting on his knees and his head in hands. I mimic his position, but on the opposite side of the steps. Knox walks over to the front step, watching the woods. The flames are gone but smoke is still coming up from the trees.

“I’m going to go see if there is anything I can do to help. Although I’ll probably be in the way.” Knox turns to us. “Declan, wolves are very loyal creatures. We are required to obey our Alpha and Beta. But when it comes to the requests of the ones we love or care deeply about, we cannot deny them.”

With that, he shifts midair as he leaps off the porch and takes off running towards the clearing.

“Is that true?” Declan asks, and I shift my gaze to him. “I mean, I know you care about my sister.”

“Yes. It’s true, to a certain extent. I mean, I care about Bennett, but I'm not going to listen to what he says.” I let out a humorless chuckle. “Wolves are loyal to a fault. We have each other’s backs, but when it comes to what Knox was referring to, he’s right. I care about Aria, so if it came down to it, I’d choose her. As selfish as that sounds.”

Declan takes a deep breath.

“Good,” he finally says after a few moments, and I glance over at him. “I just mean that it’s good that you care about her. She needs someone like you in her life.” He pauses a moment. “Can I ask you a question? And I want you to be straight with me, okay?”

I nod, unsure of where this conversation is headed.

“Has she ever talked about our parents with you, or about any of the time before our parents died?”

“She’s mentioned some things. But not much,” I start.

Declan holds up his hand, stopping me from continuing.

“That’s all I needed to know. She refuses to talk about what happened or about our old lives. She thinks I don’t know why she ran almost every night and left me alone to do my thing with the girls I picked up. She wants me to be happy, and I know she thought that was making me happy. And, I mean, it was definitely fun, but I wasn’t happy. Not until I came here and met Ciera.” He goes quiet for a few moments. “So, if she’s said anything to you at all, that’s what matters to me. But I’m still her brother and I will not hesitate to kick your ass if you break her heart.”

“I won’t,” I promise him, and I mean it. Aria has gotten under my skin these past few days, and I have no intention of letting her go.

He seems satisfied with my answer, so we sit in silence. After a few moments, I see everyone emerge from the woods, so I stand. Declan turns around and stands after he follows my gaze.

“How is she?” Abby asks, flying up the steps.

She has soot all over her face, and as I glance around, I see that she looks much better than everyone else.

“Kora hasn’t come out yet,” Declan sighs, reaching for Ciera.

She goes straight into his embrace. He kisses the top of her head and she melts into his arms, then turns her face up to his.

“Declan, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have kept this from you,” she says.

He cuts her off by cupping her cheeks and placing a soft kiss on her lips. I raise an eyebrow at the gesture.

“Don’t worry about it,” he whispers and kisses her again.

She wraps her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. He wraps his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin on top of her head.

“What?” he asks when he notices me looking at him.

“If you hurt her, I’ll kick your ass,” I tell him.

He just laughs and shakes his head as Ciera narrows her eyes at me.

“Alright, anyone mind filling us in on what in the actual fuck happened out there?” Kat demands from the step she’s sitting on.

She looks at Zayne and then at Knox, who is holding Grace. The look that Knox and Zayne share doesn’t go unnoticed.

“It was a vampire attack. Duh,” Bennett jokes from the bottom step.

Kat narrows her eyes at him.

“You’re about as sharp as a beach ball. You know that right?” Kat shoots back at him as Abby snorts next to me. “And don’t think we didn’t notice that look you two gave each other. Spill.” She points at both Zayne and Knox

“Well…” Zayne starts, unsure of where to take it, looking to Knox for support.

What in the actual hell? Why won’t they say anything?

“It was a dark-haired vampire, that goes by the name of Ronan. And according to Aria, he was the one that killed your parents.” Knox looks at Declan as he speaks.

My entire body locks up and I feel all the blood drain from my face. A collective gasp emits from the entire group. I know I’m shocked at this revelation, but it’s nothing compared to how Declan looks. He’s just standing there, frozen on the spot, and is staring at Knox like he’s grown six heads. Ciera’s eyes grow wide as she glances up at him, loosening her grip around his waist.

“Are you sure that’s what she said?” Declan’s voice is shaky as his arms fall to his sides.

Knox and Zayne share another look before nodding in unison. Declan runs a hand through his hair with a pained expression on his face.

“Is he…” Declan trails off.

“Dead?” Zayne finishes for him, grabbing his ribs and wincing as he leans up against the wooden railing. “No, but we did injure him pretty good.” He pauses, then his gaze finds me. “Hunt, we’ve got to warn your dad. This vamp had powers. He tossed us around using the air element. This is a problem.”

“How in the hell can a vampire get powers to stick?” Bennett voices the question I’m sure we all want the answer to.

“It’s not really possible unless they got their hands on a really powerful witch.” Luna’s voice is loud as she walks up the pathway with my parents. “A witch would have been needed to cast a spell in order for the magic to take hold. The vampire also would have needed to drink the blood of another witch who possessed the air element as the spell was being cast.”

Abby rushes forward and embraces her mother as she walks up the steps. My mom is on Luna’s heels and walks right over to me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

“Mom, I’m okay,” I assure her.

My mom is always worried about me and it always gets worse whenever I get in a fight with a vampire.

“How’s Aria?” she whispers in my ear.

When she pulls back, her eyes are filled with unshed tears. My mom has always been overly emotional. She cried the first time I lost a tooth and the first time I shifted into a wolf. She even cried when Bennett first shifted. Man, was it funny to see his look of terror when she pulled him into a big hug, though.

“I’m not sure. Kora hasn’t come out yet,” I whisper back. “She’s definitely got her hands full in there.”

“Well, I’ll go in and see if she needs any help.” My mom gives me one last look before squeezing my shoulders and walking off into the barn.

Kora has taught my mom the basics of potions and different herb pastes, just in case there’s a crisis or if Kora is out of town. I glance over and find my father finishing up a conversation with Knox. Then he turns to walk over to me.

“I had no other choice…” He trails off as he places his hand on my shoulder.

I clench my jaw shut because, really, what can I say? The fastest way of communication is through our link, so I understand why he used it. But it still doesn’t change the fact that Aria is out cold because of it.

“Calm down, my boy. Your eyes are starting to glow.”

My father places his hand on my face to grab my attention. My gaze slowly drifts to meet his and I blink. My father tilts his head slightly and studies me for a moment.

“You care about this girl, don’t you?” he asks.

I blink once more, then nod my head.

“I see. That would explain your reaction and you asking me not to use the one thing that gives us an advantage. You’re letting your feelings for this girl cloud your judgment.” He takes a step back then address the group.

I press my lips together so I don’t lose my temper. Because he wouldn’t be upset if it was Mom in that room, in a coma for all intents and purposes? Bullshit. Apparently he’s the only one who’s allowed to “care for” someone else that much.

“I am assuming all of you know about the connection between the telepathic link we use and Aria’s headaches?” My father stands tall and proud, with his arms crossed over his chest. When everyone mumbles a “yes” or nods, he continues. “Right. Well, what exactly do we know?”

“Nothing yet. We only just figured it out today. Grace, Kat, and I were in the barn doing research when the attack happened.” Ciera steps forward. “So far, we haven’t come up with anything.”

She shrugs and tucks a loose piece of her hair behind her ear. Declan grabs her hand, pulling her back to him.

“Well, I want all of you—” He narrows his eyes at Bennett. “—yes, that means you too, Mr. Monroe—to help Ciera and Kora find out what’s causing this and how to stop it. Now, tell me what happened out in the woods.”

Zayne and Knox step forward and explained everything to my father. I hear Luna chime in with the magic part. But I tune them out and walk along the side of the barn. I need to get away for a few moments to compose myself.

I hope we can figure out the connection between the headaches and our link sooner rather than later. It sucks having to watch Aria crumble with pain because she’s such a strong girl. And to top it all off, the vampire who killed her parents was here tonight and got in so easily. I went against every bone in my body telling me to keep my ass here all because my father ordered me to go. I hate following his orders most of the time, but I know one day, I’ll take over as Alpha. It’s not something that I want, and my father doesn’t think I’m ready for it.

Case in point: the remark he made tonight about me letting my feelings for Aria cloud my judgment.

“Hunter?”

I flinch, turning my head to see Sloane approaching me. She looks pale and thin in the moonlight. When she gets closer, I spot the nasty scar on her neck. She quickly covers it up with her hand.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” She lowers her hand and fidgets with the hem of her shirt. It’s baggier on her, and I’ve never seen her so unsure of herself.

“It’s fine, Sloane. How are you feeling?” I turn to completely face her.

Her face looks sunken in too. She’s lost a lot of weight since the last time I saw her.

“Like I got attacked by a vampire and hit with a truck at the same time.” She shrugs and casts her eyes down. After a few moments, she looks up at me again. “I know you have questions about the attack. And I’m sorry I can’t give you more than what I already told the Alpha.”

I raise an eyebrow at her.

“Your father came to see me this morning. Look, I don’t remember much. I was out patrolling when I was knocked on my ass. This vampire, he can use elemental magic.” She pauses and shifts on her feet. “He said something to me before he…you know.” She motions to her neck. “He told me that I was to send Aria and Declan a message.”

I felt the muscle in my jaw tick as I waited for her to continue.

“He said that she is coming.” She shivers at the memory, then shakes her head then looks up at me again. “I didn’t tell your dad that, though. I figured, if anyone was going to make sense of that it would be you.” She gives me a small smile as she turns and leaves.

I watch as she descends the side steps and slowly makes her way back to her cabin. I run my hand down my face and think about the warning she just told me. This vampire targeted Aria and Declan. The question is why. Why Aria and Declan, and why now? None of this is adding up. We need to figure this out quickly, so we can get ahead of it.

I will not let my pack be caught off guard again.

I will not let anything hurt Aria again.

“Hunter.”

I turn as I hear Abby’s voice.

“Kora’s come out—”

I’m moving before she can even finish her sentence. When I round the corner, everyone is gathered around Kora.

“Is everyone here now?” Kora’s eyes move around our group. “Right. Okay, she’s stable. She’s got a few broken ribs and some cuts and bruises to her face. I’ve set her ribs and put some Gumba Paste on her cuts, so she will heal up nicely. As for what’s causing the headaches, I don’t know, as everything seems to check out normally.”

“When will she wake up?” Abby asks, clutching onto her mother.

“That, my dear, is up to Aria,” Kora responds sympathetically.

Her gaze connects with mine and her face softens.

“Can I see her?” Declan asks.

“Yes, of course. But only two visitors at a time. Unless you all want to be put to work. It’s very crowded as it is, and until I get order, only two of you can visit at a time.” With that, Kora turns and heads back inside.

Declan turns to Ciera.

“Go. I’m going to hit the books, try and figure this out,” she tells him, standing on her toes and kissing him.

Declan nods, kissing her back, then rushes inside.

“I’ll help you. Since its busy in the barn, we can grab the books and go to my cabin,” Kat offers, and Ciera nods.

“We’ll come too,” Grace declares, following the girls into the barn with Knox right behind them.

Zayne says that he’s going to check on Tessa and Micah before catching up with them at Kat’s. I try to talk him into stopping by and seeing Kora for his injuries, but he waves me off.

“I’m going to help Kora and Lydia. I’m sure they could use some extra hands. I’ll meet you back home, dear.” Luna squeezes Abby, then walks inside moments after Declan.

Abby turns to me and I can see the hesitation in her eyes. As much as I want to be near Aria, I can’t do that to Abby.

“It’s okay, Abby. You can go in to see her. She’s your best friend,” I tell her.

She throws her arms around me, which causes me to stumble back. I let out a soft chuckle.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she says into my neck. “I promise I will come get you soon.”

“Take your time. I’m going to run back to my cabin and grab some clothes,” I tell her.

A look of understanding crosses her features. She gives me a slight smile then turns and rushes off into the barn.

“Well that was very gentlemanly of you,” Bennett says as I walk past him toward the steps. He’s perched up on the ledge and I'm half-tempted to push him off.

I ignore him, continuing to walk towards my cabin. I’m grabbing my things as well as Aria’s. I’m sure she’s going to want to change when she wakes up. And I'm not leaving her side until she does. I know the room she’s in has a full-size bathroom, so I have everything I need.

Bennett catches up to me. “Okay, Hunt, I know that look. What’s on your mind?”

I don’t answer him for a moment. I don’t want anyone else to overhear what I’m about to tell him. Bennett seems to understand that and doesn’t press me until we finally get inside my cabin.

“Out with it,” Bennett commands, blocking my way up the steps.

“I saw Sloane,” I say flatly, pushing past him and up the steps to my room.

He doesn’t put up a fight. Which is good for him because I would kick his ass if he did.

Bennett runs up after me. “Wait, what? When?”

I walk over to my closet, pull out my duffle bag, and set it on my bed.

“Tonight. She came up to me when I stepped away for a few minutes.” I gather up some clothes and shove them in my bag.

Next is the toiletries, so I head into the bathroom. I don’t plan on being back here for a while, so I pack enough for a week. Hopefully Aria wakes up before then, though.

“Okay, and?” Bennett motions his arms for me to continue.

I walk past him yet again and head downstairs. I set my bag down next to Aria’s and head for my kitchen. I need a drink, and something stronger than a beer. I reach into my cabinet and grab two glasses.

“Well, shit. It must be serious if you’re pulling out the whiskey,” Bennett comments as I pour our drinks.

I hand one to him and take a seat at my kitchen table. Bennett sits down opposite me. I take the double shot and pour myself another.

“Geez, Hunt. Slow down,” Bennett remarks as I down the second shot and then pour myself a third.

“Sloane said that Ronan had a message for Aria and Declan. He said that she is coming. Whatever the hell that means,” I finally tell him.

“She? Who is she?” He downs his drink, then pours himself another.

“Not a fucking clue. We have to prepare for anything, though. We shouldn’t take this lightly. You saw what he’s capable of, so if she is anything like Ronan, we need to prepare. We need to protect the Compound as well as the twins. Something is telling me this is bigger than us, and bigger than them.” I take a sip of my drink, not wanting to take a full shot again.

Bennett sips his whiskey, and I can almost see the gears turning in his head.

“You think this has something to do with the gods?” he asks after a few moments.

I shrug. “I’m not ruling anything out at this point. But it’s very possible. I just can’t think straight right now, man.”

I down the rest of my drink and slam the glass down on the table, almost breaking it.

“I know. I’ll go tell the gang what you just told me, and we will figure this out.” He gets up and sets his glass in the sink, then walks over to stand in front of me. “In the meantime, you just focus on Aria right now. We got your back.” He claps a hand on my shoulder, and I nod. “Alright, I’m out of here. Text me if you need me.”

He throws up the piece sign, leaving the kitchen. I hear my front door open and close seconds later. I put my glass in the sink next to Bennett’s and put the whiskey back in the cabinet. He’s right. I need to focus on Aria. She’s the only thing I seem to be capable of focusing on right now. I grab our bags and make my way back to the barn.

* * *

Declan and Abby are still with Aria when I return to the barn, so I go to cafeteria to grab a burger. I also decide to grab some snacks to hold me over until the morning. I’m not too hungry at the moment, but at least I’ll have something to eat later if I want it. I’m putting things in my duffle when Declan emerges from the medical room. He spots me and saunters over.

“Abby, Luna, and Kora are cleaning her up and re-bandaging her. They kicked me out.” He sits down at a table.

I drop our stuff down on the floor and take the seat opposite him.

“How is she? Were you able to heal her?” I ask him.

“No. I tried, but for some reason I couldn’t. Luna seems to think it has something to do with our healing abilities as demigods. Since Aria can heal herself, my powers are basically useless.” He shrugs.

Well, damn.

“She’s still unconscious. Kora is hopeful it’ll only be a day or so, but she doesn’t know Aria like I do.” He chuckles, but seems to be lost in thought.

The door opens and my mother, Luna, and Abby walk out. Abby spots us and heads in our direction while my mom and Luna seem to be in deep conversation and leave the barn.

“Hey, guys, we’re all done. Hunter, you’re free to visit her now. I’m going to Kat’s to help out,” Abby explains.

I nod.

“I’ll come with you. I need to be useful.” Declan gets up and pushes his chair in. “If there are any changes, text me.”

I nod again and they leave the barn together. I grab our things and head for the medical wing, walking past the beds filled with witches and wolves who are being treated for their injuries. I finally reach Aria’s door, but before I even turn the handle, I freeze. I hear my name, but it isn’t out loud. And it isn’t a voice I could forget.

Aria.

I can feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest as I grip the handle on the door and walk into her room. I frown when I see that she isn’t awake. How in the hell did I just hear her voice, then? I know I drank a little bit, but I don’t even have a buzz going right now. And I thought I heard it earlier, too.

I set my bag on the chair by the door and walk over to the bed. I stayed in these rooms a lot when I was younger, and I know firsthand how comfortable these beds are. I used to come here a lot when my father and I would argue.

I gently sit on the edge of the bed and look at her. The cuts and bruises on her face seem to be healing nicely. Dark lashes fan her cheeks, which is a nice contrast to her beautiful green eyes.

Eyes that I so desperately want to open.

I brush a piece of her blonde hair out of her face and tuck it back behind her ear. I lightly run my finger along her jawline and stop when I get to her lips.

“I'm so sorry,” I whisper to her.

She stirs in her sleep but doesn’t wake up. I let out a breath, wishing that I could pull her into my arms and hold her until she wakes up. But, not knowing how badly she was hurt, I resign myself to sleeping on the couch. I’m about to make myself comfortable when I hear a soft knock on the door. It opens before I even get a chance to answer.

“Hey, honey.” My mom’s voice is just above a whisper.

She walks further into the room and I see that she has extra blankets and pillows. Well, shit. I was in such a rush to get over here that I didn’t even think about that.

“I figured you would be needing these,” she says.

I chuckle softly as she sets the blankets and pillows on the edge of the bed before she pulls me into a brief hug.

“Thanks, Mom.” I murmur as she releases me.

She gives me a small smile before she turns her head to look at Aria. “She’s a beautiful girl.”

“She’s more than that.”

“I know, sweetheart.” She turns and faces me again. “Your father really is sorry about this. You know it was the only way.”

“Yeah.” I clench my jaw. “I know.”

I turn my gaze away from my mom and onto the wall behind her.

“Hunter, I know you don’t believe it, but your father really does care about you. You are his Beta—”

“And next in line to be Alpha. Yes, I know,” I cut her off, speaking through clenched teeth.

I don’t want to be the Alpha. There are much better shifters who would make a better Alpha than me. My vote goes to Knox, but my father won’t listen to me. My mom also knows how badly I don’t want to be Alpha, but she doesn’t support my fight against it. I’m just glad she doesn’t press the issue any further.

“Alright, I’m heading back home. Kora has gotten everything under control here. Call me if you need anything.” My mom sighs as she turns to leave the room. “Oh, I was able to get them a cabin. Luna and Abby have been helping me get it ready. We made a special room for Aria. Luna told me she likes to paint.”

She smiles, then leaves the room. Aria never mentioned that she paints, but then again, I’ve never really pressed her for information. She always tells me what she wants to when she’s ready.

I stand there for a few moments, then grab the blankets and make myself a bed on the couch. I grab my duffle from the chair and go into the bathroom, changing into sweats and t-shirt and, when I'm finished getting ready for bed, I walk out back over to Aria. She hasn’t moved an inch. I bend over and press my lips to her forehead. Which reminds me…

I grab my phone from my bag and sit down on the couch to text Bennett.

Me: Hey

Bennett: Sup bruh?

Me: U still with every1?

Bennett: Yea man. Working hard. ;-)

Me: Ha. Rly? Knowing u, it’s probably more like hardly working lol.

Bennett: Ha. Ha. Very Funny. What do u want?

Me: When I got here, I could have sworn Aria said my name, but I heard it in my head. Like she somehow used the link.

Bennett: Whoa. Weird dude. We’ve been reading about Greek mythology but haven’t come across anything useful yet.

Bennett: Yo bro, have you heard about Satyrs?

Me: Umm…those half man, half goat creatures?

Bennett: YEEESSS! So fuckin weird dude. Like, how do they fuck? Do they have man dicks or goat dicks?

Me: Idk? Benny, focus!

Bennett: Right…sorry lol.

Me: Focus on Artemis. What is her history?

Bennett: That’s what we started with but we haven’t had much luck yet.

Me: Damn it.

Bennett: Don’t worry. We will find it. Just take care of ur girl.

Me: She’s not my girl.

Bennett: Yet. Nite nite Romeo. Call u when we find sumthin.

I set my phone down on the floor and lay down on the couch. I let my thoughts drift to Aria, and eventually I fall into a restless sleep.

* * *

I feel someone shaking me awake. I open one eye and see Abby hovering over me.

Abby crosses her arms over her chest. “Good, you’re awake. I was just about to toss some cold water on you.”

“Good morning to you too, sunshine.” I groan and sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I look over at Aria, who is still out.

“Get dressed and come to Knox and Grace’s cabin. We think we found something,” Abby commands as she walks over to my bag and throws it at me.

I catch it before it hits me in the face.

“Nice reflexes. Now, hurry up!” She turns to leave the room, but stops just before she closes the door. “Oh, and don’t worry about leaving Aria alone. My mom is on her way over to sit with her.” And with that she closes the door.

I’m excited to know what they found, but I seriously had no plans to leave this room. I let out a breath and quickly change into jeans and a t-shirt in the bathroom. By the time I’m finished, Luna is already in the room.

“Sorry. I did knock,” she says from the couch, where the blankets are already neatly folded and set off to one side. “Don’t worry. I’ll call you if she wakes up while you’re gone.”

She winks and goes back to reading her book. I let out a low chuckle and quietly leave the room, making my way over to Knox and Grace’s cabin. I guess they took the research party there. I knock, but don’t wait for an answer and walk inside. Bennett is fast asleep on the couch, so I walk over and kick his foot. He jumps awake and hops to his feet like a ninja.

“God damn it, Hunt! I could have killed you!” he all but shouts when he recognizes that it’s me.

I take in his ninja pose and start laughing.

“Yeah, okay. Where is everyone?” I ask, looking around the otherwise empty room.

“In the kitchen. Grace is cooking us some breakfast,” Bennett says, and leads the way into the kitchen.

Everyone is sitting at the table except for Grace and Knox, who is leaning against the counter next to the stove where Grace is cooking bacon. She smacks his hand as he reaches for a piece.

“Will you stop taking pieces of bacon? I’m trying to cook enough for everyone….SHIT!” she shouts as the grease pops onto her hand.

Knox tries and fails to hide his laughter. She smacks his chest. He laughs as he rubs his chest and leans in to kiss her on the cheek.

“They are so disgustingly cute,” Kat remarks from the table.

They all look exhausted, and books are scattered all over the place.

“You guys were up all night?” I ask.

They all nod.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I say. Now I feel guilty.

“Don’t be silly, Hunter. We wanted to. Declan and Aria are family now,” Zayne adds.

“Thanks, Z.” Declan claps his hand on Zayne’s shoulder.

“Yeah. He’s right. We don’t have to have the same blood to be a family.” Kat stands and places a hand on my arm. “So yeah, we stayed up all night.” She smiles, then heads straight for the coffee pot.

“Alright. So, what do you guys have?” I ask.

“Well, we did as you said and started reading up on Artemis, but came up with just about nothing but her family history. That is until we thought about what Bennett had said the night that Declan had healed Ciera. So, we thought outside the box. What if using the bow and arrow weren’t all the powers that Aria had gotten?” Kat explains as she sips her coffee.

“Incoming!” Grace blurts as she starts placing food and utensils on the table with Knox’s help.

Everyone mumbles their thanks and starts fixing up their plates. I’m too stressed and exhausted to be hungry, but I wait as patiently as I can until everyone is situated.

“So that’s when we changed tactics and started looking into the powers of the gods. They all have immortality and can control the elements, which we already knew. But each god had a specific power to them. Zeus has lightning, Poseidon has the sea, and Hades has the touch of death. I mean, the three brothers have more, but that’s a conversation for a different time,” Kat says in between mouthfuls of food.

“So, on to Artemis. Her skill was archery, which Aria seems to have inherited, but it was also the ability to hunt and she was the mother of all creatures,” Ciera adds on so Kat can finish eating. “Our theory is that Aria is developing another power.”

“Which is?” I ask.

Everyone at the table glances around at each other.

“We don’t know yet, but we wanted to tell you what we came up with so far,” Bennett answers before taking a bite of his bacon.

Okay, which is a whole lot of nothing. Part of me is annoyed that they made me leave Aria for this, but they had stayed up all night trying to help.

“So, what does this mean?” I inquire, running a hand through my hair and trying not to let my impatience get the best of me.

“Whatever it is, it’s a start. I mean, since Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, now it makes sense why Aria is able to track vampires better than I can,” Declan remarks, getting up and setting his empty plate in the sink. He laughs but I can tell there’s no humor behind it, and he’s frowning when he turns around. “I’m going to go get some air.”

He brushes past me and I hear the front door close behind him. Ciera starts to get up to go after him, but Bennett tells her that he’ll go. I can tell she’s about to protest, but then she apparently thinks better of it and sits back down. I look at Zayne and Knox and motion for them to follow me outside. Zayne places his empty plate in the sink on top of Declan’s as Knox places a kiss on Grace’s head, and then we leave the girls sitting at the kitchen table. Bennett and Declan turn around as we come out onto the porch.

“You alright, man?” I ask, knowing damn well he isn’t alright.

“I’m as alright as I’m ever going to be.” Declan sighs as he sits down on the step. “When we were growing up, my dad always told me to watch out for her. To make sure nothing bad ever happened to her.” His voice breaks as he turns away from us.

“Aria will be fine. She’ll wake up soon,” Knox says optimistically. “We have a starting place now. Besides, if there is anyone who will figure this out, it’s your girl.” He smirks, and that gets a small smile from Declan.

“Hells yeah! Ciera is a badass research ninja. I mean, all the girls are, and if anyone is going to figure this out, it’s them.” Bennett smirks, leaping off the porch.

“You mean everyone except you, pretty boy.” Knox rolls his eyes.

Bennett glares at him. “Hey! I was the one who figured out that my boy Declan here got that nifty healing ability from Apollo!”

“That is true,” Zayne chimes in.

He’s not wrong; Bennett did figure that out.

Bennett points a finger at Zayne. “See! I told you I'm not just a pretty face.”

Bennett has always been smarter than he lets people believe. He says that being smart gets him responsibilities like Knox, and he’s fine with being a grunt at the Compound.

Suddenly, the girls burst out the front door. Ciera’s wide eyes land on each of us in turn.

“We think we may have figured it out,” she announces.

I feel something cold and wet touch my cheek, nudging me awake. I slowly open my eyes and jump back, not recognizing the wolf that’s in front of me. It’s larger than any shifter I’ve ever seen. Not that I’ve seen many. I’m not afraid, though. No, it’s something different, like familiarity. I trust this wolf, but I don’t know why. It has white fur and violet eyes, and it’s sitting there staring at me. I glance down and notice that I’m not wearing what I was wearing on the night of the attack. I’m in a white gown with lace sleeves reaching all the way down my arms. There’s a long slit in the gown on one side that stops just below my hip.

Well, that gives me plenty of room to run.

Glancing around, I vaguely recognize this place to be the woods that surround the Compound. I stand and turn, seeing nothing but trees until something catches my eye. I inch forward and notice a silver bow with a case of arrows sitting next to it by a tree. I walk up to it and kneel down, running my fingers along the case.

Its intricate design is beautiful. It’s a light royal blue, with a gold tree stretching up the center. The arrows are silver. The white wolf saunters over to me and sits down. I hear some rustling off in the distance and I quickly scan the area, but don’t see anything. But I know the wolf and I aren’t the only ones out here. I grab the bow and case of arrows, tossing it on my back and glance down at the wolf.

“We need to go,” I tell it.

I start walking in the general direction of where I think the Compound is. I need to make sure everyone is alright, but the longer I walk, the farther away I seem to be getting. After a while, something doesn’t feel right, so I stop walking and sit down against a tree. The white wolf sits down next to me, then gently lays its head in my lap. I start to stroke its fur.

Nothing is adding up. I wake up in the middle of the never-ending woods wearing…not my clothes. There’s only me, this white wolf, and whatever the hell else is out there. I try to think of what happened before I woke up here.

I remember training in the woods with Zayne and Knox, then I spotted Ronan, the vampire who killed my parents. He had orchestrated an attack on the Compound. All to get me alone to see if I had gotten my powers yet. Then Zayne had thrown some fireballs at him and we were making an escape when what felt like a thousand knives punctured my skull.

Then lights out.

I gasp and the wolf sits up, meeting my gaze.

“I’m dreaming, aren’t I?” I ask.

The wolf nods. Well, that explains the wardrobe change and the never-ending woods. I hear sticks cracking to my left, so I turn my head in that direction. Whoever, or whatever, is following us, and it’s getting closer. My heart is beating hard in my chest. I’ve had dreams before, but none of them were like this. This feels so real.

I stand up and turn slowly in a circle, scanning the trees for any movement. Then something rushes past me, too quick for my eyes to follow, and knocks me onto the ground. It’s gone by the time I push myself up. Whatever this thing is, it’s extremely fast. I hear something to my right, so I grab my bow and the case of arrows and take off running after it, trying not to trip on tree roots, or my own two feet. The white wolf starts running alongside me.

I come to a circular clearing, stopping just inside the center. I’m turning around in the circle, trying to catch my breath. Out of nowhere, the creature knocks me back down on the ground, making me lose my grip on the silver bow.

I lie there on my back, trying to suck precious air into my lungs. The white wolf walks over and stares down at me.

“Well, are you going to help or you just going to keep watching me get thrown on my ass?” I ask.

The wolf sits back on its haunches.

Guess I just got my answer.

I sit up, wincing because my back is now sore, and glance around. Something is there. It’s invisible to my eyes, but it’s there. I can sense it. I slowly get to my feet, only to be knocked back down, harder this time.

“Son of a bitch!” I scream, getting frustrated at this invisible creature, who keeps attacking me. I look over at the wolf, who is watching me closely. “Why won’t you help me?”

It huffs and lays down.

I narrow my eyes at it. “Fine. Have it your way, then.” I push back up onto my feet and toss the case of arrows down next to the bow. “What do you want from me?”

As soon as those words leave my mouth, I sense another attack the second before the creature makes contact with me. I struggle with it, but I never get a good grip, so I end up getting knocked down. Again.

“I am so over this!” I shout into the air.

I take another glance at the white wolf, who is still lying there. It glances at the silver bow then back up to me.

“You want me to use that to fight off an invisible creature?”

I almost laugh when it nods, but I do as I’m told. I grab the silver bow and put the case of arrows around my back. I reach behind me and set the arrow up like Hunter showed me how to do. But where am I shooting? I hear twigs snap in front of me, so I immediately lift my arms and shoot off the arrow, but it goes soaring through the air, never hitting the target. I let out a harsh breath and repeat the process. I hear a crack to my right, so I turn and shoot off another arrow.

Damn it. I miss again.

I repeat this process several times until I realize I only have three arrows left. I set up my arrow and take aim, slowly spinning in a circle. Then I’m knocked forward, landing in a heap on the ground. Frustrated, I let out another scream.

I scream until my throat feels raw. I can’t do this. I want to wake up. I need to wake up. I can’t be stuck here in dreamland getting my ass handed to me by an invisible creature while Declan, Hunter, and my friends are awake and no doubt worrying about me. I sit up and come face to face with the white wolf.

“Oh, now you want to help.”

The wolf snarls at me and I flinch. I watch as it slowly creeps forward. I make sure I don’t move a muscle, as it places its forehead against mine.

At first, I don’t feel anything, but then, ever so slightly, I feel this pressure in my head. It doesn’t hurt, but it reminds me of the humming I felt when I sensed the power within the stick at my first lesson with Kat.

Hello little one, I hear a feminine voice in my head.

I jerk back.

“Holy shit, did you just talk?” I shout out loud.

Maybe I’ve officially gone crazy. Guess I’d better tell Declan to send me off to the loony bin when I wake up.

No. You can hear me telepathically, I hear in my head once more.

I stare at the white wolf for a moment, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

“How am I able to understand you?” I ask her, not sure if I’m able to communicate telepathically or if it only works one way.

Little one, you are the reincarnation of the goddess of the hunt, and nature. This is your gifted power, along with her skill of archery.

Well, I already know about the archery.

I frown. “Is this why my head was hurting?”

Yes. You never opened up your mind. Which is why we are here. I assumed you’d open up eventually, but since you are struggling, I decided you needed a little push. The white wolf sits back down on her haunches. You can use the link back, you know. It works both ways. Try it.

“But I don’t know how,” I say out loud, and the white wolf huffs. “And I take it you’re not going to tell me?”

She shakes her head no.

I inhale sharply through my nose. I think back to my training sessions with Kat, Grace, and Hunter. They all told me to relax and feel the power flow through me. This isn’t an active power like using the elements. This power is different, like the archery. I take a few steadying breaths, in through my nose and then out through my mouth, closing my eyes. When I open them, they lock on to the white wolf, and I can’t explain it. I just know.

I’ve figured it out. I needed to trust my instincts, didn’t I? I think to her.

She nods once.

Yes, you needed to open up to your gifts and trust yourself. Now, pick up that bow and try again, she commands.

I do as I’m told. I have two arrows left. I set up my arrow and line up my sights, relaxing my body. With my mind now completely open, it makes me trust my instincts and not second-guess myself.

Now, the hunter becomes the prey.

It’s like everything is happening in slow motion. I can feel the invisible creature lurking behind me, so I turn and shoot off the arrow, narrowly missing it as it rushes forward. I’m quick this time and jump out of the way. I reach behind me for the last arrow and take aim. I close my eyes, sensing it to my left. I turn my body quickly and shoot off the arrow, hitting the target right before it smacks into me. It falls face-down in a heap at my feet. I can finally see it now. It’s in a black cloak, so I reach down and pull the hood off. It’s not a creature at all.

It’s me.

I glance at the wolf, and I hear her voice in my head.

You are ready.

My eyes slowly flutter open, and I realize that I am no longer in the woods, but in a room. I hear hushed voices around me.

“What if it doesn’t work?” I hear a male’s voice I sort of recognize. “I mean, what if Ciera and the girls were wrong? What if it ends up hurting her?”

“C’mon, you heard what Hunter said. Blondie called out to him telepathically. It will work,” I hear Bennett say.

Bennett’s in my room?

“She’s my sister and I will do whatever it takes to wake her up. Hunter, do it,” I hear my brother say through clenched teeth.

“Alright, everyone, enough. Calm down.” Hunter’s voice is pitched low.

My heart rate kicks up at the sound. I should probably let them know that this discussion is null and void. I quietly sit up, but it goes undetected because the guys are huddled together by the door, not paying any attention to me. Declan and Hunter are facing away from me, but blocking Bennett and Knox’s view.

They’re still arguing in hushed tones when Hunter shifts on his feet slightly and Bennett looks over at me. I wiggle my fingers and smile at him.

“Uh, guys,” he says, but it gets ignored.

I lace my fingers in my lap, watching this unfold.

“Guys!”

“Shut up, Bennett.” Knox shoots him a look.

And they are still talking in hushed tones. Bennett rolls his eyes and then sneaks away unnoticed by the guys and comes over to me. He plops down in the bed next to me.

“’Sup, Blondie? How are you feeling?” he whispers.

“Great actually. What’s all this about?” I whisper back, motioning to the others.

“Oh, they’re just arguing if they should wake you up using Dream Shade or not. My vote was a go. Declan was a go, Knox was a no, and Hunter was undecided. Now those two knuckleheads, meaning your brother and Knox, are trying to convince Hunter to either use it or wait.” Bennett stares at the guys.

I frown, feeling uneasy. “What’s Dream Shade?”

Bennett looks over at me. “It’s a plant that shifters use to dream share with other shifters. It’s mostly used by shifters who are in relationships. You’re conscious through the whole thing and I hear your senses are heightened. So, it makes the naughty times more fun. And the best part is you can’t make any babies that way.”

I flush as he finishes explaining what it is.

“They were going to use it on you because the girls figured out what your new power was,” he tells me.

“I can use the telepathic link,” I finish for him.

“How did you—” he starts.

“Don’t ask,” I cut him off. “So, how long have I been out for?”

Bennett frowns as he turns to look at me again. I’m thankful he didn’t press for any more information. I don’t want to talk about my dream. His red stubble is thicker now, and he has dark circles under his eyes, like he hasn’t slept much in days.

“Three days,” he answers after a moment.

I gape. “WHAT?!”

Bennett grimaces, and the guys finally turn around and notice that I’m awake now. After a few seconds, the shock finally wears off and Declan rushes over to me first, clasping my cheeks.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again. Do you hear me?” he says, his voice breaking.

His eyes fill with tears, but they never fall. He pulls me into his chest, and I close my eyes. He must have been through hell.

“I make no promises on never scaring you again, but I promise I won’t do it like that anymore,” I joke, trying to ease the tension in the room.

Declan releases me and I glance up at Knox.

He nods. “Good to have you back.”

I give him a small smile. “Thanks. Is Grace okay?”

“Yes, she’s fine. Thank you.” Knox shoots me an appreciative glance.

“Good.”

Then my gaze locks with Hunter’s. I know I must look like a hot mess, but I don’t care and apparently neither does he. Everyone else in the room has just disappeared. We drink each other in. It’s been three days, but it feels like much longer.

“I think we should go check to see if Abby needs any help with setting up that bonfire.” Knox’s voice tears through the room, pulling my attention away from Hunter.

I quirk a brow. “Bonfire?”

“Yeah, Abby and I decided we would throw a bonfire for you guys. You know, to welcome you. We had everything ready for when you woke up. Which apparently is today,” Hunter answers.

“Oh, okay,” I say, glancing down at my fingers.

A bonfire sounds fun, but it also brings up memories from before my parents died. But if there is anything that I learned from the white wolf, it’s that I need to be more open.

“I’m in,” I say.

Everyone smiles.

“Alright. We’ll see you guys later then and let everyone else know.” Declan smirks as he looks between Hunter and I before getting off the bed and walking to the door with Knox. “Let’s go, Bennett.”

Bennett reaches up and pats the top of my head. “See ya later, Blondie.”

He gets up and follows the guys out of the room, which leaves me alone with Hunter. I steal another glance at him, and he looks about as tired as Bennett. Hell, they all did.

“You guys look like you haven’t slept in days. We can always do this another night,” I offer, leaning back against the pillows. I really want a shower, but I also really want to brush my teeth.

Hunter shrugs. “It’s fine. We’re used to this sort of thing.” He takes the spot Bennett was in. “I won’t lie, though. It was harder these last few days. When Ciera figured out that you could use the telepathic link, we tried using it to wake you up.”

I turn to him.

“And when that didn’t work, we thought about Dream Shade,” he finishes.

“Yeah. Bennett was explaining that to me.” I blush as a tiny smile creeps on his lips.

“Yeah, well, I’ve personally never used it before, and I didn’t want to have to use it on you, but we didn’t know what else to do.” He lets his head fall back. “Honestly, I have never been so torn in my entire life. Dream Shade is for wolf shifters, and since you aren’t a wolf, we didn’t know what would happen. If it would hurt you, do nothing, or if I would have been able to get inside your head.”

I quirk a brow as he turns to me and grabs my hands.

“Aria, the last thing I wanted to do was invade your privacy.”

“You wouldn’t have,” I tell him.

Now it’s his turn to raise a brow. Before I can elaborate, Kora comes rushing into the room.

“Your brother mentioned that you were finally awake.” She sets her bag down on the bottom of the bed and looks at Hunter. “I am sure Aria does not want an audience while I examine her, Mr. St. James, so might I suggest you occupy your time elsewhere?” She starts to rummage through her bag as Hunter looks at me.

“I’m going to catch up with the guys.” He leans over and kisses me on the cheek. “I’ll come back later.” He flashes me his dimples before he gets up to leave the room.

Kora examines me and tells me that everything checks out. Hunter hasn’t come back yet, so I use the opportunity to shower. I find some bags sitting on the floor; one of them is mine and the other is full of men’s clothing. They don’t look like Declan’s clothes, so my money is on Hunter. The only thing I don’t have is my own toiletries, but my problems are sort of solved when I walk into the bathroom. There are two toothbrushes sitting on the sink; one is green and the other is purple, and the latter is still in the wrapper. I don’t have shampoo or body wash, but I see that Hunter has his sitting in the shower. I don’t think he’ll mind if I use it.

I stay in the shower until I look like a prune, and when I come out of the bathroom in fresh clothes, Hunter is sitting on the couch, reading a book.

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” I say, putting my dirty clothes in a bag that Kora had given me. “Whatcha reading?”

“Just brushing up on the Greek gods, and no. I just got back about ten minutes ago.” Hunter closes the book and jumps up off the couch. “So, I have news.” He walks over to me and grabs my bag from me.

I shove my hands in the back pockets of my shorts. “Good news, I hope.”

I’m not sure I can handle any bad news at the moment.

He smiles, dimples on full display. “Definitely good.” He walks over and grabs his bag, then turns back to me. “But it’s a surprise.”

I frown. “I hate surprises.”

“Good to know.” He winks as I follow him out of the room and into the bigger medical room.

The medical room is empty, except for Kora, who is in her office taking stock of herbs and other medical supplies.

“I think you’ll like this one.” Hunter grins as he opens the door leading out into the barn.

People are scattered around. Some are eating, others are gathered around tables chatting. People turn to us as we walk across the room, and there are hushed whispers and curious looks. When we get outside, I inhale deeply, gaining a new appreciation for the fresh air. It feels nice to finally be awake. I feel different somehow. Like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

I follow Hunter as we walk down a different path that is leading to his cabin.

“Hunter, Luna’s cabin is that way?” I say, hitching my thumb in the opposite direction.

He beams. “I know, but that’s not where I'm taking you.” He moves the bags to one arm and holds out his other hand for me. “C’mon, I’ll show you.”

I hesitate a moment but then slide my hand in his. He intertwines our fingers, and I can’t help but feel the heat flowing through my veins. My heart starts racing as I smile to myself. Whatever the surprise is, I'm glad I have him here.

We’re coming up to where Hunter’s cabin is, but he suddenly veers off to the right, toward a different cabin.

“Home sweet home.” He releases my hand as we reach the steps of a cabin I’ve never been to.

“Wait. This is mine?” My jaw drops.

It looks exactly like Hunter’s on the outside. I glance up at him; he’s grinning.

“Yeah, yours and Declan’s, for as long as you guys want to stay.”

He leads me inside and it’s completely furnished. I walk through the cabin, which is kind of like Luna’s, only different. It reminds me so much of home. I feel tears forming in the back of my throat, but push them down.

“That’s not all,” Hunter whispers from behind me, closer than I thought he was.

He takes my hand and leads me up the steps. I spot four doors, but he leads me to the first door on the right.

I gasp as he opens the door. By the window is an easel with a canvas already placed in the center and a desk with all the paints and brushes I could ever dream of. I walk over and pick up one of the brushes and run my fingers through the bristles.

“Do you like it?” he asks from the doorway.

I gently set the brush back down, turn and run to Hunter, throwing my arms around his neck. He returns the embrace, lifting me a few inches off the floor.

“I love it! Thank you!” I exclaim, as he chuckles into my hair.

I haven’t thought about painting in forever. I miss it. I miss staying up late, getting caught up in the colors. I miss the freeing feeling I always used to get.

“Aria! You in here?!” I hear my brother shout from downstairs.

Hunter sets me down just as Declan rounds the corner.

“There you are. I see you’ve seen our new place. It’s awesome! Luna and Abby outdid themselves. They even bought me a new guitar. How sweet is that? You know what I’m bringing tonight, right?” Declan beams at me and I roll my eyes. “Don’t roll your eyes at me, lil’ sis. You know you love to sing while I play. Hey, Hunter, you play too right?”

“Yeah, a bit.” Hunter glances down at me, then back to my brother.

Declan grins. “Sweet. Bring your guitar tonight. We are going to jam!”

Oh, man. Give my brother a guitar and he’s like a kid in a candy store. I can’t blame him, though. I do have new paints.

“Alright, will do. I have to run, though. I have to make sure shifts are covered tonight. I’ll catch you guys later.” Hunter waves goodbye and leaves Declan and me alone in our new place.

“So, I’m going to tune Delilah up.” Declan beams and heads down the hall to what I'm assuming is his room. “You should see your room. Abby went all out.” I hear him shout before he closes his door.

I let out a sigh. It’s nice to finally have a place that’s not a stinky motel room, where the sheets on the bed are questionable. I decide that my new room can wait, and I walk over to the table with all the paints. I gather up the colors that I want to use and I can hear my brother in his room tuning his guitar as I walk over to the easel. There is a tiny stool next to it, but I shove it to the side. I’ve just been laying down for three days. Thankful that Hunter had charged my phone, I pull it out of my back pocket, turning on my playlist, and began squeezing paint onto the pallet: black, blue, green, yellow, and white. I bring the paintbrush to the canvas and begin to paint an image I can’t get out of my head.

* * *

“You ready?”

I jump at the sound of Declan’s voice. He’s standing in the doorway with his guitar case in hand. I must have lost track of time, which is what happens whenever I paint. One time I ended up staying up all night finishing up a painting of a cliff overlooking the ocean. School the next day was torture.

I regret nothing.

I take a step back, inhaling deeply to calm my erratic heartbeat, and look at the painting in front of me. I still need to make some finishing touches before it’s complete, but I don’t think it will ever do the real memory justice. I glance over at my brother before setting my paint down on the table and the brushes in water.

“Yeah. Let me clean up real fast and we can head out.” I smile as I make my way to the bathroom to wash my hands and give my brushes a good rinse. I place them back in the studio, then head downstairs to find my brother holding his guitar case and a case of beer.

“Just like old times, right?” He smiles, looking ecstatic.

I laugh. “Yeah, sure seems that way.”

I open the door for him, closing it behind us as we head down to the clearing where Zayne was training me to use the fire element a few days ago. Everyone is already there, including Hunter’s parents and a few other people I don’t recognize. People are laughing and having a good time. I’m sure tonight is much needed for everyone after the attack.

Looking around, I spot Knox sitting on a log with Grace between his legs. He’s got his arms wrapped around her. Kat is sitting down next to them with a red Solo cup in her hand. They seem to be in deep conversation. Abby catches my eye and she drags Ciera over to us.

“I’ve missed this!” She throws her arm around me and smiles up at my brother. “Are y’all going to do the song?”

I roll my eyes, although I can’t help but smile. Abby knows how much Declan and I like “performing,” as she would call it.

“You’re damn right, we’re going to do the song!” Declan walks over to the fire pit, setting his guitar case down.

He opens the pack of beer, handing one to me and then grabbing one for himself. We twist the tops off and, like old times, clank them together.

“Cheers, little sister.” He grins before taking a sip of his beer.

I roll my eyes again, doing the same.

“Alright, everyone! Please gather around.” Alexander’s voice booms through the crowd as people turn their attention to the Alpha.

As my eyes search the crowd, they land on a blue-eyed wolf, who is staring right at me. He is standing on the opposite side of the fire pit with Bennett and Zayne; all of them have a drink in their hand as well. I raise my bottle to him, and he does the same, flashing me his dimples.

“Thank you to all who set this up. I’m sure some of us could use a small break. Please enjoy yourself, and rest assured that Luna has made sure the grounds are safe tonight. Cheers everyone, to a good night!” He raises his glass, and everyone follows suit. “And, Mr. Foster, will you do the honors?” He looks at Zayne.

“With pleasure.” Zayne smiles, handing his drink to Bennett.

“Light that bitch up, Z!” Bennett shouts, which causes everyone to laugh.

Zayne cracks his knuckles and neck before creating a fireball. He throws it into the pit and the firewood catches the flames. It lights up the area around us, as the sun is setting, creating a soft glow.

Hunter makes his way over to us, his guitar case in hand, followed by Zayne and Bennett.

“Got her all tuned up?” Hunter asks my brother, setting his case down.

“Hell yeah. Spent all afternoon getting know her. She’s nice, dude. Ready to play?” Declan’s voice is filled with excitement.

Hunter looks to me and grins. “Yeah, let’s jam.”

I feel Abby nudge me as the guys grab their guitars out of their cases. I turn to her, and she gives me a knowing smirk and wiggles her eyebrows.

Yep, Abby is feeling pretty buzzed, just like the good old days.

Declan takes a seat on a log by the fire. As I take a spot next my brother, Ciera plops down on the other side of him. Hunter and Abby take a seat at the other log next to us, Hunter taking the closest spot next to me.

“What are we playing first?” Hunter asks, pulling a pick out of his pocket.

“You know ‘Give Me One Reason’ by Tracy Chapman?” Declan pulls out his own pick and looks at Hunter, who nods. “Alright, then. You ready, sis?” He turns to me, and I nod.

Then they both start strumming the beginning notes of the song.

It’s been such a long time since I’ve sung like this, but I’m surrounded by friends and family. And the nerves that have suddenly taken over disappear as soon as I start singing the first verse.

“Damn! Blondie can sing!” I hear Bennett say between verses.

I’m starting to feel the rhythm, swaying to the beat, tapping my fingers on my knees. People have gathered around and are clapping to the beat as well. I glance at Declan when his favorite part comes up, the guitar solo.

He has his eyes closed, bottom lip tucked between his teeth, in total concentration. Abby stands, bringing me with her and we start to dance around like we normally do as we finish the song up. Everyone claps and hollers when the guys bring the song to a close.

“That was amazing! You guys rock!” Kat raises her hand for a high five.

I laugh as I slap my hand against hers.

“Yes, that was brilliant.” Grace peers up from the ground.

Knox kisses the side of her head before he agrees with her. I smile and thank them and make my way back over to where I was sitting. Declan is playing softly next to Ciera, and I smile seeing how happy he looks.

* * *

As the night goes on, Declan and Hunter play songs and I sing. Then the guys just play, and people dance around the fire. Throughout the night Hunter and I steal glances at each other, and whenever they take a break from playing, we talk.

It’s starting to get late and people are starting to head back to their respective cabins. Abby and Zayne have to take Bennett back to his, because he’s drunk and keeps trying to leap over the fire. Grace and Knox already disappeared a while ago, and Kat has taken off to check on Sparkles. Declan and Ciera are the last to leave. Declan tells me he’s going to walk her back to her cabin first before going back to ours.

Hunter and I sit in silence for a while after they leave.

Then he picks his guitar back up and starts strumming the chords to my favorite Lynard Skynard song, “Simple Man.” I start to sing the words as he gets to the first verse.

As I’m singing the song, the lyrics remind me of Hunter. He’s a simple man, who is just trying to please his dad but also trying to do the right thing. He’s always torn between being the man he wants to be and being the man his father wants him to be.

I want him to follow his heart and to be satisfied with himself, with who he is meant to be.

Our eyes lock as he finishes playing the song. I’ve moved closer to him during the song without realizing it. He sets his guitar down next to him, without breaking our eye contact. His gaze flicks down to my lips as his left hand comes up and he gently places his fingers on my chin tilting my face up to his.

He leans forward slowly, moving his hand to cup my cheek, and his lips brush mine. My heart beats hard in my chest as I breath in his scent of ocean and cedarwood. His fingers reach around into my hair as he tugs me closer. His tongue caresses my bottom lip, and my lips part, allowing him to take the kiss deeper. He growls as I lean further into him, running my hands through his hair. Our kisses become more urgent, and my body starts to come alive with every sweep of his tongue against mine. I moan softly as Hunter reaches forward and pulls me onto his lap so I'm straddling him.

I can feel his hard length against the softest part of me, and I rock my hips against him. He growls low in his chest, and I can feel the vibrations all the way down to my core, as his fingers tightly grip my hips. He breaks the kiss, bringing his hands up to cup my cheeks as we both attempt to catch our breath. I rest my forehead against his; my hands are still tangled in his hair.

“What are you doing to me?” he whispers against my lips before kissing me softly again.

He slowly glides his hands down my body, fingers grazing along the sides of my breasts, tracing my every curve. I can still feel his arousal against me, making heat flare in my veins and tightness form low in belly. My hands leave his hair and I cup his cheeks, breaking the kiss. I swipe my thumb across his bottom lip. He sighs and closes his eyes. When he opens them, they glow a brilliant blue.

“That was our first kiss.” He smiles up at me.

I chuckle, then lean down and kiss him once more.

“C’mon, let’s get you back to your new cabin.” His voice is breathy and rough.

He stands, sets me down on my feet, and walks over to put the fire out. Then he grabs his guitar, laces his fingers with mine, and walks me back to my cabin.

It doesn’t take long for us to reach the front door of my cabin. Hunter sets his guitar down on the porch as he grabs my waist and pulls me to him. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands drop lower on my hips. He leans down and kisses me again. It’s less urgent this time. His lips move softly against mine, as if he has all the time in the world. When he breaks the kiss, he rests his forehead against mine.

Oh, my God. I almost forgot. I take a step back and a curious look crosses his features.

“Can you shift into your wolf?” I ask him. “I’d like to show you something.”

I bite on my bottom lip as Hunter does what I asked without hesitation. His black wolf sits back on his haunches, blue eyes locked with mine. Sucking in a calming breath, I focus on using the link like the white wolf taught me.

Thank you, I think to him, and his ears perk up. For everything. I had a good time tonight.

I finish just as he shifts back into his human form and stalks toward me. He crashes his lips onto mine, parting my lips with his tongue. He’s getting no protest from me whatsoever. I grab onto his shoulders as a moan escapes my lips. He groans as he pushes me up against the side of the cabin. He places his hands on either side of my head against the wall, caging me in. I drop my hands to his hips, curling my fingers through his belt loops and tugging him forward. He growls as he grabs the back of my neck, tilting my head back to gain better access. He trails kisses along my jaw, then down my neck, nipping and then licking to ease the pleasant sting.

“For God’s sake, at least wait until I'm inside!” Declan’s voice breaks us apart.

Hunter remains facing me for obvious reasons that I’m sure he doesn’t want my brother to see. I don’t even want my brother to see. I can feel his breath against my neck, making my core tighten. I breathe in his scent of ocean and cedarwood, trying take in a steadying breath to calm my erratic heartbeat.

I’ve never been kissed quite like that before.

I am on the verge of an orgasm just from a kiss.

“You two can carry on now. Make good choices.” Declan steps through the front door, pausing just before closing it. “Oh, and Hunter, if you’re planning on staying, I’ve got condoms. I’ll leave some in my sister’s room. Good night, you crazy kids.”

With that, he shuts the door behind him, and I can feel my face flush all the way to my roots.

Hunter chuckles softly.

“As much as I would love to get inside you, now is not the time,” he whispers, making me shiver in the Louisiana heat.

He pushes himself away from me, taking a few steps backward. My legs are still so wobbly from the intensity of that kiss that I’m leaning on the cabin for support.

“So, you got a new power?” Hunter smiles at me, flashing me those damn dimples again.

“Seems like it. At least now we know what was causing the headaches. It was my new power. The white wolf told me to trust my instincts and open myself up. Apparently, I was in my own way.” I shove my hands in the pockets of my shorts.

He quirks a brow. “White wolf?”

I study him for a moment, not sure if I really want to open up about what happened to me when I was out. But I trust him, so I walk over to the steps and sit down. He sits down next to me and takes my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. I take in a deep breath and tell him all about the white wolf and my journey. He tenses up when I tell him about the invisible creature, but when he finds out it’s me, he squeezes my hand. When I’m finished, he brings my hand up to his lips.

“Thank you for sharing that with me,” he murmurs.

I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes. Suddenly, I’m exhausted, which is surprising considering that I’ve been asleep for three freaking days.

I feel him place a gentle kiss on my head. “C’mon, let’s get you inside and in bed.”

I lift my head as he stands, bringing me up with him. He walks me back to the door and kisses me softly.

“Good night, babe.” He smirks at me before shifting into his wolf.

He trots down the steps, but before he gets too far, I use the link to wish him a good night. He turns and winks at me before running off toward his cabin.

I smile to myself as I walk inside and up to my new room. My jaw drops as I turn on the light. I have a full-size bed; the comforter is white with a soft pink throw. There are twinkling lights, much like the ones that light the pathways outside. Of course, these aren’t magic, but it’s still magical-looking.

There’s a white dresser up against the wall, and I have a closet. I walk over to the dresser and open the drawers, surprised to see that it’s full of new clothes. I guess that’s why Abby and Luna have been going into town a lot lately. My heart swells. They have always looked out for us. I remember Luna told Declan and I at the funeral that if we needed anything, to let her know. She even tried to send us care packages while we were on the road.

Pulling out some sleep shorts and a tank top, I change my clothes and lay down on my nice new bed, letting out a contented sigh. This is so much better than a crappy motel bed. I pull the covers up to my chin and let sleep take over.

“C’mon Blondie, you can block better than this! Anticipate my move!” Bennett brings his booted foot up to deliver a swift kick to my abdomen.

I block the first kick, but miss the second. His foot connects with my stomach and I fall flat on my ass. I lay on the mat in the training room, hoping the ground will open up and swallow me whole. We’ve been here over a month now, and I still can’t block kicks to save my life. Punches, sure, but not kicks. I groan as Bennett stands over me.

“Get up,” he commands.

I scowl at him, then get up and look around the room. Declan is sparring with Blaine while Knox watches closely. Knox is a hard-ass in the training room, completely different than when I see him when I go to train with Grace. Blaine reaches out and strikes my brother in the throat, but Declan recovers quickly, rushing forward, wrapping his arms around Blaine’s midsection, and tackling him.

Bennett snaps his fingers in front of my face bringing my attention back to him. “Focus. Let’s try it again. Watch my movements.”

I inhale sharply through my nose, annoyed at how commanding Bennett gets when we train together. Whenever I’m not training with Hunter, I’m in the training room with the others. Knox and Bennett switch off training me, and today is Bennett’s turn.

I focus on him, watching him as he brings his foot up again. Seeing the movement a moment before it happens, I successfully block it. Then I notice the switch in his legs as he brings his opposite foot up, aimed for my chest. I block the second, grabbing his boot and twisting, making him fall on the mat. I let go of his foot, but I don’t have time to celebrate because he’s back on his feet and he goes to throw a punch. I grab his wrist and turn, pulling him forward so his front is flush with my back. I throw all of my weight forward as I pull him over my shoulder. He lets out a grunt as his back hits the mat.

A commotion pulls my attention and when I look over, Declan and Blaine are in each other’s faces, chest to chest, giving each other the death glare.

“That is enough!” Knox shouts sternly as he steps in and pushes them apart. Axton walks over and shoves Blaine toward the doors.

“What is your problem, Blaine?” Axton says just as they get to the door.

Blaine whirls around. “Them. They are my fucking problem.”

Axton rolls his eyes as he plants a hand on each side of Blaine’s shoulders, and spins him back around. “Take a walk, man.”

I glance down at Bennett, who is still laying on the mat.

“Alright, training is over. I’ll see you guys bright and early tomorrow,” Knox shouts over the music.

Everyone slowly grabs their gym bags and exits the training room. I help Bennett up as Taylor Swift starts to play.

“Taylor Swift? Really?” I raise my eyebrows as I look around the room, only to find Bennett dancing along to the song.

“Do not hate on T-Swift. I love her.” He grins as I stare wide-eyed at him.

Declan starts to laugh, and Knox rolls his eyes and leaves the room. Bennett dances toward the stereo before turning it off.

“Wow. I can’t believe you listen to Taylor Swift. It’s like I don’t even know you.” I grab my water bottle and follow the guys out of the room.

“She’s a guilty pleasure.” He brings his finger to his lips. “Shh, don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold.” He laughs as I quirk a brow.

“What? You afraid you’ll lose cool points if people find out?” I jokingly ask.

“I like her. I think she’s an amazing songwriter,” Declan chimes in.

I narrow my eyes at him.

“Of course you like her. You’ve always had a thing for blue-eyed blondes,” I say to my brother, who turns to me and winks.

“Damn straight. Speaking of blue-eyed blondes, I see my girl over in the cafeteria. Catch ya later.” Declan strides confidently over to Ciera, who is sitting at a table with Abby and Zayne, who seem to be pretty cozy themselves.

I wonder when that started. I make a mental note to ask Abby about it. I’ve been super busy with training and I haven’t had much time with her, although she has been training me with the air element. The first night we trained together, all we did was goof off and we got nothing done. Luna was not happy and threatened to get me a new trainer, but we swore we would take it seriously.

I’m doing well with all of my magic training too.

I may or may not have set Zayne on fire once, but luckily, I’m really good at summoning the water element now and was able to put it out. He had a small burn, which Declan was able to heal, since he’s gotten better at summoning his new power as well.

We’ve also found out that I can use the telepathic link while the shifters are in human form. I thought it was just when they were in their wolf form, but seeing Hunter and Bennett’s faces when I heard the Alpha in my head was priceless. Since then, Hunter has been teaching me how to block out people who try to use the link to connect with me, which I didn’t realize was a thing.

Hunter and I have been getting closer as the weeks go by. I’ve been telling him more about my old life and he’s been talking to me about his relationship with his dad. I don’t talk about my parents much, but even opening up like I have is a start.

The wolves are all pulling overtime trying to locate Ronan and whoever this Isabella vampire is. We assume the she that Sloane was referring to is Isabella. When Hunter works a double shift, he stops by after I train, and hangs out with me while I paint.

He loves the painting I did of his wolf in the woods, the memory of him from the first night I trained with Grace. It was the memory I painted before the bonfire. Sometimes he brings his guitar over and plays while I paint. We just try to spend as much time together as we can.

“So, how come you’re not with Hunter helping to track down Ronan and Isabella?” I ask Bennett as we walk outside.

Ugh. I will never get used to this humidity.

“He asked me to stay behind. We got word that they were spotted a few miles from the Mississippi border. He wanted me to stay here, keep an eye on his favorite girl,” Bennett answers as we walk down the steps and head for my cabin.

We’re still using the damn buddy system. Even though I’m a demigod, we still have to follow orders. Hunter and a few others were told to check out the tip we got, and he’s been gone for about a week now.

Bennett walks me to the steps, then takes off back to his cabin to sleep. He has patrol duty later tonight. Once I get inside to the sweet, sweet air conditioning, I kick off my shoes, flop on the couch, and open the link to Hunter.

Hey, I think, not sure if he’s busy or not.

I feel the familiar pull and open my mind.

Hey, baby. How was training? He sounds tired, but happy to hear from me.

I love communicating this way. So much better than a cell phone.

It was good. I still suck at blocking kicks. Although I managed to knock Bennett on his ass today.

I hear him chuckle as I tell him what happened.

That’s good, and we can work more on blocking kicks when I get back, he says.

I frown. I’ve never been one of those needy girls, but I do miss him.

When are you getting back? I ask, getting up from the couch and heading into the kitchen for a snack.

We’re heading back in about an hour. We won’t be back until late tonight. Why? You miss me? I can hear the teasing in his voice.

Yes, I answer truthfully as I finish making a sandwich.

I miss you too. I’ll be home soon.

I smile at that.

Home.

Declan and I have a home again.

I have to go now, but I’m coming straight to you when I get back. I need my girl. Hunter sighs in my head.

My heart aches. This is taking a toll on him. He’s not complaining, but he’s getting worn out. They all are. But since Hunter is the Beta, his dad is making him work the hardest.

Okay. Be safe and come home in one piece, I respond.

He chuckles. Always am.

And with that, the conversation is over. I finish my sandwich and shower. I don’t have magic training tonight. Since Declan and I have gotten better at using our powers, we’ve cut back on the training. We’ve started training together to use multiple elements at once, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. I seem to favor the fire element.

Freshly showered, I decide to clean the cabin. Popping in my new earbuds, I switch to shuffle mode. I slide across the floors, in my socks, singing at the top of my lungs as I dust. Then I start in on my room, grabbing a hair brush and performing for my invisible audience. Only when I turn around, the audience isn’t invisible.

Declan is standing in my doorway.

The show must go on, so I point at him, singing “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor to him. He shakes his head, laughing, and leaves me alone to continue on with my performance cleaning. When I’m finished, I set my phone on my nightstand and go to my studio room to paint. When I get in the doorway, I stop dead in my tracks. Declan’s in the room, staring intently at the canvas, painting something. I lean against the doorframe.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He never comes in here, and he never used to go into the art room I had back home.

“I’ve been dreaming about this girl for weeks now.” He bites his bottom lip in concentration.

I quirk a brow. “Um, does Ciera know about this?”

He shoots me a dirty look over the easel. “No. It’s not like that. This girl…I get bad vibes from her. I’m just trying to get this image out of my head. Not that I think painting it will help.”

He shrugs and dips the brush in brown paint before placing it back on the canvas. Curious, I walk over to stand next to him.

“Is this supposed to be a girl or a bear with a human face?” I chuckle.

He huffs. “Aria, I’m serious.”

He turns to me, and all humor leaves my body.

“Okay. Why didn’t you just come to me? I can help you,” I offer. Not waiting for him to answer, I take the canvas off the easel, pick up a fresh one, and hold my hand out to him. “Give me the brush. Describe her to me.”

He stares at me for a long moment before handing me the brush and sitting down on the stool. As he gives me the details, I paint them. After about an hour, I finish and turn the canvas to him.

“Yeah, that’s her.” His face pales as he stares at the painting. “I don’t know who she is, but I don’t like her. Whoever she is, she’s bad news.” Our eyes meet before he takes the painting from me and places it on the table. “Thanks for helping me with this, little sister.” He grabs me and pulls me into a bear hug.

“Anytime.” I wrap my arms around him. “All you have to do is ask.”

He kisses the top of my head. “I know. I’m going to shower, then head over to see my lady.”

He releases me and walks out of the room before I can respond. He’s been spending a lot of time with Ciera lately. I’m glad he’s not a man-whore anymore. I pick up a brand new canvas and begin to paint again.

* * *

It’s almost ten when I hear a soft knock on the front door.

Declan came home about two hours ago and brought Ciera with him. She’s been spending the night over here a lot too. So I know it’s not either of them.

I set my paintbrush down and head downstairs to get the door. I open it to see Hunter standing on the other side. He smiles, but it doesn’t reveal his dimples. There are dark circles under his eyes, but they flash a bright blue when they lock with mine.

“Hey.” My voice comes out breathy as I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around him.

“Hey, baby,” he whispers into my neck as he wraps his strong arms around my waist and pulls me tightly against him.

I pull away slightly and kiss him. He growls and dips down to grab my thighs, picking me up. I wrap my legs around him as I swipe my tongue across his bottom lip, deepening our kiss. He kicks the door shut and walks us up to my room.

He kicks my bedroom door shut and walks us over to my bed. He breaks the kiss to lay me down gently, then climbs on the bed, slowly creeping up the length of my body. Desire for him flicks to life. His hand grips my hip as I hike my leg around him. He trails kisses along my collarbone, and I moan softly as his tongue licks the sensitive spot on my neck.

He presses his hard length against me as his hand leaves my hip and travels up along my stomach, and his thumb barely brushes my breast.

I arch my back, wanting him to touch more of my body. I need him as much as he seems to need me. I want these stupid clothes to disappear.

He grinds into me as his lips crash onto mine. I trail my hands down his stomach, curling my fingers around the hem of his shirt to tug it off. He breaks the kiss long enough for the shirt to go over his head, then he brings his lips back to mine and I toss the shirt somewhere in the room. He reaches for the hem of my shirt and tugs it off. His eyes flash as he takes notice that I am not wearing a bra.

“Fuck. You’re so beautiful,” he whispers before leaning back down to kiss me.

I bite his bottom lip, then swipe my tongue across it. I run my hands up his arms and shoulders, then down his chest, across his abs, and my fingers find the button on his jeans. He growls, grabbing my hands and pinning them above my head, then bringing one hand down to cup my breast. When he tugs on the peak, I moan and arch into his hand as his mouth comes down and nips at my other nipple, then sucks on it to ease the sting.

“Hunter,” I cry out softly, arching into him more.

Then he switches it up before trailing kisses down my stomach. His hands find the seam of my sleep shorts and he glances up at me, as if giving me a chance to stop him. I don’t want him to stop. I wiggle my hips as he tugs my shorts and panties off. He sits up on his knees above me, his eyes are glowing as they drink in the sight of me naked laying under him.

“So beautiful,” he groans.

I sit up, reaching for the button on his pants again, but he grabs my hands and pins them above my head as he crashes his lips back onto mine. He releases me and I run my fingers through his hair as his hand travels down the length of my body. He slips a finger inside me and I moan into his mouth. He starts to slowly pull his finger in and out of me while I grind my hips in tandem. Then he slips a second finger in and I toss my head back. He takes full advantage and lightly bites my shoulder. I’m so close…

“Come for me, baby,” he growls, then his thumb circles the bundle of nerves and my body bursts into flames.

He crashes his lips onto mine to catch my release. Our kisses slow as I try to catch my breath, coming down from the first orgasm I’ve had in over three years. He removes his hand and puts his fingers in his mouth, tasting me. God, that’s hot.

“So sweet.” He smirks, dimples on full display.

He kisses my nose before getting up to get my clothes. I lay there, feeling like Jell-O. Has it really been that long? Yes, it has.

He helps me get dressed because my limbs still feel heavy. Then he pulls me to his chest, covering us up. I can see him straining in his jeans, so I reach down to try and free him, but he stops me. Again.

“Babe, if I let you touch me, I won’t be able to keep from burying myself deep inside you,” he whispers as he places my hands on his chest. He intertwines our fingers as his other hand strokes my hair. “I just needed this tonight.”

“What happened out there?” I mumble into his chest, accepting that nothing more will happen tonight.

The look on his face from when I opened the door earlier tells me something’s wrong. When he doesn’t answer, I raise my head and look at him. His lips form a thin line and a muscle ticks in his jaw as he stares at the ceiling.

“Hunter, look at me,” I whisper softly.

When he doesn’t, I gently remove my hand from his and touch his cheek, turning his face to me. His gaze locks with mine, but he doesn’t say anything.

“I won’t make you tell me, but I am here for you.” I lean forward and kiss him, then rest my head back on his chest.

I’d be a shit person if I forced him to talk about something he doesn’t want to, especially when he doesn’t make me talk about my past. Minutes go by and I’m convinced he’s not going to say anything.

“We were too late,” he whispers; his arm tenses around me.

I don’t say anything. I just wait for him to continue.

“They hit a small town right outside border. It was a bloody massacre. Women, children, everyone.”

I suck in a startled breath and scoot closer to him. “Why? Why would they do that?”

“They’re vampires, Aria. Do they really need a reason?” he snaps.

I flinch.

“I’m sorry,” he sighs. “It’s just been a long week. And I’m just glad to be back. Let’s get some sleep.”

And with that, the conversation is over.

* * *

It’s hot, too hot. My back is flush to Hunter’s front and I can feel his breath against my neck. He’s still sound asleep, so I try to free myself from his grasp, but his arms pull me back against him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His voice is gruff with sleep as he trails kisses down my neck and onto my shoulder.

I close my eyes, my lips parting on an inhale. I can never get enough of his kisses. As much as I want to stay here in his arms, I really want to practice with the bow today. Hunter and Bennett have set up moving targets for me.

I wriggle free and get up out of bed. “I’m getting up for practice. I want to train with the bow.”

I rummage through my drawers and pull out workout clothes before turning back to my bed. Dark circles surround his blue eyes and my heart sinks.

“You know, I could always come with you guys. I am really good at tracking vampires. I can help,” I say.

“No,” Hunter replies sternly. “We’ve talked about this. Ronan is after you and your brother. I’ll be damned if I let you leave the safety of the Compound. You saw what he did to Sloane. I won’t let that happen to you.”

I roll my eyes and turn away from him. We’ve always disagreed on this. I know I can help. If it weren’t for Declan telling me the same thing, I’d have already gone to the Alpha and demanded I go with them.

His hands land on my shoulders before he turns me to face him. “I know you can track them. You are the demigoddess of the hunt. But I can’t do my job effectively and worry about your safety at the same time.” He cups my cheeks, then kisses me.

I give in.

Again.

For now.

“Get dressed. I'm going to go make some coffee.” He kisses my nose and grabs his shirt—which I wish he would just leave off—and tosses it over his head.

I get ready and head downstairs, where a cup of coffee is sitting on the counter waiting for me. Hunter used the link a couple of minutes ago to tell me he was going to run back to his cabin to change and he would be back soon. Declan enters the kitchen, mumbles a hello, grabs a cup of coffee and a bottle of water, and goes back up to his room, leaving me alone again. After about fifteen minutes, Hunter comes back and we make our way down to our training spot.

Aria and I warm up together, and I'm slower than normal. I’m fucking exhausted, but I got the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a while last night. Having Aria in my arms, close to me, was the perfect remedy for what had happened.

I’m pissed that we haven’t caught that son of bitch yet. Not only has he threatened my girl, but now he’s massacred an entire town.

I was so pissed off last night that I almost didn’t go over to see her as soon as I got home. But I’m glad I did. I saw her face, and I lost control. I needed her. It took everything in me not to take it further, but, damn it, I fucking wanted to. But, like our first kiss, I want to wait. I didn’t want to have sex with her for the first time with her brother right down the hall, and I definitely didn’t want our first time to be while I was that upset.

We finish warming up and move on to kicks. After a few failed attempts, she finally gets it. Getting a taste of her last night and training with her today means I’m fighting hard-ons all day. She’s so sexy when she fights. I’m surprised we even get any practice in because I’m always trying to kiss her.

Then we move on to the bow and she can’t contain her excitement.

“Finally!” she shouts, jogging over and picking up the bow and tossing the case of arrows on her back.

She’s taken her tank top off and is only in her sports bra. Which is another reason I’ve been telling my dick to calm the fuck down. The hem of her bra rides up and the tattoo on her ribs appears.

I walk down and hit the button on the shitty rig that Bennett and I set up for her. She hits each bullseye with deadly accuracy. She’s good, but she needs more of a challenge. So, I text Abby to come down here and use the air element to move the targets. They’ll move much faster that way.

“Okay, the party’s here!” Abby shouts, making her grand entrance.

Aria squeals and runs to her best friend, throwing her arms around her. “What are you doing here? We aren’t practicing with everyone else until later.”

“Hunter asked me to come help today. Yours truly will be tossing the targets at you much faster than that rig. You ready?” Abby smirks and quirks a brow.

“Hell yeah,” Aria says, taking a few steps back as Abby walks toward the targets.

Abby summons the air element and tosses the targets at Aria, who still hits every one with deadly accuracy.

We finish up as everyone else walks down into the clearing. It’s time for Aria and Declan to use multiple powers at once. This means that everyone needs to be here. Declan volunteers to go first. Kat steps forward and summons a large rock up and tosses it at him. He uses air and deflects it. Zayne shoots a fireball at him, and he summons water to put it out. And it goes on for a while until it’s Aria’s turn.

With Knox and Bennett standing next to me, I’m less likely to jump in and help her. Grace creates a massive water ball, and throws it at Aria, who jumps and rolls out of the way, but the water comes flying toward us. I get ready to move out of the way, but it veers off to the side and lands with a splash right next to us. I glance at Aria, who smirks. Then she turns her focus back to Kat, who summons a half a dozen sticks into the air and lunges them at her. She waves her hand using air and sends them soaring into the targets.

Abby steps forward and uses air, which sends her flying backward. I feel Bennett and Knox take a step toward me, preparing to hold me back if need be. I don’t blame them; I almost attacked Zayne once for throwing a fireball and accidentally burning her. But I know better now.

Air is the hardest element to work against. When she gets up, Abby tries to hit her again, but Aria uses it to her advantage, using air to stop her, creating a vortex. They let up and let the vortex dissipate. Then Zayne steps forward and creates a fireball. He throws one at her, so she uses air to knock it out of the way.

Wrong move. The fire ball goes crashing into a tree and sets it ablaze.

“Shit!” Aria shouts as Grace goes over and puts out the flames. “Damn it! I should have used water instead.” Her shoulders sag as everyone gathers in.

“Don’t worry about it, dude. You were doing great. You didn’t let it hit you, so there’s that,” Kat places a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll get it next time. Just remember that water is fire’s enemy.”

Aria shoots her a look before smiling at her.

“Alright, I’m headed to go brush and feed Sparkles. Bye, guys,” Kat says.

Aria hesitates a moment. “Hey, Kat! Can I come with?”

“Sure. The more, the merrier. Sparkles loves the attention.” Kat shrugs as she waits for Aria, who is coming to me.

Even all sweaty, she’s still the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. She stands on her tiptoes, no doubt about to kiss me on my cheek, but I turn my head and she kisses my lips instead. She smiles and kisses me once more before skipping off to Kat. I feel the pull, so I open the link.

See you later, babe, she thinks to me as I watch her leave.

I swear she’s swinging her hips on purpose. I can feel my dick starting to stand at attention at the movement. But then Grace’s high-pitched squeal makes them stop dead in their tracks. It also saves me from an uncomfortable walk back to my cabin for a cold fucking shower.

“OH, MY GOD!” Grace is staring at her phone, smiling. “OH, MY GOD!”

Knox walks over to her and peers over her shoulder. She angles her phone to show him; he starts to chuckle and kisses her head.

Kat and Aria make their way back over to us.

“What is it? What’s going on?” Aria asks, concern lacing her tone.

“Chasing Ghosts are coming here this Friday night!” Grace grabs Knox’s shoulders and shakes him. He starts laughing before he wraps her in his arms and kisses her head. “This is so bloody exciting.”

“I’m sorry but who are the Chasing Ghosts?” Declan asks before taking a swig from his water bottle.

“They’re an all-girl band from the UK. And they are amazing!” Grace squeals again.

Abby loops her arm through Aria’s. “They are actually pretty good. We should all go together.”

“Hell yeah!” Declan holds his hand up to Abby, who high-fives him.

Knox runs a hand through his hair. “Do you really think that’s such a good idea?”

“Of course it’s a bad idea. But that’s never stopped you before, Daredevil.” Bennett chimes in. “We could all use a little fun.”

I reach for Aria and she willingly comes to me. “What do you think, baby? Should we break a few rules?”

I wrap my arms around her, then I lean in to place a soft kiss right on the sensitive part of her neck. She turns her head so our gazes lock, glancing down at my lips briefly then returning her eyes back to mine.

“Absolutely.” She smiles before quickly kissing me.

She pushes her ass right into my cock and tries to scurry away, only I hold onto her tighter. I pull her back just so she can feel what she does to me.

What only she does to me.

She stiffens as I lean my head back down and place another soft kiss on my favorite spot on her neck.

Tease, I use the link to tell her since there are people around.

I hear her giggle softly before I let her go. Reluctantly.

“Y’all think you can get off Friday night?” Abby asks as Zayne comes over.

Their eyes lock for just a moment too long. Abby blushes, turning away, and I catch Zayne’s eye. He shrugs as I quirk a brow. Huh. Never would have guessed that would happen.

“Damn straight, we can.” Bennett says. “Kai and Jasper owe us one.”

“Sweet. It’ll be just like old times.” Zayne smacks Bennett’s hand.

“Kat, you want in too?” Declan asks Kat.

“I’d love to, but I can’t. I’m meeting a bunch of friends for a game of Dungeons and Dragons. But you guys go and have fun.” Kat waves goodbye before heading off with Aria and Abby.

We say goodbye to Knox and Grace, who tell us that they’re going to head into town for a bit. The rest of us decide we want to hit the workout room.

* * *

The rest of the week goes by with no signs of Ronan, Isabella, or any other vampire. My father is not happy with us going out tonight, but I don’t give a fuck. We’ve all been working and training nonstop and we need a night off to blow off some steam.

The girls are at Abby’s cabin getting ready while the guys are at my cabin. I break out the whiskey and we have few shots before Aria uses the link to tell me that they’re ready. We take one more shot, then meet up with the girls.

We are waiting outside talking when the girls emerge from the cabin. My breath hitches in my lungs as Aria steps out onto the porch.

Holy fuck.

She’s wearing a short, lacy black dress and her platinum blonde hair falls in soft waves over her shoulders, passing just below her breasts. She’s got on black heeled ankle boots, that make her legs seem like they run on for days. Smokey eye shadow makes her green eyes stand out more. Then my gaze lands on her lips.

Fuck me.

She’s wearing red lipstick.

And now I’m imagining those ruby red lips wrapped around my dick. She sucks her bottom lip between her teeth. I groan inwardly. It’s going to be a long fucking night, and she’s never leaving my side.

She’s mine.

Like what you see? I hear her voice in my head as she walks down the steps toward me, putting on her amulet.

Everyone else is forgotten. She’s smirking as she reaches me. I’m to stunned to speak.

“Your eyes are doing that glowy thing,” she whispers, grabbing my shirt and, tugging me closer. Her fingers play with the buttons as our eyes lock.

“Are you two finished eye-fucking each other?” Bennett says, right as I’m about to claim her lips.

He has the worst timing.

Aria chuckles as she reaches for my hand and laces her fingers with mine.

Bennett smiles as we approach everyone. “It’s about damn time. I was about to get the hose.”

I narrow my eyes at him, and he laughs. Aria, Declan, Ciera, and I take my Impala, while everyone else piles into Knox’s Suburban.

The drive to the venue doesn’t take long. I let them out at the front while I go to park my car. I make sure to park in the furthest spot possible. If I find a ding in my car, I’m going to be pissed. I walk in through the front door after showing the bouncer my ID and immediately spot Aria.

Every single guy is checking my girl out. One guy in particular is making it blatantly obvious. When he makes a grab for her, a growl forms low in my chest. She politely pushes him away, but he makes a grab for her again. This crowd is too fucking thick, making it hard for me to get to her.

Fucker.

Aria, I growl to Bennett through the link.

His eyes lock with mine before he turns and wraps his arms around her. He says something to the asshole, and he backs off. Aria glances up at Bennett and narrows her eyes.

“You know I could have taken care of him?” I hear her say as I finally reach them.

“Yes, Blondie, I know. But I wasn’t doing it for you. I needed to calm your wolf down.” Bennett kisses the side of her head before removing his arm from around her.

A look of understanding crosses her features as she looks at me.

“Don’t worry about him.” She places her hands on my face. “I’ve dealt with much worse.”

I know my eyes must be flashing bright blue because she laughs softly before pulling me down so she can kiss me. The anger that I was feeling not even a second ago evaporates as her lips meet mine.

I groan, grabbing her waist as she throws her arms around my neck, running her fingers through my hair. I hear her soft moan over the music. I contemplate taking her back to my car before she pulls away, smiling up at me.

Yeah, tonight is going to be a good night.

Hunter grabs my hand and pulls me to the bar for a drink. He looks hot tonight. Something about a man in plaid gets me all hot and bothered. His jeans sit low on his narrow hips. He orders a rum and Coke for me and whatever beer is on tap for himself. I sip on my drink as we make our way back to where the others are.

There’s house music playing before the band comes on. Abby and Zayne have hit the dance floor. He twirls her before grabbing her waist and pulling her close. She throws her arms around his neck as they move together in perfect sync.

Bennett is surrounded by women and he’s loving it. I catch his eye; he winks before turning his attention back to the woman who is grinding up against him. I search the floor for Declan and spot him just as a song by The Chainsmokers comes on. Ciera leans in and says something to Declan and he grabs her hand to lead her off the dance floor. The light hits his amulet, making it sparkle in the night. Luna came over earlier and told us we needed to wear the amulets to keep us safe while we’re away from the Compound. I remember her mentioning in the meeting that we needed to wear them if we ever left the safety of the Compound. I spot Knox and Grace huddled close at a small table off to the side of the room and Hunter leads me over to them.

“Hey, sweetie!” Grace shouts over the music. “I’m tiddly!”

I quirk a brow. “Tiddly?”

“Right, it’s British for tipsy. I forgot you guys don’t use that word here.” Grace takes a gulp from her drink. Her English accent is more prominent when she’s tipsy, or “tiddly,” as she puts it.

She holds her glass up. “Cheers!”

I clink my glass with hers and smile as I take a sip. I’m almost out of rum.

I frown. Then a glass magically appears in front of my face. I look over and see Abby beaming at me.

“Drink up, me hearties! Yo-ho!” she says in a horrible impression of Jack Sparrow.

I laugh, taking the glass from her and setting my empty one on the table. I love rum, and Abby knows it.

“Yo, who wants shots!” Bennett appears, holding a tray of shots for us.

Hunter and Knox both decline, as they are the designated drivers.

Bennett hands a shot to the rest of us. “Bottoms up, bitches!”

I tip my head back and feel the liquid burn on the way down my throat. Oh boy, I’m starting to feel it now. I lean into Hunter, breathing in his scent, cedarwood and ocean. He wraps his arm around my waist, tugging me closer. I look up at him, our gazes lock. He smirks, showing off his right dimple. I stand on my tiptoes to kiss him, but he meets me halfway.

I will never grow tired of kissing this man. He takes my breath away.

I feel his tongue swipe across my bottom lip once before taking it between his teeth. I inhale sharply as he pulls away, leaving me wanting more. So much more. He chuckles softly as I narrow my eyes at him.

Then the emcee comes onstage to introduce the band. Grace screams and runs off toward the front of the stage, dragging Knox along behind her.

“Sorry, Hunter, but I’m stealing your girl!” Abby grabs my hand, leading me onto the dance floor.

Hunter trails behind with Bennett and Zayne. We come up to Ciera and Declan. He wraps his arms around her as they both face the stage.

“You guys ready to jam tonight?” Storm, the lead singer, says into the microphone.

I know she’s the lead singer because Grace has been showing me pictures of them and playing their music nonstop all week. Abby was right; I do like them. It’s like poppy rock and roll music.

The drummer with bright pink hair, Trix, walks on stage, taking her seat behind the drums. A girl with long red hair comes on stage, picking up the bass. I think her name is Aurora. Last but not least is the guitarist, Ashley.

“Right. Well, we’re Chasing Ghosts. Now, let’s rock!” Storm yells and the crowd goes wild.

I can hear Grace scream as Trix starts them off with a fast-paced song. Abby and I jam along, jumping to the drum beat and singing along at the top of our lungs. The boys are laughing at us, but I don’t care.

They transition into another song, a slower-paced song. They have a keyboard player come out for this one. I think his name is Daniel, and according to Grace, he’s dating Aurora.

Zayne grabs Abby’s waist and they start dancing together. I smile at them before turning around to Hunter. When our gazes lock, everything around me stops. There is heat in his stare, igniting my blood. He slowly takes a step forward, clasping both of my cheeks before brushing his lips against mine. I rest my hands on his hips as he deepens our kiss. It’s not urgent; it’s soft and sweet. Like he’s taking his time, tasting me. Like we have all the time in world. Then the song stops, and he pulls away, resting his forehead against mine.

You are the moon to my wolf. I hear his husky voice in my head as he uses the link to communicate.

My heart swells as I lean in to kiss him once more before excusing myself to use the restroom. Abby offers to come with me, but I assure her that I’ll be fine.

Of course, I think I may be slightly more than tipsy, but I’m not quite drunk. There’s a group of drunk girls hovering by the sinks, touching up their makeup. They leave right before I finish, and I’m left alone.

At least, that’s what I thought.

A stall door opens. I glance up at the person in the mirror and my entire body locks up. My heart pounds against my ribcage.

It’s the girl in the painting.

She smiles sweetly at me through the mirror before coming up to the sink next to me to wash her hands. I try to act as calm as possible. I need to get out of here. I need to get to Declan.

“That’s such a pretty dress,” she says. Her voice is creepily sweet.

I reach for a paper towel before turning to face her. “Thank you.”

I smile and toss my paper towel in the trash. When I go to step around her, she blocks my path. I clench my jaw and ball my fists.

“I like your necklace, too.” She reaches for it, but I smack her hand away.

Every bone in my body is telling me to get the hell out of here.

She quirks a delicate brow. “That wasn’t very nice, Aria.”

I stop breathing. She knows my name.

“How rude of me.” She smirks, putting her hand on her hip. “I’m Isabella. I think it’s time we finally met.”

I go to throw a punch, but she quickly catches my wrist. She wraps her other hand around my neck, pushing me against the wall. I’m struggling to pull air into my lungs.

“Try anything like that again, and your friends die,” she whispers low into my ear before releasing me.

I try to use the link to get Hunter, but something doesn’t feel right. I’m somehow blocked from using it. I can hear him, though.

I cough and breath in precious air.

“What do you want?” I ask in between breaths.

“I want you to come with me. Try to warn your friends or that handsome boy-toy of yours and they will be dead faster than you can get to them,” she threatens.

I’m not going to try calling her bluff. If she’s anything like Ronan, then I know she’ll follow through with her threats.

“Okay,” I concede in a shaky voice.

“Good choice. Now, when you leave, there’s a door that leads out into the alleyway to your right. Use it.” She smirks, stepping aside to let me pass.

I ball my hands into fists at my sides, wishing I wasn’t wearing this damn amulet so I could at least set her on fire. I slowly walk past her, following her instructions. I glance out on the dance floor. Declan is smiling at Ciera. Abby is dancing with Grace while the guys are chatting off to the side. I see Hunter laugh. A sob starts to form in my throat. Refusing to let the tears fall, I straighten my shoulders and turn right, not looking back.

I open the door to the alleyway and step outside into the warmth of the night. I look around and see nothing. Then something hard hits me on the back of my head and I’m knocked out.

* * *

Aria? I hear Hunter’s panicked voice in my head. Baby, where are you?

I try to use the link to tell him what happened, but I'm still blocked. Then I remember.

The amulet.

It binds our powers so we can’t use them. I try to reach for it to take it off, but my arms aren’t working. I slowly blink my eyes open, looking up. My arms are chained above my head and my bare feet hardly touch the ground. I glance down and find that someone’s changed me into shorts and a tank top.

I shiver.

Please tell me you’re okay, Hunters voice echo’s in my head. Aria, please.

I struggle in the chains, trying to break free, but it’s no use.

“Struggle all you want. You aren’t going anywhere,” I hear a feminine voice ring through the dark room.

I blink again, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. Then a light turns on, just over my head.

Isabella steps into the light. Her long, dark brown curls look almost black. Her deep brown eyes examine me from head to toe. She stalks forward, heels clicking against the concrete floor.

She pulls out a dagger. My heart rate kicks up as she starts toying with it in between her fingers while she walks around me.

She’s the lion and I’m the lamb.

I hear her grab something metal and place it by my feet. I wiggle around just enough to see a large bucket. Crap. She grabs my legs and places the bucket under me, then sets my feet down in it.

“Are you going to kill me?” I ask.

If she is, I’d rather she just do it and get it over with.

She laughs. “As much as I would like to…no.” She pauses, tilting her head. “I’m sure you were told about the story of the first vampire.”

She looks at me, and understanding kicks in.

“You’re the first vampire?”

Holy. Shit.

“Fast learner. Yes, I am the first vampire. Apollo turned me immortal because his father wouldn’t let me drink Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods, which gives the drinker immortality. Without consequence, of course.” She pulls up a chair and sits in front of me, crossing her legs delicately. “We were happy for centuries. That is, until Daphne came along. Apollo left me for her and has been with her ever since.”

I stare at her. “But you cheated on him.”

“Is that the rumor floating around this century?” She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Funny. But no, he cheated on me.” She’s in my face in a blink and I flinch. “Left me to live the rest of eternity alone, while he gets to enjoy life up on Mount Olympus.”

“Who’s Daphne?” I ask, trying to distract her.

I could care less who this Daphne chick is. I know people are looking for me. I just need to stall.

“Well, she’s not a tree.” She shrugs. “Anyway, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to return the favor. That’s where you come in. And eventually your brother.”

I start to jerk around at the mention of my brother but stop when she brings the tip of the knife up to my neck, pressing it slightly into my skin.

“You see, when you’ve been alive for as long as I have, you learn how to be patient.” She nicks my skin.

I jerk back, but don’t get very far. She lowers the knife to my stomach, and in one swift movement, she slices it open. I scream as blood starts to drip from my wound and into the bucket below my feet. My breathing is ragged as I suck in shallow breaths.

“Why are you doing this?” I ask her, trying to breathe through the burning pain.

She slices into my stomach once more. I scream again, curling my body away from her as far as these stupid chains will let me.

She smiles. “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?”

She never answers. She just continues to cut into me. Stomach, legs, arms, doesn’t matter. She’s carving me like a damn pumpkin and there is nothing I can do about it.

My throat feels raw from screaming. I’m weak and shaky from the loss of blood. The chains are the only things holding me up. My healing ability is only working slowly due to the amulet.

Baby, I’m coming for you. Wherever you are, know that I am coming to get you. Just please hold on.

I hear Hunter’s strained voice in my head and try to fight the darkness from taking over me. I have no idea how he knows I'm in trouble, but I don’t care. I latch onto his voice like a lifeline.

I wince when she approaches me again. She doesn’t cut me, but she does look inside the bucket.

“That’s good.” Isabella removes the bucket from under me, then releases the chains from around my wrists.

I try to catch myself, but I'm too weak and I land on the concrete. I slowly crawl over to the wall and rest against it. I hear Isabella stalk toward me.

“None of this would be possible if I didn’t have someone on the inside.” She kneels down in front of me, so we’re at eye level. “There’s a traitor on the Compound. Would you like to know who?” She leans forward and whispers a name in my ear.

“No,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from all the screaming.

No. No. No.

She slowly leans back and her gaze locks with mine. She nods her head.

Then she’s gone.

I don’t remember passing out, and I certainly don’t remember coming back to the Compound. But here I am, back in the same room I was in when I had those damn headaches. I don’t even want to know how long I’ve been in here this time.

I wince as I sit up in bed. My body hurts. I mean, I guess that’s what happens when you’ve been sliced and diced. I glance down my body and see that I'm covered in bandages. I’m still in the same clothes that…

No.

I glance around the room to find it empty.

Good.

I don’t want to talk to anyone. Not right now. My throat feels like I swallowed sandpaper. I pull the covers off me, clenching my teeth because it feels like my skin is burning. Well, apparently I haven’t been out long. I reach up for my amulet, but it’s missing. That’s good. I spot a black hoodie laying on the couch and I get up and walk toward it. My vision starts to blur from the pain, but I push through it. I need to get out of here. I carefully place the hoodie over my head and immediately recognize the scent.

Cedarwood and ocean.

Hunter.

Where are my shoes? I look around the room but don’t see them. Guess I’m going barefoot. I make my way to the door, pulling it open slowly. When I see no one in the medical room, I pad my way to the other door. I open it and peek out. The coast is clear. I make a break for it, clutching my sore stomach.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I jump at the sound of Declan’s voice and whirl around.

I cry out in pain, and he rushes forward. I flinch away as he touches me.

“Hey, it’s me!” He holds his hands up. “You’re safe now.”

He lowers his hands and glances down at my bare legs, which are covered in bandages. Those cuts weren’t as deep as the ones on my stomach and arms.

“God Aria, I’m so sorry…” He trails off as tears fill his eyes.

He takes another small step forward. I take one step back, holding my hand up. I don’t say a word. I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to be held. I just want to get out of here.

Declan halts mid-step, understanding my silent plea. He nods only once, and I turn to leave the barn. I take a step outside and inhale the fresh air into my lungs. Then I start walking.

I don’t pay attention to where I’m going, but I find myself down by the fire pit where we had the bonfire. I shiver in the hoodie as I sit down and rest my back on one of the logs. I carefully pull my legs up to my chest, ignoring the pain from under the bandages. I hold my hand out next to me and summon the fire element, then let the flame go into the pit.

I rest my head on my knees, watching the flames dance in the night. The heat from the fire seeps through the hoodie, warming me. I should be hot, but I'm not. Memories of Hunter and I kissing for the first time come rushing forward.

I don’t want him to see me like this. I don’t want anyone to see me like this. I don’t want anyone to feel like this is their fault. I did what I had to do. I did the only thing I could do. If I hadn’t followed Isabella’s orders, they would all be dead.

I hug my knees tighter as I remember what she said to me right before she disappeared.

It can’t be true.

I refuse to believe it.

I refuse to believe a vampire. There can’t be a traitor. And if she is right about who she said it was, lives will change. Hell, my life already has. I was captured and I almost bled to death. For what? I don’t know, but whatever is, it can’t be good.

I can feel a slight tug in my head letting me know someone is trying to use the link. But I don’t let them in.

After a few minutes, movement in the woods catches my eyes and I lift my head to see a red wolf walking toward me.

Bennett.

He doesn’t shift into his human form, but he does come over and sit down next to me. He doesn’t try to talk using the link. We just sit in silence, watching the fire.

Another few minutes go by and I hear footsteps walking up behind us. Bennett sits up, looking over my head to see who is approaching, while I just continue to watch the flames. I don’t need to look up to know who it is. Bennett saunters back into the woods, leaving me alone with Hunter.

I still don’t look at him. I'm afraid that if I do, I’ll lose it. I haven’t cried since the funeral, and I don’t plan on starting now. Hunter kneels down in front of me, eyes roaming over me. He can’t see my arms or stomach, but I hear his deep growl when his eyes take in my legs.

Our eyes finally lock and my breath hitches in my lungs. His gaze searches mine before he places his hands over mine, removing my hands from around my knees. I don’t jerk away from his touch; I welcome it. He gently pulls me up from the ground, careful not to move me too fast. He places his hands on my shoulders and his eyes glow brightly as they search mine.

“Aria, I’m so sorry—” he starts to say.

I cut him off by placing my hand on his face. I swipe my thumb across his cheek, then I bring my hand down to touch his lips. He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply as he leans into my touch. His eyes are still glowing when he opens them. Tears blur my vision, and as one slips free, I rise on my tiptoes and bring my lips to his.

When I pull away, he rests his head on my forehead. The full moon brightly shines down on us as he gently cups my cheeks, his thumb wiping away the stray tear.

“I will never let anything happen to you again. I promise. I will always protect you. Always.” He places a gentle kiss on my forehead.

And I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I’m safe.

Protected.

I’m home.

I will do everything in my power to take care of my home, and the people in it.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” Hunter laces his fingers in mine, and we walk back to his cabin in silence.

I don’t know what the future will bring, or how I’m going to move on, but I have my brother and Abby. I have my new friends. And I have Hunter. So, no matter what happens, I know I’ll be okay.

First, I want to thank YOU, the reader, for taking a chance on me. I hope you enjoyed reading this story just as much as I enjoyed writing it. I truly appreciate you.

Second, I couldn’t get anywhere without the support of my family. You allowed me to chase my dream of becoming a writer and miss some family dinners so I can make those deadlines. You put up with all my crazy ramblings about my characters and book talk. Thank you for telling me to keep at it and make millions. I’m working on it!

Ciera: Thank you for making the perfect girl for Declan. You were one of the first people that knew what I was writing a novel. Also, Declan wouldn’t be named Declan without you, since you are his love interest and you strongly disliked his original name. You’re lucky I wasn’t sold on it either. Love you! PS I still have our list!

Kayla: Hey lovebug! Gosh, I have no idea where to start. You’re my best fucking friend and I honestly don’t know where I would be without you in my life. You were one of the two people who first read my story. I was so nervous to have someone read it and I’m really happy that you loved it! You gave me the inspiration to write the Trilogy as it is now planned. Love you’s!

Claire: I literally would not be in the position that I am if it weren’t for your love, support and overall friendship. You helped push me to finish this, and you always told me to never give up. “One Sentence” is what you would tell me when I was feeling really low and was ready to throw in the towel. You’ve been there for me since the very beginning. From chapter one to thirty-two. You witnessed my writing style grow and saw the moment I found my voice. Thank you for being you, love you lots and loads!

Aaron, Ashley, and Jen: My character muses! Writing you guys down on paper as magical beings was super fun. Jen, Sparkles would not be apart of this story if it weren’t for your love for Unicorns. He’s super fancy. Aaron, the famous skydiving scene would never have happened if you weren’t an Adrenaline Junkie. Ashley, you brought to life one of my favorite characters. I can’t wait for everyone to see what I have in store for Abby in book two. Thank you all for bringing to life Zayne, Kat and Abby.

Sam: Girl, you read the almost kiss scene in the kitchen and I remember the look you gave me. “That’s really good and you’re going to go big” is what you said to me. Sheesh, I hope you’re right. And what you read was the extreme rough draft. Thank you for being patient with me and for calling me an asshole! Its love!

Chaddettes: BJ, Claudia, Stefanie, Nichole, Katey, Jacinta, Eloise, Carmen, Jen O, Laura, Rebekah, Sophie and Georgina. LADIES: You guys rock! Your love and support have kept me sane throughout this insane process. We are all on this amazing journey and I would probably be rocking in a corner right now if it weren’t for you lovely ladies. Carmen, special shout out to you for stepping in and helping me edit and shape my baby up to be the best it can be. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Lenka Ashani Siberová: You brought my Aria to life with that stunning cover, I saw her and was like SOLD. You are so easy to work with and made my cover the best it could be. I find all your work beautiful and I’m super excited to work on books two and three with you. Thank you!

Angel Nyx: Thank you for using those “owl” eyes of yours and spotting the missed punctuation makes and missed words! And all your commentary along the way! Thank you for always supporting me as well!

Last but not least, my beta readers: Claudia, Stefanie, BJ, Jacinta, Nichole, Katey and Rebecca. Without you’re feedback my book baby would not be in the shape that it made it too. Rebecca, you were the boss at making sure my spellings were on POINT. Jacinta, you’re live DM’s made me smile. Nichole, your overprotectiveness for Hunter knows no bounds. Katey, you’re the real MVP for helping me shape up my world and ask the tough questions that got me thinking outside the box. Claudia, BJ, and Stefanie, thank you for letting me bug you guys again to read after the edits were made, and helping me to get those steamier moments a little extra steamy.

Amanda Carol lives in Westminster, Maryland, but has plans to move to Texas. She is a dog mom of one sassy little Yorkie named Raven (yes, after the Baltimore Ravens). She loves to travel and spend time at the beach. She enjoys writing about different worlds and bringing to life new characters. When she’s not writing, you can find her binge-watching shows on Netflix, reading, or taking unexpected family trips to Target. If you would like to follow her and get updates on future works, you can click on the links below.

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