“Talk,” I demand.
“I have been. Have you been listening?” Ash let out a scoff as she places one of her boots on the dash.
I glare over at her, my jaw clenched as I start the car. I pull out onto the road, having no idea where to go.
“You, Logan Sinclair, are one of those special humans who can see spirits in any shape or form. The veil between the spirit world and the mortal world is transparent to you, and you see things for what they are. You most probably have a great intuition as well, which is why you’re a skilled detective and you're hearing me out right now.”
“Like I had a choice,” I mutter.
“Bullshit. We all have a choice!” she snaps, her eyes whipping to mine, an otherworldly glow emanating from them. “You have a gift. The spirit has marked you as prey and has been feeding off you for years, keeping you a slave to negative emotions and isolation. Salena threatens it. She is bringing happiness to your life, making this spirit angry. It’s only a matter of time before it lashes out. Now I can help you, if you’ll let me. The last thing I want is for Salena to get hurt.”
My fingers tap on the steering wheel, Ash’s words mixing with Salena’s from a few weeks ago.
“What are you?” I ask.
“I’m a skinwalker.”
“Awhat?”
“In my tribe, I’m classed as a dark witch and shapeshifter.”
A chill runs down my spine as disbelief fills me. Am I really listening to this woman? Everything she’s saying makes sense, but witch? shapeshifter?
“You need to leave. We must go back to where it happened. Quite literally, face your demons.”
My heart thumped wildly. Leave? Go back there…
“I can’t just leave,” I blurt.
“It’s the only way.”
I can feel the anxiety rising in my chest, my stomach churning at the thought of facing this demon, this spirit that took my brother. The little boy inside of me is terrified, but the man wants revenge.
“You can’t tell Salena where we’re going or what we’re doing. It needs to be done alone. I cannot help you when your mate is around. She won’t let you put yourself in danger.” Her voice is firm and unwavering.
I furrow my brows in confusion. Mate?
“What are you talking about?”
Ash’s eyes widen, and she raises her eyebrows. “She hasn’t told you?”
“Told me what?”
“You really are clueless.” She mumbles something else under her breath I don’t quite catch.
“Look, we need to leave soon. Say your goodbyes. Salena won’t let you go without a fight, so you best make up something good.”
“How long will it take?”
Ash shrugs and swings open the car door, causing me to jam on the brakes.
“I will find you,” she says, jumping from the car and disappearing.
With a sickening feeling, I know she’s right. I have to face this, put it behind me if I want any type of future with Salena.
I hate being this person, fearful and scared of emotions, of loving someone fully. Salena, she stormed into my carefully crafted life and made herself at home. I am losing grip on the carefully constructed walls I built.
With each step we take together, my world tilts even more than before.
