I also leave out a few other minor details—like the hellhound, the wrakh, the ancient shadow creature, and the Hell-queen bloodline I never signed up for.
Ah, shit.
I wrap up the worst parts, and when I look up? Eve’s crying, Thane’s murmuring something to her, and I suddenly wish I’d sugarcoated the whole goddamn thing.
“Oh, no! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you, E. You just … asked,” I say, picking at my fingernails and staring at my lap.
Eve sniffs, wipes her nose, and stares down at the table, her jaw tight.
“It’s okay, I just hate that this happened to you. What happened to Jameson? What did the police say?”
Motherfucker.
Because that’s what a normal person does when they’re assaulted. They go to the fucking cops.
But what do you do when you find out you’re something else?
Something powerful?
When the man who saved you—who kissed you and held you through nightmares—devoured your attacker whole?
The cops? They feel small and powerless.
“Um … I haven’t spoken to the police yet. Everything’s been so foggy since the attack. So that’s something I guess I’ll have to do, right?”
Eve and I have known each other since we were seven. She knows there’s something else going on. She’s too intuitive for her own good.
My best friend stares at me in pure, unadulterated disbelief. I knew it.
“Something is going on with you. Don’t you think, Thane?”
She swings her gaze to Thane, looking for confirmation, but he just shrugs.
“I don’t know, Eve. She seems normal to me. Well, as normal as one can be after such a traumatic event.” Thane’s brows pull together. “Are you really okay, Aurora?”
His voice is so gentle. His green eyes are warm and open, the concern in them making something twist in my chest.
“I mean, y-yeah. I guess so.” The words tumble out of my mouth. “I have everything I need right now, and I feel pretty safe at Ezra’s house. I just don’t know what’s next, you know?”
And I don’t. Now that things have settled, I feel … adrift.
Thane hums thoughtfully. “The next steps will be difficult, Aurora. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.” He hesitates, then gives me a small, knowing smile. “I will say, though, having a man like Ezra on your side should help. He’s a little on the odd side, but it’s not like he’s amonsteror anything.”
The wordmonsterlands too hard, too sharp, making my stomach drop.
Does he know?
About me?
About Ezra?
Is he one ofthem?
The panic wakes something old and hungry inside me.
Jameson’s ghost breathes against my skin. His hands press into my throat, whispering lies, telling me I can’t trust them, urging me tocut the fucking bugs out—
No!
