Roan’s jaw clenched. “The level of evil in Jinkins Hudson wasn’t normal.”
“I agree,” Axel said. “He was easily corrupted because his soul was already black.”
“Hmmm.” I considered what they’d said. “We’re hedging bets. Is that it? As long as the spirits in the vicinity aren’t terribly evil, we should be fine. But if another slips into Haunted Hollow, one rotten to the core—”
“Then we’re in deep,” Roan finished.
“So one of the first things we must do is get a demonologist here to help you.”
Roan threaded his fingers through the back of my hair. My scalp tingled with pleasure. “That’s what I’m working on. Don’t worry. We’ll get it straightened out.”
“We need to.” My gaze searched his. Roan’s eyes still held a hint of some emotion I couldn’t figure out.
He kissed my hand. “We will.”
Pepper smiled. “If that’s it, then I guess we’ll be going.” Her purse buzzed. She rolled her eyes in embarrassment. “Sorry.” She stepped away to answer the call as we said our goodbyes to Axel.
After a minute Pepper thumbed off her phone. Axel’s brows shot up in question. “Everything okay?”
She laughed. “Yeah. That was Betty, my grandmother,” she explained to us. “She’s at a yard sale and says we need to get there fast. Says there’s an object I’ll like. Some sort of golden cat figurine.”
“It must be interesting if she’s calling about it,” I said.
Pepper shook her head. “Knowing her there’s probably more. I wouldn’t doubt it if she’s found a rare feather that ignites when you sit on it.”
I laughed. “She sounds like fun.”
Pepper smiled warmly. “She is.” She slipped on her coat and shouldered her purse. “Well, looks like it’s time to go.”
We waved goodbye from the porch. Once they were out of eyeshot, I prodded at the subject that had been bugging me.
“Roan.”
“Hmm?”
“You said something last night. Something about your power being dark and mine being light.”
He scowled.
“What is it?”
His hand slid down my arm, and he tugged me inside. “Let’s sit down and talk.”
We retreated to his suite of rooms. “This must be serious if we’re back here. Do I need a drink?”
He smirked. “I hope it’s not that bad.”
I studied his features. We’d been together long enough for me to know that when his brows pinched, he wasn’t only puzzled; he was worried.
“But you don’t know how bad it is.” I needed to give him an in. Let him know whatever he said was safe with me.
He plopped onto the sofa and rested his elbows on his knees.
“Is it that bad?”
He raked his fingers through his hair before tangling one set through mine. “I don’t know what it means, but whatever this power is, there’s a darkness to it that I don’t like. I feel this well of power, and I don’t know what to do with it.”
I nibbled my bottom lip. “When I see the light, I don’t really call it. The light is always around us. The spirit energy helps make it easier for the light to come forward. That’s all. I can coax the light if a spirit is near, but it’s not me doing it. I’m not that talented. But what you did last night? That’s beyond the scope of what I can do. I see spirits. I talk to them. They talk to me and mostly pester the heck out of me.”
