by Lila Kane
“Logan…”
“Go to bed.”
“What?”
“You should get into bed. Sleep it off. See how you feel in the morning. I don’t‒I don’t know what else to do.”
He’s so far away from me in the dark hallway even though we’re only standing a few feet apart. I don’t know how to bridge the gap. He’s right. He could have seriously hurt me. I understand why that’s hard for him, but I know he wouldn’t do anything too bad. He’s in control, isn’t he?
“Come to bed,” I say. I’ll deal with this later.
He hesitates.
I shake my head. “You’re not going to do this.”
“What?” he asks, wariness in his voice.
“Shut me out. We’re in this together.” My head throbs and I press my hand to the tender spot in the back. “I’m not kidding. This isn’t just your problem.”
“God, Willow, don’t you think I know that? I made it your problem.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.”
“Willow,” he warns, voice low.
“So…what?” I ask, dangerously close to tears. “You’re not going to talk to me? You’re dealing with this on your own and that’s it? Because if that’s the case, you can forget about us. That’s not how I operate.”
A muscle works in his jaw, eyes dark and full of anguish. “That’s not what I want.”
“When you shut me out like that, it’s what you get.”
He reaches out. “You don’t mean that, Willow.”
I don’t respond. My body is exhausted, there’s an ache in my throat that won’t go away, and all I want to do is sleep. In Logan’s arms.
“I just need space to deal with this. I need you trust me.”
“Deal with what?”
“Kane.”
I push away from the wall, walking straight up to him. So close I can feel his body heat. “He’s a problem for all of us, not just you. We deal with this together‒”
“Not this time. He’s too dangerous.”
“No, that’s not how it’s going to work.”
“Willow, he killed your father.”
I reel back as if he’s slapped me. My heart slams into my ribs. “What?”
He steps toward me, but I hold up my hand before stumbling into the wall. I knew someone killed my father. In fact, I knew it was probably someone from Shadow Hill‒or someone who knew about the spell‒but I’d put that all to the back of my mind. I knew it wasn’t Logan and I knew it wasn’t anyone I’d met. Maybe I thought I’d never meet him or her.
I slide down the wall. The hardwood is cool on the backs of my legs, but I barely notice it. Dimly in the back of my mind, I wonder why Myra hasn’t come out. She has to have heard us. My eyes fill with tears and my vision swims when I look up at Logan.
“How long have you known?” I ask, my voice a whisper.
His hesitation says it all.
“Since the beginning?” I ask. “Since when it happened?”
“Willow, please‒”
“No!” I shout. “You should have told me.”
“I know.”
He starts to crouch next to me, but I scramble to my feet, then wince at the pain in my head. At the bruises I can feel forming all over my body.
“Please, Willow. I hurt you. Let me help.”
My voice cracks when I say, “Leave me alone.”
“I know I should have told you, but I wanted‒”
“I don’t care,” I hiss, whirling on him. “You should have told me. We’re supposed to be in this together.”
“We are.”
I point my finger at him. “Don’t you dare say that to me after you’ve shut me out all day and didn’t tell me the truth about all this.”
His chest moves slowly with deep breaths, but he stays put. I turn away from him, go into my room, and close the door.
Chapter 7
My body feels stiff and sore when I wake the next morning. I’m relieved to smell coffee, but when I walk into the kitchen and it’s Myra making it instead of Logan, my heart twists.
I was angry with him, I told him to leave me alone, but it still hurts not to see him.
Myra gives me a smile when I walk in. Despite her optimism, I can still see the strain in it. “Hey. I thought you’d sleep in a little.”
“Where’s Logan?” I mumble.
She presses her lips together before saying, “He left earlier. Said he had some things to take care of.”
I sit at the table. “Like what?”
“He didn’t say.”
I rub my hands over my face. “Doesn’t that bother you? That he won’t tell you anything?”
She pours a cup of coffee and delivers it to me at the table, accompanied by cream and sugar. “I guess…I don’t know. He always took care of me when I was younger. Kane wasn’t exactly the best big brother. And whenever my parents would go away and leave us all to fend for ourselves, Logan would tell me to let him handle it. So I did.”
“But…” I swallow hard. “I’m not used to that. I’m the one who always took care of everything. And Logan won’t let me in.”
Her face is thoughtful when she walks to the refrigerator. “He’s normally a fairly private person. I’m still kind of shocked how quickly he fell in love with you, and laid it all out there.”
I wince at her words and stare into my coffee cup. I wrap my fingers around it and let them burn with the heat for as long as I can stand it. How quickly he fell in love with me. And how quickly he told me. And how his biggest way of showing it is to try to take care of me.
“I’m sorry, Willow,” Myra says, turning from the refrigerator with the carton of eggs. “I heard your fight last night and‒oh, my God! What happened to your arm?”
Without looking at it, I tuck my arms close to my body. They’re bruised from Logan’s fingers. My head still hurts from last night, too.
“When I got up last night and he wasn’t there, I went outside. I couldn’t find him and I went back to the shed because I thought I saw something.” She frowns. I roll my eyes. “I know, but I thought Logan might have been hurt.”
“You should have come and gotten me.”
I return her frown. “Well, I didn’t. And it was just Logan. But he was surprised and thought I was Kane and…” I shrug. “He didn’t mean to hurt me.”
She sinks into a chair across from me. “And then what?” she asks quietly.
My chin wobbles. “Then he told me that Kane killed my father.”
She nods, folding her hands on the table. “I guess I should have suspected it. Kane always took things too far and…” She shakes her head and reaches out to touch my hand. “I’m so sorry, Willow.”
My throat tightens again and I stand. I don’t want to break down in front of her. I want to protect my mom and fix the spell and maybe…maybe fix things with Logan, too. If he can just be open with me.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I say.
She stands as well. “I’ll make you some breakfast.”
“Myra, I’m not really hungry.”
She smiles. “I’ll make you some anyway.”
I sigh and nod, not having the energy to argue. She’s more like her brother than she thinks. Trying to take care of me. She’d be good for Ryan.
The thought of them together should make me smile. They’d make a good couple. But then I think of Logan and how he’s not here and my heart hurts too badly to think anymore.
I convince Myra we should visit Cheyenne at the library. She’s smart not to argue too much and drives me there after breakfast.
The sun feels good on my arms and face as we drive through town. It’s almost summer and people are out everywhere. I’m nervous for them since Kane is in town. And at least one other shifter. Who else might be here?
I hope he doesn’t know any other paranormals that he’s going to invite into town. We’ve got too many here as it is. Every time a new one comes, they’re stuck here as well.
I c
an’t help but check for Logan’s car as we drive. Glancing at Myra, I say quietly, “Do you think he’s with Kane?”
I don’t miss when her hands squeeze tightly on the steering wheel.
“I hope not,” Myra says.
She pulls in front of the library on Main Street and gestures to the truck in front of us. “Ryan’s here.”
I’m almost distracted enough to lose my train of thought. “Wait‒why do you say that? That you hope Logan’s not with Kane?”
She sighs and brushes her hair off her forehead. “Because it isn’t going to make a difference. Logan isn’t going to change Kane’s mind‒he’s probably just going to make things worse.”
My stomach clenches. “You think you could change Kane’s mind?”
Her lips flatten into a straight line. “No. I don’t.”
She gets out abruptly and waits for me on the sidewalk. When I join her, she slides off her sunglasses. “Look, I’m sorry. I want to help you and I want to help the situation. I just don’t think confronting Kane about this is going to work. He’s got a temper and once he’s made his mind up about something, he won’t change. Our best course of action is to try to put the spell in place. Or maybe try to end it completely. To take away our powers altogether‒if that’s even possible.”
I shield the sun from my eyes, drawn to passerby on the other side of the street. Friends and couples and families. Innocent people. All in a town where Kane is loose.
And Logan. Somewhere.
“It might be possible,” I say. “I don’t know.”
I haven’t done much research. I’ve been preoccupied. With my mom. With Logan. With love.
I shove that thought aside. My gaze strays to the store across the street and the “For Sale” sign in the window. “Is that one of the ones you’re looking at?”
Myra’s face changes in an instant. She smiles and nods. “Yes. That one and the one…” She angles her head and points. “Down there.”
I follow her finger. “Which one is better?”
“I haven’t looked at them yet. I want you to come with me.”
“Really?”
She nods and links her arm through mine, leading me inside the library. “Really. I can’t do this by myself. I’ve never opened my own business before. The craziest thing I did was dash off to Paris for cooking classes. But then I got sick and…” Her smile warms. “It’s been pretty boring since then.”
When we walk inside, Ryan’s at Cheyenne’s desk talking about something with his arms folded. He sees us, eyes flicking to Myra, and he straightens. Myra doesn’t notice because she’s still talking to me, but Cheyenne angles her head at him.
Ryan clears his throat. “What’s up?”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing, but in an instant, his face changes and he surges forward, taking me gently by the arms. “Holy shit‒what happened?”
“Uh…” I try to pull away, but now Cheyenne’s standing in front of me, examining my arm with a frown.
“What happened?” she demands.
“It was an accident.”
“What kind of accident?” Ryan asks. I can feel the tension vibrating from his body. His eyes darken. “Where’s Logan?”
Cheyenne’s head snaps up. “I swear if that asshole did anything‒”
“Hey.” Myra clenches her hands at her sides. “She said it was an accident. He thought she was Kane, and‒”
“What?” Ryan interrupts. “He couldn’t tell the difference? These are fingerprints, Willow. He’s been grabbing you hard enough to leave marks.”
I detract myself from his hands and press my hands over my face, drawing in a deep breath. “That’s not what’s going on. He‒his powers are getting stronger‒it’s not like he did this intentionally.”
And it doesn’t matter right now anyway. Logan’s not here.
I ignore the ache in my heart.
“Then where is he?” Ryan asks.
I blink away the tears coming to my eyes. Cheyenne’s face softens immediately. “What is it?”
“He…he told me Kane killed my father.”
Ryan draws a sharp breath. When his arms come around me, I sink into his embrace, stifling the sob that wants to slip out. “Did you know about this?”
I look up and realize he’s talking to Myra. There’s steel in his voice and when I pull back, his eyes are glued to hers.
“I didn’t know,” she says, looking as fierce as him. “I should’ve, though. Willow‒I’m sorry. Really‒”
“Sorry isn’t going to help us now,” Ryan snaps.
“Ryan,” I whisper.
But he and Myra are standing face to face now, fire in their eyes. And electricity in the air between them.
“Don’t start with me, shifter,” Myra says.
Ryan’s hands clench and unclench.
Myra gestures over her shoulder. “We could take this outside.”
My jaw drops. I can’t believe she just said that. I can’t believe she’s threatening to beat him up.
“You don’t want to see what I could do to you‒and besides,” Ryan says, “you can’t hurt me.”
“Wanna bet?”
Cheyenne rolls her eyes. “Seriously?”
I catch Myra’s arm, trying to pull her away, but she’s planted where she is. “Come on, no one is going outside. We’re on the same side.”
Ryan relaxes a little but Myra doesn’t move. I glance at Cheyenne and she looks partially amused, partially worried. She adjusts her glasses on her eyes.
“Fine,” I say, turning. “I’m going to head out to the cave behind Shadow Hill Hotel. So just give me a call when you’re done here and we can figure out what to do.”
I barely make it two steps to the door before Ryan calls after me and Myra blocks my way.
“Hold on,” she says.
I lift my chin, smug. “What?”
“You can’t go out there.”
“But you guys can fight in here? How’s that productive?”
Ryan sighs. “Willow. Just wait a minute. Why do you need to go to the cave?”
“My mom. I need to help her‒to keep her safe. If I get the amethyst, I can put some in her room at the hospital and maybe Kane can’t bother her that way.”
Cheyenne nods at me. “That’s a start.” She points to some books on her desk. “We need to check your Book of Shadows, but I’ve been doing some research and I think we could probably come up with some spells to keep her safe‒and you safe‒while we figure out the rest.”
I give her a quick hug. At least someone is being productive. “Thank you.”
“You should come to my house tonight. I don’t want you staying alone.”
Myra folds her arms, still looking riled for a fight. “She’s not alone, I’m staying with her.”
Cheyenne shrugs. “Then you come, too. We’ll make it a girl’s night and stay in.”
It’s better than being at home without Logan. It’s better than thinking about everything else that’s going on.
“I have an hour before I have to be back.” Ryan nods to the door. “You want me to go with you to the cave?”
“You’ll come with me?”
His gaze softens. “Of course. I want your mom to be safe, too.”
“I’m coming,” Myra says.
Ryan tenses beside us but doesn’t say anything.
“Then let’s go.” I wave to Cheyenne as we walk out. “I’ll be over tonight.”
We ride in silence in Ryan’s truck. I’m wedged in the middle, with Myra staring out the window and Ryan’s jaw clenched as he drives us to the hotel. When we arrive and I see Logan’s car in the parking lot, I straighten.
“What is it?” Ryan asks.
“Nothing,” I murmur. “Let’s just get this done.”
But Ryan follows my gaze. He grits his teeth as he parks. “You want me to see if he’s here? I can ask him to leave.”
“No.” I get out and stand by the truck. “He might be working.”
Myra stalks around to Ryan’s side, drilling a finger into his chest. “He’s not going to do anything and you know it.”
“He already did,” Ryan growls. He grips Myra’s hand and pulls it away from his chest.
Her breath hitches in and he releases her abruptly, frustration on his face. He glances at me, but I pretend I didn’t see anything and start walking.
It’s humid today, with rain clouds hanging just over the mountains. I can’t help but look around. For Logan. For Kane. For Wes in either his blackbird or human form.
Ryan catches up to me and Myra joins me on the other side. We reach the cave quickly, but it’s barely recognizable as a cave anymore. The walls have crumbled and trees and branches cover the opening.
“Selena sure did a good job on this,” Myra says wryly.
I sigh. She did. And she put my mom in a coma before possessing me and trying to make me hurt my friends.
“Let’s just get this done.”
I step toward the collapsed opening of the cave but in an instant, someone is in front of me.
Logan appears, eyes dark and dangerous, and he snarls, “What are you doing here?”
Chapter 8
My breath catches in my throat.
Faster than I can see, Ryan’s in front of me and Myra joins the mix, blocking my path.
“What are you doing here?” Ryan asks Logan.
“Hey,” I interrupt, trying to push into their group. “I thought we weren’t going to fight.”
And it takes every bit of self-control I have to face Logan without cracking. I want to throw myself into his arms and kiss him. I want to yell at him for leaving this morning and for keeping the truth from me. I want more, and all I’ll allow myself to do is stand with my feet rooted to the ground and pretend this isn’t killing me.
Logan’s eyes soften. He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, but closes it again while Ryan glares at him.
“I need amethyst,” I remind them, then give Logan a pointed look. “For my mom.”
Myra grabs Logan’s arm. “Come on‒help us so we can get out of here.”
It takes another moment for Ryan to back down, but when he does, he shoots me a look as if to say I’m crazy for putting up with Logan. Maybe for putting up with vampires in general.