He paused and I urged him, “And?”
“And I met Edna. I don’t know what happened to me, but the moment I met her, everything changed.”
“I know her. She’s a lesser fae and she has a little boy.”
“Yes, Eddie. He’s two and he’s mine.” My jaw fell open. Strom continued, “Edna knows what I am and accepts me, but my brother would never accept her and Eddie, so no one knows about our relationship. I think loving Edna and Eddie changed me. It made me think of Brooke and realize I had another daughter out there. For months, I’ve wanted to contact her. I wanted us to have a normal father and daughter relationship, but I knew that was crazy for several reasons, so I settled for sending an anonymous letter to her. Like I said, I didn’t expect her to show up here, looking for me. Not that I didn’t want to see her.” He placed a hand on his chest. “I first saw her at the Dark Horse Diner. I was there with my brother and Karl. I heard her talking to Angela about coming to look for her father. I saw my letter in her hands. I swear, it took everything in me not to tell her I was right there, and all I wanted was to hug her. But Nerom was there and he wouldn’t understand.”
“All right, that’s all understandable,” I said, even though I was still processing everything he had told me. “But I want to know about the second note. The one that said she’s in danger. Do you know about the deaths and why she’s being blamed for them?”
He nodded. “The first one was coincidence. Robbie Doyle worked for Nerom. He did odd jobs for us. He wanted more responsibility, but Nerom was testing him. Robbie had stolen a few potions and Nerom was pissed. To show the others he wouldn’t tolerate any shit like that, he killed Robbie right after he ran into Brooke outside the diner. It was a coincidence, but Nerom noticed how you and the other hunters got off our backs for the entire day, trying to defend Brooke and find out why that death was linked to her. So, he planned the next one. He sent Karl to find her after drinking a potion to make him more pliable. Karl was instantly under her spell, and it happened right in front Mrs. Ackerman, which Nerom planned too. Then, once Brooke and that other hunter were gone, Nerom killed Karl. And it worked. All day, you have been worried about trying to find me and the reasons behind the deaths, while Nerom is, right at this moment, smuggling more potions to the kingdoms underwater.”
Shit, shit, shit.
So the enchantments and the deaths were connected to the potions operations after all. It was all one big case.
“So, you’re now gonna tell me where to find Nerom so I can go there right now and stop him.”
“Yes, but first I want your promise.”
I frowned. “What?”
“I want you to promise me that after you take down Nerom and the network and me, you will take care of my family. Edna, Eddie, and Brooke. I know I can’t ask for forgiveness. I am involved in this and should answer for my crimes, but before I do, I need to make sure the people I love will be all right.”
A pang cut through my chest. Here was a naga who had found love all by himself. He had turned around and was doing what was right for his family. Right now, I admired his courage and guts.
“I promise,” I said, not an inch of doubt in me. He didn’t even need to ask about Brooke. Eddie was her half-brother and Edna was his mother. I would make sure they were okay. “I promise,” I repeated.
A small smile appeared on his tight face. “Thank y—” Strom went rigid. His eyes bugged and he shouted, “Run!”
Suprised by the sudden change, it took me a minute to move. Nagas jumped out of the ocean and charged us. Two of them grabbed Strom’s arms and dragged him to the water, while another one came at me with his razor-like teeth and sharp claws.
I stepped back and grabbed the gun from the holster at my back.
I aimed, but the naga was too fast and snaked out of my way. He swiped his claws toward me and I spun to the side. I felt the wind swoosh by me as his claws drew down, less than an inch from my chest.
I hooked my arm underneath the naga’s and held tight, then I buried my gun into his gut and shot.
The naga let out a raging roar. Thick, dark green blood oozed from the wound on his stomach. I let go and aimed again.
The naga hissed at me and slithered back to the ocean. I shot three more times, but the naga disappeared under the water.
Twenty-Two
Brooke
I had planned on staying in the guest bedroom all night, but my stomach growled. When I remembered Tessa said something about dinner, I couldn’t resist. Besides, I was bored and worried and still feeling like I was swimming in a muddy ocean. Maybe the girls could take my mind off all the bad, crazy things happening.
Skeptical, I went downstairs, but the moment I stepped into the kitchen, I inhaled the deep, spicy aroma wafting around the place, and I was glad I had come.
“There you are,” Tessa said, looking over her shoulder at me. She stirred something in a big pot on the range. “I was about to send Sophia to call you since I’m almost done here.”
A girl with thick, brown curls seated on one of the stools around the island raised her hand and looked at me with her dark blue eyes. “I’m Sophia.”
“Hi,” I muttered, coming closer.
Amber picked up the plates from the cabinet. “We’re eating here, right?”
“Yup,” Tessa said. “More informal.” She smiled at me. “I hope you like chicken fricassee.”
I had no idea what that was. “I’m not sure, but it does smell good,” I said.
Her smile widened. “That’s good. The smell is always half the battle.”
Amber set the plates down on the island, then turned to get the glasses. “Eating your food is never a battle.”
“Tessa’s cooking is amazing,” Sophia said. “We make her cook for us all the time.”
“As if it was a terrible thing,” Tessa said.
“How can I help?” I asked, feeling awkward standing there.
“If you really want to help, you can get drinks from the fridge,” Amber said. “Sophia will have orange juice, I’ll have grape, and Tessa will have water. And you can get whatever you want for yourself.”
I went to the fridge, one of those huge side-by-side ones with the freezer as big as the refrigerator side, and picked up the drinks. Tessa finished the fricassee, Amber got the utensils, and Sophia just watched.
Soon, we were all seated around the island, eating Tessa’s delicious fricassee.
“How was school today?” Tessa asked Sophia.
The younger girl rolled her eyes. “The same. Boring. It’s too boring. I would prefer to go on hunts.”
Amber shook her head. “You know the deal. Finish high school first. Come on, there’s only five months left. After that, you can do whatever the hell you want.”
“That’s so far away,” she complained, sounding every bit like a teenager.
Tessa chuckled. “That’s so ridiculous. You’ve been in school your entire life and now, with only five months left, you want to quit?”
Sophia shrugged. “It’s not like I’ll do anything useful with my diploma.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Amber said, her voice firm. “That’s what Douglas wants and that’s what you’ll do.”
Sophia grumbled under her breath and I smiled. All right, I confess. Spending some time with the girls as if everything was normal was doing wonders for my broken soul.
After that, they told me a little bit about themselves. Sophia’s parents were hunters in the Sanctum of the Seven, and they died when she was little. Amber, who was Aidan’s sister, lost her mother to an enraged werewolf years ago. Broken from the loss, her father Hendrick went out on hunt after hunt, circling the country and taking any crazy case that crossed his path just to keep busy. Although, he came home occasionally to check on his children. And Tessa was Isaac’s daughter, the hunter who was killed last year. She told me her father pushed her away to keep her from this life—much like Nathan’s father had done—but after his death, she joined Landon
to get revenge and never left.
Like Nathan had said, everyone in here had lost loved ones and sacrificed so much. I couldn’t imagine a life like that.
Next, they told me about the cases and the hunts. There was always a case going on, if not many at the same time.
I wondered, if they were always hunting …
“If I might ask, what do you guys do for money? I mean, hunting doesn’t really pay, does it? You don’t get a reward every time you kill a demon or solve a case, do you?”
Sophia scoffed. “I wish.”
“The humans in town think we’re an odd family of investors, and I guess that is true. We are a family, even if most of us aren’t blood related, and our money comes from investing. Thankfully, it’s a large sum and we can live comfortably without worrying about that.”
“That’s cool, I guess.”
“It is,” Sophia said. “My tantrums usually consist of going to Amazon and spending a huge amount of money. I only get a quick don’t-do-it-again speech and that’s it.”
“That’s because you’re too old for tantrums,” Amber protested.
I chuckled and realized I was feeling a little better. The food had been delicious and the company wasn’t too bad either.
“We have Wonder Woman ready to play in the living room,” Tessa said, while she rinsed the plates and put them into the dishwasher. “Have you seen it?”
“I have. Several times, actually. But I love it. I don’t mind watching it several times again.”
“Great.” Tessa smiled. “Let’s go to the living room. In the middle of the movie, I’ll come and get us some dessert.”
I placed a hand over my stomach, feeling so full. “There’s dessert?”
“With Tessa, there’s always dessert,” Sophia said, closing the Tupperware with the fricassee leftover. “We love her for that. Just for that.” She winked at Tessa, who chuckled at the joke.
After we finished cleaning up the kitchen, the girls and I went to the living room. Once again, I was taken aback by how expensive and fancy and yet comfortable and inviting this place looked. The living room, or sitting room as Amber called it, had long sofas with soft cushions, large ottomans, thick rugs, and a huge TV over a heavy entertainment center.
I sat down at one of the couches when my phone dinged. Thinking it was probably my mother, checking in on me, I fished out of my pocket and glanced at the message.
It wasn’t my mother. It was an unknown number and it was a picture, not a text.
I stared at it and my heart stopped.
“I’ll be right back,” I muttered, standing up.
“Everything all right?” Amber asked.
I forced my eyes to her and said, “Yeah, it’s my mother. I’ll give her a quick call.”
Tessa frowned. “But it’s past midnight.”
“I know, right? She’s a night owl,” I lied. “You guys can put the movie in. I’ll be right back.”
“All right,” Tessa said, looking unconvinced. Still, I heard the movie starting when I walked out of the room.
I went to the kitchen and clicked on the picture. My heart sped up as I took it in—a photo of the same beige paper and handwriting for the two notes I had gotten before.
* * *
Brooke, I would like to meet you tonight. Come to the carousel pavilion at the abandoned amusement park as soon as you can. But don’t tell the hunters. If you do, they will arrest me on sight, and I won’t have an opportunity to explain everything.
Love,
Your father.
* * *
My hands shook.
Now he wanted to see me? What did this mean?
I looked in the direction of the living room. The girls would kill me if I left without telling them. Hell, Nathan would kill me. But I had to know. Why was he sending these letters? Why had he warned me I was in danger? In danger from what?
My heart pumped against my ribs, hurting.
I felt like I was going against the law, but I had to know.
I stayed in the kitchen and listened. The movie was loud and clear. The girls would only know something happened if the house shook or if they came looking for me—which I hope would take a long time.
As silently as I could, I climbed down the stairs to the underground garage and picked the keys to Amber’s Jeep on the hook panel beside the door. I hoped she would forgive me for borrowing her car for a couple of hours.
I sent up a silent prayer and drove out of the manor.
Twenty-Three
Nathan
I called the others as soon as the nagas were gone. Douglas ordered us to regroup at the manor so we could come up with a plan. We had made huge progress in our investigations now that we knew who was behind the potions operation and that they were also responsible for the deaths.
I wasn’t eager to tell Brooke about her father, that the other nagas had dragged him away like that. Right now, they were probably torturing him or worse.
I was the first back at the manor, but I noticed something right away. Amber’s Jeep was missing.
I raced up the stairs and burst into the kitchen. The sound of guns and explosion filled the air and my heart stopped. Then, I heard loud voices and recognized the movie. The girls were watching Wonder Woman. Again.
Still, that didn’t explain why Amber’s car was missing.
I stepped into the living room and turned on the lights.
“What the hell?” Sophia protested.
My heart squeezed. “Where’s Brooke?”
Amber shrugged. “Her mother called and she stepped out to talk to her.”
Tessa paused the movie. “I thought she was in the kitchen, or the foyer.”
Landon and Aidan appeared from behind me. “Everything all right here?”
I let out a long, shaky breath and shook my head. “Brooke is gone.”
Landon frowned. “What do you mean she’s gone?”
“She took Amber’s Jeep and left.”
“What?” Amber squealed. It was a rare sight. “But … she was talking to her mother …”
“I don’t think it was her mother on the phone,” I said.
“You think it was her father,” Sophia said.
I nodded. “Yes. And she’s probably walking into a trap right now.” Rage coursed through me. I turned around and punched the wall. The nearest painting shook and fell to the ground. Glass and wood shattered, spreading all over the floor.
The girls jumped back, away from the shards. “Hey!” Amber protested.
Aidan put a heavy hand over my shoulder. “Calm down, man. We’ll go back out there and find her.”
I ran my bleeding hand through my hair. Getting angry wouldn’t help. I was a hunter and I had to think and act like one. “Get everyone out again right now. Amber and Tessa, you too.”
“How about me?” Sophia asked, sounding outraged.
“You’re not a full hunter, not until you graduate high school.”
“That’s five months from now!”
“I don’t care. Besides, someone has to stay in case Brooke comes back. Call us if she does. You got it?” She folded her arms and glared at me. “You got it?” I repeated my question, a bark in my voice.
“Yes,” she muttered with a pout a five year old would be jealous of.
“Damn, there’s Edna and Eddie too,” I said.
“Who?” Tessa asked.
“Strom’s partner and Brooke’s half-brother,” I explained. The guys had already heard this part, and like me, they knew who Edna and Eddie were. For some reason, we never speculated who the father was.
“Brooke has a half-brother?” Amber asked, surprised.
“Yeah, long story.” I walked out of the room and fished my phone from my pocket. “They got Brooke; now the other nagas can go after Edna and Eddie too. I’ll call Douglas and ask him to stop by their house to check on them.”
“I can do that,” Landon offered.
“Okay, then I’m calling Cole and asking him to kee
p an eye on the traffic cameras for Amber’s car. Other than that, we drive around, looking for her.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Aidan said.
“Yeah, I bet Cole will be able to spot her,” Landon added.
That was what I was counting on. Thankfully, Amber’s was the only white Jeep in town as far as I knew.
I raced down the stairs to the underground garage. “Let’s go.”
Twenty-Four
Brooke
The amusement park had been abandoned since way before I was born. I had come here a few times with my friends before my mother and I moved out of Willow Harbor, but only because people said it was haunted, same as the lighthouse. But now that I knew the lighthouse was really haunted, I wondered if the amusement park was too.
A chill ran down my spine, and it wasn’t because of the damn cold air.
I had left the Jeep in the main parking lot, because I didn’t know where else to park it and because there were still gates and chains around the entire park. If I wasn’t mistaken, the carousel pavilion was located right at the edge of the sand near the beach. Trembling with fear and cold, I walked that way.
Each groan from the wind or the rusty chains of the abandoned toys and games made me jump. My heart pounded, making feel as though I was about to have a heart attack.
I walked by the bumper cars and mechanical bull and then I saw it, the big octagonal pavilion where the carousel was located. It was said the big double doors and the eight sides were removable once upon a time, and the inclined roof was supported by eight steel columns. The owners used to leave the pavilion open during the summer and spring, and closed during fall and winter because of the weather. But I had never seen it without the panels.
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