Page 88 of Infernal Hearts

“I think there’s a mistake. It has to be a mistake. If I can just find him…maybe I can do something.” Maybe I can make this right.

“I can sense him with my tattoo. He’s a few miles east of here, going deeper into the forest. You’d better hurry before he does something he’s going to regret.”

I know exactly where he’s going—my dad’s. But he’s still missing, so what does Levi hope to find? And if he does run into him, my dad really will be dead. “I’ll be back with him as soon as I can.”

“And Jason? Be careful. For the both of you.”

My keys are hot in my hand as I get to my truck. Did my dad really kill Levi’s brother? Has he been lying to me all my life about who he is, what he does? What he stands for? This doesn’t seem like something he would willingly do. He’s about healing, not hurting.

But if he really did do this…that means he’s probably been behind all of it—Levi’s attack, Rani’s attack, and Aranda’s murder.

I bet he even left town the night he stabbed Levi so he could throw Levi off his trail. If my dad’s ever been anything, it’s been clever and thorough. I just didn’t think evil was wrapped around that.

But wouldn’t Levi have sensed him when he set the trap for Rani and murdered Aranda? No, this has to be a mistake. I thought I knew who he was my entire life. In my gut, I feel like there’s an explanation here beyond what I saw in those journals.

It goes deeper than this—I just know it. I have to believe it with every fiber of my being if I’m going to have the strength to save both my dad and Levi.

My heart breaks at the thought of what Levi must have felt when he read those passages. He was doing everything in his power to bring back his brother alive, so this must have brought his entire world crashing down. I just want to talk to him. Shake him. Hold him and tell him it’s going to be all right.

There has to be a way out of this.

I start my engine in the empty parking lot. I need to find him as soon as I can. Magic hasn’t been kind to me, but maybe this time it’ll come through. I hope it will, at least. I’m already dialing as I speed to my dad’s, hoping that I’m not too late.

…

Levi

I walk through the woods to hide my trail. I don’t want him to know I’m coming. I don’t want him to know death is near until it’s too late. Sensing the energy every step of the way, I go all the way to end up where we began—the other Blackwell office.

This is way worse than I thought. Ambrose is inside there. Is he with Jason’s father? He must be. He really has been behind both disappearances all along, just like we thought.

Unless…

Fuck.

What if AmbroseisJason’s father?

Does it matter? He earned this fate. He deserves it. I’m the last of my kind, and I will have my revenge. Revenge on behalf of Dane, Magnus, and me. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. It has to be this way if I’m going to get any sense of peace.

Is there a twinge of guilt for what this may do to Jay? Of course. But it’s for the greater good. A monster like this shouldn’t be allowed to continue hunting and harming innocent creatures just to benefit himself. He’s worse than I’ll ever be. I say a silent apology to Jay, hoping that he’ll somehow read my mind from miles away and hoping he can forgive me one day. But I’ve made up my mind. I have to do this.

I’ve been hiding in the trees until the sun is fully set. The sky is overcast—not a single star in the sky. The pull of the heart invites me inside those walls as I look at the front of the cabin. A soft yellow light glows from behind the curtained windows. I need to wait until he’s asleep. This man knows a century of magic—quite possibly with more tricks up his sleeve than I have. I need him when he’s unsuspecting. I need to get the ambush.

I remain perfectly still, like the predator I am. My animalistic urges guide me through all of my decisions. Giving myself over to them completely, not a single thought crosses through my mind except for this. I block out all thoughts of Rani, Dane, Magnus… I especially block out all thoughts of Jay. I don’t have the capacity to feel or process. Emotions would only get in the way.

The lights in the cabin finally go out, one by one. Complete darkness takes over, my eyes adjusting to the scene. An owl flaps its wings in the distance. The crickets sing in the corners of the forest, while a cold, earthy scent fills my nostrils. I dig deep and reach out into the cabin with my magic, the sensation of an incubus heart inside echoing back at me—calm and at peace. He’s let his guard down, and it tells me that this is my moment. It’s time to strike.

I sneak up the stairs to the cabin, wrapping my hand around the doorknob. Using my full strength, I pull until a light crack echoes off the doorframe. It swings open, letting me inside.

I can barely make out the shapes of the furniture in the shadows, but the heart of my brother is calling to me. It’s pounding in my ears. I’m dangerously close to getting what I came here for.

Stepping quietly through the house, I pause and close my eyes for a moment. I try to focus on the direction the pull is coming from, how far it is.

I open my eyes and gasp. It’s right behind me.

A blinding flash fills the room as I’m enveloped in a cloud of powder. It’s choking my lungs—I can’t breathe. I cough and retch as I fall to my knees, grasping at my throat. Legs stand at my eye level as I collapse to the ground, smoke swirling around me and my vision going hazy. The scent of it burns, and I panic, fighting as hard as I can to keep my senses about me, but they’re failing me.

“I’m so sorry.” The voice is full of pain, sounding so far away.

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