Page 45 of The Hunt
Pretending to be unaffected by Mrs. Quill’s tears and walking away wasn’t easy. I’d hurt her. But more than that, I’d hurt myself by openly acknowledging the truth. I’d wanted her to be there for me, and she hadn’t been. My mom, for all of her peculiarities, was the only one actually trying to understand now. That was more than anyone else had ever done.
My anger left me as I started the car and backed out of the garage.
I was a succubus. I should have people vying to spend time in my presence. Instead, I lacked a single friend or confidant.
With tears gathering in my eyes, I thought of Megan and stopped at the end of the driveway to call her.
“Hey, Eliana. I was going to give you until tonight before I started sending broken heart memes.”
I gave a watery laugh.
“You still can.”
“What’s wrong? Are you crying?”
“Maybe a little. Everyone is just making me so angry, and I’m lonely without a friend.”
“We can be home in five minutes,” she said immediately. “This hell gate thing I do is amazing for travel.”
“Not so good on the luggage,” Oanen called from the background.
“No, there’s no need for you to come home yet. Mrs. Quill said you were in Cyprus. Is it pretty?”
“It is. I never thought I was the type to ooh and aah over old stuff, but seeing some of the ruins is pretty humbling. I texted a pic to my great-grandma, and guess what she said? She remembers them a lot differently. She’s five hundred years old. Can you believe that shit?”
I chuckled at the awe in her tone.
“I can. There are older creatures alive. You might like talking to a few of them.”
“Probably not. I can only imagine the wrongs they’ve committed over all those years.”
“Yeah. I didn’t think of that.”
There was a long, silent pause.
“Are you going to tell me who I have to threaten for making you cry when I get home?”
“It’s a list. My mom brought my dad here. I love him, but I hate seeing how he is around her. Mindlessly happy, and a shell of the man he used to be before he met her.”
“How do you know? I mean, you weren’t born yet. How do you know he’s only a shell?”
I frowned at the phone.
“Megan, this is my pity party. Stop trying to be reasonable.”
She laughed.
“Carry on then. Who else?”
“Piepen has a new girlfriend who is insanely jealous. She sent her little sister to check me out. I’m tired of waking up to brownies in my room. I know I’m locking my window at night, but the little flitters keep getting in.”
“Was she touching herself?”
“What? Eew. No.”
“Well, that’s a win.”
“Your logic isn’t welcome here.”
