Page 6 of Haunting the Hunter
“What is this?”
I throw my head back, lost in the sensation, but the moment quickly severs, as if it was never actually there. In the next moment I’m met with a caress, and it almost feels like lips meeting my forehead. Ethereal. It snaps me awake.
My brows furrow, and I jerk upright, sheets tangled around my legs. The room is still as my heart pounds in my chest.
I look over at the clock on the bedside table: 3:33 a.m. I gaze down, my body still betraying me—hard and wanting. My stomach twists in disgust when I noticed the sheet is stained.
“Wet dreams now?” I grumble to myself, exasperated. “I’m fucking losing it.”
CHAPTER 2
CALLISTO
Ijolt awake from a dead sleep, drenched in sweat. The memory of the towering black mass, the image of its golden eyes and massive horns, is burned into my mind. My heart pounds as I scan the room, moonlight filtering in through the curtains. It’s quiet… too quiet.
I reach for my phone: 3:33 a.m.
The witching hour.
Again.
The same dream every night for over a week now…
“My little witch. Are you here to come again?” I whimper at the contact, sharp fangs grazing against my collarbone.
“Please.” I can feel his low rumble as I look up at him, my demon.
“You always beg so pretty. Now open your legs for me.” I do, Gods I do. The covers shift as I do what he asks, strong, thick fingers dragging over my core. Teasing as his claws slowly trail up to my breasts, one thumb brushing my nipple until it hardens under his touch.
“Always so responsive for me,” he breathes, so low, I almost don’t catch it. Like he is in awe of how I melt for him, crave him. The smell of amber and earth consumes me. Warm, grounding, ancient. Like freedom. Like stepping into a world I’ve never known…
My thighs press together at the memory. “Guess I’m up now,” Imutter, sighing as I push the covers aside and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. A strange heaviness lingers in the air, an unsettling feeling like something is watching me. I can feel him, my monster of sorts.
From the moment I found that pendulum, I can’t shake the presence it has left behind. The way it just appeared one day sends a chill up my spine. At first, it felt gentle and almost comforting. But then… The darkness I felt was overwhelming, as if it would consume me if I let it. I prayed that whatever I called didn’t open the door to something else… Something more dangerous.
I’m still new to this. I’ve always been aware of my magic, but haven’t a damn clue how to control it. That was the last thing my parents wanted me to learn, lest I use it against them, but not knowing leaves me dangerous. It breaks through when my emotions are high and grows stronger by the day, showing me visions in my dreams I can’t escape. I have no idea what this power is capable of or how to use it.
Giving the pendulum to Cade was the right call. It vibrates with magic—that even he shouldn’t be able to deny. He needs to know what’s out there, to feel what our eyes can’t see. I am convinced that whatever came through the veil will do just that, both for him and for me. I just wish these nightmares would ease up.
I rub my eyes and lift myself off the bed. My body is heavy and sore from the poor night’s sleep. I head to the bathroom and turn on the faucet to draw a bath. Sweat-damp leggings cling to my skin, and I shiver as I peel them off…Gross. I grab my favorite bath salts and sprinkle them into the steaming water, hoping the heat will wash away the lingering unease.
The lights flicker—once, twice—accompanied by a faint buzzing that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
I freeze. It’s not me. I can tell when it is.
“What the fuck?” My voice is barely a whisper.It’s just a faulty wire. Nothing to worry about.
Wrapping a towel around myself, I scan the bathroom, pulse pounding in my ears. Something caresses my shoulder, almost like a breath that pebbles goose bumps over my skin.
No… Not me.
“Who’s here?” I call out, trying to sound braver than I feel. Earthy tones fill my senses—the scent from my dreams.
Heat blooms over my skin, and it isn’t from the steam. My chest tightens, the air feeling thick and heavy. I close my eyes for just a second and an image flashes in my mind: a towering black mass looming in a corner. It appears to move, almost as if it’s pointing to me, when I hear an eerie whisper—
“Mine.”
My eyes snap open, gaze darting to the corner. Nothing’s there.
