Starfire (Grim Gate 2)

A hauntingly beautiful melody echoes through the air, being carried on the wind. I slow to a stop, coming around the side of the barn. I’m going to find whoever is whistling and shove the dagger into their heart. How much force do I need to break through a human sternum? I guess I’ll find out.

Rene was still on the ground, crumpled like a fragile human. She’ll be an easy kill and then I can go for the other impostors. Once they’re dead, I’ll finally wake up.

This will finally be over.

But then someone tackles me, knocking me to the ground. I lose my grip on the dagger and my head lulls back, smacking against the hard earth beneath me. I fight against the hold, realizing it’s Hunter in spirit form.

“No!” I scream. “Don’t do this! Don’t let them kill me!”

“Anora,” Ethan says and I panic even more. I must not have tied him tight enough. “Snap the fuck out of this!” He moves over top of me, pinning my arms to the ground. “Look at me.”

Something passes through me, making my heart skip a beat. I stop fighting, and the fear starts to fade away.

“Ethan,” I whisper.

“Yes, I’m here.” He lowers his head and someone else walks to us.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” Nik says and Ethan moves out of the way just in time for Nik to sprinkle some sort of powder on me. It stings when it touches my skin and the voice telling me to kill is back, whispering and screaming at me.

“No,” I tell it and my eyelids become heavy; and I suddenly lacked the strength to keep them open. I try to situ up again and fail, though this time, I close my eyes and let the darkness take over.

CHAPTER 32

“I don’t know how much blood she lost,” a voice echoes in my head, sounding far away.

“Is she going to die?”

“No, or at least I don’t think so.”

“Shouldn’t she go to the hospital?”

“Yes,” a deep voice answers. “But not yet. If she freaks out again, they’ll lock her up.”

Ethan. It’s Ethan’s voice and just hearing it soothes me.

“Good thinking on your part,” he tells someone. “And Hunter, nice job with the vervain.”

“So, what now?” Rene asks. I’m able to place her voice now. “I mean, Xozon is out there, on the loose, right?”

Xozon? What are they talking about? Holy shit. My eyes fly open, and everything comes rushing back. Gasping, I sit up. I’m on the library couch, there’s a fire going, and Hunter is next to me, patiently waiting for me to wake up from the sleeping charm again. He had Nik add vervain to it, which is why it burned. But it knocked the demon’s hold off my—for now.

He puts his paw on my leg, knowing I’m back to my normal self. I throw my arms around him, a wave of guilt drowning my heart.

“I’m so sorry, Hunter,” I whisper and hug him tighter.

“Anora?” Ethan comes into the room from the kitchen.

“I’m not crazy anymore,” I promise. “I’m so sorry.”

“You remember what happened?”

“All of it, and I feel terrible. I wanted to kill you…and I tried to. And you too, Rene. I am so sorry.”

She’s in the doorway, staying behind Ethan. “It wasn’t you. Xozon was in control of your mind. But if you want ultimate forgiveness, kill him so that never happens again.”

“That was my original plan.” I try to get up but as soon as I’m just a few inches off the cushions, dizziness weighs heavily on me and I sink back down.

“You all right?” Ethan asks, looking at me with concern in his eyes.

“I’m really dizzy.”

“It’s partly from Xozon feeding off your energy and partly from losing so much blood.” Ethan sits next to me, and Nik brings me a glass of water. “You remember everything that happened?”

“Yeah. Xozon tricked me. He got inside my head and then told me you guys weren’t real. And that’s what I saw. Wait, blood?”

“You don’t remember that?” Ethan’s brows go up and he gently touches my arm.

“Oh, right.” I close my eyes, getting confused on what I saw versus what Xozon told me to see. He scratched me.

“You need stitches,” Ethan tells me. “And maybe even some blood. You bled a lot while you were murderous and flailing around.”

“I can’t say I’m sorry enough. Oh my god, Rene! Are you hurt?”

“I’ll be sore in the morning,” she answers honestly. “But I’m more scared than hurt.”

“Seriously?” I ask and feel like crying or puking. Or maybe both. “I threw you backward into the side of the house. That has to hurt.”

“Luckily my big ass took the blunt of the hit,” she says with a weak smile. “I’ll have a lump on my head for sure.”

“Maybe you should go to the hospital,” I tell her. “To make sure you don’t have a concussion.”