Heartsong (Green Creek 3)

It’s time you know who the real enemy is.

The ones who would take everything from us.

They are the Bennetts

And they will destroy everything if given the chance.

Was that real? Or was it just a dream?

I asked, “Are you a Bennett? Are you part of their pack—”

He moved quicker than I expected. I cried out in alarm as he leapt from his chair. I fell back onto my ass as he stalked toward me. I growled at him as he stood above, head cocked, eyes still horribly blank. His arms hung at his sides like they were boneless.

He said, “Ah. Ah. Ahhhh.”

I pushed myself away from him, my boots slipping on the floor.

He took an answering step toward me. And then another. And then another.

He only stopped when I did, my back against the wall. I had nowhere else to go.

I looked up at him, claws digging into the floor.

His mouth opened and closed soundlessly, his brow furrowed in deep lines like he was thinking as hard as he could. He blinked slowly.

And then he sat down on the floor in front of me. One of his bare feet pressed against my calf, causing my skin to crawl.

He opened his mouth again.

He said, “Ahhhhh. Ahhh. Ah.” The skin around his mouth tightened. “Ahhh am. Ah am. I am. I am.”

“You are,” I whispered.

“I am. I am. I am.” He was getting frustrated, practically spitting the words. “I am. I am. I am.”

I never should have come here. I needed to get out while I still could.

I started to get up but stopped when he lashed his hand out, wrapping his fingers around my ankle, squeezing tightly. I thought I felt a flash of heat, but it was faint.

“Bennett,” he said through gritted teeth.

I could barely breathe. “Bennett. You’re a Bennett?”

He shook his head jerkily, like it was being controlled by strings. “No. No Bennett. I am. I am.” He bared his teeth at me. They were yellowed, though they still looked strong. “I am. I am. Witch. I am witch. I am witch.”

He couldn’t be. I would have smelled the magic on him as soon as I walked into the house. Ezra had said this was a wolf. That was a lie. The man said he was a witch. That was a lie.

Unless….

Reality felt thin, like a translucent membrane.

I wanted to tear it apart.

“Witch,” I repeated. “You’re a witch.”

He nodded, head snapping up and down. He still held on to my ankle. If it came down to it, I’d break his wrist. Hell, I’d break his entire fucking body. I wasn’t going to die here. Not in this house.

“But you don’t have magic.”