Page 70 of Savage Hunt

“Kesandra!” Logan met her in the middle of the road. “What are you doing here?”

Air lodged in my throat, and I almost puked as Fane’s mother hushed the high demon.

Warin’s mother.

“You’re supposed to be safe and protected in Savannah at Ruin’s.” Logan groaned and ran his hand down his face. “Fane would kill us if he knew you snuck back to the Underworld.”

She peeked around. “Where is he?”

Now I really could throw up. Once again, because of me, her son was in danger.

“He’s still in Venna’s custody.” Ruin stepped forward and rubbed the growing stubble on his jaw while searching for the right words. “We ran into some complications.”

A line developed between her eyebrows as she noticed me, and then her shoulders fell. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry, Kesa,” Nik said, giving her a reassuring smile. “We’ll get him.”

“I know.” She waved her hand for us to follow her. “I found an empty house we can hole up in for the night. Venna’s guards will see us if we attempt to cross through the doorway to Earth at this hour.”

As sickness churned my gut, I hung back to put distance between Fane’s mom and me. She wouldn’t want to be next to her son’s killer. She led us to an abandoned house that looked worse on the outside with falling shutters, broken steps and windows, and a crumbling porch, but the inside was still clean and cozy. There was even electricity.

How did that work? Was there an electric company demons had to pay to have power or?—

Seriously? Did that really matter?

Ruin pointed out a small room with a bathroom where I stripped and showered without the presence of other inmates. I was able to use shampoo and conditioner instead of a bar of harsh soap. Maybe I’d be able to get a brush through my hair now.

As the dirt and grime swirled down the drain, I couldn’t help but think of when Fane and I showered in Logan’s house in the Underworld. I’d poured my heart out to him, and he’d held me while I cried.

That was the first time I’d ever been vulnerable with anyone. After Fane handed me over to Ruin, I regretted every moment.

But now, I longed to repeat it.

Hot tears ran down my cheeks, mixing with the water. I’d fallen for the demon shifter so hard I couldn’t get my bearings straight. And all he wanted to do was kill me.

After I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body, I realized I had nothing except my dirty clothes to put on. Maybe the owners left something behind that I could wear. I opened the bathroom door and froze as Kesandra perched on the edge of the bed. The scars running down her left cheek and neck gleamed in the dim lights.

Instead of a sneer, her mouth curved into a delicate smile. “I thought you might need something to wear.” She patted a pile of clothes next to her. “I found them in a drawer in another room. They’re about your size.”

“Thank you.” I stumbled from the door and examined the black leggings, sports bra, and cut-off t-shirt. Wow. This was just my style.

“Logan told me what happened with Warin.”

The blood drained from my face, my legs gave out, and I collapsed on the bed. “I-I am so sorry.” I swallowed hard. “I didn’t?—”

She lifted her hand to cut me off. “I don’t blame you. Obviously, something had been very wrong with my son for him to do something so horrible.” She shook her head and tucked ebony locks behind her ear. “You were young and had no idea about this other world living right next to yours. All you did was protect yourself.”

I clutched the towel around me, water dripping from my damp hair. “If I had known more, maybe I could have helped him. Maybe I could have tied him up or knocked him out until someone else came along.”

Kesandra gently patted my arm. “Don’t play that game, sweetheart. And if he’d gotten away, who knows how many people he would have killed. Warin was a kind soul, and he would have had a difficult time dealing with that if he ever became himself again.”

My head bowed, and I choked back another round of tears. “You must think I’m nothing but trouble. Your other son got involved with me, and now he’s being controlled by an evil royal.”

She pointed to a small decorative partition. “Why don’t you get dressed over there? You’re shaking like a leaf. You must be freezing.”

I wasn’t shaking from the cold.

Still, I grabbed the bundle of clothes and made my way behind the divider. “Did they tell you about Kaspin’s spell?”

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