Page 42 of Hunted By Darkness

It was easy to misunderstand the prophecy written in this coveted tome. I was a Soul Collector with the power of the After. It was likely they thought I’d become the demon who’d destroy the world. Except, now it was clear to those of us paying attention that the demon was Rilas. They were right about one thing—I’d be the reason the world was saved or ended, that much I did know.

It was a burden I carried with me every day.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t anywhere in the text that explained how a person achieved balance, only that they needed to. I wasn’t sure if corrupting the gem was the right move to make. And even if it was, I wasn’t sure how I’d corrupt it fast enough to take on Rilas when I needed to.

There had been one place that mentioned corruption in Grandmother’s journal:“We are hunted by darkness as Soul Collectors. Darkness ultimately seeks to corrupt us for the part we play in helping Death keep balance. Acts of darkness stain our souls, and the ultimate act of darkness for a Soul Collector is the use of the souls we collect.

“The gem that’s been passed down for generations in our family serves as a warning. It will darken when the corruption has become too great, and measures must be taken to ensure darkness doesn’t irreparably consume our souls. But it’s said aperfect balance for a Soul Collector is to live in the grey, and the grey is much easier to achieve and maintain than one might believe.”

I’d decided to think on it for a bit and address it with Silas after I’d given myself time to digest all that I’d read. He’d begged me to say more with numerous glances throughout the evening, but I hadn’t. I couldn’t. Not yet. We still needed to explain it all to Salvator. The shifter needed to understand what waited for us at the end of the road. He might have insight into the demon version of Rilas that would help us figure more out.

I just needed to convince Silas.

With a sigh, I sat up and brushed shaky fingers through my hair. My heart was still pounding, and the whispers still called to me, but I was able to find my usual calm with a few deep breaths. Licking my lips, I peered around the room.

Silas was gone. Tometi and Ryker weren’t in the room, either. But I wouldn’t be surprised to find them in the front room.

We’d moved places again. This time not far from the city where we’d met Bones. They didn’t seem to think it’d take the bone-masked mercenary long to find Rilas, but even if it did, we’d be better off staying close than having to travel back. I was honestly relieved. It was tiresome to hop from one forest to the next, a prisoner in my own life again.

I’d had a taste of normalcy the other night before we slaughtered a group of lame-named pirates. It reminded me that with everything going on, I still deserved to enjoy myself a bit. Lev had said as much to me in a candid moment near the fire, that he hoped my future responsibility to the world didn’t stop me from living and laughing today.

And I couldn’t help but pine for that, too.

I threw my legs over the side of the bed and tuned into the soft whispers. They were calling to me again, leading me somewhere. Each time, I’d found something important, something I needed,so I didn’t hesitate to get to my feet and throw on a pair of pants and a shirt. It wasn’t cold in this part of the world, so I just slipped on a light jacket and tucked in a few weapons for a peace of mind.

Keeping an eye out, I left the room and headed to the front of the house. Every door but Lev’s was closed. He was fast-asleep on his bed, hugging his comforter like a big body pillow. I took in the sight with a smile.

He’d spent the better part of the day translating tiny text. Worse, some of it in his mother’s handwriting, which was nothing short of abhorrent. Even when his eyes glassed over and he struggled to stay awake, Lev didn’t give up. It took me commanding him to sleep to get him to put it down.

Took a page out of the Silas handbook, I guess.

Like me, he’d spent his life as a prisoner to circumstance. He couldn’t be who he truly was. He couldn’t like who he wanted to like. He was expected to carry his mother’s legacy, and the legacy of his family. Joining us to go after Rilas was the first time Lev got to be exactly who he was, and I’d do whatever it took to make sure he enjoyed as much of it as he could.

Pushing off the doorframe, I continued to walk down the hallway, fully expecting all four men to be in the living room. The whispers carried across the air like secrets as I entered and peered around the empty space.

The fire was crackling embers. Silas had insisted on it despite it being plenty warm in the house. Dishes littered the coffee table where we’d left them. Lev had dragged Salvator to a nearby store to get food and drinks. He’d really taken a shine to the shifter, and I didn’t get the feeling that Salvator minded as much as he complained.

Several bottles of booze were scattered across the room, but none of them were touched. I’d argued with Lev and Silas over it. I didn’t need a repeat of every time the two drank together. Notafter a full day and with so many things still left to do. It never ended well for me. The two were ridiculous with their drinking games.

Walking a short distance, I peeked into the kitchen, but it was as empty as the front room. Alarm settled in the back of my head as I rushed out the front door.

Silas often did perimeter checks anywhere we stayed. He’d become obsessive about it since Rilas attacked. Salvator might’ve found a reason to go with him. But I didn’t sense magic anywhere. I couldn’t feel Tometi and Ryker like I normally did, either.

It was just the voices.

I cut across the lawn and searched for where everyone had gone, but nothing. The sounds of the city were drowned out by the whispering voices, their chorus growing louder.

The feeling in my gut was heavy. Something was wrong, and I didn’t have time to go back to find Lev to tell him. Instead, I took off at a brisk run to follow the voices wherever they led. After several streets, the droning of voices without bodies amplified to the point of debilitation. I struggled to keep focus and my pace, shooting a glance down side streets before moving on.

After blocks of searching, a figure came into view ahead of me, and by the shape and size, I knew it right away. I let loose a relieved breath and, still running, headed for him. A sudden wind hit him, throwing his hair into chaos around his head. His cloak danced around him as he turned. The glow of the city behind him cast his large figure in light and shadow.

Silas was obnoxiously gorgeous like this.

“Hello there, love. Fancy meeting you out here,” he murmured with a cute grin. “Hurried all this way to join me in a little moonlight liaison, have you?”

The voices hadn’t quieted. They were practically screaming, but I didn’t understand them. My pulse thundered as I reachedSilas’s side and scanned the illuminated horizon, a fresh rain leaving a lot of it wet and glossy.

“Where’s Bear Claw?” I asked when he didn’t speak.

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