Page 86 of Infernal Hearts

For hours I pore through this journal, committing each piece to memory even though I know this is now my prized possession. It’s a how-to-manual for myself. It’s painful beyond belief, but it’s answered so many questions I didn’t even know how to ask.

How I’m a healer for supernaturals, and that deals with them can keep me from being hunted and used. How my power source is tied to my heart, even more so to my emotions. How I could create another one like me… Not that I’d ever want to do that. I can barely be responsible for myself, and I’d never want to be like Magnus.

Finally, I get to the last page. The final entry.

April 19th, 1946

The incubus is dead.

“Dane.” Tears well up in my eyes. “No.”

I force myself to read the rest of the passage. If it’s true, if he’s really been dead for eighty years, then how was I pulled to this place? Simple. The doctor somehow stole his heart. It all makes sense—technically that piece of Dane was never lost.

Ambrose said it himself that he would return eventually. And now that I can focus, I know where to find him.

All along, it was Dane’s heart drawing me here, but it wasn’t him. It was this mad doctor who stole it from him. The blood rushes to my ears, and my heartbeat quickens at the thought of how he took advantage of my brother. How he lured him in and murdered him. He stole something precious from a living creature.

Dane is dead. With a pulse going through my body, the ticking clock on my life pounds in my ears. I know it’s over in just one day. Since I can’t find him alive, the command will never be fulfilled. Oblivion.

There’s nothing more I can do right now except one thing.

Hunt.

If I’m going to die, I’ll be damned if I don’t take his murderer with me.

All my questions have been answered, all except for two. Who is Ambrose and how do I kill him? Suddenly, I can feel my brother’s heart like I did in L.A., but only a couple of miles away—only one thing could have happened. Someone stole his power, and that’s what I’ve been sensing every time.

I can’t be here anymore. I need to finish what I started and leave here forever. But there’s an ache in my chest—I’ll never see Jay again. What a cruel fucking joke.

Besides, he’s never going to forgive me for murder—not after what happened to Aranda, not to mention his mother dying at the hand of a magical creature. It’s better if he hates me for being the asshole who broke his heart instead of hating me for being a cold-blooded killer.

I silently leave the guest house and walk to the office. I need to make this believable. I need to hurt him so bad that he doesn’t question it. As awful as this is, it’s the only way I can save him some pain. I’ll deal with my own pain later.

I take a deep breath and steel myself. My body tenses and my muscles quiver as I open the door. Jay’s alone at the counter when I come in.

“We need to talk.” Tears are threatening to well up in my eyes, but I fight them.

His face drops instantly. “What’s wrong?”

I clench my jaw, my heart deeply apologizing for every word. The ache in my chest grows with each syllable. “It doesn’t matter. I’m leaving.”

Jay holds up his hands, trying to slow me down. “Now just wait. Doesn’t that mean you’ll die? You need to explain.”

I can’t bring myself to confirm what he’s saying. “It’s been really nice getting to know you, but it’s never going to work, Jay. I don’t do relationships, and this has gotten way too out of hand.”

He comes around the corner and tries to put his hand on my shoulder, but I throw it off. His expression is pained beyond all belief. “Please, Levi. Tell me what’s going on. I just want to help.”

This is going to be harder than I thought. I’m going to need to really break him so I can move forward with my hunt. I narrow my eyes, sharpen my words, and go for the jugular. “You’ve done enough. You’re damaged goods. I don’t have time to help you sort out your mommy issues or figure out why you can’t keep a guy. If I wanted that, I could find it anywhere in L.A. You’re not that special and not worth that kind of work.”

As the words leave my mouth, they sour on my tongue. My stomach cold, it takes every ounce of strength in my body to say them. I just want to push him away so he’s safe. If it’s between keeping him and getting my revenge, I’ve already made my choice.

“You…you don’t mean that.” Jay’s lip trembles slightly before he presses them together.

“Have a good life, Jason, and I’m sorry things didn’t work out how you wanted. I’ll pick up Rani after I run one last errand. You won’t see us again.”

I turn toward the door as he screams my name behind me, but all I do is slam it shut.

My heart is breaking, and I want to punch myself in the gut for what I just did to the best man I’ve ever met. I’ll never find someone like him again. But I need to put his needs first, whether he knows what those are or not.

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