Page 39 of Stalked

“Are you messing with me?” He half-smiled, but when he noticed I wasn’t smiling back, he dropped his grin and lowered his brow. He looked back at my palm. “That’s not a trick you’re doing there?”

I shook my head. “It all started in 1671.”

Though the music from the bar grew louder as more people filed in. I shared with him the condensed version of everything, from me being born centuries ago, to Caleb and our connection. That, what he walked in on, wasn’t what he thought it was. Caleb, from another life, meant something to me.

And after taking a few minutes, I gathered the courage to tell him what really happened to my mom and why she had tried to kill me.

Riley stared at me with unblinking eyes. His posture was rigid, as if I had just dropped him into the lake during the winter. I searched his face, looking for signs of disgust, hate, or even concern that I’d lost my mind. There weren’t any. I took in a breath, relieved that he didn’t think I was like my mother or that I was suddenly a new person because I had powers.

“You know,” I continued, “I’ve always felt like there was more than this?—more than what we could comprehend. My mom and dad moved to East Greenwich a few years before I was born, but all my ancestors are from Salem. I’ve felt things throughout my life I couldn’t explain. It all just seemed a little too perfect, when, in reality, we’ve been living among people with actual magic. It’s a bit unsettling if you really think about it.”

Riley covered his mouth with his hands, his eyes wider than before. Taking a deep breath, he ran his hand down his face before turning back to me and said, “My ex-girlfriend is a witch.” He was trying to smile as he said it, but his face didn’t quite get there.

Riley knew I wouldn’t lie to him?—even with something weird and unbelievable as what I had told him. Also, the wound healing the way it did couldn’t be unseen.Thathappened. It was real.

I swallowed. “Caleb, he—”

“Sounds like a prick,” Riley scoffed.

Laughter burst out of me for the first time in who knew how long. “He’s arrogant, yes, and—”

“Doesn’t deserve you.” Riley’s voice was soft, but it wasn’t jealousy. Only concern.

I was about to speak again when we heard Shannon’s high-pitched scream echo from the direction of the alley behind the bar.

“Is that Shannon? I didn’t see her walk outside,” Riley asked before we jumped to our feet and ran toward the cries.

When we rounded the corner, Shannon was kneeling over Cami, who lay on her back with blood oozing from her scalp, painting a streak of red through her long, blonde hair.

“She just texted me to meet her here in the alley,” Shannon choked, “but when I found her, she was like this. Someone hit her over the head. Oh my God.” Tears pooled from Shannon’s eyes, and she clutched her chest. “Mercy, she’s not breathing.”

“Riley, I left my phone by the bench. Call 911, now?,” I told him as I turned, watching Caleb round the corner, staring blankly at us. Suddenly, there was a loud gasp behind me.

“Mercy?” Cami said in a hoarse, strained voice, pulling my attention back to her.

“She’s alive!” Shannon said, placing her hand on Cami’s chest.

I bent down, coming closer to Cami, reaching out to take her hand. Shannon moved back to give us space as I leaned forward.

“Hey, we’re right here—”

“He’s going to kill you.”

My eyes widened as I looked around at the crowd forming around us that had left the bar.

“Cami,” I said, leaning forward, closer to her. “What are you talking about? Who’s going to kill me?” I asked her quietly so only she could hear.

“He’s coming,” she said again. That time it seemed as if she had thrown her voice. “A … monster.”

My skin prickled along my arms. “What are you talking about? Cami, whatmonster?”

Her eyes slowly closed.

No, no, no!

“Cami, stay with me! Keep your eyes open!”

Panic rose in my chest. I couldn’t control the sobs forcing their way to the surface.

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