Page 5 of Haunted Hearts

“B-but Willow said the living can’t use Death Magic.” Jonah waves his hand in Fulton’s direction. “So how is he doing this?”

Good question. HowisFulton doing this?

“I’m sure if you exposed yourself to it long enough, it might alter one’s cells. If Fulton’s been studying Death Magic for a while, that could possibly have done it. But it would be like a cancer in the body. It would eat away at the living cells. Fulton’s body must be slowly dying.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not killing him fast enough. So… How are we going to save Willow?”

Before I can answer, the air grows cold. The tingling awareness that the Veil is opening causes a shiver of apprehension to run down my spine. What reaper is opening the Veil into this area of the Realm of the Dead? This is no man’s land. Jonah and I turn away from Fulton to face whoever is arriving behind us. When a dark void splits open, instincts kick in and I step in front of Jonah, ready to protect the spirit from whatever new threat we’re about to face.

Tensing, I brace myself for trouble.

Chapter3

KWIL

Traveling to the Realm of the Dead doesn’t feel as wrong as it should.

It could be because I’m dead and this is where I belong. Or maybe it has something to do with my soul knowing that its mate is in this realm that makes the transition easier. In any case, when we step into a dark and dreary world, I’m not scared. I am, however, surprised to see Jonah waiting for us. I knew, thanks to Willow, that spirits are very real. I also knew that there is a place where souls go after death. But seeing Jonah looking exactly the same way he had when he dove headfirst into Willow’s Veil, tail, horns, and all, appearing very muchalive,throws me for a loop.

Another surprise waiting for us is finding Willow’s reaper friend with him. Up close, he’s nearly as tall as I am and has broad shoulders that rival Viktor’s.

Both surprises are welcomed ones.

The hooded figure standing in front of Jonah, crouched in a fighting stance with his scythe at the ready, stiffens as the four of us step through the Veil. I hear a swift intake of breath before the reaper drops to his knees, his scythe vanishing completely.

“Death,” the reaper whispers reverently.

Stand. Willow’s father is in no mood for whateverthisis. As the reaper gets to his feet, Death adds,Ah, Willow mentioned a reaper was following her. I understand why now. You’re her other original mate. What’s your name, reaper?

There’s a short pause from all of us.

‘Other original mate’? The hair on my neck rises defensively as I glare at the hooded individual in front of us. He may have been stalking Willow for over five years, but that doesn’t mean he gets to lay claim on what’s ours.

“What?” Viktor and Theo hiss behind me.

“Willow is yourdaughter?” The reaper’s aghast exclamation comes out as a strained whisper. Shaking his head as he clears his throat and pulls his hood down, he adds, “It’s, ah, Brock, Brock Nightshade, sir.”

The man beneath the hood has dark skin, dark brown eyes, and a mohawk of medium length dreadlocks. Whenever he moves, I swear the skin on his face becomes semi-transparent and a skull appears. It’s so brief that I’m not sure if the image is real or not.

“Oh, crap. Did I forget to mention that Death is Willow’s dad?” Jonah says, stepping around the reaper to walk over to us. “My bad, sorry, Brock.”

Ignoring the reaper for a moment, I stroll forward to meet Jonah halfway. “It’s good to see you again, Jonah. I just wish it were under different circumstances.” I clasp his shoulder as my heart relaxes some.

Who knew the guy had grown on me so much in such a short time? I’ve actually missed him in our brief time apart.

“Yeah, same,” he gives me a weak smile before nodding to the others behind me.

When our eyes meet again, I ask, “Where is she, Jonah?”

I can feel her again. My body stopped vibrating her pattern the minute theUtikyieyanked her into the Realm of the Dead. My skin, that has vibrated for over thirty years, had gone utterly still. It was as if the Tangleling part of me died the moment she left our realm.

But Willow’s close now and the vibrations have returned.

The tingling sensation makes me feel more alive now, here, than I did in those last few hours in the Realm of the Living. The horrible, gut-wrenching pain of her absence has stopped too. The only reason I don’t get too excited, is due to the pained expression on Jonah’s face. My stomach drops as dread weighs it down. Turning halfway, Jonah points just beyond the rocks.

“She’s over there, but she’s surrounded by trouble.”

I move past him and peer around the wall of stone. Theo appears on my right and Viktor appears on my left. Together, the three of us assess the situation.

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