Page 100 of Haunted Hearts

“You good?” Jonah asks, his eyes searching my face. Concern has his brows pinched together.

I don’t know how to respond. How do I explain the presence of the realm inside of me? Or how I can tell it’s unhappy with me? Do I tell them that there is a murderous rage building within me, and I can’t seem to get it to settle? I open my mouth to speak but only a soft croak comes out.

Hmm, that won’t do.

With a sigh, I shake my head and try again. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Jonah’s tail comes up to wrap around my waist and pull me closer. His eyes skim my face.

“Really?”

“Physically, I’m fine,” I plant a swift kiss on his chest as I stumble into him. “It’s just… I think the realm is speaking to me. I can feel it.”

The sound of Viktor’s soft footsteps pulls my attention towards the approaching Fae.

“What’s it saying?” He asks, his eyes trailing over the length of my body. There’s no heat in his inspection, yet my body comes alive. The uneasiness of the Realm’s disapproval lessens under the look.

I raise a brow. “You believe me?”

Viktor’s head tilts to the side but it’s Jonah that answers. “Why wouldn’t we believe you, Willow? As weird as it is, you’re a part of this realm.” Jonah’s arms wrap around me, an extra bind to keep me in his grasp. “If you say it’s talking to you, then it is.”

“The shadows are moving around a lot,” Viktor’s eyes continue to slide over me. Can he see them moving all over my body? “What is it trying to tell you?”

When his gaze lifts back to my face, immediately the clinical look shifts to one that matches the heat that’s growing within me. Oh boy. If I’m not careful, I can easily go up in flames under the intensity there.

“I need to be more cautious with how I use my power,” I admit.

“For example…?” Jonah presses.

“Letting the Realm of the Dead take souls, not destroy them before they get their second chance.”

Viktor’s brows smash together and as his mouth presses into a tight line of disapproval. Through clenched teeth he growls, “Elder Dileep deserved it.”

I shrug.

“Yeah, I think so too. However,” I lift my hands to show the both of them the agitation beneath my skin. “This realm says otherwise.”

“How are you supposed to protect the realm if it doesn’t want you to use your power against the living?” Viktor shakes his head. “This is going to be complicated.”

“You’re telling me. But we have all the time in the world to figure it out…” Because we’ll be hereforever. The enormity of that still hasn’t hit me yet, and maybe it won’t. But knowing that I’ll learn something with each new job my dad sends me on, makes me feel a little better. I won’t be a newbie for long.

“Is there anything else?” Jonah pushes, his tail tightening around me.

When our eyes meet, I can see that he knows something else is bothering me. How does this man know me so well?

“The realm wants all souls, but I can’t give it Fulton.” My confession is spoken not with shame, but with a frightening passion that I’m losing control of. Just thinking about getting my hands on the warlock causes my face to warm in anger. “He’s mine.”

Viktor’s answering dark chuckle is both arousing and alarming. “You’ll have to fight us for that trophy. After what he did to you, I think we’re all gunning for the warlock.”

I scowl. “Viktor—”

He lifts his hands up defensively. “I said what I said. I can’t promise to sit back if I have the opportunity to kill the bastard while he’s alive, or to destroy his soul if he’s dead.”

“I’m with Viktor on this,” Jonah nods once. “When it comes to killing Fulton, let the best man win.”

“Willow will get dibs on Fulton.”

The three of us all jump at the sound of Theo’s voice. We turn to find him standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.

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