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“Mercy, when Kylan’s ghost entered her body, she saw every memory he had. Kylan may have lived on Earth, but he had access to the Dark Underworld, where only the evilest creatures ever go. He came and went between both worlds for centuries. I don’t think it’s the same type of Hell you read about in the Bible. This is something else. When Kylan died, he left a part of himself, still dwelling and torturing her. The entity inside Cami iskillingher. It’s been feeding off her life force, and when she went into the street in an attempt to kill herself, that last bit of her was destroyed. Her mind is gone, so it’s not as if she can come out of this.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I let out a hard sob.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m still not quite understanding what you’re implying. Cami’s gone? Kylan is where?”

My mind moved a million miles per hour.

I thought after she awoke from her spell, she’d be okay. Maybe she’d feel off for a bit, but she would come out of it. She had to. We all needed to hear Cami talk about a new guy she had met or how excited she was to have only one more year before she could move out of Rhode Island.

But what he was telling me was that one of my best friends was dead and somehow still walking around like she’d been turned into a fucking zombie. And Kylan was what, still possessing her?

Doctor Harrison grabbed a tissue from a box on the table and handed it to me, but I simply rubbed my eyes and put on a brave face.

“Do I need to kill her to set her free?” I asked. My question came out cold and emotionless, but I didn’t feel that way. I was torn up inside, but I couldn’t let him see me that way. Doctor Harrison was a witch who relied on me to protect them. I was their Spirit conduit, their anchor.

I wouldn’t show weakness.

He nodded. “I believe you don’t have a choice. Her mind is gone, her body is weak, and her spirit is trapped. It’s the only way to set her free so her soul can move on to whatever life is after this. Kylan never left, and the only way to free Cami is to kill the body.” He winced at his own words before straightening his back and continuing. “Kylan was never like the vampires he created. He had a demonic spirit, whereas vampires have none. You may have killed his body, but his spirit is still attached. He still possesses her, Mercy.”

I placed my palm on the table between us and tapped my fingers against the glass. “Can we perform an exorcism to get Kylan out of Cami and save what’s left of her?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Even if we did an exorcism to remove Kylan’s spirit, her mind is already gone. Her spirit was barely holding on before she came to the hospital. Kylan’s extraordinary power has permanently stored each of his memories in her mind until she could no longer fight it. She’ll always be in thathell.”

I stood up abruptly, turning to the wall to hide the rage on my face. The one that said the hospital would most likely have to admit me too if they saw what brutal acts of violence I had planned for that monster once we exorcised him.

“Alright,” I said, turning around to face him. “I’m going to need you to lower the shield so I can use my magic.”

He shook his head. “I can’t allow that for the safety of my staff, but there is another way. A room where you can use your powers as freely as you wish.”

I nodded and walked toward the door. “Well, let’s get on with it.”

The doctor’s brows pulled together, watching me act like a fucking robot to mask my feelings. Didn’t I have to be that way in order to kill my friend?

No. Cami is already gone, I had to remind myself. Kylan killed her. I was only setting what was left of her soul free.

I walked down a long corridor that led to this other room while the doctor went to get Cami. Once entering the room, I immediately felt my powers flood through me. The relief hit me, but then that peace was overshadowed by pain. The magic that brought me to life would now be used to take Cami’s.

While I waited, I cast my eyes around the room. Aside from pungent herbs and books lining the walls, everything about the space seemed simple and ordinary. Other than a heavy metal chair with shackles at the center under the skyline.

Oh, dear God. This must be where they do exorcisms.

Doctor Harrison entered the room, Cami’s arm linked with his, and directed her to the chair.

“Please don’t shackle her,” I said, holding up a hand. “I understand what I must do, but tying her down until she takes her last breath is barbaric.”

A giggle escaped from Cami, drawing my attention to look her in the eyes—the eyes that showed a darkness I hadn’t seen before.

I took a few steps toward Cami as her head turned slightly to the right and a strange grin spread along her lips. The corners of her mouth stretched so far they reached the top of her cheekbones, and her bottom lip ripped in half.

Oh, fuck.

This wasn’t Cami we were staring at.

She giggled again. “Fuck you, you bitch! You fucking whore.”

The voice coming from Cami’s lips was deep and masculine. Then, her head fell back, the bones of her neck pressing against the skin of her throat as if the entity inside her was attempting to break it. Streams of blood from Cami’s torn mouth dripped down her chin and splashed onto her bony chest and the floor.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

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