Page 129 of Haunted Hearts

“All right, he’s ready for us,” Jack says. I make eye contact with him and he gives me a soft smile. One that just tells me: We made it.

The plane ride felt fast, and I’m so thankful to be home. It feels different. Like the friction from everything is gone and there is a new sense of harmony in the house. I throw my hoodie on and go to Gen’s room where she and Ben are getting settled.

I knock softly on the door, leaning on the entryway. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Gen says it with a smile, but her eyes are heavy.

“If you want to talk about what they did to you in there, let me know,” I say, grabbing her hand.

She shakes her head, as if holding back tears. “We are safe.” She looks back to Ben. “That’s all I could ask for.”

“You guys are welcome for as long as you need—”

“Don’t go making promises like that,” Cade says, walking past in the hallway as I turn to huff at him.

“Don’t listen to him,” I say to Gen. “It’s clear he doesn’t mean it.”

“We’ll stay for a little while, at least long enough for Ben to get his affairs in order.” Gen is attempting to sound positive.

That’s right… He’s from a prominent family, and his blood is all over that place. The police will do an investigation.

“I’m sorry. I imagine you guys have a lot to figure out. But we are here if you need anything.”

Gen smiles at me as I turn to exit when the realization dawns on me.

Fuck. Our blood is there. I turn and run to Jack’s room, not bothering to knock.

“My blood, Cade’s, and Ben’s are all over that place! Are we fucked? They have our DNA and will find us. Ben could go to prison for a million years, and I do not look good in orange, Jack. What do we do?”

He puts his hands up. “Slow down.” He laughs. “Yes, it is a problem, but one I have thought about. For one, they will assume you and Cade are dead. That amount of blood loss would suggest it.”

“Oh, right… That makes sense,” I say.

“There will be plenty of footprints to suggest others were there. Between all the supernatural elements to what happened, the detectives will end up going in circles.”

I breathe. “Right, but Ben—”

“Calli, I’m already on it, trust me. This is my favorite game to play.”

Jack is good, probably the best at what he does—whatever that is… He is right; they will think we are dead. And we did. We did die. I look down at my hand, where my skin still looks as if I rubbed iridescent oil on it.

“Is it weird?” Jack asks.

I look up at him. “Yeah, kind of.”

“I’m sorry, Cal—for everything.” He looks away from me.

“No, I’m sorry.” I grab his hands. “You weren’t you and I didn’t even notice; you needed me and I wasn’t there for you.”

“He knew everything and felt everything I did. I don’t blame you.” Jack pats my hand. “Besides, I don’t hate him as much knowing he defended you from that Gregor guy.”

“Right…” I look away trying to hide the distaste on my face. I could kill Gregor; well, I literally did, apparently.

“What’s all that?” I gesture to the screen, letting go of Jack’s hands. It looks like police files.

“That would be the ongoing case; a detective has already been placed at the scene.”

I squint my eyes to see the name. “Victoria Graves.” I look at the picture under the name. “She’s pretty,” I say.