Page 37 of Haunted Hearts

“I don’t think I could tell you anything about yourself you don’t already know,” Kai says, smiling down at her, his eyes soft.

“You are so fucking cheesy.” Calli lightly punches his arm as they both begin to laugh.

I see it… she loves him. I can’t do it, at least not now. Not like this. I close my eyes as I inhale a deep breath and exhale, attempting to gain my composure. I knock once on the open door, just loud enough. Calli’s head snaps toward me.

“Kai,” I say, forcing my voice to be even. “Can I see you for a moment?”

Calli clutches his shirt. She looks hesitant.

Kai looks down at her, saying nothing—but I can tell. He’s telling her it’s okay.

My chest tightens at that. He is comforting her, as if she has any reason to be afraid of me. I turn before I see her let go. I don’t want to see that shit, I saw enough.

His footsteps fall in behind me, steady and unbothered. I lead us outside, feeling the tension in our silence. The cold damp air bites at my skin as I lead us both into the woods. I don’t look back at Kai the entire time, feeling the dynamic shift the second we push through the forest.

We’re deep into the trees by the time I stop. I attempt to prepare myself for anything. If I’m wrong, if he is using her, I need to pray he has a bigger purpose or I may as well be dead.

The light from the sun is gone, sky darkening by the minute. And the shadows feel longer than they should. I turn to face him.

“What’s all this about?” Kai asks, almost too casually, brushing his fingers along a low branch like he’s bored.

“Don’t pretend to be ignorant. Demon.” A pause. “Or should I say… God.”

He appears completely unaffected by my accusation; he just smiles.

“Silly little hunter.” His voice drops. “No. I’m not ignorant. But you are.”

I raise a brow, standing my ground.

“If I were a God,” he says, stepping into my space, “why would you be reckless enough to call me out in the middle of the woods… alone?”

“Because you won’t hurt me.” I speak with false confidence as I stare him down. “I see the way you look at Calli. That’s not the look a man gives when he’s pretending, even if you aren’t actually a man.”

In a blink, I’m off the ground—slammed into a tree. His hands grip my throat, tight. The bark of the tree scratches at my neck as he lifts me like I weigh nothing, my feet gaining no traction as I grind my heels at the base of the tree.

I didn’t even see him move. My mind races trying to find an out.

“You know nothing,” he growls.

My vision swims. My hands grip his wrists, trying to pry them off, but he’s strong. Unnaturally strong. I broke my one rule coming out here: I had no information about what he is capable of. I can’t win this with skill, all I have is leverage.

“If Calli found out what you really are,” I choke out, “she’d despise you.”

Something shifts in his eyes.

“Alabaster,” I rasp.

His eye twitches and he drops me. I collapse, coughing and struggling to breathe. He watches me, cold and composed.

“You’re a clever little hunter,” he says, waving a finger. “But you’ve failed to consider all the details.”

I stagger upright. Still catching my breath. “Try me.”

He folds his arms. “Your ancestor summoned me: Jonathan Halloway. He wanted the power to save himself—but not the cost. I told him the truth. That if he wanted to survive, he’d need to spill his own blood.”

“And he didn’t?”

“He tried. He chose to worship me instead. Called me a God. Taught his followers to do the same. Told them if they sacrificed magical blood, they’d be given power.”