Page 82 of Haunted Hearts

You’re worried about her, too—I can feel it. But I promise you, I will get her back. No matter what it takes. As long as these volatile fuckers do their jobs, it can work. We have a chance, despite the odds being against us. This time, I’m not alone.

My fists clench as I feel the doubt slipping in—knowing what my last resort is.

Jonathan Halloway’s words linger in the back of my mind: Blood must be spilled.

The air begins to feel as if it’s being sucked out of the room. The temperature drops, goose bumps rise over my skin.

“Hey”—I look into the air—“I need you to go to Calli; when you return, show me what you saw.”

CHAPTER 25 CALLI

My eyes slowly open, but it’s dark. It’s so dark. My hand reaches for the side of my head, it’s pounding and it feels… wet. What the hell happened?

“Hello?” My voice bounces off the walls.

Fuck.

I sit up and attempt to focus my eyes to see if I can make anything out, but I can’t. There are no windows, no light source, except for something that appears to be a red blinking light in the corner on the ceiling. It must be a camera.

Angel? I know you’re here.

I’m sure at this point everybody knows that I’ve been taken, I bet they’re all freaking out. Just let them know that I’m alive… for now.

I feel a sense of ease wash over me, like you’re trying to comfort me.

I appreciate it, but I don’t remember how I got here. I don’t know what they gave me, but it’s fucking with me.

I try to recall the events leading up to this, but it’s fuzzy. Panic begins to swell in my gut as reality sinks in. They finally did it. I don’t know how, but— They fucking got me.

My stomach drops as dread begins to settle under my skin. I sit there, paralyzed. Knowing what fate awaits me here. I waited my whole life for this moment. I knew it was coming. The false sense of security I had was foolish to trust. They don’t get to win like this. I know Cade and Kai will come.

They already are, aren’t they?

The hairs on my arm stand on end, confirmation to my question.

Good.

My eyes wander up to the red light. “I know you fuckers are watching!” My tone is confident, I won’t let them see me afraid. Not after everything I’ve been through. My eyes continue wandering the dark room—trying to focus on anything as I attempt to remember how I got here. Gen’s face comes to mind.

That’s right, I was with Gen… She must be here, too. Fuck. There is a good chance that our entire plan has gone to shit. I don’t know how they found me, but at this point I’m useless.

I had been raised to accept this—embrace it. That it was such an honor. I was helpless back then. I’m not now.

I stand, putting my hands out in front of me, feeling for something when my hand touches a wall. It’s coarse and rough. The concrete is cold to the touch. I move to the side, trying to feel for a door.

My hand meets a grainy wooden texture. I push on it and get a splinter in my finger. I pull my hand back quickly.

“Dammit,” I say, shaking my hand.

I feel the rage in me build and search for my magic within me, but nothing comes… The room doesn’t shake, I feel nothing. It’s just quiet. It’s weird. Anytime I’ve felt this way, something bad happened. And the one time that’s exactly what I want, it’s gone. Like it was never there. I turn my neck, feeling a rough texture of leather. My hand reaches up as I meet the collar on my neck.

I try to find my way back to the bed, hitting my shin on the aluminum frame.

“Fuck!” I hiss, holding my leg in between my hands as I breathe through the pain.

This isn’t good. This collar suppresses my magic.

I need to figure out where I am, or at least how long I’ve been out. Can you tell me what’s going on when you come back?