Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Vivian and Marco Russo are well respected hunters, and make their way over to us after getting stopped by people along the way.
“Excellent job,” Vivian says, sitting down across from us. Her eyes light up and she smiles as she looks at me. “I just read Antonio’s report.”
“Oh,” I say and sit up a little straighter. Did he include what the demon said?
“We’re not the only ones who are impressed,” Marco tells me.
“Who else is?” Gia asks, eyes widening. The kid should be posting cringy dances on TikTok that we can look back on in a few years and laugh at while she dies of embarrassment. Not worrying about things like demons.
“The higher-ups,” Vivian whispers and Gia gasps with excitement. “They want to meet with you.”
“Really?” I ask incredulously.
“Yeah, kid,” Marco says. “They finally see what we see: a superior hunter.”
I force a smile, a weird feeling starting to grow inside of me.
“When do they want to meet?” Inhaling, I fold my hand on the table, careful not to let my emotions get the best of me right now.
“Soon. I should get more info soon.” Marco gives me a curt nod. “Good job, kid.”
I force a smile. “Thanks.”
Before they can give me any more details, Leo and Larissa join us at the table. Ryder and Antonio come back a few minutes later with a round of drinks for the adults and a Shirley Temple for Gia. I sit and finish my beer, listening to the others talk and laugh. I understand what they’re saying but sometimes it’s like they’re speaking a different language because no matter how hard I try, I just don’t fit in.
I’m a witch. I have powers they never will. And at their core, they’re scared.
Or worse…jealous.
I get up to use the bathroom and consider going to a different bar full of normies. Dressed in a tight black tank top, black leggings, and my go-to black boots, I look like a hunter here. There…there I look like I’m hunting for something else and it’s easy to find a semi-good-looking guy to go home with. Sometimes someone is better than no one.
“Sorry,” a drunk hunter says after bumping into me after I leave the bathroom. My bag slips down from my shoulder and hits the floor.
“It’s okay,” I reply and reach down to get it. My tarot cards tumble out and my heart skips a beat when I pick up the deck. It’s still tied together with the same purple ribbon, but one card is facing up when it wasn’t before.
The Tower.
Suddenly I can place exactly what the weird feeling is. It’s dread. Everything around me is about to crumble and fall.
CHAPTER 4
I tap my fingers on the top of my tarot deck and let out a sigh. It’s nearing three AM and all is quiet in the compound I call home. The old brick building used to be a school, converted into a home large enough to house our entire family of hunters, including a few aunts, uncles, and cousins. There’s hardly a time when we’re all here together. Tonight, it’s just my immediate family plus Aunt Darcy and cousin Danielle.
Something is off and we could tell right as we got home. Darcy is Marco’s sister, and she pulled him to the side as soon as we all walked through the door. It was nearing ten PM and my siblings just wanted to crash in their own beds after being away for work. To be fair, it’s not unusual for Vivian, Marco, or the other elders to have hushed conversations without us. The Order is pretty strict on seniority rules, which is irritating. My kill-count is higher than most members twice my age.
But it was more than that, and I’m probably the only one in the house able to detect the subtle shift of energy. It made the uneasy feeling deep inside me bubble and wake with a start after only a few hours of sleep.
Pair that with the fact that I did another tarot reading and got the Tower card again…I don’t need to be a witch to know something is going to happen. And whatever it is, it’s not going to be good.
“Hey!” Leo whisper-yells.
“Hi,” I say back as I turn.
“Damn. I thought I got you.”
I laugh. “I could see your reflection.”
“In what?” Leo joins me at the kitchen table and I motion to the glass of water I have sitting in front of me.
His mouth opens, only to close, and then he shakes his head. “Again. Damn.”
“Not my fault you’re sloppy,” I tease.
“I’m distracted and can’t sleep. Seems like you can’t either.” He sets his phone down and lets out a sigh.
“Something feels…off,” I say and pick up my tarot cards. I’m not the best at divination, as it was discouraged by the Order as a “waste of time” since things can change in an instant.