Page 70 of Change

Uncle Gregory’s brows furrowed. “Did it ever end at the hunt, or were all the encounters sexual?”

The air rushed from my lungs—a momentary panic breaking through the comfort of emptiness that had cloaked over me. Damen moved closer, the warmth of his skin permeating through my coat. He wrapped his arm across my back, resting his hand on my hip.

“Don’t answer that,” he said.

Damen openly glared at Uncle Gregory. But—why would he be upset? This was howhenormally acted—the intrusive questions. It was obviously a skill that he’d picked up from his mentor.

Although… While he was a boundary stomper, he didn’t seem to like it when other people encroached into his territory.

I’d regained control of my breath, and the panic ebbed away. Despite my annoyance, I leaned into Damen’s side. “It wasn’t the same for everyone. It wasn’t s-sexual. The boys were usually left alone.” The spicy scent of Damen’s cologne overpowered the musky smell of ruin. “But there were two other girls, but they were older. They weren’t h-hunted but…”

Then Uncle Gregory asked the question I’d already suspected was coming, “What happened to them?”

I closed my eyes, twisting my fingers in Damen’s shirt.

What happened?

I couldalmostvisualize them, but their faces—and names—remained stubbornly out of reach. When was the last time I’d seen them?

There’d been kindness and words of advice, extra pieces of food snuck into my bowl, and a warm body of protection.

But…

I’d never thought of it before now. I never had a reason to.

I never tried.

I was missing something.

My chest swelled in frustration as my grip tightened. There was no escape from this nagging feeling.

“I…” I opened my eyes, and the floor blurred at my feet. “I don’t know.”

“Were they sent away?” he asked.

“No.” Why was he focusing on this? “They didn’t go anywhere.”

“Oh.” Uncle Gregory sounded put out. “That makes sense. Abigail didn’t see them on her visit, but they could have been hiding. If they were still here when you left, Eric Richards might have taken them—and the others—to a new location when he fled.”

“No.” I might have been broken, but I did know this: they were not living here by the time I left. I’d been the only one for those last few weeks, which was one reason I’d run away. “They’re here.”

There was a quick silence, and I didn’t have to look up to know that there was some sort of communication taking place out of my sight. Damen’s rising heartbeat and stiffening frame was proof enough of that.

“Bianca, there’s no one here,” Bryce declared.

I shook my head. “They never left.”

“Even if they died, they’re not here.” Bryce raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms, watching me with a rebellious expression. “Do you feel the presence of a spirit?”

Well…

I shrank back. When he put it that way, he was right.

I shook my head; there were no ghosts present.

“They were looking for them the whole time?” It was hard to catch my breath. Were they, perhaps, the reason why my adopted mother was investigating this house to begin with?

So, inadvertently, they still saved me. “Who were they?”