Page 91 of Haunting the Hunter

I’m finally able to access my power, and I almost killed my best friend with it. I’ve only ever done anything like that by accident, as a kid. One of the many reasons my parents kept me away from everyone—including Cade.

I choke back a scream, my head bowing, my nails curling into the rug.

Why didn’t he listen to me?

Why the fuck does he have to do everything alone?

My blood feels too hot in my veins, my skin too tight, and my magic is coiling in my gut like it wants out—like it wantsviolence. Alabaster is right… I need to leave Jack alone until I get a handle on myself.

Stumbling to my feet, I head toward my room before I do something even more reckless, my feet dragging against the hallway floor. The house feels smaller than usual—like it’s closing in around me…

I need to focus.

I can’t lose myself. Not again.

As I stand in the middle of my room, I look around and I feel all of my jagged edges… The memory of the day my parents carved the mark on me flashes to the forefront of my mind.

It was a Sunday morning. I remember I was so excited because my mother had brought me a beautiful pink dress to wear. She had brushed my hair and helped me get ready. It was the most time I can remember ever having spent with my mom. She told me we were going someplace special before she placed the sack over my head. She told me we were going to play a game and I was to count to five.

One, two, three, four, five.

I felt a prick on my shoulder—it stung, leaving a dull ache in my muscle.

“Mommy, that hurt!” I had whimpered.

“Shh. It’s okay, Callisto,” she said while caressing my hand. “It’s all part of the game.” She spoke the words softly as my eyes got heavy and I fell asleep.

When I woke, I was in a chair in a strange room. The marble floor was covered in intricate markings that flowed in a big circle—with me at the center. My mouth was covered in a soft cloth that was tied around my head.

I looked up with hazy eyes and saw dark figures entering the room—chanting something I couldn’t understand. One of them held a dagger in their hand as they approached me and let their hood fall down. It was my mom.

“My little girl,” she cooed so sweetly. “I am so proud of you. You have shown us that you were meant for great things, that you will be the one to usher us into the next era.”

I tried to tell her I was scared, but my pleas were too muffled.

They all surrounded me as my mother, wielding the dagger, went behind me. I felt them grip a large handful of my hair and force my head down. I cried out as I felt the blade begin to carve into my skin—

I rip myself from the memory, instinctively reaching for the jagged scar on the back of my neck.

I wasn’t supposed to live long enough to be able to use this power…

I sigh as I plop down on my bed, flinging myself back and pulling the covers over my head.

Fuck me…I grumble in my head,I’m so selfish… Cade is in danger and here I am thinking about myself… I’m not helping anyone right now… If anything, I’ve only made things worse… I just destroyed Jack’s computer and his perception of reality all at once.

“Get out of your head,” I hear Alabaster say above me, and I clutch the blanket tighter.

“No… I need to think,” I mumble, turning to bury my face in the pillow.

“No, you need toact. You have all of this energy, so use it—when directed it can be useful,” he says, pulling the blanket off my body. I glare weakly up at him.

“I didn’t even know I was capable of that kind of power until five minutes ago!” I can’t help but whine, my words bitter. “How the hell do you expect me to know how to use it?”

“You may not realize it—but you are far more capable than you believe. Materializing that mask, for example? You didn’t think, you wanted it, and you gave it to yourself.”

“But I didn’twantto try and kill Jack,” I counter. “You fail to prove your point.”

“No, you wanted to show your power, and that you did.” He says it calmly, not at all rising to the bait of my attitude.