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“Does it matter?”
“What? Whether or not he has a mental illness?”
“No, whether Haddie has a predisposition. What will you do?”
“I would know better how to treat her.”
“It seems like you’re doing just fine, Scarlett.”
He’d been right. Haddie didn’t need treatment. She needed understanding and love. Acceptance and . . . awe. She’s so incredibly precious. And she’s spreading that gift . . . that light . . . everywhere she goes.
Even in a forest with a man who’d been left to die. Scarlett’s heart overflowed with love.
She nodded over to the man. “Did he tell you why he took you?” she asked Haddie.
“He didn’t take us,” she said. “I called for him and he came.”
“Why?”
“That nun came to Lilith House,” Haddie said, her expression going somber, eyes dull. She blinked and her eyes cleared. “She was heavy, Mommy. So heavy I couldn’t move. I made myself move though. I did it.”
Tears gathered in Scarlett’s eyes even while dread trickled down her spine. Sister Madge had told her she’d visited. She’d told her she’d dropped by to offer condolences. However, she’d gone to take, not give. “That’s good, baby,” she choked out.
Haddie nodded. “She left, but I think she’s coming back, Mommy. I think she’s bringing others. They want to hurt you, and me, and Millie too. They want to hurt us bad.” She looked over at the man, blinking his forest-green eyes at them, his lashes long and lush. “He knows this place. He’s going to help us,” she whispered.CHAPTER FORTY-SEVENCamden didn’t bother knocking. He threw the door to Lilith House open, rushing inside. Mason came bounding down the stairs. “Cam! I’ve been calling you.”
“Where are they?”
Mason reached the foyer. “Jesus, Cam, it took them. It had horns. Scarlett, she—”
“Mason. Calm down. Tell me where they are,” he gritted, his heart constricting so tightly he could hardly breathe.
“They’re in the woods. The thing, it took Haddie and Millie. Scarlett got home and went after them. Someone hurt her, Cam. She was real banged up.”
The thing? “When?” His voice sounded like it was coming from very far away, panic dripping through his veins. It had them? It? And Scarlett was hurt?
“Just ten minutes ago. If you run—”
He grasped Mason’s upper arm with one hand, holding the box in his other. He’d need to hide it quickly. “We have to call Georgia, and tell her to hide.” He’d prayed the entire way there—all twenty-four minutes of his far-too-speedy drive—that the guild was busy gathering, organizing, rather than going directly after Georgia. He prayed he was their priority. They’d figure out where he’d gone quickly enough and then they’d come after him. Here, to Lilith House. “Then you come with me. We’ll go after them together.” He pulled his phone out, but Mason held up his hand.
“I already called her, Cam. I told her something bad was happening. I told her to come here.”
Fuck! “Call her back. The guild is after me. They’re on the way. Here.” He didn’t have time to tell Mason anything other than that.
Mason swallowed, pulling his phone from his pocket and dialing Georgia’s number. After a few seconds, he hung up. “Not answering.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Goddammit!”
“I thought it was best, Cam, that we gather here, start searching for Scarlett. I didn’t know any—"
“It’s okay.” Georgia had answered. She was all right. She knew there was a situation. He just hoped to God she was ahead of the others. “Wait for her, Mason. Then you hide too. Both of you. You know this house. There are a million places to choose. We’ll come back for you. Just stay hidden.” He thrust the box at Mason and Mason took it. “Use this if you need to. There are two bullets in the gun. You know they won’t let any of us leave town.” The weapon was evidence—all they had—but Mason’s and Georgia’s lives were more important.
Mason nodded solemnly. “I know. I’ll wait for her. We’ll be here waiting.”
Camden nodded once and then he ran for the woods, drawing his firearm as he ducked into the trees.
Where are you, Scarlett? God, please let them all be okay.
The sky had been a vivid peach as he’d made the windy drive to Lilith House, but now had faded to a pale pink streaked in yellow. It made the woods feel peaceful and for a moment Camden almost believed nothing bad could happen here. He stopped, listening, but when he didn’t hear anything he continued forward, not attempting to be quiet. If he was going to make up the time between when Scarlett had gone into these woods, and when he followed, he was going to have to run. Scarlett was hurt, and she didn’t know this land, not like he did. He could only hope that she’d traveled cautiously and he could catch up with her. Then they’d both search for Haddie and Millie together and whatever might have taken them.
