“Who is Sarah?” This isn’t getting us anywhere.
“She was the HBC.”
I widen my eyes. “Here at school, a student?” Carly nods. “He took out your competition. What did you give him?”
Carly’s arms tighten around her body. “Ugh, got it.” I look away. Foolish girl. He probably didn’t need anything from her to scar up the other girl. It just gave him something to hold over her.
“We still need to know what you meant about the next step,” Calix reminds her.
“Since I gave him that… he said he would show me how to stay young and beautiful forever.”
“This guy is a creep.” I almost feel sorry for Carly, but it’s a fleeting emotion. “What’s up with the necklace?” I prod.
“He gave it to me.” She reaches up, almost taking it in her hand again.
“Well, I want it, so either hand it over or I’m going to take it. And just for the sake of being honest, if I have to take your head off to get it, I will.”
Carly curses under her breath. “I’m going to untie it,” she cautions, while lifting her hands slowly.
Gunnar opens his hand, waiting for Carly to drop it. The moment the pendant hits his palm, he falls to his knees and hisses out, “Fuck me!” I rush over to his side, but he lifts his empty hand and warns me away. “No, just wait.”
“What is it?” Calix stalks a little closer. Grim grabs Carly’s arm when she turns as if she may run.
“Some kind of spell,” Gunnar rasps, while gritting his teeth.
“But she was wearing it and it didn’t do anything to her,” I reason.
“She’s not Charmed,” Calix states.
I spin around, expecting Antonio to show up any second now that his trap has been sprung. “Can you move? Is it a snare?”
“It’s not a snare,” he grinds out through gritted teeth.
“Drop it!”
“I can’t.” When he flips his palm over, the only thing remaining is the black leather cord, that is until I look a little closer and see the image that was on the pendant is now marring Gunnar’s palm like a tattoo. Calix steps closer to get a better look. “It’s some kind of fucking binding spell. I can’t…” Gunnar stretches his neck from left to right.
“Can’t what?” I prompt.
“I can’t access my Berserker, I’m as useless as a human!” he spits.
“Did you know about this?” I turn on the girl, ready to rip her soul from her body.
She’s inching backwards, and her eyes are as big as saucers as she shakes her head in denial. “He told me it would protect me. I didn’t know,” she sobs, crying in messy, snotty heaves.
I know she’s telling the truth, but it doesn’t abate my desire to rip her apart. “What would you like me to do with her?” Grim asks, his tone flat.
Gunnar speaks up. “She’s a stupid kid. Let her go.” I spin on him and narrow my eyes. He’s the last person I would have expected to release her without punishment. Gunnar pushes himself up from his knees, and his eyes lock on mine. “Leave her,” he says again, this time with more emphasis.
I look over my shoulder. “You better hope I never see you again, little girl. If you even breathe wrong, I’ll be back, and nothing will stop me from hanging your guts in the commons like a fucking garland.”
Carly swallows and Grim releases his hold on her arm. Without any prompting, she takes off into the woods, running away like her ass is on fire—I wish it was.
“Good thing we brought the car,” Gunnar scoffs, trying to make light of the situation, but I see the way his jaw tics and the way his fists are all balled up as if he’s waiting to beat someone to death.
“This motherfucker is really getting on my nerves.” I’m so mad I can barely see straight. The only thing overriding it is my concern for my Kitten.
* * *
