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‘How did you find me?’

She raises her hand and points to her finger. Hers is bare, but when I look down at my hand, I’m reminded of the black band around it. The ring that Tara returned to me. The one I had no memory of.

I twist it in my fingers, frowning at it. ‘Through this ring?’

‘Mmhmm,’ she answers. ‘Kian used it to locate you.’ She points to her necklace. ‘This is my version of that.’

Kian steps forward, fingers touching lightly against Cora’s wrist, still eyeing Tara. ‘We need to move. If one bounty hunter found you, more will follow.’

Tara and I glance at each other, both feeling unsure about what to do and who to trust. She shrugs, and I know she is letting me decide.

Nodding, I take her hand and follow the two vampires deeper into the woods, hoping I’m not making a big mistake.

15

TARA

The Host

The forest is quieter now, but it still doesn’t feel safe, even though we aren’t alone anymore.

We walk single file along a narrow trail, Theo and Cora in front of me, Kian behind. I stay close to the centre. Cora occasionally pushes low branches aside for me to walk through. Kian’s presence behind me is palpable, and I don’t know whether I trust having my back to him or whether I feel comforted by having someone as dangerous as he seems to be behind me. A bit of both, I guess.

Cora hasn’t stopped watching Theo since we started moving.

‘So,’ Cora says finally, breaking the silence. Her voice is light, but I can see the tension lining her shoulders. ‘Want to explain where you’ve been for the last few weeks, Theo?’

Theo doesn’t look back. ‘I wasn’t exactly on a holiday, you know.’

‘No, I don’t know. Hence why I’m asking,’ she retorts, and despite Theo claiming not to remember her, I can feel the familiarity between them.

‘It was witches.’

Cora slows slightly, tossing a look behind her, past me and to Kian. ‘Witches?’

‘They took me underground and injected me with something to keep me subdued. Obviously, it’s also tampered with my memory.’ Theo keeps talking, voice flat and a little emotionless. ‘There were others. They also captured Lucy, if either of you know her.’

‘Lucy?’ Kian asks sharply, and I flinch at the deepness of his voice. Okay, I’ve decided I really don’t like him behind me. My heart picks up, and I hate that they can all hear it.

‘She’s dead,’ Theo says after a moment.

Kian stops walking, and the others stop as well. I step to the side, feeling like I’m in the way of an important moment. He stares at Theo, expression unreadable.

‘Who did it? Was it the witch in charge?’ he questions. ‘I’ve heard her name is Velistra.’

‘Who?’ Theo asks.

‘Velistra?’ I say at the same time.

Kian and Cora both turn to stare at me. She arches a brow. ‘You know her?’

‘Yeah. She’s my aunt.’ The air feels thick as silence falls among us. I flick my gaze between them. ‘Well, not by blood.’

Cora’s expression tightens. ‘So you’re related to the witches?’

‘I was adopted into the family.’ Cora looks back to Kian, and they do that silent communication thing. ‘I found Theo underground,’ I say quietly. ‘I didn’t know any of this was going on. I was left out of the loop.’

‘You released him?’ Kian asks, still watching me, expression still unreadable.