Free Hunted tgl-3 by Ednah Walters

only thing demons respect. We want to catch them while they’re still celebrating and with their guard down.”
    A hollow feeling settled in my stomach. Fear was fast becoming my constant companion and it sucked. If facing those demons would help me overcome it, I was in. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
    Bran grinned. “I’ll tell the others. They weren’t sure you’d want to come with us.”
    I bristled. “Why wouldn’t I? I’ll be fine, but we can’t mind-blend.”
    A frown chased the smile from his lips. “Why not?”
    “The demons probably contaminated my energy, Bran. If I mind-blend with you, I could do the same to you.”
    He tucked strands of hair behind my ear. “Don’t worry about me. I want to do this. You recovered in twenty-four hours when you blended with Lottius. If it makes you feel better, we can give your mind a couple of days to recover then give it try.”
    I opened my mouth to argue, but he put a stop to that before I uttered a word. He cupped my chin and ran a thumb across my lips. His emerald eyes heated and his head dipped as though to kiss me. Then he stopped, confusion flashing in his eyes.
    “I have to go.” He disappeared and reappeared by the door. “Change and head to HQ. Mrs. D is expecting you.”
    I shook my head. I should be empowered that I had that kind of effect on him. Usually, I was. Now his behavior just annoyed me.
    I took a quick shower, then pulled on the standard hunting clothes—black pants and a matching T-shirt. Inside the bathroom, I studied my reflection. Nothing was out of place. Same slanted green eyes stared at me. Same multi-colored red hair. My skin, inherited from my gypsy grandmother, was more tanned than usual. I couldn’t see any changes to explain my heightened powers.
    I hated feeling out of sorts, hated not knowing what surprises my body hid. My father was a nature-bender with unknown lineage, so there was no telling what blood flowed in my veins. Maybe one day I would turn into smoke like a Lazari, grow horns or a tail like a Werenephil, or worse, start craving blood like a Nosferatu.
    Hating the direction of my thoughts, I splashed water on my face and teleported to HQ.

    “I already dispatched several members of my security team to the island.” Mrs. D, the head of security and my former English lit teacher, said as I entered HQ’s main office. She and Remy frowned when they saw me. I gave them a weak smile, which only made them frown harder. “They’ll keep an eye on the portal in case the demons return. As for the students, I’ll confer with the chairman and see what he decides to do about them. Come here, sweetheart,” she added, beckoning me forward.
    She cupped my face and peered at me from above her rhinestone glasses, her colorful bangles jingling. “I was told you fainted while fighting demons.”
    I shrugged.
    “Shrug all you want, but fainting and memory loss are symptoms of something serious,” she scolded. “How are you feeling?”
    “Okay. The bump is gone.” The headache was still there, but no one needed to know that. Remy continued to stare at me with a weird expression.
    “And your memories?” Mrs. D asked.
    “They are coming back.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. I remembered a dark place.
    “Were you holding the dagger when they attacked?”
    “I was and now it’s not responding to me.”
    “Leave it with Master Haziel.”
    I sighed. I didn’t want to be grilled by my trainer yet. He could smell my lies a mile away. At the same time, I couldn’t disobey an order from Mrs. D.
    “Where did you say the others went?” Mrs. D asked as I walked away.
    “To the library,” Remy said. “They are trying to figure out the words Lil yelled after she fainted.”
    “I said something?” I asked, turning to face them.
    “Bran and I were creating the fake iceberg islands and weren’t there when you were attacked,” Remy explained. “Sykes said you fell and started talking in the ancient language, but even they can’t