Free Phantom (Endlessly Book 3) by C.V. Hunt

girl ate. Ash had let her kill when it was just the two of them, but no one thought it was quite right to have an eleven-year-old murderer on their hands.
    I didn’t bring up the topic of becoming a hybrid again. I figured I would let Ash think it over in her own time; which meant slowly. Immortality gives you plenty of time to make decisions, but the immortal doesn’t always consider mortal time.
    Winter dragged by and Ash regained her health. There was no mistaking her for Sarah now. As Ash’s hips and chest swelled, it grew harder for me to keep my eyes off her. Hiding my feelings became impossible, but it wasn’t something we discussed.
    Lex and I were on good terms, but she kept her promise and never stopped at my apartment. I got antsy. I took solo trips away from the house to satisfy my needs with random girls who would have me. But when I slept with a woman it was empty, and never quite enough. I tried not to think about the growing tug in my chest. As much as I hated to admit it, Hania was right. It was becoming harder to ignore.
    Sarah told me Oz had lived here once, before I arrived. I wanted to ask Josh about her, but I didn’t want to seem eager. I was determined to prove them all wrong. I had it set in my mind that I was going to stay here, and wait for Ash to accept my offer.
    Every day the tug gre w. It always came from the east — one more reason to ignore it. I loved the west coast; there was nothing east but flat farmland. I was still convinced I was not going to look for her, but I had to remind myself every day. She was the first thing I thought of when I woke up and the last thing when I fell asleep. I had strange dreams of her, but I could hardly remember them later.
    One May afternoon, close to the second anniversary of Verloren’s death, I sat in the game room, playing a new video game with Josh. Hania, Lex and Jenny were in the kitchen. Abigail was watching Sarah and Ashley play a horrible game of billiards when the buzzer sounded. I looked at the other television and saw an unrecognizable figure.
    “Hold up, pause it,” I told Josh.
    “You’re still going to get your ass kicked when you get back,” Josh taunted.
    Ash looked at me. We hadn’t planned on anyone showing up, and after the incident with the demon, we were more cautious about letting in strangers. I watched him and Ashley did the same. I shrugged. Sarah didn’t seem concerned.
    “Hey guys,” I called. “We got a visitor.”
    Josh studied the screen. “Never seen him.”
    Ashley turned her head slightly as she listened to the man’s thoughts. “Human, scared, and confused. That’s all I’m picking up. His thoughts are too frantic.”
    Sarah walked over to Abby, obviously regarding this visitor as a free meal. I wondered how he’d found us. The other three came in from the kitchen. Hania hung onto Lex’s arm as they shuffled across the game room. I returned my attention to the man on the screen. He glanced around, and shook as he pushed the button.
    The other three shook their heads as they watched him fidget.
    I pushed the button and spoke: “State your business.”
    The man flinched. “Uh… I got a phone call from someone that gave me directions to this place.”
    “Who called you?” I asked.
    “I … I… don’t know. It was a guy. He called my house and told me I needed to come here. He told me to climb under this tree… I didn’t know it was going to be that far of a drop. I think I screwed up my ankle. He didn’t give me much information. It was a couple of weeks ago. I thought it might be a prank, but I figured I would come check it out, but now I can’t get out.” His eyes darted this way and that.
    “What are you?” I asked.
    “Huh? What do you mean?”
    I let go of the button and looked at Josh. “He’s human all right.”
    Josh furrowed his brow. “I say let him in. I’ll go grab the gun and we’ll have some fun.”
    Josh disappeared and returned with my old Desert Eagle 500. We probably