lose my balance, falling onto the couch. Nausea twists in my gut, and I’m so fucking confused.
“Are you okay?” he asks, looking right into my eyes. His are full of concern. I open my mouth but my words die in my throat. My lungs burn, as if I’d inhaled smoke or…or water.
Suddenly everything comes rushing back. The man on the dock with the black eyes. I stabbed him and he burst into flames. But how I got here? I have no clue.
“Where are my clothes?”
“I put them in the dryer,” Ethan says and takes another step forward. “You fell in the water. Do you remember?”
I close my eyes in a long blink and shiver again. “I remember.”
“You were cold, and your clothes were wet,” he goes on. “I didn’t want you to get hypothermic.”
“Oh, right.” I open my eyes and reach for Hunter, comforted when I bury my fingers in his thick fur. “Wait…you saw me fall in the water?”
“Yeah. I’d say I got there right in the nick of time, but I was a minute too late.” He smirks. “I’ve had worse timing.”
I grind my teeth as that fight or flight takes over. Taking a slow breath, I stare at Ethan, not sure if I should be more scared of him or what just happened.
“Why were you in the woods? Were you stalking me or something?”
“No. I was hunting the Pricolici.”
“The what?” I ask and Ethan looks at me dubiously.
“Don’t play games, Anora.” The concern on his face disappears and he pulls the dagger from its sheath.
“I’m not,” I say, and another chill goes down my spine. This time, it’s not from the cold, but from the icy stare Ethan is giving me.
“I don’t like being lied to,” he says slowly as he inspects the dagger. His deep voice is calm and level, like he’s used to talking to people like this.
“I’m not lying,” I retort, surprised at the strength in my voice. “If anyone has the right to suspicious here, it’s the lady in her underwear.” I curl my fingers in Hunter’s fur. “And I want to leave.”
“You’re not going anywhere until I get some answers.” He sets the dagger on the coffee table between us, as if he’s daring me to try something. Something I know I’ll lose. “Who are you?” He inches even closer, and Hunter lets out a low growl.
“I’m apparently not the only one confused here. You know who I am.”
“I thought I did.” His brows furrow.
“I’m leaving now.” I make a move to get up and Ethan holds out his hand. “You can’t force me to stay here. You already kidnapped me and removed my clothes. Have fun explaining that to the police.”
Ethan tips his head. “Your solution is to call the police?”
“What else would I do?” My heart hammers in my chest. I’m confused, pissed, and starting to get scared that Ethan is a certified psycho. He sounded so normal when we talked for hours on the phone, dammit. It’s always the good-looking ones, right?
His expression softens a bit. “Who are you, Anora? Who are you really? Not just anyone has a weapon like this.” He looks at the dagger and back at me. “You’re not just some horse-loving vet tech, are you? Who. Are. You?”
Swallowing hard, I shake my head. “I’m a medium. I have been my whole life.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes! Why is it so hard to believe? Are you one of those people who insists vampirism is a disease that will be cured someday too? Because it won’t.”
Ethan cocks an eyebrow, amusement starting to take over his face. “No, I don’t think it’s a disease.”
“Tell me what the hell is going on before I start screaming.” I run a trembling hand over Hunter’s head. “You said you were hunting that…that thing in the woods.”
“You really have no idea, do you?”
“No,” I say, exasperated. “But you’re freaking me out, so along with screaming, I’ll let Hunter have at you.”
Ethan studies me a moment, confliction obvious on his handsome face. “Pricolici,” he repeats. “They’re demonic bounty hunters, sent after a target by a high-level demon.”
“The man on the dock. His eyes were black. Was he a demon?”
“Yes, but not a high-level one,” he answers, and I just nod my head. Everything is so fucking overwhelming, yet makes sense at the same time. “How did you turn him into a pile of ashes?”
“I…I don’t know,” I say honestly. “That word, ig—”
“Don’t say it,” Ethan interrupts.
“Okay,” I say slowly, feeling even more confused. “That word just