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“Well, I’m sure. But the someone currently doing it is powerful enough to test my wards. Don’t you feel it?” she asked.

Lettie was my witchy acquaintance, whose life I once saved, who had repaid me with some active protective tattoos and a few other favors—those which I had to pay her for. But she was a powerful witch and didn’t give magical favors for any price, unless she wanted to. Plenty of other hunters would’ve sold their grandmother to get in her good books.

I frowned, looking down at my ankle. “Now that you mention it…” I subtly leaned down as if to scratch an itch underneath my boot, to where the skin of my tattoo was hot to the touch. How hadn’t I noticed that?

“You won’t die, my wards are legit,” Lettie assured me as if I sounded worried.

“That’s a relief, I have plans tomorrow,” I remarked dryly.

“Well, your plans should include finding the witch who wants you dead. Quickly and painfully. Whoever they are, they’re powerful. They have to be to even activate the wards. Who are you fucking with now, Hadley?”

I glanced at Colton, who was staring straight ahead, but I didn’t doubt he was listening to every word. “Just the usual.” Even if Colton weren’t there, I wouldn’t have told Lettie. Donny was the only person I trusted. And even with her, I kept some secrets.

She laughed. “This is not usual. Even for you. Watch your back.”

“If I didn’t know you better, Lettie, I’d say you were worried about me,” I teased.

“You don’t know me better.” Her tone told me she did not find me amusing. “And I don’t waste my energy worrying about hunters. It’s folly. All of you have a death wish that Hekate indulges, sooner rather than later. You’ll meet her. But not because of my wards failing.” She paused. “Find the witch, Hadley. They can’t curse you; she’ll figure that out eventually. But we have plenty of ways of getting around wards. If we’re powerful and determined enough.”

“Great,” I sighed. “Another thing to put on my to-do list.”

“Try pissing less people off, maybe you’ll have less people trying to kill you,” she chuffed.

“Never,” I replied. “Pissing people off is my favorite thing to do.”

“Of course it is. Bye.” She hung up without ceremony. That was one of the things I enjoyed about her—no small talk.

Another mark in her favor. Not only had she saved my life, but she’d spared me from having any kind of intense conversation with Colton.

“Who was that?” He pulled into the driveaway of sixty-five Chesterfield Street, turning off the engine before facing me.

“A witch telling me I’m being cursed.” I decided to simply be honest.

He shook his head, getting out of the car.

I smiled, opening my own door and getting out before he could offer me his hand or some shit. Sometimes the truth worked better than lying.

“Here.” Colton tossed the keys over the car. I caught them, though it was dark and I was still drunk. Impressive.

Though Colton didn’t seem impressed. He was pouting. About the phone call, the entire night, who knew.

“How are you going to get home?” I heard the question come out of my mouth before I knew better. Why was I not throwing him a thank you and hightailing it into the house, not looking back?

“I only live a few blocks away.” He gestured in that direction. “I’ll walk.”

I tilted my head, considering this new information. Colton had been a few blocks away this whole time? Not wanting to open that can of worms in my current state, I went for a more palatable subject. “Oh, it’s safe for you, a man, to walk home alone in the dark, but not me, a poor, defenseless female?”

“Good night, Hadley,” he said instead of rising to the bait.

A good thing, I told myself.

I watched his shadow disappear down the street. He didn’t look back longingly like we were in some rom-com.

Another good thing, since I had to follow him all the way to a small, well-maintained ranch. He didn’t make my tail, despite me being significantly less sober than he was. That made me feel triumphant. Then again, men were not as aware of their surroundings as they walked down dark streets in the middle of the night. They didn’t have to be. Colton wasn’t cognizant of any predators that might stalk him, believing he was at the top of the food chain.

Little did he know how far down the ladder he truly was. And if you wanted to get technical, I was higher up than he was, based on my know-how and general badassery. Scuffle with the wight notwithstanding.

I waited until the lights turned on, until his shape walked into the living room and closed the drapes.