I panted as I closed the manor doors behind me, leaning on them as if that somehow could lock the vision of John from my mind. He was here. John was here. The fact shouldn’t surprise me as much as it had considering it was in this town where he had murdered Andreas’ brother. I tried to shake the fright I had. John couldn’t do anything to me. He couldn’t notify my parents of my location because he didn’t know my whereabouts. Nor could he hurt me because neither of the men in this house would let him; they’d kill him the moment they set eyes on him. I tried to reassure myself, but it didn’t seem to work.

Kalen was coming down the stairs, traveling case in hand. “Lana, are you alright?” he asked, his eyebrows raised. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I shook my head to clear the image of John from my head. I opened my mouth to tell him the truth, that I had seen my former fiancé, John, mere minutes ago and that I was panicking, but then I remembered one tiny, little detail. I never told Kalen that I was supposed to marry John. It never came up. Bringing it up now, didn’t seem like the right thing to do.

“I… I saw a bear,” I lied. “I was walking through the woods on my way back and it started chasing me.” I shrugged, hopefully easing Kalen’s mind. I wasn’t ready to talk to him about John yet. The longer I could put off telling him about my relationship with that man, the better for my mental health.

His expression indicated that he didn’t quite believe me, but he chose to go along with my explanation nonetheless. He didn’t ask any more questions.

“Where are you going?” I asked gesturing at the case. He looked down to it, as if forgetting he was holding it.

“Oh, I have some business to attend to in a nearby town for a few of days. I was just about to head out.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “So you were planning on leaving without saying goodbye?” I teased.

He closed the distance between us and placed the suitcase next to my feet. “No, I was going to look for you, so I could do this before I left.” He leaned in and touched his lips gently to mine. I couldn’t help but melt. My arm circled his neck and I kept him there.

“I couldn’t come with you?” His expression darkened a bit.

“I’m sorry, you can’t. It would be too dangerous for someone who isn’t yet able to control her magic.” I frowned and he kissed me again. “I’ll be back soon,” he mumbled against my lips. I reluctantly let him go and he gave me a hug before heading out.

I waved to him from the door as he headed outside. He blew me a kiss and disappeared. I was now left alone with just Andreas again. This should be fun.

“What a touching goodbye,” Andreas commented causing me to jump. I turned around suddenly to find him leaning against the rails of the stairs. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. His expression was neutral, betraying no sign what he could possibly have been thinking seeing me with Kalen. I didn’t know how much he knew, but there was no point in trying to deny it.

“Why do you care?” I challenged.

“Did I give you the inclination that I did?” he asked, raising his eyebrow. “I merely commented on the fact that your goodbye was very sweet. Warming the heart really.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Then why do I get the feeling that you are being sarcastic?” I prompted. Sometimes it was so hard to tell with him; he hid his intentions well.

Andreas shrugged. “One should always trust your instincts, they will rarely lead you astray.”

I took in deep breaths to help maintain my patience. I was not in the right frame of mind for his games. “Please, stop playing games,” I begged.

“That’s what you think I’m doing? Playing games?” His lips quirked up at the corners. “I have far more important things to do than play games, little witch. I can assure you it is not what I’m doing.”

“Then what are you doing with all your riddles and ill-timed comments?” I demanded.

“So, you do listen to the words I say; I thought you chose to ignore them.” I could tell he meant his words to be nonchalant, but I couldn’t help but notice the slight jab in them. He was mad about something.

“If you have something to say, just say it. I’m not in the mood for this.”

“I would think you would be in a great mood after your sweet encounter with the ever charming Kalen. Is he a bad kisser then? Is that what has you in a foul mood?” He was enjoying this too much.

“No,” I snapped. “He is an excellent kisser, much better than you.” I had to throw that jab at him. Even though it wasn’t exactly true, I couldn’t let him think he had the upper hand in the conversation. “And as for why I’m in a foul mood, well I just saw John before coming home and your attitude is not helping me ease my mind. I’m a nervous wreck, okay? Happy?”

The amusement completely faded from his expression. “John Argeno is in town?” he asked through clenched teeth.

I nodded. “I saw him in the woods. It was him, I’m sure of it.”

“Do you by chance know where he is staying?” he asked.

I made a show of rolling my eyes. “You really think that I was going to wait around that long to try and find out? I didn’t expect to see him, at all. I wasn’t about to follow him to see where he lived and risk him seeing me. You seem to forget I have my own reasons for hating him.”

“I have not forgotten,” he enunciated slowly. He stared at me with a pained look in his eyes, a glimpse behind those walls he always had up. “You seem to think that I only ever think of myself. I have more than one reason to want him dead, Lana. This is exactly the point I was trying to make about you not listening to what I say. You hear the words, but apparently they do not register in your mind.”

“What are you talking about?”

He was in front of me in a flash. “I have tried to give you both time and space to think things over, but I have now seen that isn’t working. You either still believe I’m a liar, or you have forgotten what I had said. I’m done standing aside and watching you with Kalen.”