The hunters’ manor looked like a mini castle with its long three stories, solid gray stones walls, green roof, large stone porches, and imposing fountain in front of the stone steps that led to the massive wooden double doors.

On the way here, Nathan told me all the hunters from the Sanctum of Seven lived here, though not all were here all the time. Some went around the country, helping friends with different cases. He explained Hendrick and Helen and Roman were always out these days, and this time Owen and Lucas were out too. He said the youngest of them all at the moment was Sophia, who was eighteen and went to Willow Harbor High School. She was out now at school but would be home later. He also told me the non-supernatural people in town didn’t understand their relationship, if they were a big family or what, and they didn’t bother explaining. The people of the town simply thought they were investors, successful ones, who liked the calm and quiet of their place.

I focused on his words, because that was better than dwelling on what else was on my mind, the mess that only kept getting bigger and bigger.

Nathan parked his Camaro in a huge underground garage. There were a lot of cars here. Two Mustangs, a Mazda, Amber’s Jeep, three SUVs and more. I counted at least twelve cars, a few bikes, and there was space for another eight or ten cars, I was sure.

“This way.” Nathan gestured to stairs leading up on the side of the garage. I climbed up with him close behind and landed on what looked like a mudroom—a long room with hooks and low cabinets, full of heavy coats and jackets and shoes. “Through here,” he said, gesturing toward the archway at the end of the mudroom.

I stepped through it and found myself in a large, fancy kitchen. Clearly, the hunters didn’t lack money. If the size of their manor hadn’t told me that, then the kitchen with its expensive appliances, polished marble counters, thick wooden cabinets, and large tile flooring confirmed it.

Probably used to the place, Nathan led me through the kitchen to a wide hallway with wood panels and shiny hardwood floors, past a dining room and a sitting room, then through the double-high ceiling foyer and its taller-than-me fireplace and double wooden stairs, to the other side where the hallway continued.

“In here,” he said, pointing to an open door.

I stepped in and stilled.

Spread around a long table in the middle of what looked like a library, the hunters turned and stared at me.

Nathan put a hand on my lower back. “Everyone, this is Brooke.” Then he pointed to each one of them. “Brooke, you’ve met Amber.” She waved at me. “This is Aidan, her older brother.” He raised his hand in hello. “Landon.” He dipped his chin at me. “Tessa, Landon’s girlfriend.” The beautiful blonde smiled at me. “Caleb.” He winked at me. “My cousin, Ash.” Oh, so that was Ash. They certainly looked alike with black hair and dark eyes and sharp angles in handsome faces. Ash didn’t say or do anything but stared at me. “And Douglas, our leader.” The man with some wrinkles around his eyes and short, graying hair gave me a reassuring smile.

“I’m just the oldest, not the leader,” Douglas said, his deep voice warm.

“Helen is the oldest,” Caleb protested.

“Yes, but she’s not here, so I’m the oldest at the moment.” Douglas stood from his chair and extended his hand to me. “Nice to meet you, Brooke.”

I shook his big, calloused hand. “You too,” I muttered.

From across the room, Amber snapped her fingers in front of Ash’s dazed eyes. “He’s a goner,” she declared.

He was staring at me, his mouth set in a soft smile. “She’s so beautiful.”

I took in a sharp inhale and retreated to the door. “Oh no.”

“Girls,” Douglas said.

Instantly, Amber and Tessa flanked me and steered me away from the room.

“Come with us,” Tessa said. She had a sympathetic smile on her face. I was starting to hate sympathy coming from others. “Let’s get you settled.”

They took me up the wooden stairs, into a wide hallway with wood paneling and many doors, but I barely registered anything. The only thing on my mind was that the mess I was in only got bigger and bigger, and I had no idea how to fix it.

“You can stay here,” Amber said, pushing a door open and revealing an ample room with beige walls, brown furniture, and dark blue decorations. “This is one of our guest bedrooms.”

“But it’s all yours now,” Tessa added.

The room was great, perfect even, but I didn’t care about it at the moment. Arms folded, I marched to the window and looked out. Not to the beautiful frozen garden below, but to the horizon. To the line where the sky met with the tall trees at the property’s edge. If I could escape, if I could run away, maybe if I went back to Mobridge, and forgot about everything that happened here, then maybe this mess would disappear.

A sigh rippled through my chest. I knew it didn’t work that way. I couldn’t forget I was a siren. My powers were weaker the farther I was from the ocean, but it still could happen. I still could spell men without meaning to. And, I was wanted for murder. The police would go after me and arrest me.

I couldn’t see one damn way out.

“Don’t worry about it,” Amber said. “You’ll be all right.”

Not wanting to be rude, I suppressed a snort. Right now, I was doubting I would ever be all right again.

“We should plan something,” Tessa said, sounding way too chipper. “To take your mind of the bad stuff. Like … do you like cooking? I love cooking. We could go down to the kitchen and cook something.”

“Tessa,” Amber started. “You’re the only one who likes to cook. We like to watch and then eat.”

Tessa chuckled. “Then we could play some game or watch a movie.”

“Or we could show her the—”

Losing my patience, I barked, “Why are you guys trying to act normal?” My frustration burned in my veins. “I would rather you two skipped the pretending and explained to me what the hell is happening. Why everything is going so wrong?”

Tessa and Amber exchanged glances.

“We don’t know much,” Amber said, her voice steady. “We’re still trying to connect the clues of this case, and the puzzle pieces aren’t fitting.”

So that was it. That was what I really was and why I was here.

I was a case. A puzzle piece.

A mystery to be solved.