Read Online Out of the Ashes by Kelly Hashway - Free Book Online

for?”
    “I heard over the police scanner that there was another stabbing not too far from here. We’ve been operating under the assumption that there was only one Phoenix dagger, but it looks like we were wrong. There are definitely at least two.”
    Crap. I have enough going on right now. I don’t want to have to worry about Hunters on top of it.
    “That’s not even the worst part.”
    “You’ve created enough suspense. Tell me already.”
    “The Hunters are on to us.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Because according to what I heard on the scanner, they left a note on the victim. A note with your name on it, Cara.”
    A personalized note from the Hunters? I can’t even form words right now.
    “I shouldn’t have told you that over the phone. I’m sorry.”
    Garret hasn’t been the type to apologize lately, not with all this Hunter business. That means things are worse than I thought. Somehow the Hunters got my name. They’re coming for me.
    “I should go,” I manage to say.
    “Cara, tell your mom I’ll be there soon with the others. We’ll figure this out, but you should stay put for now. No going to the falls, and no trying to contact Logan. Stay home. Got it?” For once his voice isn’t all authoritative. It’s laced with concern, and that freaks me the hell out.
    I hang up because I can’t promise to sit here after what he told me. If the Hunters know about me, they could very well know where I live. I’ll be damned if they’re going to get me in my own house. What if they come here looking for me and find Jeremy instead? Mom’s at work, so she should be safe, at least for now.
    I scramble out of bed, phone still in my hand, and race downstairs. I knock on Jeremy’s door. He’s playing the guitar, really poorly too. I knock again, louder this time. The music stops, and Jeremy’s footsteps sound on the stairs. I still don’t know what to tell him or how to get him out of the house.
    He opens the door and looks me over. “Hey.”
    “Want to get some fresh air?”
    He motions behind him and lowers his voice. “I’m kind of busy. Rachel thinks it’s hot that I play guitar. Mom said I was pretty good in my first life, but I—”
    “Suck in this one?”
    He shoves his hands in his pockets. “You’re lucky you get to tell people you have amnesia. You don’t have to worry about playing catch-up with your first life.”
    Yeah, I’m so lucky that I have Hunters on my trail. “I was going to go for a walk, but I thought maybe you could come with me. Show me where things are.”
    He exhales long and hard, not masking his disappointment. “Sure. You did the same for me, so I guess I owe you. Just let me say good-bye to Rachel.”
    It feels like forever before Jeremy and Rachel emerge from the basement, which means there was a good-bye groping or two. I give her a wave, and she returns it with a wink before she leaves, telling Jeremy she’ll take a rain check on the movie.
    Jeremy motions for me to lead the way. “You hungry? We could go to Monique’s.”
    I don’t want to be anywhere near the other Phoenixes right now. If I’m a target, everyone around me is at risk. The only reason I’m going out with Jeremy is to get him out of the house, because it’s probably the first place a Hunter would look, but he’s still in danger just being with me.
    “I’m not that hungry.” Jeremy’s face drops, and he rubs his stomach. “Maybe after we walk for a while I’ll work up an appetite.”
    He leads the way, pointing out everything we pass. I’m not really listening. I know I should so I can get around town on my own, though I can’t help thinking that if the Hunters know about me, they know about Logan. He was with me when I went through my rebirth, when I killed Nick. Nick has to be the one who told the other Hunters about me, and he knew Logan and I were together. I’ve become a liability to everyone, and I have no clue how to protect them.
    Jeremy slows to a stop, making me look up