Two Hearts: The Hunt [Slowly Editing]

Chapter Thirty-Two (Part II)

Caleb's POV

After the race, Cat and I followed Esme back to her house - but not before stopping by school and picking up Nathan, who had skipped after-school football practice for the first time ever in order learn more about his ability with Esme.

I was still having a hard time getting used to the fact that Nathan had suddenly become a part of the whole supernatural world. When I met him, he had been nothing but a normal teenage boy with a passion for football and hot girls. Now, it seemed impossible to look at him the same way.

I had never wanted anyone here in Fairview Hills to get involved in all of this. It was never my intention, not even when I arrived at school on the first day. Nathan and his friends had approached me and welcomed me with open arms-an invitation that I, being in my lonely, homesick, mental state, found hard to refuse.

And so I couldn't stop blaming myself for Nathan's Sight.

When you think about it, his falling off the pier was technically my fault. As I reflected on that night from my current perspective, it became evident to me that I could have prevented his accident, had I not been too preoccupied with having fun and unwillingly chasing Cat around.

The real Caleb-the one that wasn't selfish to indulge in personal leisure and who didn't let hot girls get to him-would have stayed with him that night. He would have watched over Nathan and made sure he didn't do anything stupid or dangerous instead of leaving it to some teenagers who he knew would have rather gotten drunk-which, sure enough, had ended up being the case. Ultimately that had been what had led to his falling off the pier and injuring his head.

"Why isn't anyone home?" I heard Nathan ask from inside the house. He and Esme had driven together on their way over here, allowing Cat and I to drive in my truck.

She hadn't spoken a word to me the entire ride over here, but I had been too preoccupied with my own thoughts to realize how awkward it was. Now here we were, sitting inside my truck in front of Esme's witch house, with the engine cut and the silence sounding louder than ever.

"Everyone left before dawn yesterday after they were sure I had everything under control with Cat and Caleb," Esme replied. I hadn't meant to eavesdrop on their conversation, but my sensitive hearing tended to have a nosy habit of picking up on things it shouldn't. "They're at a retreat a few miles west, near Yellowstone. They should be arriving back tomorrow night."

"Why are they over there?"

"They need to build up as much strength as they can and the only way they can achieve that is by being isolated from human life and united as one, surrounded by nothing but nature."

"Oh," Nathan said simply, but his surprise was evident. His mind must have been whirring the entire day of school. I wondered how he could have possibly concentrated in class.

But then again, he must be a pro at ignoring distractions...

The spirits. I winced.

"But... don't you need strength, too?"

"My supply is limitless," Esme replied, although I didn't pick up any pride in her tone. Instead she sounded wary, perhaps even resentful.

"Caleb." Her voice cut through my focused trance and pulled my attention away from their conversation.

I looked into Cat's green eyes, remembering the way they looked on that fateful night.

"Yeah?"

She tilted her head, her forehead crinkling like paper as she knitted her brows. "You okay?"