Cassie (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #3) by Virginia Hunter Page A

They went looking for something to use as a lever, and asked me to stay with him. When they got back, I told them it just rolled off of him.”
    “I’d say that’s pretty damn strong. Scary strong.” Caleb worked on his own Chicken Parmesan. “How do you control it?”
    “Most of the time it’s not a problem,” Cassie replied. “It’s when I get mad or scared, when the trouble starts. I try to get away from people when it turns on.”
    “So, you can’t ‘shut it off’ or anything?”
    “Nope,” Cassie shook her head. “I used to try, but it never worked.”
    “Well, that sucks.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “What about your family?” Caleb asked. “Isn’t there anyone you can go to for help? Maybe it’s a genetic thing?”
    Cassie shook her head again. “I’ve never heard about anyone in the family having super strength. Even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. I’m on my own. I have been ever since that day in woodshop. Actually, since before then. My family life wasn’t that great.”
    Caleb always tried to do a thorough background check on the people he hunted. He wasn’t sure about her extended family, but he knew she was on the level about her parents. “You know about your mother’s passing then?”
    Cassie nodded. “I kept tabs on her every-so-often.” She tried to laugh it off, but it sounded fake. “You know, I don’t think she even knew I was gone for that first week, after I took off for good. She was so out of it.”
    “Surely the school would have called her,” Caleb replied.
    Cassie smiled. This time it was genuine. “One of the benefits of being a troublemaker at school; they didn’t kick up much of a fuss when I skipped. One principal even waved goodbye when I ran off of campus.”
    “Man, that’s harsh.”
    Cassie shrugged. “It’s what I’d become. In hindsight I probably should’ve stayed, but my life was too messed up already, and I was scared. HRDC had been out to the house a few times that year. I didn’t want to be taken away, even though it sucked being at home.” She took another sip of her tea. “Better to leave when it was my choice, although, it really wasn’t ‘my’ choice.”
    Caleb scratched the stubble on his chin. He’d seen enough cases like this not to be surprised about the broken home. The scenario was like all the others, except for how her teacher, Mr. Carson, had been killed. The circumstances of his death is what had initially intrigued Caleb, and eventually spurred him to take the job. Now that his curiosity had been somewhat sated, he found himself going where he shouldn’t. He was starting to care.
    “I’ve tried to be angry with her,” Cassie continued. “But it never stuck. Dad’s death broke her. It broke us. I’m actually surprised she lasted as long as she did with the amount of alcohol she was drinking.”
    “Sorry all of that bad shit happened to you.”
    “Me too,” Cassie said. “But I’m tired of running. I’d like to stay in one place for a while, and away from monsters. Even if that place has to be in jail.”
    Prison had its own monsters, but nothing like the creature Caleb had smashed into with the car. He was tempted to lock himself up with her, if it would rid him of the memory. “I get that.”
    They finished their dinner, and Caleb stretched. “I’ve got to hit the can before we find a place to stay.”
    “Me too,” Cassie said. “You sure we should stay though?”
    Caleb rubbed his eyes. “I’m pretty wiped out, and you don’t look much better than I feel. No offense.”
    Cassie waved a hand. “You’re right.” She looked out the window. “And the weather isn’t getting any better.”
    “Meet you at the car.”
    Cassie nodded.
    Caleb did his thing in the boy’s room, and then moseyed out to the entrance. He didn’t go outside, it was too freakin’ cold, but he stayed near the door, and scanned the street for trouble. The monster was the main thing on his mind, though he knew other