Ties That Bind: a New Adult Fantasy Novel (The Spire Chronicles Book 2) by Ashley Meira

jerking up and releasing the shifter. I shoved him back and stood between them.
    “Back. Off,” I said. He glared at me, and for a moment, I was worried he would actually attack me. I gave him the most earnest look I could muster. “Alex, please.”
    His hands were clenched into fists as he brought them up. I tensed, magic flaring through me, before relaxing again when he simply crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall.
    I turned back to the man. “Sorry.”
    “Don’t apologize for me,” Alex said.
    “Don’t tell me how to speak to Sullivan,” I said, shooting him a glare over my shoulder.
    “That’s completely different.”
    “Hash your drama out somewhere else,” the shifter droned. “I’m in enough pain already.”
    “We’re not leaving until you tell us what you know,” I said.
    “I already did. Your ‘friends’–”
    “How about your name?” I said. “You know that, don’t you?”
    “Cheeky, aren’t you?” His lips tugged up into a small grin. “Marshall. My name is Marshall.”
    “Nice to meet you, Marshall.”
    “Mhm.”
    “How do you know what happened to the hunters? Did you see them?”
    “A little birdie told me. Well, not a birdie, but you get the gist.”
    Swallowing, I asked, “Why were they killed?”
    “Why not?”
    I pursed my lips, tapping a finger against my knee. Okay, new tactic. “Tell me about your family.”
    “Interrogator and shrink all in one. Aren’t I lucky?”
    “You’re married. What’s your wife’s name?”
    Marshall looked like he was about to be sick again, the haunted look in his eyes amplifying tenfold. “Karma.”
    “Your wife’s name is Karma?”
    “You–” he leaned towards me as best he could “–don’t get to talk about my wife. Karma is the reason your fucking piece of shit hunter friends are dead. Karma is the reason why all of you are going to get what’s coming to you. You want to stop these killings? You think I buy that? Fuck you. Lying to me won’t work. You can be as nice as you fucking want, play family shrink with me – even ask to see pictures of my kid. Whatever. I know what kind of monsters you are.” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Now, are we done here?”

7
    My hair was in a tight braid down my back, making me look like a knockoff version of Lara Croft – or so I liked to think. A girl could dream. I had on a pair of jeans and brown hiking boots, along with a form-fitting green sweater. I’d call it camouflage, but the trees were barren, so I’ll call it “looking hella good” instead. Hey, I was stuck in the Town of Childhood Nightmares Past and having issues with my…um, Alex; dressing up – for lack of a better word – was the only thing making me feel good right now. My gun was holstered to my thigh, and I had the necklace Alex took from Tom’s apartment around my neck.
    He’d gone off to get it while I went home to change. It was probably an attempt to get away from me for a while, but I’d be lying if I said the feeling wasn’t mutual. Unfortunately, I forgot to tell him it would be easier if he brought me some hair or something that had been, y’know, part of Tom’s body, but the handful of clipped words we’d exchanged upon exiting the prison weren’t exactly conducive to communication. Maybe Alex has been spending too much time with me, because he’s gotten my brooding down pat.
    Whatever. I promised to find his friend – dead or alive – and I was going to do so. Besides, if he and his group were really dead, then at least we’d have a chance to find more clues. It was a callous way to think, but I wasn’t happy with the way Tom’s disappearance was making Alex act. Had I been so volatile when Lily was missing? Then again, maybe I just didn’t know Alex as well as I thought I did. I knew he was hurting, though, and no matter our differences, I felt sad for him. It didn’t give him the right to shove me or go off like that – nothing did – but I still