Hunted by Wraith

Chapter 1

Selene

I’ve always loved reading—getting lost in someone else’s words, escaping my own life, if only for a little while.

Living through the eyes of a heroine who gets to experience love, adventure, and the kind of passion that makes your pulse race.

It’s like dreaming, only better. To see the world as they do—to feel wanted the way they are.

I trail my fingers over the pages of my book, savoring the words like a fine wine. Here, in this world, there is no death, nor blood on my hands. It’s reading about their battles and strength that let’s my mind rest for awhile.

The illusion shatters.

“SELENE!”

The screech of my name rips through the quiet sanctuary of my room, slamming me back into reality.

I exhale sharply, rolling my eyes before setting my book down.

My muscles are already tightening in irritation as I drag myself toward the source of my headache—the shrill, pathetic excuse of a woman my father had the misfortune of calling his wife.

Barbra stands in the foyer, arms crossed, foot tapping aggressively against the marble floor like some kind of deranged wind-up doll.

She’s wearing some designer dress that’s trying too hard to make her look youthful. Her fried platinum-blonde hair is over-styled, her dull blue eyes outlined with heavy black liner that does nothing to conceal the lack of brightness in them. I can see the stress is eating at her.

Good.

“HOW DARE YOU!” she screeches.

I tilt my head, feigning curiosity. “You’ll have to be a little more specific, Barbra. I do a lot of things that make you squeal like a pig.”

“You walk around here like you’re better than me! Spreading lies! Telling people, I had something to do with your father’s passing!”

I blink at her. She really is stupid, isn’t she?

Oh, yes. I forget to mention, my father is dead.

Six months ago. Just three months after he made the brilliant decision to marry this leech. Coincidence? I think not.

My father was a healthy man. He worked out daily, barely drank, and at forty-five, he was in better shape than men half his age. And yet, out of nowhere, he was gone. Conveniently leaving behind a massive estate and a multimillion-dollar company—both of which he left to me.

So, the fact that Barbra is still here, making demands, is almost laughable.

“Barbra, why are you even here?” I sigh, crossing my arms. “You no longer have a right to be.”

Her scowl deepens. “You little bitch! This house should have been mine!”

“And yet, you wonder why I had trouble believing my father’s mysterious passing wasn’t your fault.”

Her expression twists, and within seconds, her crocodile tears appear—rolling down her perfectly contoured cheeks like she is auditioning for a soap opera.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” she sniffles. “I loved your father.”

I scoff. “Right. I’m sure you loved him just as much as you loved his bank account.”

She snarls, stepping closer. “You will regret this, Selene.”

“Oh, Barbs—” I take a slow step forward, lowering my voice to something silky, something dangerous. “Are you threatening me?”

She doesn’t get the chance to answer.

“Ma’am, is everything all right?”

Maximus. Head of house security.

At first glance, he doesn’t look like much—lean build, brown hair, chocolate brown almost black eyes. But I know better. Maximus has taken out almost as many people as The Wraith.

And Barbra knows it.

As his gaze lands on her, his jaw tightens. He takes a step forward, and instantly, she moves back.

“Well, Maximus,” I say, turning to him. “This wench somehow got onto my property—despite being very much unwelcome. You may need to have a little chat with the guys at the gate.”

Maximus’s nostrils flare slightly, the only outward sign of the hatred he also has for this woman. “I’ll handle it.”

Barbra glares at me. “This is not over, Selene.”

The way she spits my name like a curse only amuses me further.

“Oh, but it is, Barbra.” I wave my hand toward the door. “Now, be a good girl and leave.”

She straightens her shoulders, holding her head high like she still has some dignity left, before spinning on her heels and stalking toward the exit.

“Make sure she gets off the property,” I tell Maximus, “And remind the guards that she is to never step foot on my property again.”

He nods before heading out after her.

With a long sigh, I turn on my heel and head back upstairs. That encounter definitely calls for a long, hot bath.

? ? ?

“Well, do my eyes deceive me, or is that Selene Nightshade in the flesh?”

I roll my eyes at the teasing voice but can’t stop the smile that tugs at my lips.

Lily.

She grins at me, her cherry-cola-colored hair tied up in a high ponytail, blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

It’s been a week since I last saw her, and for Lily, anything longer than a few days is unacceptable.

“Lily, you miss me that much?” I tease. “You’re the one who’s been busy with work.”

She lets out a loud, carefree laugh, making my smile widen.

“Hey, a girl’s gotta make her money. And my new boss is kind of a hard-ass.” She winks, then flags down a waiter.

Lily and I met in college five years ago in a computer intelligence course. She was studying cybersecurity—an absolute genius with technology.

My father recruited her while she was still a student after I mentioned her talents over breakfast one morning.

She’s been working ever since.

Lately working to uncover who was involved in happened to my father.

“Well,” I say, “your boss appreciates all your effort on this specific job.”

A shadow passes over her face.

To Lily, my father was more than a mentor—he was family. As the eldest of three kids to a single mother, my dad took her under his wing, just like he did with Maximus.

“I’m getting closer, Selene. I swear. But we both know where this is leading in the end.”

I nod, my chest tightening.

We all know who’s paying the consequences.

Even her mother—innocent and kind—knows.

But Barbra isn’t smart enough to have orchestrated this alone. There’s more to this. Someone else is pulling the strings, and that is what Lily is looking for.

“I know, Lily,” I murmur.

She takes my hand and squeezes. “I won’t stop until we have names and locations.”

“I know you won’t.”

She eyes me for a long moment, then pulls her hand back and grins. “So, what’s this top-secret paperwork you needed me to sign?”

I pull the folder from my bag and pass it to her. Her skeptical look quickly shifts to shock.

Her eyes scan the first document. Then the second. By the third, she’s glaring at me.

“Are you out of your damn mind?”

I exhale. “Lily, it’s just a precaution—”

“Precaution, my ass.”

“Lily, you’re the only person I trust with this.”

She shakes her head but eventually picks up the pen.

“You’re one crazy bitch, Selene. But you’re right.”

She signs the papers.

I smile, relieved.

“Are you ready for tonight?” She asks.

I smirk. “You know I’m always ready to play in the shadows.”

She leans in, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Well then,” she whispers, “let’s go play in the dark.”