12. Hunter

Dexter Shadowheart was a menace; that was a given.

The Shadowheart family was ostracized in the capital since they used to be a noble family. They were stripped of that rank soon after Kalista’s Second War. They were found guilty of having ties with the dragons in Blezen, specifically with interests in dark magic. A few of the family members were killed with the infected arctic wolf shifter’s blood when they were trying to be transformed into a dragon. Though rumor has it, the Shadowhearts knew it was dark magic, and they were more interested in the forbidden magic than the possibility of becoming a dragon.

“Hunt!” Dad’s voice came through the tablet. “What’s going on? I was just about to call you.”

“I have a possible vengeance case for us.” I tapped my fingers against the desk as I stared at the shadows that Shadowheart had just disappeared into. “It’s for a student.”

“Talk to me. Who is it?”

“Dexter Shadowheart.”

He sucked in a sharp inhale. “Shadowheart, huh? Let me guess. His parents are abusive?”

“Yes, actually.” I furrowed my brows. The Shadowhearts had one hell of a reputation, but I hadn’t known it was suspected that they abused their son. “How’d you know that?”

“They used to have a daughter until she was killed,” he told me. “She was only ten, and their son was around four or five when it happened. They found her decapitated, son. There was an investigation by the Demon Council, and we ruled it a homicide. However, we never found the killers.”

“Killers? As in more than one?” I bounced my leg up and down and grabbed my mug.

I brought the ceramic cup to my nose and sniffed the inside. Caramel filled my nose, and I ignored the fae-smelling magic within it. Caramel reminded me of Pandora, and even the scent comforted me. It wasn’t hers, but it was close enough for now.

“Yes. There were a lot of marks on her. It was deduced that there were at least six involved.”

“Fates,” I hissed, pulling the mug away from my nose. I remembered the white scar around Dexter Shadowheart’s neck, and a violent chill shot down my bones. “Her head was cut off?”

“It was. Looked to be ritualistic, and to be honest, we found traces of dark magic.”

“Dark magic?” I frowned, carefully setting the mug down. “Do you think the Shadowhearts are involved in dark magic?”

“Unofficially, as your father, I do.” He groaned. “As a vengeance business owner and former council member, I can’t say since there was never any concrete evidence.”

“Their son has a scar around his neck,” I mumbled, shoving a hand through my hair. “Like his head had been cut off. From the size of the scar, I’d say it has happened more than once.”

Shit.

Anger, irritation, empathy, and understanding coursed through me at a rapid rate as I realized why Dexter Shadowheart was so fucked up. If I was right, then it made sense. If a shadow demon’s head is cut off enough times, they go insane. Not even a matebond could bring them back from the insanity that befalls a multi-decapitated shadow demon. Granted, we only had two studies backing that theory. One was from an illegal human experiment before the war, and the other was done on a serial killer about two decades after the war.

It was just another reason I didn’t want him around Pandora.

“I’m opening a case on the Shadowhearts, okay?” Dad reassured me softly. “We’ll dig more and figure out what type of vengeance is needed.”

“Thanks.” I glanced over at the map before getting up and marking another location to signify the start of this case. “What’s the status on the murdered cheating husband with the pregnant sister case?”

“Well, the dead demon’s brother has been supporting the scorned wife, and the sister actually ended up killing herself after apologizing to her sister.” He let out a steady exhale. “It was weird, but we can’t enact vengeance on someone who is dead—so case closed.”

“Interesting.” I hummed. “Let me call Joel, and I’ll text you about the Shadowhearts when I know more.”

“Fates be with you,” he told me.

“Fates be with you,” I said before hanging up and calling my best friend, Joel Craven. He recently took over as the Incubus Representative since the last one decided to step down after many years of service.

Joel and I had been friends since we were just kids, and we had been through a lot together. He’d supported me after Mom was killed, and I helped him through his fear of feeding as a teenager. Joel made me realize that helping others turn a new leaf was what I wanted to do alongside vengeance.

“Hunter!” he answered cheerfully. “Long time no talk. What’s up?”

“Morning, Joel.” I smiled. “I hate to throw work at you, but…can I ask you something?”

“Go for it.”

“Do you know much about the Shadowhearts?”

He let out a humorless chuckle. “Uh, yeah. Shadowhearts have known ties to dark magic. At the council’s last meeting, the one you didn’t come to because of your counseling obligations, their name was thrown out. We’re investigating them for the dark magic plague happening in the Demon Capital. Their daughter died from dark magic exposure, not just decapitation. The girl was only ten. My gut is telling me that they’re responsible in some shape or form.”

“No wonder,” I muttered. “Their son’s head may have been cut off a couple of times…”

“Shit.” I heard a few papers rustling around. “I’m handling the investigation into the family, so if you find anything out from their son, let me know. I’ll do the same, yeah?”

“Sure. Dad’s opened a vengeance case on them. Maybe you can talk to him and compare notes through this process?”

“That’d be great.” His tone turned cheerful again. “Your dad always knows where to dig for information. I’ll call him now.”

“Great, thanks.”

“Yep. Talk to you later,” he said before hanging up.

Joel seemed really into this investigation. The way he jumped all the way in just by me mentioning their name was odd. Not that Joel wasn’t productive, but he wasn’t usually so passionate.

Maybe it was because dark magic is a real threat to our territory. Maybe Shadowheart would know something about his parents. I’d just have to ask, but there was a strong possibility he wouldn’t tell me anything.

One thing for certain was that I did not want Pandora hanging around Dexter Shadowheart.