Lanias wished she could tell her sister that David didn’t deserve her. That there were better men out there, but she knew her sister’s true desire. Sabina wanted a normal life, one away from death and the shadows of the past.
She placed her glass down and turned, offering her a smile. “I hate humans, but that doesn’t mean I won’t talk to you just because you’re foolish enough to marry one.”
“Lanias,” Her sister groaned.
“Well, what did you expect? I’m not a leopard; I don’t have spots to change.” She smiled and held back her cruelly honest words. Only because she wanted to see Sabina happy. The sin of their being gathered like chattel rested on her shoulders. “I expect frequent phone calls and don’t let that bastard walk all over you.”
Sabina laughed, as she leaned forward and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. “With a big sister like you, who could even think to take a step toward me.”
“Everyone.”Lanias mentally answered.
No one could be fully trusted in this world. Fathers abandoned daughters, mothers sold their children and secrets were kept not for people’s safety but for reasons of power and greed.
Pulling back Sabina added. “You know it wouldn’t hurt if you dated someone. You know, really dated not played your games with them.”
Looking away from her sister, Lanias covered her reaction by bringing her glass to her lips. “I prefer my life the way it is. Normal doesn’t suit me.”
And I don’t deserve love, a mental note left unsaid.
The minute Laniasopened her eyes she was overwhelmed by how heavy she felt. A numb sensation ran through her body as she stared blankly at the ceiling overhead.
She was alive.
Apart of her was surprised the fall hadn’t killed her.
The pain in her arms slowly grew with rising intensity as her awareness increased and the more awake she became. She looked right, quickly realizing she didn’t know where she was.
The sunlight from the large windows only filled up a quarter of the room. From what she could see the furniture had a classic feel. The vanity in the corner was masculine and there was a thick carpet with designs of gold and brown underneath it. She could smell money in everything. She turned her attention to the other side of the room and saw the two-door entrance.
Her thoughts were too many. She should get up, but the energy she needed to do so was gone. Her mind kept replaying the image of her father disappearing above the dark clouds. And the image of the hand that pierced his torso was seared into her mind.
She had hated him.
He was the source of everything including her pain. He was the reason she had no one aside from Sabina in this world.
Tears slid from the corner of her eyes and her throat felt painfully tight.
Why was she crying for someone she hated?
Here she was, having abandoned everything to confront the man who had the answers to her existence and once again she had nothing.
He was gone and her past along with him.
She closed her eyes and let the tears fall.
What was the point of everything she’d done?
Lanias suddenly felt more exhausted than she’d ever had in her thirty years of life.
She turned on her side and curled her body into a fetal position as she released a short moan while her arms stung. She just wanted to sleep and never wake up. Her life had been one long, aimless chase.
Survival, power, justice and then her father.
And now?
There was nothing.
The door behind her opened, but she was too mentally exhausted to see who it was. If this was where she was going to die, she couldn’t complain.
