“I thought they were your siblings. How did you create them?”
“The same way your bible created man and woman. I created my brothers from parts of my flesh and gave them life. A decision I have come to regret.”
“So kill them.”
“They are my brothers,”Veyn states sharply, like Marcus has offended him.“They are idiots, but they are my idiots.”
Marcus blows out a breath. “We should get Lenora home and clean this up. Though, I’m not sure how without burning it all to the ground.”
“Let her rest a moment longer. The body won’t be found until morning.”
“That won’t give me enough time to clean the evidence,” Marcus explains.
“There will be no evidence.”
There’s a pause before Marcus mutters, “It’s all over the bed.”
I think of having them both inside me and that hot, sticky release that soaked into the sheets. There had been a lot. It kept coming. I couldn’t stop. But Marcus is right. I hadn’t taken into account that we were leaving evidence.
“There will be no evidence,”Veyn repeats.
I seem to be as baffled as Marcus, but I suppose, if they couldn’t pin me to Etienne’s murder, Veyn would make sure I wasn’t implicated in this one. It’s probably fairly simple for a demon to wipe evidence away.
“Is that your plan? To use the evidence to get Lenora in trouble?”
That hadn’t occurred to me. I don’t feel bothered by it. In the end, if that’s my fate, I accept it as long as there are no Duvals left.
Which makes me think of Noah and Patricia. When I made the agreement with Veyn, I hadn’t asked for their lives to be spared.All Duvalsseems pretty self-explanatory. But would Veyn kill kids? Every horror movie I’ve watched, demons always went for the kids so … maybe.
I make a mental note to ask him, but what would be my response if he says yes? Do I talk him out of it? It seems counterproductive. But also, if there is no evidence, they can’tpossibly know it was an Usher who killed their entire family. They could go on to lead full and happy lives like I had … before. I deeply dislike the idea of hurting children. It’s not their fault. In retrospect, they haven’t done anything, butallmeansalland can I really risk Marcus’s life on a chance?
“That will not be her fate.”
I tuck my thoughts aside. There are plenty of Duvals left before I have to think about the younger two.
“How can I convince you to let her go?”
My lips open to tell him that isn’t what I want, but Veyn beats me to it.
“You can’t. She has sealed our arrangement with blood. Not even death can save her from me now.”
I relax and turn my face further into the pillow. There’s a faint hint of jasmine embedded in the fabric. The pure kind. No artificial mist. I think Eliah would have loved this smell.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lenora
I’minMarcus’sroomwhen I open my eyes again. Hundreds of Lenora’s stare back at me from the dozens of mirrors caging me in from all sides. I’m alone, which momentarily surprises me.
The sheet slips down my naked form when I push up. It pools in my lap as I survey the room, search for Marcus. I even start to open my mouth to call for him when I feel it.
Cold stones in January. The crisp brush of steel on skin.
My gaze sweeps over the mirrors this time.
“Veyn?”
A moment of stillness then the slow unspooling of shadows drifting down from the corners.
