“For the third time, well done. We were aware of Asher’s curiosities. Something like that cannot exist, so we gave your parents a choice: make another sacrifice…” She lifts one hand, bobbing it like a scale as she lifts the other. “Or lose the protection we offered.” I notice the faint freckles over her knuckles as she claps, grinding her palms together. “They did not choose wisely. We stepped away to allow the shadows to re-enter their lives.”
“What? You really thought they’d murder a child they’d killed to protect?”
“No,” she grits. “They had a choice to keep one child.You. Or lose you both to the bounds of your blood. They chose incorrectly, which is a mistake I hope you won’t make.”
“What are my choices?” If she even fucking suggests hurting Delilah in any way, I’m killing the bitch.
“Your choices are,” she says slowly, tapping her heel against the dusty tile, “remove a sister. Either Scarlet or the one you’ve found in your pet.”
“I’m not killing them.”
“Notthem. Either kill Scarletorgive me your pet.”
Sasha.
Betray Sasha or do something that will make Delilah fucking kill me. She won’t forgive me for killing her sister, but it’s not a decision I can make with the memory of Sasha hugging me for making her food. Or how she gets excited whenever we finisha job or gets scared whenever we’ve stayed somewhere near a church, so I have to make sure the buildings I’ve picked are nowhere near one.
“Sasha has no one. There’s no one to miss her,”Asher unhelpfully suggests, like losing her wouldn’t be like losing Kid all over again. I love the little nutcase.
“The choice is yours,” the woman says as she turns to leave.
I step forward to drag her back, but glass shatters. There’s a whistling beside my head, so close it skims my hair before a bullet is embedded into the wall, sending more dust into the air that glimmers in lines as five red dots are pointed at my heaving chest.
“Welcome to our world.” She smiles over her shoulder, slipping between the abandoned machinery. “Mr. Kobalt.”
66
DELILAH
On the island, I was safe. Time stood still. Helene understood me. She knows it wasn’t my fault, things happen, but Kane is going to hate me like she said as soon as he knows. I remember her combing my hair when I couldn’t get out of bed because I didn’t want to see my stomach wasn’t as round. She explained it was a blessing Kane was dead, so I wouldn’t have to deal with our relationship breaking down since men always blame women.
The vials clink as I roll over on the bed with sweat coating my entire body. I’ve controlled my need for escape for three days. The vial I got after leaving the room is tightly clasped in my hand as the others from the previous two days lay in front of me. One more and I’ll be safe with my family.
My wait is over when the dorm door slides open, the telltale glass tinkling as the guard places the vial and needle on the floor. I wait until the door slides closed, then run to collect them despite the tremor seizing my muscles. Going back to my bunk makes my stomach churn, but I keep my goal in front of me as I drop to my knees. My fingers are still trembling as I wrap thesheets around me in an effort to counteract my shivering. Then carefully sit each vial on the floor in front of me.
“Mommy, Daddy, baby one, baby two.”
I’m too numb to cry despite the pressure building behind my eyes. Yet my tears manage to fall as I shakily fill one syringe with all the vials. They burn, racing down my face to soak the front of the simple cotton dress while I wrap the torn piece of fabric I’ve made around my bicep.
The shaking stops below the tourniquet as I pump my fist, testing the inside of my elbow for the spot to give me my family back forever. I don’t even wince as I push the sharp point of the needle through my skin or when it enters my burning veins. The euphoria floods my blood, my eyes drooping as I’m finally pulled away from this horrible world I never wanted to be in.
Wrapping the sheets tighter around me, I lay in a ball on my side. I did it correctly this time as Kane and Baby Girl wait for me with an older girl—a teenager who slips her hand in mine as warmth surrounds me.
“We’ve missed you,” she says.
She looks like Scarlet with her dark hair and sharp features, but she has Kane’s eyes. I grip her hand with both of mine as I plead, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t think I’d be a good mom, but I never wanted you to be hurt. I’m sorry they took you away from me before I could find you a good family.”
Kane walks towards us with Baby Girl on his hip. The scar he gave himself isn’t there anymore. Neither is the hate as he kisses Baby Girl’s chubby cheek, making her giggle. I smile with tears in my eyes as her giggles fill the wide-open space. Turning to my eldest child, I ask, “What’s your name?”
“You haven’t given me one,” she says.
“Scarlet?” I offer. “You look like your auntie Scarlet, so c-can I give you her name, please?”
“I’d like that.” She smiles as Kane stops in front of us.
Baby Girl stretches her hand out to Scarlet. “Who that, daddy?”
He tickles her as he says softly, “Your sister, silly.”
