Jude: He ratted you out, Little Weapon. Told me your plan. But don't worry, I'll come for you. You’re worth the effort. I hope you're ready.
8
KAEL
Trudging through the hallways of Jude’s Castle, I don’t feel even an inch of the man I was before I came here. I’m not sure how much time has passed, but I’m already counting down the seconds until I can leave. It’s the only thing keeping me going.
It’s not as simple as having an exact moment to look forward to, though. A fact made ten thousand times worse with the growing ache in my chest at the absence of Elodie. Deep down in my soul, I know it will be worth it, but only if I get the chance to see her again.
My chest tightens. If this doesn’t go to plan, my chances become slimmer, and the idea of never seeing her again grows heavy on my chest. Now Ihave to live with the fact that I left without saying goodbye. But the truth is, it will only be what I deserve.
I’ve never really cared about my sins and the consequences that come with them until now.
Until her.
Regardless, as long as I can at least free her parents, and right even a sliver of my wrongs, it will have been worth it.
Maybe I can enjoy her in another life.
Here’s to hoping that they do, indeed, exist.
Clinging to her in any capacity is fueling every breath I take.
Handling my brother isn’t for the faint-hearted, and I don’t think it’s for me either, but I’m trying.
In desperate need of a distraction, I lift my hand subconsciously to my side, inching higher until I sense the outline of her mark beneath my t-shirt. Pressing it almost makes it feel like she’s right here, and I channel that thought as I take another deep breath, silently taking strength from the girl who owns my heart.
Following my touch, my gaze is drowned in red.
Jude wasted no time in setting me a task. There are no moments of welcome or pleasantries here.Once he deemed me of use, I was put to work without a moment to spare.
I’m already losing myself, my mind fracturing as I struggle to not completely sink into my vampire, hellbent on hiding from the world. Shaking my head, I focus on my surroundings in an attempt to keep myself grounded.
The dark halls and dim lighting only make my reflection look worse in the floor-length mirror at the end of the corridor, and I pause for a second, taking in the state of the man standing before me, who hardly looks recognizable.
My eyes are wild, my vampire senses locked in, but it’s the blood dripping down my chin that captures my attention the most. Crimson stains are matted in my light hair, a stark contrast to the usual shade, but it’s the dampness to my clothes, drenched in the same red liquid, that confirms what I’ve been up to.
I want to wash it all away, drown in a river of forgiveness, and take the time to find peace, but tranquility isn’t coming for me here.
Despite the way it makes my skin itch as my chest heaves and my jaw ticks, I don’t move an inch. It’s better for Jude to see me like this. The impact on my vampire is going to take forever to washaway, but if this is what is required of me, I must commit.
It’s the version of me he likes—bloody, like a soldier at war—and I need to play into that if he’s not going to actually be able to control me with his commands. I must follow them, regardless of the pit that forms in my stomach.
What would Elodie think of me if she saw me now?
My gut clenches. I don’t really want the answer to that question, but thinking it is enough to keep me grounded in a moment where my vampire could take hold forever. I don’t want to know what would become of me if that were to happen and I found myself untethered to the real world.
Really, I dread to think how much like Jude I would come to be.
Raking my gaze over myself one last time, I take a deep breath and turn to the left before making my way down another dark and dreary hallway. Two more turns, and I finally spy my brother’s office on the right. The door sits slightly ajar, but as I raise my hand to knock, I pause when I hear his voice carry through the air.
“She arrived at class?”
“Yes.”
“Did she look worried at all?” my brother asks, and I can sense the curl to his lips as he speaks.
“I’m not quite sure what that looks like. She was distracted, to say the least.” I can’t place the other voice; it’s almost distorted, but it quickly becomes clear in my mind that they’re talking about Elodie.
