“A jar. For your … collection,” I said, gesturing to her bloody hands and arms.
Leaning forward, she gave me a soft kiss. “Thank you for being thoughtful,” she whispered. Then she stepped back and continued talking as if the moment didn’t happen. “I don’t think one jar constitutes a collection. Regardless, I didn’t kill Ashley. Unless … do you think she’ll die from the injuries I inflicted?” Her eyes widened with excitement.
“She could. You ripped her fucking arm off.”
“I did not,” she huffed. “I cut it first. It ripped at the end.”
“Semantics.”
“I guess I should keep some of her blood, just in case. I hadn’t thought about starting a collection until you mentioned it, but now I want to. Do you think I can get some directly from her?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m sure you can. Dare I ask why?”
“I double dog dare you.”
“Pass.”
“I’m telling you anyway. I saw a video of someone making cummy bears, and that?—”
“A video ofwhat?” I interrupted.
“If you’d have let me finish, you’d know. I was going to say it gave me an idea. I want to mix the blood with resin and make something with it. Maybe a skull? What do you think?”
“I think I understand what cummy bears are, and I feel the need to say that you do not have my consent.”
She laughed and stepped into the shower. “Good to know.”
A few moments later, she pulled the shower curtain back so she could look at me. “If you need to help them downstairs, I’m fine. I kinda feel bad about them cleaning up my mess.”
“If you’re sure you’re good.”
“I am. I’ll call for Birdie if something changes.”
I kissed her once more before I left and went back downstairs.
Ashley was still passed out on the floor by the back door with her arm elevated on a stack of pillows. Slit stepped in after the first and only turn of The Hokey Cokey and stopped Ashley from bleeding to death. She’d lost consciousness shortly after that.
I found Whisker and the rest of the guys in the living room. “What do you need me to do?”
“Nothing until Kalani’s out of the shower. Then we’ll load up and head back. You and Slit take Ashley; Hannah will ride with Coochie, Birdie, and Kalani.”
I didn’t like it, but the seating arrangements made sense. If Hannah woke up, she’d recognize Kalani. Kalani couldn’t be in the same vehicle as Ashley, and Slit couldn’t take care of Ashley’s arm and drive back by himself.
Thankfully, it was only an hour drive from Makani to the clubhouse.
“Arewe taking her to your room or the cell?” I asked when we arrived at the clubhouse. Slit lived in the main house directly across from Beaver with the same set up—Beaver’s room connected to the IT room and Slit’s connected to the med room.
“I’ll bring my shit down to the cell. I don’t want her negative ass energy in my space.”
“Can you bring whatever you need to get a vial of blood from her? It’s for Kalani.”
“If she’s trying to clone her so she can kill her again, the answer is no.”
“She hasn’t killed her a first time yet,” I reminded him.
“I don’t want to participate in blood magic either.”
“She wants to mix it with resin and make a trinket.”
