Page 41 of Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

Max frowned as a look of confusion crossed his face, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Nate continued, “In fact, it angers me that everyone seems to think she’s theirs to touch. I mean, what the fuck? I claimed her in there, pawed her like she’s a fucking whore, and now I walk out here to find you trying to kiss her? Do you have a fucking death wish or something?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Max asked, shoving him back a step.

“I’m saying,” Nate followed him, step for step, “keep your filthy fucking hands off her. Now I’ll have to kill you, too.” Then he shoved Max’s chest, and I let out a scream as Max stumbled back and disappeared over the cliff’s edge. It all happened so fast. One minute he was there and then he was gone.

The water crashed below while my heart roared in my head. I flung myself onto my knees at the edge and peered into the darkness, dirt and rock crumbling beneath my fingers.

“Max?” I shouted, though I knew it was pointless. The fall was too high to survive. And if he did, the waves would crush him against the cliff.

Nate crouched down beside me with his hands dangling off his knees. The amusement in his tone sickened me when he said, “Oops.”

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even fucking think. “You killed Max…”

“Well, you let him touch you. What did you think would happen?”

I tore my tear-filled eyes away from the darkness below and looked sideways at him. Nate was already staring at me and his lips lifted in a cruel smirk.

“I’ve told you, little killer. I’m here to destroy your life and everyone in it. Max had to die. Sure”—he shrugged—“I didn’t plan on killing him so soon, but then he touched you.” Nate looked back out at the horizon, his sharp jawline tightening. “He touched what was mine.”

“You’re certifiably insane,” I breathed before choking on a sob. I fell onto my ass and then pressed the back of my hand over my trembling lips. “You can’t go around killing people, Nate.”

“Am I, though? he asked, sweeping his eyes over me. “Am I killing people, or is it all in your head, Skyler?”

“YOU’RE KILLING PEOPLE!” I screamed, breathing harshly, then broke down crying, my chest wracking violently with soul-destroying anguish.

Nate slid his hand into his pocket and removed a small bag of pills. He unzipped it, tipped one out on his palm, and closed it back up before tucking the bag away. “Take this.”

Swiping at my tear-streaked cheeks, I looked at him questioningly, and he thrust his hand back out.

“Take it.”

The white pill sitting on his palm taunted me with its wolf motif. “I’m not taking more drugs.”

“Take. The. Fucking. Pill,” he bit out, and when I didn’t listen, he launched himself at me. I threw my arms up, trying to buck him off.

He shoved the pill into my mouth and clamped his hand over my lips, his gray eyes dancing over my face while his weight pressed me into the cold ground.

My struggle disturbed the mist that swirled around us, hiding us from prying eyes.

Pinching my nose with his thumb and finger, he secured my wrists above my head with his free hand. “Swallow the fucking pill, little killer.”

I fought it for as long as I could, but it didn’t take long for the panic to kick in. Nate’s weight stopped me from kicking, stopped me from squirming, stopped me from fighting.

Darkness seeped in at the corners of my vision and my lungs screamed with the burning need to inhale a breath.

“Swallow the damn pill.” Tinged with smoke and shadows, his voice caressed my mounting torment.

The pill slipped down my throat despite my struggle, and Nate’s sensuous lips pulled back into a sinister smile, his hand leaving my mouth only to wrap around my throat. Warm fingers dug into the sides of my neck as his lips slammed down onto mine. This time, when he bit me, blood flooded my mouth, and I moaned shamelessly.

“No one has ever wanted you before, Skyler, not even your drunk, pathetic father. Admit that you love my attention as much as you hate it. Who else would kill for you? Who else would be obsessed with you?”

Tracing searing kisses down my chin and throat until he reached the swell of my breasts, he bit down.

His lips smeared the blood that rushed to the surface as he whispered against my stinging skin, “Who else would kill you.”

My legs fell open and I fought his tight grip on my wrists. All thoughts of Dustin, Lewis, and Max were gone. I needed his mouth on me. I needed him to douse the fire dancing over my heated skin. I needed him to chase away the light, maybe even capture it and whip it until it bowed to the reigning darkness inside me that fell to its knees before the devil.

“You’re a monster,” I breathed, as the drug floated through my veins.

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