Page 29 of Breaking the Code

I’m shaking like a leaf in a tornado. I hate confrontation. I hate explosions of rage like this. They have been too commonplace in my life since Mum died. Looking toward the attorney, because looking at Owen will only invite his wrath. Blood explodes across my taste buds as I clench my teeth to keep from gasping.

The attorney, I should probably know his name, but I don’t, is gushing blood from his forehead. His face is wreathed in a mix of pain and shock. His eyes are wide and round and so is his mouth.

“What the fuck, Owen!” He yells.

I shrink into my chair, trying to keep from becoming an innocent bystander, when Owen unleashes the hounds of hell on this idiot attorney. Owen advances on the man, and I scramble away from them.

I squeeze myself into the corner of the office near the door, making myself as tiny as possible. I put my hands over my ears to drown out the sound of Owen screaming and cursing at Da’s attorney. The sound, while muted, still gets through and I chew my lips until the metallic taste of copper fills my mouth once again.

Owen jerks the man up from the desk, shaking him like a rag doll. Spittle flies from his mouth, splattering the man’s face, mixing with the blood pouring from the wound on his head.

I pull my knees up to my chest. I press my eye sockets over my kneecaps. A kaleidoscope of colors dance around in a sea of black. The sounds scare me, so I press my hands against my head harder and harder. The blood pumping through my skull thuds loudly in my ears, but I can still hear everything going on across the room.

“I can’t fix it.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me!”

“Mr. Black…”

His voice goes silent, and I know better. I really do, but I can’t stop myself from raising my head. Owen has the man held up in front of him by the guy’s throat. The man’s face is this weird reddish-purple color. He’s grappling at Owen’s hand while Owen shakes him and yells at him.

He’s going to kill him. I’m going to watch him kill this man.

It’s the only thing running through my head. I can’t pull my eyes away. Owen keeps shaking the man, squeezing his throat and then letting up some, so the guy gasps for air then before Owen squeezes again.

After watching this over and over, I begin to believe Owen isn’t going to really kill the guy, but then Owen squeezes and the guy struggles frantically while Owen laughs at him. The guy flails, punching Owen in the face.

Owen’s nose spurts a river of crimson, and he turns savage. He grabs a statue off the shelf behind the desk and the carnage as Owen bludgeons the man sickens me. Bile bubbles in my stomach, expanding and rising until I cannot hold it back.

Blood splatters through the air, covering everything from the walls, ceiling, and floor to the chairs and desk. It was everywhere. The smell of it, something I’ve never noticed before, gags me. There can’t be anything left in my stomach. I’ve not eaten much since Da died. I heave. My throat and stomach clench and spasms with every blow Owen lands on the man’s face and head. Or what is left of them. He looks like raw ground beef.

“Tavish?”

Startled, I glance around. Everyone is gone but Damon. He stands before me. I wipe my hand over my face. Vibrations barrel through me, making me jittery and anxious. “Sorry, did you say something?”

Curiosity colors his gaze as he nods. “You ready to head to the Society? If we’re going to pretend you’re dead, we’ve got to get you out of sight.”

“Where are the others?” I ask.

Damon chuckles as he says, “Gone. They’re most likely celebrating, and I really don’t want to miss that.”

I nod and a slow smile tugs at my mouth. If Samuel thinks I’m dead, then I don’t have to suffer at his hand or in his bed any more. It’s over.

I tilt my head back and laugh. The weight that’s been wrapped around my neck like a yoke has faded away into nothingness.

I’m free.

PART 2

THE PRESENT

They took everything from me.

Now I will rain vengeance upon them.

CHAPTER NINE

DRAVEN

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