Page 36 of Velka Manor

“We know, but if you didn’t have the blindfold, then you would have seen our masks a lot sooner than we wanted.”

“What-”

I go to ask Dorien what the hell he means, but the words get stuck in my throat as I gaze up at them standing over me, kneeling on the floor. Masks cover their faces, the ones from my nightmares. I never described them before. Bastian is wearingthe kiss me mask, Dorian the neon. My mouth hangs open in shock, and my head can’t keep bouncing back and forth between the pair.

“What’s the matter, pretty girl? Demon got your tongue?” Bastian lifts his mask up and winks, blowing me a kiss.

I scramble to my feet, staring at them. “But…how? They were nightmares; nothing in them was real. How do you know about the masks?”

“Were they nightmares, or were they an acid trip we sent you on once a month?” Dorian asks, lifting his mask to smirk before putting it back down.

“You were drugging me?”

No, they couldn’t have been. They’re messing with me for some weird reason.

“Drugged you. Chased you. Murdered people in front of you after we put these masks on them,” Bastian lists off.

“Turned up without the masks to save you then comforted you when you came running after youwoke up, promising we would keep you safe, just like in the nightmares. Only we can keep you safe, my dark angel.”

Holy shit. Holy motherfucking shit. These unhinged, psychopathic, disturbed, fucked up motherfuckers.

“I am going to kill you,” I seethe, twisting around and ripping the knife from my father’s chest.

Bastian pushes Dorian violently to the side, laughing over his shoulder as he runs. “You owe me a free stab. I told you she would try to murder us.” He cackles, running faster.

Dorian huffs, straightening his suit, but he quickly runs after Bastian, twisting his head back to me. His grey eyes flashing behind the neon blue crosses on the mask. “Come on, little sister. Your turn to chase us. The last one to get caught gets to take you on a date first.”

“I’m not sure if either of you will be alive to take me on a blasted date,” I shout, chasing after him.

He laughs so carefreely, it has me stopping in my tracks. I’ve never heard him laugh like that, not one moment in my life.

“That’s my girl.” He laughs again, and it sends a gigantic wave of warmth through me.

I shake my head, scowling, stomping my foot. “Stop trying to make me not want to kill you.”

His laughter carries on, and I let a small smile pull at my lips, running after him.

21

Octavia

Ichase them throughout the castle, both staying in my sight the entire time but just out of reach. Bastian keeps trying to push Dorian to the ground or trip him up, but each time, Dorian snarls, straightening his suit before running again.

“I’m winning this date, fucker. I have it all planned and everything,” Bastian whines, shouldering Dorian as they rush down the stairs.

“So do I, and we both know mine will be better than yours.”

Dorian grabs the bannister, and instead of walking down the stairs, he jumps down to the platform landing. Bastian pauses, gasping in outrage.

“It will not! My date includes karaoke to Taylor Swift, and I’m finally ready to paint her nails. How the hell are you supposed to top that? Right, pretty girl?” He swings his head around, grinning at me as I reach the top of the stairs.

He’s arranged a date with karaoke? They did that for me for my fifteenth birthday, set up the ballroom with pink streamers and a disco ball, glitter everywhere, with so many cupcakes that I got sick after trying to eat my way through them. Bastian andI were the only ones who did the karaoke, as Dorian point blank refused, but he sat and clapped, cheering me on while heckling Bastian.

I loved that birthday. I love all the birthdays they throw me. They always make them special and do something they know I would love, even if they hate it.

“Ha! Told you. She’s speechless at my date plan, so you might as well give up now.”

“In your nightmares. She just doesn’t know what I’ve got planned yet.”

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