Page 2 of Tangle of Lust and Lethargy

Brody’s grip on my shoulder tightened. “Be careful,” he warned.

“I will,” I promised, trying to inject more confidence into my voice than I felt.

Inside, I was a nervous wreck, everything quivering like a bowl of jelly. My knees knocked together, and I wanted to run screaming out of the cave. Snakes had always terrified me, their sharp fangs, their long slender bodies curling around objects and climbing walls. And those eyes that never seemed to see anything, like a doll’s eyes.

I stared at the serpent. It knew I was afraid.

Justice stepped toward me with a look of determination and possessiveness. The snake wasn’t the only one that could sense my fear. Justice was a vampire, and he could detect my every feeling. I was his mate, and he would do everything in his power to protect me.

But in this case, he couldn’t help me. Not if he wanted the mission to succeed.

I placed my finger on his lips. “I need to do this alone,” I murmured. “You know it’s true. I must reveal my darkest secret. Something I haven’t been able to think about for years.”

His frown deepened, concern etching lines around his eyes.

I glanced at Damon, my heart heavy. Instead of seeing the man before me, I thought of the lost little boy who had found our mother lying in her own blood. How he had been nearly driven mad with grief. He blamed himself for not stopping her killer.

That wasn’t his job, though. I was the one who should have told our father, though now, I couldn’t remember his face.

Like Justice, he had always tried to shield me from my mother’s death. Keep the gory details away from me. I had kept my secret buried for so long that it almost seemed like a dream.

But it wasn’t. It was the truth.

Justice’s hand clamped onto my arm, his grip almost painful. “I won’t stand by and watch you die,” he growled.

“I know,” I whispered, slowly backing away. Justice followed, each step coming closer to me. The look in his eyes practically screamedyou can’t escape me. I’m a vampire.

I held out a hand. “You have to stay back. Please let me do this. It’s the only way.” I felt like I was reenactingEndgame. Like Tony Stark, I would save the others, but I would perish.

They were worth it.

Each step toward the altar felt like I was moving through quicksand, my legs trembling beneath me.

As I faced the hissing serpent, its eyes bored into me, seeming to pierce my soul. A tingling pull filled me, drawing out every memory, every emotion, every regret. I was powerless to stop it as I waited to be judged. My legs shook, threatening to give way beneath me as I opened the memory I had tried to bury for so long.

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision. “When I was seven,” I began, my voice quivering. “I met a man. A vampire. Ididn’t know what he was. He was so charming and kind, and I… I told him about our home. About Mom.”

Damon’s sharp intake of breath sounded, and soft footsteps came up behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. Damon stared at me, hurt and bewilderment in his eyes. “What are you saying, Sawyer?”

I swallowed hard, the bitterness of the truth coating my tongue. “That vampire used the information I gave him to find us. He came to our house because of me. I led him right to our doorstep. I didn’t know, I was just a kid, but…it’s my fault Mom died.”

The snake was finally out of the bag. I had carried it for so long, trying to pretend it didn’t exist while it slithered around me, waking me up with night terrors, my bed dripping with sweat. I didn’t realize the toll it had taken on my soul. Relief and shame nearly shoved me over like a steamroller.

My chest tightened as I stared at my brother. His eyes widened, then narrowed, a storm of emotions flashing across his face. The secret I’d guarded for years stood naked between us, raw and undeniable. My shoulders relaxed, unburdened at last, yet a new tension coiled in my stomach.

The serpent loomed silent, its judgment inscrutable. My brother opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. Whatever he said next would shatter our world, reforging it into something unrecognizable.

The cave fell silent with the significance of my confession. I felt Damon’s eyes on me, anger and sorrow radiating from him in waves. The silence stretched on, each second feeling like an eternity as I waited, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst.

“But you weren’t there when Mom died,” Damon blurted. His brow furrowed, eyes searching mine as if trying to piece together a puzzle. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Hishands clenched and unclenched at his sides, knuckles whitening with each squeeze. “I was the one who found her.”

“I saw the man leave the house,” The words burned my throat. “He had blood running down his chin. He laughed at me, thanking me for allowing him to kill the hunter who murdered his mate.” I bowed my head, unable to meet Damon’s gaze. I had fought to forget the image that haunted my nightmares, not telling a single soul, not even Justice. It was too painful, and the guilt ate at me like a rat gnawing on a piece of rope. “I’m sorry, Damon. It’s my fault.”

It was freeing to finally share everything, even if I lost my brother. He had every right to never forgive me.

Suddenly, Damon’s arms were around me, pulling me close. I collapsed against his chest, sobs wracking my body. His shirt grew damp with my tears as he held me tightly.

“It’s not, Sawyer,” he murmured, his voice rumbling in his chest. “You weren’t responsible. I forgive you.”

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