Page 41 of Forged in Blood

Her lips twist in disgust. “My daddy always felt sorry for you. I wanted that part to make him proud, andyoutook it! He never looked at me the same again after that. Because you had to go and act like a spoiled little bitch.”

I shake my head. Penelope’s dad was a teacher at our high school, and he was always nice to me, but not in a way that would justify the level of vitriol she has directed at me since the day I met her.

I scan the parking lot for an escape, but there isn’t one. My heart beats so fast I can barely hear anything except for rushing water from the river below. The screech of tires from a third car racing into the parking lot reaches me, but I don’t bother to look. More of Penelope’s friends wanting to see her greatest achievement, I’m sure. But her face twists in confusion, and she looks behind her, saying something to her boyfriend who holds out his hands like he has no idea what’s going on.

The engine of the new car cuts off, and the headlights dim. The sound of breaking glass follows, and the headlights of the other two cars go black, leaving us with only the fading light of the sun. Taking the group’s distraction as an opportunity, I look around again for a way to escape. Fast-moving shadows blur toward me, freezing me in place. A scream is cut off abruptly by the sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones.

I need to run. Now. But before I can take a step, a pair of strong arms bands around my shoulders, a unique but familiar scent washing over me.

Sighing with relief, I find myself melting into Malachi’s solid warmth. My eyes are adjusting to the dim light, and I can make out Axl and Xavier. They’re holding Penelope and her jock boyfriend in the air by their throats.

Axl slams the guy’s head back against the hood of the Charger, and I wince at the sound it makes. Axl’s fangs glint in the light of the dying sun as he leaps on top of the jock like a hungry lion making a meal of a zebra. My heart stutters when he dips his head and shakes it like a rabid dog, ripping out the other guy’s throat.

My hand flies to my mouth as bile burns my esophagus. I want to yell at them to stop, but my mouth can’t seem to form any words.

Malachi presses his lips to my ear, and as though he’s reading my mind, he says, “They were going to kill you, sweet girl.”

I shiver in his arms, and he holds me tighter. In my heart, I know he’s right, but it doesn’t make this any easier to watch. Penelope’s crying snaps me out of my fog. Xavier has dragged her close enough that I can see her face etched with fear and horror, his giant hand still wrapped around her throat.

He shakes her like a rag doll. “Apologize to her,” he growls.

“I-I’m s-sorry,” she rasps.

Axl roars and jumps off the bloody corpse of Penelope’s boyfriend. He goes to his car and switches on the headlights, bathing the whole scene in a stark white light. My stomach lurches. The parking lot is strewn with the remains of four mutilated bodies.

Malachi presses a hand over my heart. “Just breathe, Ophelia. You’re okay.”

His voice feels like a warm blanket. Penelope’s cries grow louder. Fat tears stream down her pink cheeks. Xavier laughs and presses his face close to hers, taunting her. “I see you’ve had yourself a little accident, Penelopee.” I follow his gaze to the yellow stain on the crotch of her white jeans.

“What did you want with Ronan King?” Xavier barks.

“W-what?” Penelope blinks rapidly.

“Who is Ronan King?” I whisper.

Malachi presses his lips to my ear and shushes me, so I suppress my curiosity and listen.

Xavier shakes her again. “Why were you talking to Ronan?”

“H-he’s just… Someone slipped a note into my dorm room telling me he could…” She sucks in a shaky breath. “He’d help get to… That he could deal with Ophelia.”

“So you wanted Ophelia to overhear you talking about the Trials? Was the plan for Ronan to bite her and kill her so you wouldn’t have to?”

Tears race faster down her cheeks. “Y-yes,” she snivels.

“Who the hell is Ronan?” I ask again, unable to keep my thoughts to myself any longer.

Malachi sighs, his warm breath dusting over my skin. I guess he knows better than to shush me again, given that I appear to be incapable of doing so. “He’s one of the leaders of Onyx Society. Basically their version of us.”

I press my lips together and don’t ask anything more, leaving the interrogation to Xavier and Axl, who don’t take their eyes off Penelope.

“And did he have any part in this?” Axl asks with a vicious snarl.

“N-no. He r-refused.”

“But why do you want me dead?” I demand. It makes no sense. “You’re right. I’m nobody. Even if you hate me, this is…” I look around the parking lot that looks like a scene from a slasher flick. “I don’t understand.”

“People like you will never understand,” she spits, sneering at me.

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