Page 75 of Afflicted

I’d hunted her boyfriend down, torn him to pieces and thrown him into a canal. Vivien thought he’d left town. I was there to comfort her. She accepted willingly. We lived in our little bubble of blood and fucking for three months, before I tore out her throat while I was still inside her.

By the time they found her boyfriend’s body, she was already dead.

As I watch Juliet float through the water, like a nymph who’s finally found her way home, I know within myself - this girl is too pure for me. I feel something for her I’ve never felt for anyone before, not even for Margot. In another life, maybe. But not here, not like this. And whatever she thinks she feels for me, it’s nothing but fear. She’s scared and alone.

That’s all there is to it.

After an hour, the sun begins to bathe the forest in golden light, and Juliet comes out of the water. She shakes the droplets from her hair, and she’s smiling widely.

“That was amazing,” she says breathlessly. “Oh my god.”

I return her smile. “You really are an amazing swimmer.”

“Thanks.” She tugs her clothes onto her wet body, giggling. “Hopefully I dry out by the time we get back.”

I say nothing, just keep smiling at her.

On the ride home, I’m keenly aware of the fact that she keeps looking at me. Her face is soft and happy.

And I realize that I’ve just made her like me even more.

CHAPTER23

JULIET

My forayinto the outside world has set something alight inside me. I’m like a new person. I’m eating more, I have more energy, my sleep is so much better. Gina can’t stop complimenting my smile.

But something changed between Silas and I that day, and it dampens my mood every time I think about it too much.

I’d wanted him to fuck me so badly when I crawled out of that back seat. I’d lain under that blanket, my mind boiling with desire, thinking about him and all the ways I wanted him to have his way with me. I’d nearly crawled straight into his lap. I’d nearly leaned over and unzipped him, aching to touch him in any way possible.

Thank god he’d sent me into the water. It had been cold, but comforting, like coming home. And it brought me to my senses. As those pheromones wore off, I’d begun to see clearly. I’d relaxed, and all that brainless desire had worn off.

And I realized I really did want him to fuck me.

But he’s been avoiding me. I still feel his eyes on me, lingering in the background as always. Making sure no one hurts me. But he stays away. He doesn’t come too close.

It makes me sad, and then bad weather sets in. The early warm days of Fall pass us by, and we head into October. It rains almost every day and it becomes unseasonably cold. We’re forced to spend more time inside, and the boredom is mind-crushing.

I spend a lot of time sitting undercover, wrapped up in a thick sweater as I watch the leaves change and fall. I wish I had pencils and paper so I could draw. I trace the shape of each leaf in my mind, the arching fingers of the branches on the trees.

Halloween comes around, with no celebration or fanfare. I’d always thought Halloween was kind of dumb, just an excuse to make yourself sick on candy and toilet-paper the neighbor’s tree. But I loved the decorations. My Mom used to make our porch look so pretty. Not with cobwebs and skeletons, but beautiful harvest-themed wreaths made herself, and big jack-o-lanterns my dad would drill intricate patterns into. I loved it.

Then we roll into November, and it gets so cold I’m convinced it’s going to snow. Maybe we’ll have a white Christmas this year. Another holiday we don’t celebrate anymore. Something else to remind me just what I miss about my old life.

On this especially cold morning, just a few days shy of Thanksgiving, I sit with my hands tucked into my sleeves, my sweater pulled up around my chin, watching the rain pelt down from the dark sky. I wait for it to turn to sleet any second now.

“Hello, stranger.”

I look over my shoulder in the direction of the voice, and straight into Silas’s eyes. I stretch my legs down off the bench, turning towards him.

“Well, hello. I thought you didn’t like me anymore.” I give him a crooked smile. “You haven’t talked to me in a long time.”

He looks sheepish, sweeping the dark hair from his forehead with his tattooed hand.

“Sorry about that.” He holds up a black duffel bag, his chest puffing a little, as though he’s really proud. “But I have something I think might cheer you up.”

I raise an eyebrow. “And what is that?”

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