Page 10 of Beatitude

“So you’re just going to leave him here to suffer?”

I roll my head up to the sky. She’s a lot easier to deal with when she’s unconscious. “No, my beautiful creature.Youare leaving him here to suffer. I offered you the knife and you said no. I figured you wanted to make good on what you said to him while I was fucking you.”

“Ronan!” I don’t particularly enjoy the scolding tone she uses to say my name. “I-I didn’t…I mean…you––”

“Ohhh I see what’s happening.” I smirk while nodding my head. “If you don’t do it, it’s like he died because of me, right? Sorry, baby, that’s not how this is going to work. See I don’t care about him, to be fair I’m not really sure what it is that I feel about you. I mean, I saved you from getting raped and murdered… but did I do it because I care, or was it because someone else was trying to break my new toy? You get what I’m saying?” She stares at me blankly and I groan. “I’m the only one that gets to end your life. Me. Myself. Your soul, your air, your orgasms, they belong to me. Not him.”

“Wow,” She huffs out. “You’re disgusting.”

“And your pussy wept for me.” I smirk as she avoids my gaze. “Listen, yes, I have a large body count, I could gut him and not think about it again. But that’s not going to happen.Why? Because you are going to do it. He tried to hurt you. I stepped in but you’re finishing the job. You are not a damsel in distress, Everly. You don’t need me, or anyone else to swoop in to save you. Now—” pulling the knife back out, I extend it to her once more. “End him.”

“I can’t,” Her lip wobbles as tears roll down her scratched cheeks. “I’m not a killer, I’m not a monster. I can’t do that to him, please… don’t make me.”

“Okay, then we leave, you get drugged—and I’m tying your legs too, this time—before throwing your ass in the trunk; and he’s going to sit here, slowly dying, and that’s going to be onyou.If you would rather prolong his pain, that’s on you. Again, I’m not the one putting this kill under my belt. This is your kill, you just decide if you want to remember it as fast and efficient or slow and drawn out—cowardly.”

“I hate you,” she spits out.

“I never thought otherwise, Angel. Now, what’s your choice? And let me just say this before you decide. What really makes a monster? I suggested a quick end to his suffering, you, my dear are the one dragging out his pain.” I smile coldly as she snatches the knife from my hand before crouching in front of the man. He’s dead, he probably died when I was still buried in her cunt, but I’m not about to tell her that. I need to see what she’ll do, what parts of her morality she’s willing to part with. I need to know if she and I are truly halves of the same soul, and the only way to find out is to get the first kill out of the way. She doesn’t need to know that it’s being done on a test dummy of sorts.See? I can be a nice guy.

Everly grips the man’s head, grimacing as she does so while…

“Everly, baby. You’re going to have to use more speed andforce than that.” This is almost embarrassing to watch as she tries to slowly push the knife into his neck.

“Do it yourself or shut up! I’m trying to aim!”

“Aim? It’s a fucking knife! Just stab it in. You ever stab into a roast?”

“Oh my god Ronan! Shut the fuck up!” she screams, jabbing the knife into the man’s neck. She lets out a gasp of surprise and I see her about to yank it out but she pauses and twists the knife before ripping it back out. She’s still for several long seconds before she stands up and walks over to me, dropping the bloody knife into my hand.

“You can drug me,” she says softly, “But please, no more tying me up. I can’t…please?” She refuses to make eye contact with me and it’s causing an ache in my chest I don’t much like. Glancing at the dead body I feel something I’ve never felt after a kill.

Is…is this regret?

EVERLY

FOUR

What does it mean that I’m upset Ronan didn’t drug me and throw me in the trunk? You’d think getting to ride shotgun as we head toward a hotel would be a good thing, a step in the right direction. But right now, I just want to be unconscious. I tried falling asleep about an hour ago, but every time I close my eyes, I see that man. I can still smell his blood and hear the blade entering his neck as I delivered the final blow.

I’m a murderer.

I can’t believe I killed that man. I mean, sure he deserved it and had I not, he would’ve succumbed to his injuries that Ronan inflicted but,Iended his life. I stole a soul and to make matters worse, I fucked my killer-kidnapper next to that dying man before driving a knife into his neck. I’m sick, I’m twisted and demented. I’m going to Hell; I’m going to prison and then Hell and everyone at both places will know me as the whore who fucked a serial killer as a thank you for saving her from a rapist.

Looking at my hand, I see a red spot on the top by myknuckle. “Oh my god!” I scream, while scraping my hand with the sleeve of Ronan’s hoodie.

“Fucking Christ Everly!” Ronan growls, swerving the car before whipping onto the shoulder and throwing it into park. “You can’t scream like that out of—God dammit not again!” He roars as I fall out of the car, but it’s not to run, no, I need to vomit.

My knees hit the blacktop as I try to stand but it’s too late, vomit races through me and I hurl my guts over the side of the road, sobbing in between each painful wretch.

“Oh, Angel,” Ronan sighs sympathetically as he comes over and helps me stand while pulling my hair back. “Baby, you’re alright.” I hold on to his arm for support as I continue to wretch. How I have anything in me to throw up, I don’t know.

“Y’all alright?” a male voice calls out and I stiffen while trying to finish heaving. I spit a final time before turning my head. It’s another person. Anothernormalperson with a vehicle. I look up to see the built man in front of his SUV. He’s not as built as Ronan but still very fit under his…oh my god, that’s a military uniform. I stare back at Ronan who is refusing to look at me. His eyes are straight forward and his sharp jaw ticks away. He knows. He knows I can run now and there’s nothing he can do to stop me.

The man walks closer and I stand up straighter, causing Ronan’s arm to drop to his side. He’s not going to even try to stop me?Is this a test?How could it be? Ronan can’t kill this man if he’s in the military. He’s not some no name woodsman living off the land. This man has places he has to report to and if he doesn’t, people will look for him. I step toward the man and I feel a tightness in my heart.

“You okay, miss?” he asks cautiously as he eyes me up anddown. I must be a sight with my scratched face, snarled hair, lack of shoes, and pants.

“Morning sickness,” I state weakly and feel Ronan’s eyes on me. “Swear it’s worse in the afternoon than the morning though.” I give him a smile while wrapping my arms around my abdomen. The man relaxes and an easy smile pulls at his lips.

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