Page 26 of Bells

“And I was fifteen.It doesn’t fucking matter the age. I know what he meant to me. He saved me. He promised me—”

“He drowned your beauty and left his wicked behind. He turned you into this fucked up girl. You were payment for his sick games because your real father hated you too. Just like all the men your mother dragged home behind her. He gave you his sickness. I know. I know because he fucked with me too! Me too, Isabella!”

I glared up at him, noting the pain pinching at the corner of his eyes.

“Don’t blame him for your wickedness, Asylum. We both know you were born, not created.”

He let out a soft, sinister laugh. “I was born crazy. I was made insane. Get your facts right.”

“So did you ride Daddy Everett’s cock too?” I asked, stepping closer so my chest brushed against his.

He let out a soft huff of laughter. “I hurt the men who touch me. If he’s still able to walk, then you know the answer to that.”

I nodded. “Right. You pop out their eyeballs and feed it to them.”

“Something like that,” he said softly. “We do tend to do dastardly things when we’re angry.”

“We as inus?Me and you?”

A tiny smirk cut his lips upward. “No,weas inus.” He pointed to his head. “Right, Seth? We’re fucking insane! We’re nuts!” He let out a loud laugh, his body shaking with it. “We had to help the evil men until we became stronger. Until we overcame the wicked!”

I watched as he spun in a circle, his arms wide, his blue eyes bright. Laughter bubbled out of him as he spun.

I figured he had multiple personalities. I hadn’t really thought much about it until that moment as I watched him spinning on the path, a crazy look in his eyes.

He finally stopped spinning and faced me again. He cocked his head and let out a bark of laughter, his eyes bright. Despite his crazy, he looked. . . happy.

“You know it’s true. Something big is coming,” he said softly, his words so fast I nearly couldn’t catch them. “I promise it is. Just have faith.”

“Who are you talking to?”

He snapped his gaze to me. “Seth.”

I blinked at him. “Right. You, uh, have multiple personalities then? That rumor true?”

He smiled and looked to his left. I followed his gaze and saw nothing.

“Some rumors are true. Some are simply. . . misunderstood. Some are our deepest, darkest secrets.”

“So who fucked me the other night?”

He snapped his attention back to me and smiled. “I did.”

“And that would be Asylum?”

He nodded. “Seth would never fuck you. He’s picky about his bitches. Besides, he’s not really here right now. And honestly, I wouldn’t have fucked you if I didn’t know what I think I know.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “And what’s that?”

“That you’re not here for a long time, just a good time.” His smile faltered. “I’m sorry about that in a way. In another, I know it’s takingussomewhere good. I’m trusting in that. It’s just you won’t be here for it.”

“And where will I be?”

“Dead,” he whispered. “And forgotten.”

I swallowed thickly. “Fuck you.”

“Already did.”

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