Page 164 of Ashes

Something about destroying the monsters’ world did something to me. I watched as Asylum danced in a circle, his head back and his eyes on the night sky.

Fuck it.

I danced with him.

SIRENA

“I’ve been so worried about you, Rina. I want you to come home,” Cady said as we walked along the dark path. My pink dress swooshed around me. Seth had it delivered to me, and Asylum had placed the crown atop my head with a dark smile.

His touch made me shiver sometimes, especially when his blue eyes darkened and he spoke to the voices. He hadn’t really hurt me though. I was beginning to relax a bit around him. He was forceful and rough, but his words tended to soothe those pains he brought, and he always pulled back before he did something bad.

Like push deep inside my body. He’d trembled when he’d touch me before breathing deeply and just holding me.

Each time scared me, but I was becoming used to his outbursts.

He’d bitten me before we’d left tonight.

On my shoulder as he’d rubbed his cock against my ass.

My shoulder was still sore and had bled, but he’d licked it away as he murmured I was his forever girl. His firefly.

And I’d taken it because I was just as broken and screwed in the head it seemed.

“But not our home. I don’t think it’s safe for us there. Mom and Jerry have been fighting since you left. Mom can hold her own and so can I, but you need help. The thought of that fuck touching you makes me want to set his car on fire all over again.”

Asylum said she’d done that to Jerry.

I was proud of her, but I also wanted to scold her for being so reckless.

It had brought her to me though, so I couldn’t be bothered to worry about it much.

Cady always fought her way out of everything and came out smiling. This was just another one of those things for her.

We reached the edge of the cemetery.

I shook, remembering what had happened to me the last time I’d been here with someone.

Cady took my hand in hers and pulled me forward through the stones as I tried to keep my breathing even.

“I love you, Rina. So much. I’d do anything for you,” she whispered, stopping us beneath the willow. She squeezed my hand as two guys came from the darkness.

Church and Ashes.

“Hello, specter,” Church said softly as he stopped in front of me, his green eyes drinking me in.

We stared at one another for a moment, my body acutely aware that Ashes had moved behind me as they sandwiched me between them.

“Leave us,” Church murmured to Cady.

“No—” Cady started.

“Claws, do you want us to get an answer or not?” Church asked, not tearing his eyes from mine.

Cady released my hand. “If you hurt her—”

“She likes my brand of pain,” Church whispered, his voice trembling as he reached out and thumbed my bottom lip. “Don’t you, specter?”

I said nothing as my body tingled.

---