Page 65 of Guarded By Death

We pull up to Liv's house, I’m so excited I get to see her after all this time.

I lean over and give Pierce a sweet goodbye kiss and rush up the stairs and unlock the door with the key I have. Liv nearly tackles me to the ground as I walk through the door.

"I missed you so much!" I say through her thick blonde hair.

"I missed you too!" she cries, her voice breaking.

I wipe a tear from her cheek. "Liv, I'm so sorry. What happened?" I ask, knowing what happened but not wanting her to be embarrassed that Zack already told me.

"Can we talk about it later?" she asks, and I nod. Poor girl, her eyes are bloodshot.

I gesture to the couch in the living room. "Want to watch a movie?" I suggest.

"Please!” she throws her head back. “No romance though." She feigns a smile.

"Okay, horror it is," I state as I plop onto the couch and grab the remote.

She leans forward to study my face, "You okay? How has life been without me?"

"Miserable," I tell her with a warm smile, "but everything’s been fine!" I lie, this night is about making her feel better, not me. It's not like I can confide in her about any of this anyways.

"I'm going to get a snack, want anything?" she asks.

"Popcorn!" I say as I watch the demonic fight on the screen, the similarities to my life in the movie are striking.

Liv comes back in with our signature hot chocolate and a bowl of popcorn. She scoots in next to me and we share a blanket as we laugh at the gross, overly dramatic scenes on the screen.

"He did not just get his arm ripped off by a child!" Liv laughs, her mood elevated. "Eww!" she squeals when the monster rips the head off the main guy.

Her usual cheery face is hidden under dark circles. "I'm exhausted," I yawn, knowing she's the one who needs rest.

"Sleep with me?" she asks.

We crawl into bed, talking until we pass out.

I feel pressure on my ankle and immediately wrench forward, only to be jerked back from my wrist being tied by thick rope to the metal headboard overhead. A shadow looms at the edge of the bed and I frantically look around the dimly lit room.

What if the demon came in and took Liv? The moon casts a faint shadow on the silhouette, relief floods through me when I see Liv standing there.

"Liv! Help me untie myself." I stammer.

She twirls a strand of blonde hair around a manicured nail. "So, don't you want to know why I'm back early?" she asks, her calm tone catches me off-guard. Does she not see me tied up? Pierce appears behind her silently; his expression is deadly.

I try to wiggle from my restraints.

"Shh... It's okay," she coos with a sweet menacing tone.

"Liv seriously, help me!" I beg but she shrugs at my cries.

Her eyes narrow, "I need you out of Zack's life," she deadpans, continuing to twirl her hair around her finger. I look at her other hand and see a shiny object, the moonlight glints against the thin metal, a syringe. I gasp. "Then he will love me."

Thirty-five

Shut up and sit still

Pierce grabs her by the wrist, making her drop the needle. The clinking sound it makes against the hardwood floors makes me cringe. "What are you doing here?" she screams. He pushes her down onto a chair at her desk to the left of me. She screams and thrashes from his grip, but it's useless.

He firmly places his hand on her shoulder. "Shut up and sit still," he demands, and she nods obediently.

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