Page 40 of Wicked Little Nightmare

I huffed out a frustrated sigh but nodded all the same. Cam knew best when it came to strategy. It's why we made such a deadly pair – his cold calculation tempered my white-hot rage. He pushed me down one of the off-shoots and we flattened ourselves against the wall.

As we stood there, frozen in the shadows, I marveled at how in sync we were. No more words needed, just a look, a touch, and we understood each other perfectly. His serenity infiltratedmy excitement, bringing us both to a homeostatic state. My heart slowed, my breathing steadied. It was almost romantic, if you ignored the fact that we were two seriously fucked-up individuals.

"Fine," I breathed, enjoying the relaxation that coursed through me. "But next time, I get to play."

Cam's lips quirked up in that crooked smirk I adored. "Wouldn't have it any other way, darlin'. Now shhhhh." He pressed his finger into my lips, and I bit down on it, sucking it into my mouth before releasing with a wink. I swore I could have heard him growl, not that I needed it with the way his other hand gripped into my ass, surely leaving beautiful imprints on my skin underneath my pants.

The dim lights flickered, and darkness pressed in around us, but I felt like I could sense everything. I could feel my heart going steady, each beat a war drum in my chest. My soul itched for action, for violence, but I held myself still. Cam's steady presence beside me was both a comfort and a torment – I knew he was right but fuck if it didn't drive me crazy.

I took shallow breaths, trying to quiet the storm raging inside me. My mind raced, bouncing between bloodlust and strategy like a deranged pinball. I wanted to lash out, to feel flesh tear beneath my hands, but I also knew the value of waiting, of striking when the moment was perfect. If I killed these fucks now, we might not be able to move on down the target list… we might fuck up our chance at finding the real assholes behind this whole thing. Frustration made me want to scream, so I bit down on my cheek instead, swallowing the blood as a cut opened and leaked into my mouth.

"Shit," I hissed under my breath, barely audible. "This fucking sucks."

Cam gripped my ass tighter, grinding me against him, his grip firm and grounding. He didn't speak, but I felt his silent approval of my restraint.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. My entire body tensed, ready to spring if they discovered us hiding away in this little nook. But what I saw next made my blood run cold.

Two figures emerged from the shadows wearing plague masks and long white coats, carrying what looked like a limp body between them. As they passed by our hiding spot, I caught a glimpse of their burden – a young girl, unconscious and pale as death.

My eyes narrowed, taking in every detail. The girl's stringy blonde hair, the bruises on her arms, the way her head lolled unnaturally to the side. My mind raced, piecing together possibilities faster than I could process them.

"Well, well," I murmured, a dark excitement building in my chest. "Looks like they haven’t quit their day jobs. We should go fuck them up."

Cam's grip on my hand tightened, a silent warning. But I was already lost in the thrill of the hunt, imagining all the delicious ways we could use the information I’d pry from their lips.

"Oh, don't worry, big guy," I whispered, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "I'm not gonna do anything stupid. But you gotta admit, this changes things."

“Lakes, I know you wanna go free her, I do too, but if we get caught, or if there are more of ‘em upstairs, then we get fucked, do you understand?”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

The footsteps faded with the swinging of the door at the end of the hall, and Cam nodded. We moved like shadows, our feet barely touching the ground as we crept down the corridor. Myheart pounded, but not from fear—from the thrill of it all. The ladder loomed ahead, our ticket out of this hellhole.

I scrambled up first, my fingers finding purchase on cold metal rungs. We had no idea what us was above, but from the silence, we were probably safe to head up and land back in the shed. Cam followed; his massive frame somehow just as silent as mine. We burst onto the rickety wooden floor; the musty air complimented the stale underground scent that permeated from the open cellar door.

"Fuck," I hissed, peering through a crack in the wooden slats. My eyes widened at the scene outside.

A black SUV with a gaudy cross emblazoned on its side sat in the driveway, engine running. Nuns scurried around like demonic penguins, sloshing gas from red cans. There, sitting on the front step with a smoke hanging out of her mouth was none other than Sister Anne.

"They're trying to torch the place," I spat, my fists clenching so tight I felt my nails break skin. "Those hypocritical bitches."

Cam's hand landed heavy on my shoulder. "They must have figured out someone was on their tail," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Probably saw that old dickless fuck decaying in his living room.”

I turned to him, a manic grin splitting my face. "Well, ain't that just peachy? Guess we're not the only ones with a hard-on for violence. What do you think the odds are that they know it’s us?"

My mind raced, cataloging every detail of the scene. The way the gas splashed, the nervous twitches of the youngest looking among them as her head swivelled from Sister Anne to the screeches of her kin barking orders, the acrid smell seeping through the cracks. Part of me wanted to stay, to watch it all burn. But Cam's grip tightened, reminding me that we couldn’t. Not if we wanted to make it out of here. We got what we needed anyway.

But oh, how I loved a bonfire. Too bad Sister Anne wouldn’t be the centerpiece, but alas, no such luck of her burning herself.

"Yeah, yeah. We gotta bounce," I muttered, the words tasting like betrayal in my mouth. "But I swear, I'm coming back to dance on the ashes of this fucking place."

Without a word, Cam and I locked eyes. A silent understanding passed between us—it was time to get the hell out of dodge. My heart hammered against my ribs. If we weren’t fast, they’d see us. I pointed to a treeline that was straight ahead and out of sight from the main building. Cam squeezed my shoulder, his other hand gripped tight on the items we’d brought with us.

I burst through the shed door, sprinting towards his motorcycle. The roar of blood in my ears drowned out the startled shrieks of the nuns.Fuck, they saw us.Cam was right behind me, his footfalls heavy and sure.

"Move your ass, sunshine!" I yelled, throwing my leg over the bike. The familiar rumble of the engine beneath me was like a lover's embrace.

Cam vaulted onto the back, his chest slamming against my spine as he clutched our hard-won prizes. His arm snaked around my waist, fingers digging into my hip.

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