Page 83 of Beg the Night

I slapped her across the face. Hard. “I don’t need anyone. Certainly not you.”

She laughed as blood filled her mouth. “Is that what you thought about Mother and Father? Is that why you killed them?”

My ears rang as if I’d been struck as well, and my mind went numb. “I did not kill them.”

“No?” She laughed again. “It’s amusing how far you’re willing to go to deny it, even to yourself. You’re a monster, Athena. You’re a killer. And now that you’ve performed the ritual, your power will grow beyond your ability to control it. The only way to harness it is to be trained by the Ministry.”

Somewhere in the distance, Margaret screamed, dragging my attention from my sister long enough for her to jab me in my ribs and flip me over, this time pinning me.

“You won’t make it out alive,” she roared. “You need the Ministry!”

I tilted my chin up, peering back at that damn balcony. The scene was mostly obscured by shadows, but I caught a glimpse of Sinner’s toned body. He was still shirtless, his muscles rippling under the moonlight as he fought against three guards.

Margaret was fighting, too. She’d just landed an elbow to Director’s side when Katherine dug her knee into my chest, pulling my attention back.

“I’ll never help them,” I gasped, barely able to take a breath. “They’re monsters.”

“They are?” She tossed her head back and laughed, then glared pointedly at the balcony. “Look around you! Who’s the monster here?”

The man slinging shadows may have looked like a monster to some, but not to me. He was a quiet force, a saving grace?—

“Katherine.” A man stepped out of the woods to my right.

She immediately sat up straighter and loosened her grip on me.

He edged closer, his focus fixed on her. “Let her go.”

“What are you doing out here?” she asked.

As he came into focus, I recognized him. Benedict, her claimed.

Another scream echoed from the balcony, this time from Director.

“She won’t understand!” Katherine pleaded.

Benedict stepped closer, eyeing me for one second before returning his gaze to Katherine. “We’re leaving. Now.”

“Don’t.” She crawled off me completely, as if she’d forgotten that she saw me as a threat. What the hell was happening? “You know what will happen if you do.”

I pushed myself into a seated position, turning back to the mansion in time to see Sinner running out the front door, one hand clasped with Margaret’s.

My heart leapt.They made it. He had her.

An instant later, dread swamped me again. We were surrounded. Dozens of guards closed in on us. We didn’t have much time, not if we?—

“We’re leaving,” Benedict said again.

Katherine looked at me with wide eyes full of fear rather than anger.

I stood and took off toward Sinner and Margaret, leaving the lovebirds to deal with whatever mess they were working through.

“Margaret!” I screamed, throat raw. “Sinner!”

Somewhere in the shit show that was this life, I had started thinking of them as my family. And that was absolutely terrifying.

As I was pulling Margaret into my arms, Katherine and Benedict caught up. I spun, keeping my friend behind me, ready to fight, ready to kill them both if they got in our way.

But before I could throw a punch, Benedict raised his arms, and the five of us disappeared.

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