Page 71 of Back In the Shadows

His silence was answer enough. He was still there, watching, horrified, but powerless to stop what was coming. Just as he should be.

I stepped back to admire my work, covered in blood and grinning. Let Sebastian hide from our true nature. I would paint the world red for Ella, and she would finally see us for what we were—beautiful monsters, perfectly matched.

34

ELLA

I folded my arms across my chest and impatiently tapped my foot against the hardwood floor of the living room. “I’ll ask again, Dope. Where is Death?”

He reached for the rolled joint in his flannel shirt pocket and popped it into his mouth.

I gave him a pointed look. “Not in here with my kids.”

“Yeah. I got it.” He stood and headed toward the door.

With a few quick strides, I stepped in front of him and blocked his exit. “Not so fast. You can smoke your joint on the balcony if you behave and tell me where my husband is.”

“Ella, I can’t tell you. It would put you in danger.”

I put my hands on my hips and glowered at him. “You’re in danger now, so you better talk and quick, dammit.”

“All right. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll tell you where he is only if you give me your word you’re not going after him.”

My eyes widened. “Does he have the guy that kidnapped me?”

Dope’s gaze darted away from mine. Bingo.

“Who is it, Dope? I deserve to know. I lived through hell.” I wasn’t lying, but I hoped some guilt would also work in my favor.

“We don’t know who is behind it, but Death has the guy that drove to your house when you were taken. He, uh … may or may not have eyeballs left in his head.”

“Oh shit.” I barked out a laugh, then slapped my hand over my mouth, hoping I didn’t wake Verity and Alaric, who were sleeping in their room. “Serves the son of a bitch right.”

“I think … if it helps you feel better —” Dope stopped abruptly. “You didn’t give me your word that you wouldn’t go after him. I’ve already said too much.”

A fierce battle raged within me as my conscience and heart fought for control, tearing me apart. One part of me thirsted for revenge and longed to join forces with Death against the men who had captured me. But the other part, the primal instinct to protect my children roared through my veins like a raging inferno. If I abandoned them and something happened to both Death and me, my precious babies would be left without either parent to guide them.

I chewed on my lower lip and debated my answer, but I already knew what it was.

“You have my word. I won’t go after him. I’ll let him do what he does.” My chest ached with my promise.

“Perfect. In my opinion, Death should have told you already, but for some reason he didn’t. Sometimes I don’t understand his reasoning. Do you?”

I resisted the urge to smack him, hard. Instead, I grabbed his joint from his hand and threatened to snap it in half.

“Go ahead. I’ll just unroll it and smoke it in a bowl. No skin off my back.”

“When I’m done with it, you won’t have anything left to smoke.” I waited for that to sink in. I hadn’t told anyone how terrified I was that Xavier would heal and come after me again. I kept the truth hidden, too afraid to speak it aloud. The mere thought of Xavier seeking revenge made me break out in a coldsweat. How could we have been so blind before, unaware of his watchful attention constantly on me? The memory of him tracking me like a wounded animal after I’d escaped assaulted my senses as the memories rushed back.

“Why wouldn’t Death tell me that?” My chest heaved with my question in a lame attempt to control the emotions that were threatening to spill over.

“Because he didn’t want you to find him until he sent for you. He needed time alone with Xavier, and to make sure that you were safe.”

I closed my eyes, trying to silence the rising panic that was wrecking me. “Okay. That makes sense.” I looked at Dope again. “But I need to see Xavier again. I have to.”

Dope gave me a quizzical look. “Why?”

I glanced around the room to make sure no one was in earshot, but Cami had left to go to the grocery store and the kids were asleep. Dope and I were alone. Regardless, I leaned in and whispered what I’d learned.

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