Page 39 of Moon Kissed

“How the fuck should I know?” Orion shouted at the wall. “Haven’t we established the woman is crazy?”

“Nothing crazy about it. Orion and I were coming to an understanding when Hall dropped out of the sky. He killed himself,” I said. “I guess he just couldn’t live with being an overripe asshole for a second longer—”

Dagem punched the desk, splitting a crack in the centuries-old antique. “That’s enough,” she hissed. “You will not disrespect his name. Not after what you’ve done.”

“What I’ve done? I haven’t done anything.”

“And yet this was found on the roof.” Reaching into her pocket, Dagem pulled out a plastic baggie. Inside was a piece of paper the size of a business card. A reddish stain marred the white card, almost blotting out the inscription.

Almost.

One Down. Six To Go.

Dagem flipped it over, letting me read an even curiouser message on the back.

Destiny.

“You’re showing me Hall’s suicide note? What is that supposed to mean to me?”

“You know very well that isn’t a suicide note and his death is not a suicide. Why did you do this, Daciana? Why did you kill Mr. Hall?”

“Kill Mr.— What the fuck are you talking about!”

“Wait, hold on.”

Orion and I sounded off at the same time.

“Watch your language!” Dagem snapped.

“My language? You’re accusing me of murder and you’re worried about a few f-bombs?” I shot up. “What is this? Is this a joke?”

Everyone except Nia and Paxton shot away from me. Claws erupted and growls sounded as they readied for me to strike.

“Sit down, girl,” Dagem ordered. “Now!”

My wolf knew her and her voice now. The alpha command slammed into my epsilon ability and scurried away whimpering. I easily shook off the compulsion, but I sat down anyway.

“I didn’t kill anyone—”

“Yes,” Badr said, gaze drilling a hole in my skull. “You did.”

Nyx pushed the chair beside me closer and then plopped Nia down. They wanted the wolf tranquilizer as close to me as possible.

Rolling my eyes, I heaved a sigh. “Fine. If you want to get specific, I didn’t killHall. No one killed Hall. He committed suicide and your little horror movie plot isn’t going to trick me into confessing something I didn’t do.” I spun to Orion who came away from the wall even though his erection was still at half-mast. “Orion, tell them.”

“I did tell them.” He frowned at Dagem and Badr. “What’s going on? You didn’t say anything about all of this crap when you asked me where to find her? She didn’t—”

“Silence,” Dagem sliced in, holding up her hand. “Not another word from you, Mr. Wheeler. It’s she who’ll be explaining herself.” Her bony finger turned on me. “I will ask you again. Why did you kill Mr. Hall, and what’s the meaning of that note? Do you intend to kill six other people?”

“I don’t intend to kill anyone,” I forced through clenched teeth. “I didn’t leave that note, and I didn’t touch Hall. I went straight from the athletic field to the detention hallwithOrion. We were together the whole time. We were together when he fell. If Hall really was murdered, it wasn’t me.”

She sniffed, lips curling. Just being in my presence disgusted her. “You think us all fools, don’t you? Twenty-four hours after a murderer is forced into my school, someone is murdered. Those are easy dots to connect.”

I gave her the same filthy look. “Apparently not. Did it ever occur to you that the real killer also assumed you all would come to the same simple-minded, lazy conclusion? Everyone was supposed to be at dinner. They weren’t expecting anyone to be stuck in detention on the first day, and they also must’ve thought his body wouldn’t be found until hours later.

“By then, all eyes would turn to everyone’s favorite moonwalking murderer.” I winked at her. “Me.”

Badr’s knuckles audibly cracked balling his fingers.

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