Page 30 of The Black Lotus
I grab her arm, stopping her pursuit. “I don’t like her.” Her head whips in my direction as her eyebrows dip in confusion. Keeping my focus off Serena I cup Kelsey’s cheek. “You know you were the only one I ever liked,” I lie, the words souring my mouth.
Her eyes close, her grip on her axe loosening. “You were always there for me; when I had no one, you hid with me when the teachers were in one of their punishing moods. You kept me safe, taking the beatings for me,” she says, stepping back into my chest.
“You’re the one who found the best spots.”
“You’re the one who discovered the park down the street.” She looks up at me. “Remember how we would sneak out past curfew and watch the stars?” She interlaces her fingers between my own, my skin crawling at the intimacy between us. “How we would hold hands and time stood still.” She turns our hands over, tracing a heart on the inside of my gloved palm. “You always said, ‘One day, when we got out of here, we would meet at that park to reminisce’.”
“I remember.” The memory causes conflict inside me; save her or kill her.Can she be saved?
“I always hoped, when we reconnected, we would fall in love and be partners in crime. Just like both our parents were.”
“Our parents were some of the best.”
She shakes her head. “No, your parents were the best; mine didn’t want me. I was in their way, wanting too much. They abandoned me and then got killed.”
“Mine got caught,” I retort.
“They only got caught because of jealousy.”
Her words hit me in the chest and I push her away, gripping her arms as confusion and curiosity swirl inside me like a storm, creating a tornado of emotions.
“What do you mean? What jealousy?”
“I promised I wouldn’t say,” she whispers as her eyes dart around the room from fear someone could be listening.
I shake her, her cheeks turning red from the force. “Tell me!” I demand, anger slowly taking over me.
“I’m sorry, Asty. She’ll kill me if I say anything.”
“Who, Kelsey? I’ll protect you.”
Her eyes drop, the girl I grew up with finally poking through her mask. “Not from her. You can’t protect me from her.”
“I can keep you safe if you just let me in. I am here for you.” The words leave my lips, desperate for answers about the day that changed the course of my life.I need to know what happened. I need to know who turned my parents in and why. Kelsey knows, and I’ll do anything to find out.
I grip her chin, her eyes widening in disbelief as I tilt her head to look at me. Channeling my feelings, my love for the woman having to watch all this, I whisper, “I’ll always be here for you, Kels.” The childhood nickname slips out as she closes her eyes, curling into my touch, which gives me a chance to look at the doorway to check on Serena, but the spot is vacant. My heart races, fear Serena left thrumming through me.
“I’m sorry. Not this time.” She places her hand on my chest, her pupils widening as a deranged look crosses her face. “It was nice, traveling down memory lane together. But I have a jobto do, and I’d like to do that quickly. Then we can finally be together.”
All thoughts of wanting and craving answers dissipate as panic takes over from the need to keep Serena safe. I want answers, but IneedSerena. I will kill Kelsey before I let her touch a hair on her head.
Before I can search the room for my angry vixen, my body jerks and Kelsey spits blood as my name leaves her lips, her eyes wide as a manic Serena stands behind her, her knife sticking out of Kelsey's back. I let her fall and rush to Serena, but she steps away from me as my arms drop to my sides.
She stares daggers at the dying woman on the floor, then looks up at me with a fire I haven’t seen before. The need to hold her is strong, but the waves of anger I feel coming off her, keep me planted where I stand as I whisper the words. “It was all an act.”
Her eyes finally meet mine, returning to their darker shade of blue. “You called her by her nickname, then she started saying things about your past, things I didn’t know about you… My emotions took over.” Her fists clench and unclench at her sides. “The whole time I kept repeating ‘it’s just an act’ in my head, but when she was in your arms, my jealousy took over and my body reacted before my mind could catch up, and well, now she’s dying.” Serena looks toward the body still hanging from the ceiling, her brows low on her forehead. “I’m sorry. We could have gotten answers.”
I step towards her, bringing her eyes back to mine and this time she lets me touch her as my hand rubs up and down her stiff arms. “If I saw you sweet talking another man, even if it did keep me safe, he would have been killed instantly. You held off longer than I would have. Don’t be disappointed. She was never going to reveal the truth.” My teeth clench at that realization. “I am soproud of you.” Her eyes start to water, the final bits of hurt and rage dissipating as our lips softly meet.
We only break apart when we hear coughing near our feet. Realizing Kelsey is still alive, Serena kneels in front of her, her gloved finger tucking Kelsey’s hair behind her ear. “Did you really think Aster would choose you over me?”
Kelsey’s eyes well with tears as she looks up at me standing behind Serena, my hand on her shoulder. “Asty?” she croaks.
“Eyes on me,” Serena demands. Kelsey glares at Serena. “You may have had him when you were children, but I have him as a man and you will never see him again.” Serena rips the knife from her back and Kelsey screeches, the sound making both me and Serena flinch from the ear bleeding sound.
“It’s not going to be me, but someone else will succeed. It’s only a matter of time before you’re here with me.”
“They can try.” Serena stabs the knife into her neck. “But they’ll all meet the same fate.”
