Page 48 of The Kiss Of Death
“What’s this place?”
“My little secret.” I reclined against the cold-stone gargoyles and balcony ramp, tilting my head back to welcome the embrace of the deadly black night.
The cool breeze brushed against my face, tempting me, urging me to plummet into the abyss below. I entertained the idea of what falling would feel like. Peace, probably. Either way, I didn’t know why I brought Dalia here. Perhaps I relished making a dramatic entrance, or maybe I had an unhealthy penchant for theatrics.
“So you brought me to your special place or something?” she prodded.
I straightened my spine, meeting her gaze. “Or something.”
“Have you ever brought someone here?”
“No. But don’t get any ideas thinking you’re special,” I warned. “You’re ordinary at best.”
A smirk graced her lips. “Your words are always vile, Levi, but your actions tell a different story. You’re like a cat leaving a dead rat at my doorstep to seek attention. From others’ point of view, it’s creepy, but from the cat’s point of view, it’s… cute, I guess.”
“Interesting metaphor.” I shifted away from the railing, prowling toward her. “Do you know the somber story behind this roof? The cursed tale of Morticia’s death?”
She shook her head. Of course she didn’t.
“She was in love with one of the Hungway brothers, the creators of the houses of Pantheon, and she jumped from that roof to find death because of a broken heart. Isn’t itcute? Since then, the roof has been off-limits. It was the favorite spot for students to…” I replicated the descent with a sweeping motion of my hand, whistling the sound of their crash.
She stood at the edge of the wrought-iron ramp, teetering on her tiptoes, her eyes locking onto the chasm below. It was as though the void tugged at her very soul.
Who knew my fractured doll was fascinated with the morbid too?
I towered over her, the thrill of the moment coursed through my veins. She remained oblivious to my stealthy approach, ensnared by the abyss before her.
Drawing near, I allowed my breath to ghost over her ear. “Your fall would be a sight to behold, a breathtaking plunge into chaos. Shattered bones, ruptured organs—an exquisite display of destruction. But I’d be there to savor every moment.”
Rather than shrinking away in terror, she pivoted, her gaze locking on me. “I think you’re lonely.”
I withdrew, taken aback by her refusal to hurl insults my way. “Don’t tell me you never thought about it? For a moment, for it to be all over.”
Because I did.I do.
She met my gaze head-on, her arms folded with goose bumps on her skin. “Why are we here?”
I shed my jacket, causing her eyes to widen in intrigue as I placed it to the side instead of offering it to her. She probably expected a chivalrous gesture.
“You want something?” I teased, enjoying the way her frustration obscured her eyes.If she pleads, maybe I’ll oblige.
“I’m on the roof where people have jumped to end their lives, with you, clearly not the most trustworthy person on earth, and you still haven’t told me why.”
“I’m here to help you.” I twisted my words. I had battled the good and the bad side of my rather reckless decision for days.
“Help me?” She chortled as if the thought alone was surreal to her. “How exactly?”
“You want redemption,” I said. “My mother’s music score—or should I say scores, since there are two of them; I’ll grant you the privilege of uncovering their secrets.”
Look at her.Her eyes widened, gleaming like a rich kid on Christmas morning.
“But I thought—” Her words rushed out, a rise in her pitch. “Why did you change your mind?”
“Maybe it’s the satisfaction of doing something right?”
“I don’t buy it.”Smart girl. “I think you have no other choice. You need me.”
That was correct. If someone in this wretched world could find the right essence of the music scores, it’d be Dalia—which made me loathe her even more for it. Sometimes, the more you run away from what you want to avoid, the more it rushes back to you. And since Dalia’s arrival, it was worse—as if all the dead parts of me were awakened.
