Total pages in book: 209
Estimated words: 196141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 981(@200wpm)___ 785(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 981(@200wpm)___ 785(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Maybe it really was just a malicious taunt on their way out of the cave and nothing more.
“La-La’s already forgotten about you,” assures Drake hours later when they come to rest near a bushel of cacti and a short, smooth rock. “We’re safe, I swear.”
“I don’t get the sense La-La is the type to forget anything,” says Kyle. “He seemed like a psycho obsessive type.”
Drake doesn’t respond at first. Perhaps tired of lying, he finally says, “Okay … I will admit, I would have preferred if we had made it out of there without being seen by anyone, let alone someone like fucking La-La.” He peers over his shoulder in the direction of the cave, now miles away. “I’m sure the others know by now we’re gone.”
Kyle hugs his knees. “You think someone will come after us?”
“Not tonight, doubt it. It’s too late, already past midnight.”
“So? That still gives them roughly five or six hours.”
“My family may consider themselves totally liberated and free to do as they please … but we’re still guarded, protective, playing it safe, highly paranoid, not likely to fall for any traps. Salazo’s first thought will be that this is a trap, to lure him into the sun looking for his pet. I’ve heard him mutter wildly to himself in the daylight hours, crazy things. He’s a bit … uh … loony.”
“Okay, maybe Salazo’s too paranoid to go after his pet, but what about your own brother coming after you? He’ll be pissed when he realizes you left with me. Maybe you should go back.”
“You think so?” Drake frowns. “But who’ll protect you from La-La? At the very least, I should get you home.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Drake slides up next to Kyle. “That eager to get rid of me again, huh?”
Kyle sighs, scoots away. “And how many times do I gotta remind you I have a boyfriend? A boyfriend I love?”
“You think love is so singular?” Drake scoots closer again. “I love everyone I like. I even love the pet. I love everyone at the den, all my aunts and uncles. I love you, too. See how love spreads? How love is free? It isn’t something you can quantify. Look, you’re not even seeing the self-imposed laws that govern your own idea of love. You keep it caged like a pet of your own, reserved for only one person. You’re denying yourself.”
Kyle looks away, annoyed. Drake seems to pick up the hint, but doesn’t move away from Kyle’s side.
Besides, how Drake defines love is the last thing on Kyle’s mind. He is certain La-La hasn’t forgotten them, hasn’t moved on, still licking his grinning lips back at that cave, plotting what his next move will be.
Kyle went to the Devil’s Mouth for clarity and security. Now he feels more in danger than he ever has in his whole life. How can he manage a wink of sleep ever again, knowing that someone like La-La is out there? Lazarus was scary enough. Salazo is a demented pervert. But neither of them compare to the blood-freezing fear that was inspired in Kyle’s heart with just a minute or two of words and a frighteningly sharp sword.
Not to mention how angry Lazarus will get when he finds that, for a second night in a row, his brother flaked on a hunt.
Was this whole expedition a colossal mistake?
“Fucking goddamned fucking fuck!” growls Mikey. When Kyle and Drake look, they find him clawing at the spiked collar around his neck. “This stupid thing won’t come off!”
Drake tilts his head. “Did you not bring the key?”
Mikey stops, eyes wide. “There’s a key?”
“Yes. The collar locks, of course.” Drake clicks his tongue, shaking his head in pity. “Looks like you’re gonna be stuck in that thing for a while.”
“Are you kidding me? Are you—” He pulls and pries and yanks on it with greater urgency until he’s huffing and out of breath. “This motherfucking sweaty thing is suffocating me!”
“It’s psychological. Inhale, exhale, buddy. Wouldn’t try to cut it off either,” Drake adds unhelpfully, “as that thing appears to be really, really snug around that neck of yours.”
“Then what am I supposed to do??”
“Get used to it? Consult a locksmith? Cover it with a neck brace and feign having an injury forever? Don’t ask me.”
Mikey gives up, dropping his hands. After a second, he gets to his feet. “I wanna get as far as possible from that place. Gotta keep moving. I don’t trust they won’t come after me. Where is this town you said you’re from? I’ve never heard of Nowhere.”
“No one has,” admits Kyle, “but everyone there is friendly and very, very human. You can stay at my place. My boyfriend has a half-abandoned house on the other side of town, too, full of junk and clutter he pretends isn’t there. Just until you’re back on your feet and ready to head to your actual home.”