Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
“Where’s my credit?” Vaden’s question leaves a ghost of goosebumps over the nape of my neck. They’re both playing with me. That much is obvious. I have to decide which hand I want to be dealt with today.
Priest holds me frozen in place without so much as a single touch. “Happy hunting.”
With a clap of three, darkness fills the room. The gentle simmering of fire reignites in my belly as I ball my fists. I want to scream and yell and tell them it doesn’t matter how many times we play this game, that I’ll always be found, someone will always die, and I’ll always end up with fresh cuts on my body. But it doesn’t matter. I’d be wasting my breath.
I don’t want anyone to die tonight. I don’t want people to die any night.
Priest will always get what he wants, and the only thing he’s ever wanted is blood.
Chapter Seven
luna
year three
Winter bites her way into the colder months, which means we’re heading toward the end of the year.
I should probably start tracking time again.
“You know they’re going to continue to do this until your legs give out, right?” River murmurs, checking the barrel of her gun. I don’t bother asking why she’s out of rounds.
“I don’t understand the meaning of it all.” I load up and rest the semi on my shoulder, looking through the scope. “And yes, I know there’s meaning. I just don’t know what it is.” In a swirl of black, white, and red, the bulls eye teases us from afar.
I pull the trigger and the gun hammers against me with every blow until I’m out.
I straighten. “I don’t think I like guns.”
“What is wrong with you!” River snatches the machine from me as if I don’t deserve it.
“Which part? Would you like the list?” Frost leaves my lips as I shuffle my gloves back on.
“I will say,” she adds with a chuckle. “He sure knows how to dress you.”
A flimsy pale cotton sundress that’s long at the arms and flowy, dipping between my breasts. I managed to find a black corset that I tied around my waist in a sad attempt at keeping warm since the asshole hadn’t given me any jackets.
River sink her teeth into her lip to stop her smirk. I know she’s about to say something smart. “It’s very…Juliette.”
That isn’t so bad. Maybe she’s getting better as she ages.
She shrugs. “If you know, if Romeo was a gangster.”
“He’s cruel.” I jog on the spot, blowing into the palm of my hand to get warm.
“Probably the least cruel thing he’s ever done.” That doesn’t make it any better. Before I can voice that, her hand flies out to hush me.
I stop instantly.
“Why must you use a gun?” I grumble under my breath.
Recently, we’ve spent every day together. I’ll take what I can get since neither of us know when, or if, that will stop. The most pressing question is why we’re training so young when Priest isn’t set to take the gavel until he’s in his twenties.
“Because I’d rather not be close enough to see them die.” Her finger hovers over the trigger as she lifts into position.
“Maybe it’s you who should be training and not me…” I tease, stepping over a fallen branch while moving another out of my face.
Snow powders around my feet like cocaine. At least I have boots. I’m not sure if Prada would approve of where they go, though.
River’s bullet passes through the silencer, whizzing past me.
“Wait, you think you’re being trained to not care?” She sasses, her shoulder brushing mine. “That’s just what was needed to qualify.” She winks, continuing through the span of trees.
I step through blood-splattered snow before the base of a boot collides with mine. Facedown with arms spread wide like an angel.
“I don’t understand this concept.”
River appears beside me. “I wish they were bad at least.” Kneeling, she touches the side of his neck. “Unfortunately, that’s most likely not the case. These people are all dispensable to him. How many did he say?” She hooks the strap of her gun over her back.
I hand her the note that was left on my dresser.
She closes it. “Three. I have to admit, I think what you have to do is shittier than what I’m doing right now.”
“What is it that you’re doing?” I never want to pry too deep into River’s duties, the same way she doesn’t mine.
“Family shit.” Using her foot, she rolls him to his back. “How the fuck are we supposed to carry them?”
Three hours later, blood slips through my fingers, loosening my grasp on his weight.
We stop at the side of the house, finally releasing the shirt of corpse number two. The front door closes and both Priest and Vaden stop in their tracks, their eyes moving between River and me.