Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
He followed MF to the bar and grabbed the biggest glasses he could find. He poured a tall one for MF and then for himself.
“Sky’s asking if you’re okay.” Pet pointed to the bottle of scotch. “Oh. I love that drink.” She began rubbing herself on the neck.
Was it a full moon or something?
He drew a slow, patient breath. There were no words to describe what had happened at the party. “I think it best to discuss the details later.”
“I met Damien’s brother,” MF said to Sky and then chugged her entire glass. “He wasn’t fucking around when he said no one is safe around him.” She poured another drink.
Bonbon trotted in wearing a miniature yellow Speedo. Gorgonzolina followed with a tiny straw sunhat and floral Chihuahua muumuu.
“Yikes, man,” Bonbon barked, taking in Damien’s shirt. “Is it Halloween, or did you run over an entire marathon on the way home?”
Damien could not deal with the supernatural clown show at the moment. “I am going to get cleaned up.”
He went upstairs and stripped off another ruined suit. His brother had certainly had his fill of violence tonight. No one, not even the poor gardener, had been left alive. It reminded Damien of the fundraiser, only this bloodbath would have far greater repercussions.
Whine all you like, tailor, but this is your fault. You should have let me out to play sooner.
Damien stepped into the shower, scrubbing the blood from his hands, face, and neck.
He doubted he’d ever forget the look on MF’s face as she stood in the middle of that gazebo while the guests were mowed down. His brother had found several automatic rifles in Natasha’s armory. Once the bullets ran out, his beast went to work with a very large knife he’d found behind the bar, used for cutting up fruit.
I wonder why I did not touch MF. Maybe she was right. Maybe he did care. So was Sky onto something regarding the nature of his curse?
The water started backing up in the drain, so Damien shut off the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went for his suitcase at the foot of the bed.
“I bet you want to be alone right now.” Sky’s beautiful face appeared before him.
Was he asleep and dreaming right now? “How am I seeing you?”
“It won’t last long. Takes a lot out of me to manifest in the physical world, but I thought you should know that I went with you to the party.”
Christ. He’d told her not to.
She went on, “Which is why you’ll find there’s no silverware here in the house. Pet flushed it all down the toilet while I was gone. Apparently, the shiny surfaces were interrupting her sex mojo.”
No words.
Sky continued, “I saw what happened with that woman, Damien, and…”
“You were disgusted.”
Sky shrugged her brows and pressed her hands to his chest. He could actually feel her. “You did everything you could to warn her off.”
“What does it matter? She is dead. Her entire family is dead.” The Russian mafia would be coming after him if they ever found out what he had done.
“Yes. They are. But those were not nice people.”
“So what? I am a man who has left many dead bodies in his wake. I do not get to decide who deserves to live or die. I am as bad as they were.”
“I don’t agree. Not even a little. Which is why what I have to say is extremely difficult. I…wanted to say this to your face.” She sighed. “I thought it was all in your mind, but after tonight, I know you were telling the truth. It’s not safe to be around you.” She paused. “I texted Amelia and told her to take Miguel to a hotel.”
She’d seen the truth about the darkness living inside him. “A wise choice.”
“But I am not abandoning you. I’m going to help you fix this, Damien. There must be a way to free you.”
“Do not waste your time.”
Sky began to fade. “I have to go. But please don’t lose hope, Damien.”
He said nothing and dressed. A while later, a text came in on his phone from Sky.
Sky: Search came up empty on the sponsors for the festival. Permit for the event is registered to SBP, Inc. SBP is owned by the Newberys, who also invested in Brown Mexican Salsa.
This wasn’t the clue he expected, but it proved there was a connection between the Newberys and the event organizers.
He could feel it. They were close to figuring this out, and even better, he was close to getting his life back. After the bloodbath, the clown show downstairs knew he’d been telling the truth about how dangerous he was and would want to keep their distance.
No more ghost’s family, no demons, no insane fairies, and ex-vampires. Just him and his curse.
A pit formed in his stomach. The pit of relief. Yes, that is what it is.