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“Of what it means,” I reply.

“It means you’re a killer, Mallory. You always have been. I let you smother me once, I won’t do it again.”

“What about Lennox?”

“He’s a killer too, more than you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“Honey, if you’re not ready to accept me…you’re not going to be able to handle the skeletons in his closet.”

Slipping my hand into hers, I grip it tight. “Is he hiding from me?”

“Do not accept me for him, do it for you, so you finally feel whole. Strong. Resilient.Powerful.” She pulls me up with a strength I didn’t know I had. Placing my frigid hand against her heart, her skin burns me on contact. “I’m that fire inside of you. The part of you that you need to survive this shit life you’ve been dealt. I’m who you need to feel strong enough to overcome the trauma. Stop hiding from me, let me in. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Her other hand brushes my hair back from my face, smearing warm blood across my cheek. Looking into her eyes, I don’t think I’ve ever looked more sincere. She wants me to live, and I believe her. She’s why I never killed myself. She’s kept me alive this whole time, kept mefighting. She’s the spark I felt inside when I did what I had to do in order to stay alive. She’s the warmth I felt in my body when I killed a homicidal maniac. She’s the fire in my blood, the snap in my tongue, and the strength in my mind. She’s me. Always there, struggling to break free.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?” she questions.

“Yeah,” I verify.

She squeals with glee, and I can’t help but smile as I watch myself do an embarrassing happy dance, naked and covered in all kinds of gore. Her body crashes into mine, embracing me in a crushing hug. “This is going to hurt, but accept it so we can move on. Trust me,” she whispers, and I nod in agreement.

Her warmth pours into me, flowing through me, as she fades from view. Sudden and violent, bone deep despair tears at my soul. I drop to my knees, trying to quell the emotional tidal wave as my scream of anguish bounces off the walls of the mill.

Let it out, don’t bury it.

I force myself to let go, releasing everything that’s been holding me hostage inside my own mind. My mother, Dennis, my absent father. The abuse, the assaults, feeling like I was worthless. The never ending torrent of guilt, shame, and self-loathing. Nox getting shot. His uncle losing his life. Victoria being taken and tortured. The woman I cut open then killed. Those things happened because of Johnson’s fixation with me, I did not cause them.

Slowly the agony ebbs away, the tears eventually drying up. I feel lighter, breathing deeper than I ever havewithout this weight on my chest. I get back on my feet, and walk over to where Ted’s blood still stains the wood. I killed him, a smile pulling at my lips. Sinking to one knee, I run my fingers over the floor, feeling the gouges left by my savagery. My other hand runs over my cheek, the cuts from his pocket knife have all healed, but I swear I can still feel them. Under my fingers, I feel the imperfections disappear, the grip he has on my psyche fading away a little bit more.

“Hello, Sydney,”rasps from my pocket as my phone vibrates against my leg.“What’s your favourite scary movie?”Pulling my cell from my pants, I answer it.

“Hello, Ghost.”

A growl rumbles through the line, sending delicious tingles through my whole body. “Where are you, little siren?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Mmmmm, don’t play with me, baby.” Aww hell, his sex-soaked voice does wicked things to the area between my legs. A needy thump awakening immediately, like my body has been trained to respond.

“But it’s so fun. Can the big, bad stalker not find his obsession?” I taunt.

“Mallory…” the rough timbre of his voice ignites my desire in a millisecond.

“I think the better question is… Where are you?”

“Still at the office,” he says, voice changing from predatory Ghost to normal upbeat Nox in an instant.

“Oh, okay. I just went out for a walk. I’ll be home soon.”

“Okie dokie, toodles, gorgeous.”

“Bye, goof.”

Click.