Page 121 of Behind the Shadows

“Anything,” she whispered.

“What’s your name?”

A sweet smile slipped into place. “Samantha. My name is Samantha.” She kissed my cheek, then disappeared into the darkness.

I blinked, the room fading in and out as the shadows started to slowly peel away as I came out of the hypnosis. I saw her again—clearly. Holland. Her red hair. Her loving gaze. Her hand on my heart.

“You’re not my sin,” I said. “You’re my proof.”

She leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

And I shattered.

“I wore the cross,” I said, reaching for it but found nothing. “I thought it protected me. It was Mother’s. It was fucking hers. I need to destroy it.”

Holland nodded, tears still falling. She wrapped her arms around me, held me while I crumbled.

“I love you,” she said. “Even in the dark. Especially in the dark.”

I buried my face in her shoulder.

“There’s something else I’ve never told anyone before but lived with it for years.” I squeezed my eyes closed against the memories. These, I knew, were facts and not fiction built on lies. I wasn’t high those times. I was aware of every word I said, every smile I gave, and every hand I held. A weight of a thousand bricks crushed my chest as I spoke.

“They made me into a weapon. Used me to hurt people. I don’t even know how many times they had me make friends with the girls my age and a little older. Mother said I was good looking, and all the girls would fall for me … little did they know I was leading them into captivity to be raped and tortured.”

“We’ll make it right,” she whispered. “Together.”

She helped me to my feet.

“How will we know if it worked—the hypnosis and the connection with the Pied Piper.”

“I think it did. Kip, you were never theirs. A part of you always knew what they did to you. But only time will tell. If it didn’t work, then I’m with you, so I won’t let you go see the Pied Piper. I’ll take you under again and we’ll repeat the process until you’re okay.”

I turned back to her.

“I need to tell Dope and Death everything. Help take the whole thing down. No more hiding. No more fucking silence.”

Holland smiled through her tears.

“It will take time to make sure you’re free,” she whispered, brushing a tear from my cheek. “But you’re not in that cage anymore either.”

I stared at her. At the girl I once tried to save, and the woman who’d just saved me back.

“That’s enough,” I said. “For now.” But deep down, I knew—we were only beginning.

52

KIP

I couldn’t recall the last time my palms were drenched in sweat, not even during the most intense hunts alongside Death. In those moments, adrenaline surged through my veins, eliminating any trace of fear or hesitation. But this was entirely different. This was a gut-twisting dread as I prepared to confess to my family the unforgivable reality. I had betrayed them.

I reached Dope’s uncle's cabin, and the smell of the light rain still lingered on the tree leaves. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart, but there was only one thing for me to do: walk into the living room and tell my friends what I’d done. How it played out was what I was afraid of. What would I do without the only people in my life who had supported me for years? They had never questioned my sanity or my loyalty. That was all about to change.

As much as I wanted Holland with me for support, it wasn’t her battle to fight. I had to take responsibility for what I’d done on my own. Not only that, but I was also concerned my friends would think I’d brought her along to take my side and defend me against them. That wasn’t the case at all. This was mine to face—my sins, my burden.

I knocked on the door and pushed it open, the hinges squeaking and announcing my arrival.

Dope, Death, and Ella all looked in my direction.