Page 42 of Judas (The Lito Duet #2)

“Of course,” he answers, dipping me under the water again to get my hair wet once more. I wipe my face off, using some of the draining fluid to clean it as I continue.

“Liz was first. She helped me find my voice, as I didn’t talk much or even try to at first. Then Kate came in.

She made me feel fun—running around with tons of energy.

Sillier, made more friends, and some enemies.

Eventually, though, things turned sour and she started to lash out but only when I wasn’t awake.

I learned later on that my adopted parents would lock themselves in their bedroom to keep themselves safe from me, as Kate was violent.

Then came Naamah, only allowing Kate out when there was danger. ”

“Makes sense as to why she was after me when I showed up at the house. She saw me as a threat.”

“You are.”

“ Were . Why do you call her the ancient one?” he asks.

“When I said her name out loud in church, the preacher kicked me and my entire family out. Sometimes we would pass a few members of the congregation after that and they would cower away. I didn’t like it, so I changed.”

“Do you know who she is? Why is she significant?”

Something feels off. There’s a heaviness in the air.

His hands have become rougher too, like they’re trying to comb through tangles, and instead of starting at the bottom of the rats nest, he’s trying to force them through.

Feeling the need to stay quiet, I barely notice the dip in his tone, or how he’s moved closer to me.

My head tilts back a fraction, his hand tangling in my hair now, and dread fills me.

I— fuck. Where’s Kate?!

Holding my arms over my chest, I look up at Lucien.

Seeing nothing but disdain in his features.

He’s angry at me, and I don't know why. I… I was giving him what he wanted. Answered his questions, gave him the information he was after even if it doesn’t make sense why he would care.

Even got in this cold-as-hell water when I would rather sustain every infection known to man than be anywhere in a ten mile radius, naked, with him.

“Remember when you called me Samael, sweet girl?”

“Uh… yes.” My teeth chatter between the words.

“Naamah, well, she’s my wife.”

“I do—“

Lucien shoves me under the water with a force that not only prevents me from getting a breath, but squeezes the one I had out in a barrage of panic-filled air bubbles.

That’s because he’s going to kill you, stupid girl!

My arms flail, reaching up to grab hold of him, hoping to find something to pull myself up, even if he’s the one that’s keeping me submerged.

I kick, feet sliding along the rocks, unable to get any sort of leverage.

Fear squeezes my throat when it finally dawns that he’s not going to let me up.

He’s going to leave me here until I choke on the water, allow it to fill my lungs and suffocate me—he’s killing me.

Still, I fight for my life even though this is what I wanted.

The majority of me yearned for it to end.

To leave and not have to deal with the overwhelming entities living in my head.

Even though my adopted parents are dead, I wouldn’t have to go back to that place either.

There was a chance I could have escaped, and managed to find enough mental health care that maybe, just maybe, there was more for me than living in a world where I’m not wanted.

With pain in my chest, from both the burning of my lungs and the hurt in my heart, I’m about to lose what little bit of me there’s left.

I wonder if my dad is waiting for me on the other side.

Will he meet me before I’m cast out, the same way I was in my human life?

I would sure love to meet him even if it’s only once.

Just hope God takes mercy on me, I was a good girl, I promise I was.

Even when Lucien was pulling the strings, and making me do the same terrible things his voices make him do—I was good.

Right?

It’s dark, even with the moon high in the sky.

I can’t see it through the water anymore, even as I try so hard to blink, but there’s nothing.

When my arms and legs slow down, the fear goes away, and all I am left feeling is acceptance.

I wanted to die, wanted to be where the stars are born. Now, I get to.

Not today.

A loud screeching sound, mixed between a bone chilling scrape of metal and something similar to a guttural scream, pierces my ears and I’m hauled up right. Air floods my lungs as I see Lucien fall back into the water. Kate’s loud cackling drowns out everything else and I fade out.

Lucien

“Goddammit!”

She was almost gone; I had her right where she needed to be but greed is a powerful thing.

There was no mistaking the way her body started to twitch under the water.

The tell-tale signs that the wicked witch of the west was about to make her debut.

But no, the dark side of me had to be a greedy fool and watch the life drain from Sadie’s eyes.

Well, that’s cost us now. Kate took over, and in a surge of strength, she flung me back far enough to break my hold on Sadie before I landed in the water with an unceremonious splash.

I emerge quickly, but when I do though, she’s gone.

Water is racing down my face, slinging side to side when I turn left then right to see where the hell she went.

Thinking better of just getting up and leaving the water, I still.

Listening to the things around me and trying to locate her that way.

Lord knows I can’t smell her anymore—maybe bathing wasn’t the best idea.

Even if that was the sole purpose of us coming out here in the first place.

Can’t help it that the darker side of my psyche decided now was the time to really push the envelope and try to drown the girl we planned to murder later.

While I know Nadia is on her way—she wouldn’t be a pain in my ass if she wasn’t—killing Sadie early wouldn’t have put too much of a hiccup in our plan.

This, though? This is as bad as bad can get. She’s gone, she’s angry, she’s being driven by the frenzied soul that inhabits her body. Which is not going to bode well for anyone involved. I don’t think Nadia is safe either, not that she needs to be.

Waiting longer is not feasible; she can freeze to death out here.

I won’t be doing the same. Turning, I collide into a solid wall of naked teenage girl.

Eyes dropping to hers, ones that used to be blue and would reflect the moonlight are now black as coal.

Water’s dripping silently down her cold-prickled skin, nose red from the way she was likely trying to breathe through it when we had her submerged, lips blue from the lack of oxygen.

If I didn’t know better, know she was the one that threw me off of her like I weighed nothing, I would already think she’s dead.

There’s not a single bit of life shining through her, and I find myself on the opposite end of being scared.

“London bridge… is falling down… falling down… falling down. London bridge… is falling down. My… fair… la—dy.”

My heart stops at the sound of her voice.

The tone of three overlapping each other as she sings.

The words slow, the end of the sentences coming around, causing my breath to halt—waiting for retribution.

It comes swiftly, rightfully, and violently when I’m dragged under the water and a weight sits on my chest, pinning me under the surface.