Page 8 of Judas (The Lito Duet #2)

That is neither here nor there, I’m out now and have things to do. I have had my eye on the precious little Sadie since she escaped her mother’s wretched hole. To say I was shocked when nurse Cindy alerted the officer escorting Nadia was carrying, a total understatement.

Between the near-blinding pain of the whore shooting me, and the horror of her pregnancy, I went into a fit of rage.

If I remember correctly, the medical aid sedated me and kept me that way for a few weeks.

Way beyond the ‘disciplinary’ threshold of 23-hours.

As soon as I was awake, and alert enough, I had my fingers digging into any and all information I could find.

My chore was difficult at first but then word came through the grapevine of Nadia’s labor, and her tie to the infamous ‘Scorpion of Darkwater.’ Her connection to the rest of the world was finally severed and I knew I had my in.

A call or two was all it took to find out who Sadie’s adopted parents are and where they lived. Everything from their background, to their financials, living situation, work history, criminal history or the lack thereof, and more appeared in a thousand-mile envelope in my cell just days later.

Since then, I’ve had a pair of eyes on the tot until she grew up and into the interesting individual that she is.

Just as I disclosed in the letter to Sadie, I prevented all forms of communication attempts from Nadia.

Letters and makeshift prison gifts went up in flames, as I was informed, before they ever made it to the post office.

If I couldn’t get to her, she wasn’t going to get to Sadie.

Now’s my chance though, to see her. To get my hands on her. To connect the person with the photos I had given to me for years, along with the periodic reports I have received.

This trip will be long, but in the end, I know it will be worth it. To finally be with family. That’s the foundation of the church after all.

I should have worked out while in prison.

My mind is reeling as I breathe heavily, the thrust of oxygen in and out of my lungs sets me on fire, inducing a pain that scrapes with raw power through my chest.

Smoking is bad for you, kids.

Perhaps the scuffle I have found myself in should have been anticipated. Especially, when I slammed the door open to Sadie’s suburban home. Expectancy warrants anxiety, there’s not enough time in the day to fret over the unbridled thoughts, and voices, swimming through my mind.

As one would expect, the darkest one demands sacrifice as a faint whine from mother punctuates the deep growls he emits —only once I tell him to get lost. This is my time to shine, the delicate moment I have been waiting so many long years for.

All of that planning changed when she opened the door and Kace’s blue eyes peered up at me from behind a thick set of lashes.

Then anger reared its ugly head. I began to spew something vile at her, but the stupid muscle in my mouth ties up and is unwilling to move.

Utterly dumbfounded. Uncooperative. Defiant.

She’s standing mere feet away from me and my mouth wouldn’t work fast enough to introduce myself, let alone lash her with distaste. I noticed something isn’t quite right, she must sense it too. Right before she attempts to slam the door in my face.

Predator recognizes predator.

Her instincts are on par, recognizing me for what I am. Impressive for our first meeting. Blinking, the moment escalates from an unplanned, though warned, reunion to a fight for survival.

Shoving the door open, it swings back, crashing into the wall opposite of it.

Rattling the trinkets and photographs that hang delicately off the white plaster.

In a hair’s breadth, I’m tailing her. She knows the house like the back of her hand but unfortunately, I’m skilled in this hunting game and my Lord does it feel good to fucking chase.

The nimble little thing swerves around the large pieces of furniture in the living room like some sort of professional sports star—quickly darting toward the hallway. She’s fast compared to an old man with busted knees, but I’m taller and longer-limbed. Making up for my lack of limberness.

Before she gets too far out of my reach, I launch myself over the end of the dark colored sofa. The wood frame groaning under my sudden weight, nearly lifting the opposite end up off the floor. Closing the distance just enough to wrap my hand in the ends of her long hair and yank her back.

Sadie squeals, crashing back into me then loses her footing.

Hitting the floor, with a painful thud that is sure to leave more bruising than anything.

The grip I have in her hair keeps her elevated enough where I am able to get a better hold on her.

She’s flailing and thrashing around. Kicking and swinging her fists to fight me off but I step over her smaller frame and drop down, pinning her beneath me with both of her wrists pressed to the floor.

Poor thing, I know she probably hopes she will get away but I promise you she won’t. I’ll hunt her until the end of existence if I have to. My soul will devour hers then lick its fucking teeth clean.

Her fight and flight instincts are astounding, even when she writhes and struggles beneath me even as I use every bit of force to subdue her.

To be young again. I miss this type of mobility.

Snarling like a feral animal, she tosses her head side to side.

The blonde locks fanning and tangling in the messiest of halos around her crown.

Each movement adds to the harsh breaths she labors for.

Still, she yanks and pulls at where I have her restrained but it’s the damned screeching and screams that pierce my ears and feed my demons.

“Be still!” I shout at her.

Between our heavy breathing, and the intense struggle, spittle sprinkles on her face and she winces like I hit her. I’m not above it, if she doesn’t stop this nonsense. I will have to do something to subdue her further. It doesn’t seem like it but I’m trying my best to give her a chance.

She’s an innocent, Lulu.

M… mother.

Of course this would be the moment she escapes the darker entity, to remind me I’m supposed to be a man who protects the young. Or at least gets vengeance for them.

“I don’t care!” I can’t help but scream. Stress and odd elation humming through the veins of my arms, making my hands squeeze her thin wrists with more force.

Sadie is still struggling beneath me. Clothing riding up to give a slight peek of the pale skin between her shirt and the waistband of her pants. Sweat seeping from her flesh as it flushes mingles with the scent of her perfume, making it stronger.

“She’s her blood! The world must be cleansed of this filth, her included.” My words now forced out in a desperate growl.

That must have gotten her attention because she goes dead still, staring straight up at me as the wiry dark strands of my hair curtain around my face. The beginnings of perspiration building on my forehead and neck but not quite enough to drip on her yet.

She’s so young. Pretty in a doll sort of way.

Her smooth skin is nearly flawless as it stains pink from our scuffle.

No freckles, no beauty marks, nothing outside of a scar that captures my attention.

It’s small, faint, and digs into the cushion of her upper lip.

Probably an old playground wound but I find myself curious how it got there.

Flicking my stare away from her mouth, back up to her raging eyes, I note that they're empty. Dead despite the life that thrums through her—pulsing under the thin skin of her arms. Slight silver specks that war with the blue sparkling like glints of platinum.

If I wasn’t just running and tackling her a moment ago, one would think that she’s not quite real.

Ethereal in a way, uncanny in another. Similar to one of those living dolls you see women selling on the home goods channel.

They’re almost glossy like someone put a fresh coating of lacquer over the most intricate of paintings.

The pupils blown so wide they almost gobble up the rim of her iris—feral yet focused.

She is in survival mode. What happened to you, sweet girl?

“Get the fuck off me.” She orders. Dry, no emotion, nothing. Nearly robotic in a sense and it’s intriguing. There is a switch in her head somewhere and I can’t wait to toy with it, see the types of shenanigans little Sadie can get into.

Staring for a beat longer, my body moves to let her up and that’s when she takes the opportunity to really fight back.

Kneeing me in the stomach then she lifts her right arm and swings her elbow, clocking me in the face.

Blood instantly spurts from my nose, dribbling down my chin over the rough stubble that’s had too much time to grow.

The only thing I can think to do is fall back, slow the bleeding, and hold enough pressure to counteract the pain now coursing through my head. It throbs, eyes blurring while filling with tears which try to roll over my bottom lashes—which I refuse to let go of.

With my right hand hovering over my bridge, I pinch the soft tissues nose down to the cartilage to stem the flow and watch her scramble to her feet.

She may look like him but she’s got her mother’s fight and at least that is admirable.

Nadia was always ready to cause pain to those she had power over. Whore or not.

Sadie hesitates for a second, a flicker of concern passing through her expression then, in a blink of an eye, it’s gone.

Interesting.

The longer I am in her presence, the more intrigued by her I become. Nonetheless, I refuse to let her go now. Not after I have witnessed, while in passing, the things in this house.

As she turns to walk off, I reach out and grab her ankle and jerk, causing her to fall again.

Her hands and other knee barely catch her before she faceplants on the floor.

When she whirls around and tries to strike, I’m already anticipating it and swing first. My fist connects with her face, accompanied by an audible crack, the force flinging her head back.

Then she goes limp. Maybe she will think twice about hitting me again, brat.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, I finally push myself up and off the ground.

My elbows abraded from when I scurried back as Sadie attempted to elbow me, only to rake mine along the roughened carpet.

Fisting the front tail of my shirt and lifting, I use the worn cotton to wipe the blood from my nose and mouth.

It doesn’t take off too much, only enough to smear the bulk of blood.

All while it continues to trickle over my upper lip.

Rounding the padding there until it creeps inside and stains my teeth.

Hmph, lick my teeth clean. Spoke too soon.

Suppose it is time to take a little tour of her childhood home, now that I’m unsure how long she will be out.

Starting off, I walk through every room.

Observing each tiny detail the humble abode willfully offers to me.

I’ll be honest, the green monster makes its appearance the longer I keep looking around.

Seeing all the sprawling familial trinkets, awards, and photographs peppering each surface I glance at.

These people? They love Sadie. It looks like she’s their entire word.

Unfortunately for them, I’m about to destroy it.

Rounding the last bit of uncharted territory, I find exactly what I am looking for, and grin. Maybe I won’t have to after all.