Page 30 of The Blood we Crave

“Briar, Lyra, and I have been working on finding names over the summer. We can take what we have to the—”

“If the next words out of your mouth are ‘the police,’ then you are more stupid than I originally thought. And that’s saying something.” Thatcher laughs darkly. “Those girls are not our problem. We did not sign up to be vigilantes. The only reason any of us are standing here is because of Silas. We accomplished what he wanted. Now we wait until he is released, and then all of this disappears. It never happened. He is the only reason.”

“Well, not all of us are heartless fucking psychopaths, Thatcher. I will not let innocent people die because you’re a narcissist with daddy issues out the ass,” Briar snaps, challenging him.

I can’t say I’m surprised by the tension that is settling around us. We knew this was a possibility when we brought it up to them. I just wasn’t aware we would do it on the first night we were all back together.

Their loyalty is to each other. To Silas.

Thatcher is right that the only reason they’d even gone poking around this mess was because of Silas and Rosemary. They did not sign up to save anyone. And it’s moments like this that remind me of who we’re dealing with.

Who we had tied our lives to.

The Hollow Boys had not got their reputation for being heroes that swooped in and saved the day. Alistair, Rook, Silas, and Thatcher are not good people. They do things to fit their agenda, to protect each other, and I respect that. But I also have to understand tigers do not change their stripes.

Just because two of the four had found some form of solace in the arms of my friends, it doesn’t make them docile creatures. They will always be wolves that will go to any length to defend each other.

“We will talk about it.” Alistair’s steady and controlled voice tries to soothe the burn of tension.

“But—”

“Briar,” Alistair breathes, looking down at my friend with eyes as black as coals. “Let us talk it over, okay? Just give me some time.”

My friend turns her head defiantly, avoiding his gaze, but she’s not the type to fight with him in public. The both of them are secretive in their relationship. It’s theirs, always clung to the chest. Which is the complete opposite of Sage and Rook. They will air out dirty laundry in a grocery store if one of them is upset.

A small smile hits my mouth when he grabs her chin, jerking her back in place so she is looking at him once again.

“Please?” he asks, voice much lower.

Softness flutters over her face, and I watch Alistair’s shoulders visibly relax. However, I’m still stuck on the fact Alistair Caldwell said the wordplease.

It’s only silent for a moment before I’m reminded of why I’m here.

“I came here for a game,” Thatcher says. “So, are we going to play? Or are you just wasting my time?”

dead man’s end

SIX

lyra

The rain is falling with a vengeance.

Heavy bullets of water blast against my skin as we walk towards the edge of the woods. I watch as Rook tosses the hood of his pullover up over his head, submerging himself into the darkness.

He looks over his shoulder at us, showing off the black-and-red striped Melpomene mask that covers his face. When he catches me staring, he gives me a little wave, wiggling his fingers in a teasing way.

“I should’ve never bought him that,” Sage mutters with a shake of her head. “We were in a vintage store in Hollywood. It wasn’t that creepy in the daylight.”

“Next time, refrain from buying any form of mask for any of them. I think they have enough,” Briar adds, and I nod in agreement.

It doesn’t matter that this is just a game. If the Hollow Boys had a chance to inflict panic, they would jump on the chance. It doesn’t matter who we are to them. A part of them will always crave the power that comes from others’ fear.

Even if it’s from the ones they care for.

When we make it through the tree line, absorbed by the forest, I swallow tightly, trying to keep a smile on my face for my friends, who are laughing and making jokes.

For them, this is like walking into a haunted house, one where the actors can’t touch you and everything is all in good fun. A little scare to get your blood pumping and heart racing.