Page 128 of This Blood That Breaks Us

“Who do you think takes my place when I die? That’s you.”

“And what does this have to do with that? Don’t I get a say in what I want to do?”

He sighed. “It’s not a good idea.”

“Thanks. I’ll note it.” I walked past him and took my last shot from the bar. A short conversation would hurt nobody. That’s all I wanted. I was properly free. Free from any responsibility, and I couldn’t remember the last time that had ever happened.

She saw me coming and smiled when I lost my footing and had to steady myself on the wooden pillar.

“Hi. I’m Luke.”

Her friend grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear, but she waved them off.

“Hi Luke.” She examined me for a moment. “You have kind eyes.”

The glitter around her eyes danced in the lights. I was taken back. Her green eyes were soft and full of life.

“You do too.” I chuckled.

I didn’t have girlfriends, and being with Sarah was easy. I was good at friends, but flirting wasn’t my strong suit. Luckily, I didn’t need to.

“Do you want to dance?” she asked, and with no drink in her hand, she seemed to be sober.

A dance wouldn’t hurt.

“If you’ll have me.” I held out my hand, and she smiled and curled her hand around mine.

A silver butterfly ring on her finger gleamed in the light. My stomach sank.

“Are you okay?”

I shook off the tightness in my chest and nodded. The time disappeared as I spun her on the dance floor, and she flowed easily with me. She was a natural. I dipped her and we spun in anendless flurry until she needed to catch her breath. That was my que to dip out.

“Where are you going?”

“You should go with your friends,” I said.

“Did I do something?”

“No. No. It’s me. I’m messed up. You don’t want anything to do with me. I promise.”

Her eyebrows dipped. “You shouldn’t talk about yourself like that.”

She grabbed a receipt from the bar and scribbled her number on it. “Call me if you ever need someone to talk to. My sisters say I’m a good listener.”

“O-okay.”

She kissed me on the cheek before rejoining her friends, and the unfamiliar flutter of happiness warmed my chest. Ordering another drink, I tried to entertain myself. I wanted to talk to Zach, but he’d probably gone home with that girl. The bar patrons had grown sparse, so I tried to spot anyone else I knew. The other members must have started home. I wasn’t tired, but something in my stomach made me feel restless. The girl left too, and I gave it only ten more minutes before I decided to go home. My new home where I hoped She’d be happy to see me.

Leaving the bar, the cold wind hit my face. I stood frozen.

Ezra was waiting for me with a knife to the girl’s throat. Tears stained her cheeks, and glitter was all over his hands.

“What—”

Before I could finish, the spray of blood from her neck hit my face.

That warm feeling was back, and my ears were ringing again. The night disappeared, and suddenly, I wasn’t in my body anymore. I was trembling but didn’t feel like myself anymore. I wasn’t Luke. This wasn’t happening. I couldn’t move.