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I must have given it to her for a reason. “Why do you keep it on you?” I asked again. Someone must have told her it would protect her and it should’ve, but because I denied giving it to her, it might have put her in danger instead.

She shook her head.

“Why?” I pressed, tightening my hold on her.

There was a slight pause before she finally said, “You gave it to me a couple days before I… Ran away. As if you knew I was going to need it.”

A couple days? Reaper was reported missing the same time I went into a coma. I lost that ring months before that. “If you wear this, it means I’ve claimed you,” I said. “And I’ll let you keep it.” My gaze hardened. “If you stop disrespecting me.”

She stayed quiet .

“You can do whatever you want,” I told her. “But wearing this means that no one can touch you.”

“No one?” she questioned.

“Everyone knows the consequences of pissing me off.”

“I don’t, so why don’t you show me?” she teased.

Am I not holding a knife to her throat? “I thought you knew the stories.”

“They’re just stories.”

Just stories? It took years of hard work for me to create my reputation, but it would all mean nothing if people didn’t believe the things I’d done.

At the rate Reaper’s going, she’s about to be the most powerful person in the Kokkino clan.

And the Kokkino clan is debatably the most powerful Stygian clan, and currently the Stygian clans are the most powerful clans of them all.

So, Reaper was on her way to becoming the most dangerous and powerful person in Soulesity, next to Niko and I, and I’d need her if not by my side, then at least under me when the time comes. Otherwise, I’d have to kill her.

“So are yours,” I said. “I guess, if we’re speaking like this, Reaper must just be an incompetent, na?ve little girl who can’t walk anywhere by herself.”

She stiffened. “You don’t know anything.”

“Yeah? Because all those stories had me believing Reaper would be this strong, confident woman who didn’t take any bullshit.

” I leaned closer to her ear. “But all I see is some shy, insecure girl who constantly needs attention, even if that means making herself easy. So yeah, maybe you’re right, maybe mine are lies because yours certainly are. ”

“I’m not easy,” she spat.

“You’ve literally been begging me to sleep with you while hooking up with half the school.” There were lots of rumours that went around and that was just one of them, not that I actually believed it. The timeline for some of the people claiming to have done something with her didn’t add up.

“Vulture.” Leo’s voice sounded behind us.

I let out an annoyed sigh, releasing the necklace and securing Reaper to me again.

“Let her go.”

“And why would I do that?”

Leo and Sterling went around so they could face us.

“If you kill her,” Leo started, “not only will you be angering the Kokkino clan, but all the Stygian clans.”

“You think I care?” Niko would kill me for causing that much trouble.

“I think you don’t like putting in so much effort.”

I let out a cackle. “You’re right, I hate work, but I love blood.” I turned down to look at her. “And Reaper’s…” I moved the blade slightly across her neck, drawing a bit of blood. “Is just so tempting.”

Leo extended his staff, and Sterling took out his dagger.

“But,” I continued. “I want to take my time with her.” I shoved my knife back into my pocket. “And the two of you being here is ruining it for me.”

I grabbed Celestine by the back of her neck, turning her to face me. There were no tears, no fear, no emotion on her face. Just an empty, cold expression.

“Hyacinth.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

I leaned down closer and spoke in the same quiet volume. “Yes, Reaper?”

“You cut me.”

I let out a short laugh. “You drew blood from me once.” I leaned down and licked the bit of blood coming out of the shallow cut on her neck and she let out a small whimper. “It's only fair,” I muttered into her neck.

Sterling and Leo hesitated, nervous to approach .

I shoved her away from me, towards the twins. She stumbled back and Leo caught her before she fell, bending down to check on the tiny scratch on her neck.

“Silias will hear about this,” Sterling threatened.

“I’m counting on it.” I smirked. “Make my life a little less boring.”

***

I waited on the sofa for Niko to get home from his assignment, knowing I was going to get in trouble.

He barged into the house, slamming the door behind him. “What did you do?” He grabbed the collar of my hoodie and repeated in a shout. “What did you do?”

“I threatened Reaper,” I said in a bored tone.

And I’m not sorry.

Niko’s face stiffened, and he bit the inside of his cheeks, his jaw twitching. “I don't know what conflict you have with Reaper, nor do I care! You’re just lucky Silias isn’t going to do anything!”

My eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

He ignored my question, maybe he didn’t know. “For once in your life, show some remorse for what you do.”

“It’s not something I can feel,” I muttered.

My words only angered him more.

“Cinth.” He grabbed the back of my hair, forcing me to look up at him. “I still can’t tell if you were born like this, or if I made you.” He leaned down close to my face. “But either way you’re a nuisance.”

I was always like this.

“Don’t act so bloody careless all the time,” he growled. “You forget you’re only human.” With that he went into his room, slamming his door shut and locking it .

After a moment, I got up from the sofa and headed into my room, popping a pill into my mouth. Then I blinked, a sudden thought rushing through me. I quickly pulled out my phone and scrolled through my messages, going back four years.

When I had woken up from my coma, I had scrolled through my photos and past messages to try to regain my memory, but it didn’t work.

I pressed one of them.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: she needs you

ME: who?

UNKNOWN NUMBER: the girl you gave your ring to

ME: where is she?

The texts stopped there.

I went into a coma three days after the messages were sent. I did look for her. I must have. I wouldn’t have texted back if I wasn’t going to.

But what did I see in her back then to have claimed her after only one encounter.