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“Yeah, I didn't realise how much work it does until I couldn't use it.” She laughed, turning her gaze down to her food and began to ramble.

“Which sounds so dumb, every part of the body is important.” Is she nervous?

“It's just that it holds your whole weight and then when it's injured you can feel the strain and the…

I don't know.” She stopped talking, her breathing heavy and her hands trembling as she cut into her meat .

I turned to Niko, changing the topic. Asking him about his day and how Renee was doing, giving Celestine time to recollect herself. Though eventually, I ran out of things to say.

Niko turned to Celestine. “So, what are your plans after high school?”

“Actually.” She cleared her throat shyly, looking down at her plate, but it seemed she decided not to say. “I don’t know.”

“Cinth here wanted to be a veterinarian when he was younger.” I knew he only told her because he thought it would make her more comfortable to open up.

“Him?” She probably couldn’t believe I wanted to do something that would help anything.

“Oh, yeah, he has a big soft spot for animals, he even turned vegetarian for a year when he was fifteen.”

“That’s why I treat you so nicely,” I muttered.

Celestine responded by kicking my leg under the table and I let out a groan.

Niko gave me a weird look. I kicked her shin back, obviously not hard, and it was her turn to let out a wince.

She glared at me, and I matched it. Instead of aiming for my leg this time, she kicked my chair, and I fell back with it.

“Cinth!” Niko called my name, but it was angry at me rather than worried for me. Celestine couldn’t help but laugh.

I got up from the ground, scowling. “You bloody–”

“Don’t you dare finish that,” Niko interrupted me, “apologise to Celestine.”

I let out a breath of defeat, sitting back down. “Alright, s–” I stopped when she stuck her tongue out at me and pointed at her. “Do you see this?” I swear Niko is blind sometimes .

“Both of you apologise to each other!” Niko exclaimed. Celestine and I folded our arms in front of our chests, refusing to be the first to apologise. Niko put his face in his hands. “Demons below, you two are exactly the same, so stubborn.”

I looked up and met Celestine’s eyes, playful, and I couldn’t help my smirk.

We continued to eat and chat and even moved to the sofa.

Niko seemed to take a liking to her. Of course he had, he wouldn't have brought her to the apartment if he didn’t trust her.

She was also unfortunately difficult not to like.

“I need to use the restroom, but I don’t know what you two are going to do.” Niko squinted his eyes at us.

“Gods,” I muttered, “you’re a pain.”

He raised a brow. “Talking to yourself again, Cinth?”

Celestine laughed a bit too hard at his comment. This whole night the two have just been teaming up against me.

He let out a sigh. “I’ll be quick.”

Niko left to his room, and I turned to Celestine. “We’re never doing what we did in the car again.”

She nodded. “Sure.”

“I'm serious–” she crawled closer to me “–we’re not–” and sat on my lap facing me “–doing that…” and played with my hair, amusement in her eyes. “Again.” My heart raced against me.

“Yeah?” she asked, leaning down towards my neck and gently sucking on it. Not again.

I cursed. “What are we doing?”

“Do you want me to stop?” she whispered against my neck.

No, I don’t .

I didn’t say anything, so she continued.

Shit, Niko, come back, I can’t control myself .

“I can’t do this to you.”

“Stop fighting it,” she breathed. “We're not supposed to follow the rules.”

She's right, why should I care? I've committed nearly every crime in the book and if she's consenting, it should be fine. I brushed my lips on her neck. “You’re killing me.”

“Good.” She laughed. “You bloody deserve it.”

“I want to rip you apart so bad,” I muttered in her neck.

“Hyacinth,” she whispered, sending a chill down my spine.

I pulled away to lock eyes with her. “Yeah?”

She gently grazed her nails across my cheek. “Can you choke me while you do that?”

I groaned with a curse, resting my forehead on hers, and we closed our eyes. Her skin was so cold. “I have barely tasted your blood, Celestine.”

She let out a sigh. “Just stab me already.”

“Gods, you’re so impatient,” I said, “let me.” I lightly kissed her jaw. “Take my time with you.”

One of her hands went down to my sweatpants, and I let her, as she took out my butterfly knife. She pulled away from me, playing with it. “Can I do it?” she asked with an excited smile.

“Do what?”

Her eyes lowered to my chest.

“Oh,” I said, “sure.” I lifted my hoodie up a bit and pointed to where I wanted the next tally mark, on my lower stomach, just above the waistband of my pants.

Slowly, she grazed the blade across, a bit of fresh blood oozed out and she shifted off me and to her knees, between my legs. She leaned in and pressed her cool mouth over the wound, gently licking it. Heat crept up my cheeks, and I gently caressed the top of her hair .

“What…” Niko’s voice sounded behind the sofa and I froze. “What are you two doing?”

I pushed Celestine away, adjusting my hoodie, and walked towards the window, opening it.

“See you in the Netherworld.” Because I’m clearly not going to the Ether.

Then I jumped out, three stories down, and landed on the streets with barely a sound.

If only I died doing that, though I did nearly slip on ice.

I walked to the corner of the street, leaned against the wall and took out a much needed smoke, cursing at myself and at the world.

Why can’t I control myself?

After my cigarette, I went back up to the apartment to Celestine leaving. An ache in my muscles and a pit in my stomach.

“You’re certain you don’t want me to take you home?” Niko asked her.

She nodded and bowed. “Yes, I’ll be fine, thank you so much for dinner.”

Niko nodded. “If you’re sure.”

Before she could step through the threshold, I grabbed her arm and pulled her back inside.

Something’s wrong.

“Cinth, what are you doing?” Niko asked.

I’m not really sure, but I had a strong feeling not to let her go.

I shifted my eyes to lock with Celestine’s and somehow, I think she knew what I was thinking.

She shook her head, reassuring me that she really would be okay.

I pursed my lips. After a moment, I released her and she left, closing the door behind her.

“Demons below,” Niko shivered. “I haven’t seen you two do that since you were kids and it’s even creepier now.” Then, he turned to me and smacked my head. “But you’re an idiot. ”

I rubbed the back of my head, muttering, “as if I didn’t already bloody know that.” I considered following her, to make sure she got home safely, but I didn’t.

As Niko and I were cleaning the kitchen, his phone rang, and he went to the living room to answer it.

“Yes, Celestine left a while ago.” He glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Around half an hour ago, she should be there soon.” Niko nodded as he waited for the other end.

“She's more than capable of taking care of herself–” he paused.

“Right, from now on we'll drop her off every time.” Another pause. “Good night.”

He hung up the phone and turned to me. “Silias was upset because it's past her curfew.”

It was fair, she's only seventeen, but she should be fine. Right?