As the hours pass, we find ourselves enveloped in a cozy haze of laughter and conversation. The night unfolds in a delightful blur, filled with wine and the scent of fresh weed mingling with our joy. We nestle into our comfortable spots on the couch, recounting stories and sharing secrets while the flickering glow of scary movies dance across the walls.
My eyelids grow heavy and I find myself drifting off momentarily, only to jolt back to awareness. I cast a sleepy glance at Amelia, who lies peacefully, her head nestled against Jules’ chest. Jules’ gentle rise and fall of breathing creates a soothing rhythm that lulls her into a serene slumber, her head bobbing slightly with each breath.
I stand up and whisper, “I’m going to bed. Need me to help you carry Amelia?”
“That’s alright, I’ll carry her. She’s as light as a feather,” Jules reassures with a gentle smile.
With tender care, she leans down to scoop her up, but Amelia stirs awake just as she is about to lift her. Her sleepy eyes blink open, and with a soft groan, she begins to drag her little feet toward the guest bedroom. Hand in hand with Jules, the two make their way to bed.
I smile, happy that Jules found someone truly amazing.
I go to my room and get ready for bed. I strip down to my black cotton panties and throw on an oversized t-shirt that I’m pretty sure is Carter’s. The second my head hits the pillow, I’m sleeping.
Chapter 30
Dani
Blood stains my hands and thighs as I lay in a pool of blood from Jules and Amelia.
I hold their lifeless bodies to my chest and scream. I scream out with all my strength, my voice piercing through the silence like a desperate cry for salvation. I wail into the void, hoping that someone, anyone, might hear my anguished plea for help.
“PLEASE! SOMEONE! FUCKING HELP ME! ADONIS! DAX! KILLIAN!”
I can hardly catch my breath, my chest heaving from the intensity of my sobs, and a haze of tears nearly swallows my vision. Memories of Jules flood my mind like vivid snapshots in an ever-turning photo album—each moment shared, every heartfelt conversation, the echoes of our laughter. Each recollection serves as a bittersweet reminder of our sisterhood and the irreplaceable joy that now feels so painfully distant.
How did this happen? Who did this!?
The haunting sounds of their piercing screams reverberate in my mind, lingering like a chilling melody I can’t escape. Hearing Jules scream... it cuts through the silence, sharp and unrelenting, replaying scenes of terror that I wish I could unhear. Wish I could forget.
I ran as fast as I fucking could to help them.
It was too late.
As I cradle their dead bodies in my trembling arms, I gently sway them back and forth, desperately seeking a sign of life. “Please, come back to me! Come back!” My voice breaks with raw emotion, each word laced with unbearable sorrow. “I can’t live this life without you, Jules. Withouteither of you!” Tears pour down my cheeks, hot and relentless, and as I sob, the weight of my grief is pressing down like a suffocating weighted blanket, consuming me whole.
Laughter echoes hauntingly from behind me, jolting me upright. My bare feet slip on the slick, crimson pool that stains the floor of my guest bedroom.
Before me stands a vision of exquisite beauty, a captivating woman that shimmers with an inhuman allure.
Her hair, as long and dark as a moonless night, cascades in elegant waves that frame her delicate features. Those mesmerizing violet eyes sparkle like the rarest gems, drawing me in with a captivating intensity that feels dangerous. Her porcelain skin glows with a ghostly radiance as if lit from within, casting a soft halo around her.
She wears a flowing black gown that clings to her curves, dipping daringly to her belly button and revealing her flawless cleavage. A thin gold chain wraps around her wrist as she holds whatever charm hangs from it. Every movement she makes is graceful and dangerous, exuding a confident charm.
“Octavia.” I clench my fists. My fingernails bite into my skin.She starts to clap. “In the flesh,” she tosses her long black hair behind her back. “So smart, you are. No wonder my boys took a liking to you. But, not clever enough.” Her tone is condescending, and I want to rip off her fucking head.
“This was easy,” she waves her hands over Jules and Amelia’s bodies. “Killing them. Taking your precious friends and gutting them like fish.”
As I stride toward her, fury bubbles within me, replacing the emptiness and heartbreak. She raises a hand, a gesture that halts me in my tracks. Suddenly, the words of anger poised on the tip of my tongue dissolve into silence. An invisible force grips my voice, and I find myself unable to express the torrent of emotions churning deep inside.
“This is the consequence of crossing me,” she hisses, her voice dripping with disdain. “Adonis is MINE! He does not belong to you, you foolish mortal!” She takes a deliberate step closer, the air around her thickening with an unsettling energy. A smirk plays on her lips as she continues, “You walked right into my trap, didn’t you? Discovering my book… my necklace… and then, as if by some twisted design, you summon the demons to your side. But little did you realize, you beckoned me forth as well.” Her chilling laughter echoes through the room, slicing through the anguish that fills my heart.
Hot, stinging tears cascade down my cheeks, a testament to my despair.
“You have a choice,Danika.”I’ve never hated my name more.“You walk away, leave town. And I will spare this entire town. If you do not leave, I will kill every single person in this town, starting with Carter.”
I lunge at her, clawing her face with my nails like a hawk, and scream fiercely into my head. My hands wrap around her throat, and I squeeze as hard as I can.
She laughs, and I go flying out the window. Glass cuts into my back, arms, and thighs. I take off running.
