It wouldn’t work like that, young morrighan.I would need to remove anything connected to the event.The altercation with this “Barbs,” us being here.I could replace it with a new memory, give him something else.But if he is not going to go after this man, if he is going to rest, it needs to be final.
My stomach dropped as I realized what Cerberus was saying.This needed to be big.My father wasn’t going to let this go.I could tell that much.He needed something final and solid if he was going to accept it and move on with his life.
He was going to learn about Barbs’ death eventually, and I couldn’t come back here and pretend like I didn’t know the truth.I was good at keeping a secret, but everyone slips up at some point.
This tie we would be cutting needed to be precise and irrevocable.
“Dammit.”
Fully passed out, I didn’t worry about my dad seeing me, so I paced back and forth.Temps came in through the front door again.
“They’re on their way.I didn’t give my name.Said I was a neighbor, just in case.”
That was damn smart since we were about to wipe my dad’s memory of us being here.“Dammit!”
Holding back the tears, unwilling to break, I walked to Caleb, looking past his gorgeous blue eyes to Cerberus beyond them.
“You wipe him.We were never here.He’ll learn about Barbs’ death soon enough.I…I want you to include us in it—me and Temps.We’re dead.He’ll never come looking for us, and he’ll be safe.”
“Are you sure, young morrighan?You would not be able to see him again.”
“Yes.Just do it.We’ll work with the dean after this is over to have our deaths recorded in town.She’ll have the pull.She’ll be able to make it like we just died with Barbs.Clean break.”
My voice didn’t shake.I wasn’t trembling or sobbing.I was…okay.I’d been nearly invisible to my dad my entire life.He didn’t like my music or style.He didn’t like what I was interested in, and he never took the bisexual thing serious.Always saying, I’d find the right guy someday and settle down like it could never be a woman.Like I would change and be the good “trad wife” he’d married someday.
Being dead would put a damper on that.
“Lizzie,” Temps was at my side, “we don’t have to do this.We can think of another way.”
“There is no other way.”I looked to Cerberus, whose eyes now looked out from Caleb’s form, and nodded.“Do it.”
He stepped up to my father, putting his clawed hands on either side of his head.It was like when I’d connected before with my fingers on the temples.My father’s eyes fluttered under his lids as if he were dreaming, and then Cerberus stepped back.
“It’s done.We need to leave before he wakes.”
Cerberus walked to Temps and me, taking our hands.I glanced at both of them, knowing these were my people.These were the ones I wanted with me for the rest of my life, and if I was going to have that, we had a fucking carnival to crash.
“Get us back there, Cerbs.We need to keep that wannabe god from waking up.”
Twenty-Four- When The Black Moon Rises, Beware The Lord Of False Promises Bathed In Blood
Caleb
Tempshadlosthermother.Lizzie had lost her father, in a manner of speaking.We were three orphans walking into the viper’s nest to take out a malignant force we still didn’t even know what to call.Death hung around every doorway in this fucking town, and the people I cared most about were paying the heaviest price.While I knew there was no choice moving forward—we’d been roped into this and not only was it personal now, it was extremely pressing—it didn’t stop me from wishing there was some way to protect the girls from all this.
Cerberus had smartly teleported us a few blocks down from the carnival, allowing us the opportunity to sneak up to the fairgrounds while keeping an eye on things.It was still surrounded by cars when we first saw it.The parking lot around the shrunken version of the tent was full, and we could all assume that was because the “sermon” was still in session.
“How long do we have to crouch here in an alley?I want to get this over with.”
Lizzie was clearly on edge, and I scooted toward her, resting my hand on her knee as she balanced in a squat position, her back pressing to the wall behind her.
“I’m not sure.But we can’t go in there with it that full of people.If they could be hypnotized into watching a person be killed and think nothing of it, I would stand to believe they could be hypnotized into doing the killing themselves.We can’t handle forty people even with Cerberus’ help.”
I’m fairly certain I could indeed take on forty mortals.
Restraining my sigh, I mentally spoke back to him.I know, but we can’t kill all those innocent people either.And both of them need time before we run into the fray.They just lost their remaining parents.
“Are you talking to Cerberus?Does he have any ideas about what to do once wedogo inside?”Temps eyed me, and I nodded.
