by K. H. Kate
"About her too," I whispered not knowing what the answer was going to be.
"Fine. You're not going to like this but Roth Gill isn't human." He paused to see my expression but I kept it natural. I already suspected something like that but to hear it from someone who believed me? It was way worse than anything. It meant I wasn't going insane or tripping on invisible drugs. It was real, all of it.
"You're good...not fainting yet. Hmm...interesting. So as I was saying, Roth Gill isn't Lana's birth mother, thank God." I relaxed knowing that at least that woman wasn't her birth mother. But why did the man sounded so relieved?
"So, who is her birth mother?" I asked to which with a nod, he gave me back the articles I gave him first. It was from centuries ago and it was found in Lana's house with the name Keisha Deshayes.
"Keisha Deshayes...her birth mother is a witch and a Reaper. And if you don't save Lana on time, she's going to become one too." No. That couldn't be right. I didn't understand what being Reaper meant but the way he said it...
It was something worse than being dead.
"How do I stop it?" I asked, trying to find any tricks in his eyes.
"Just talk to her. Make her believe." I nodded, tapping my knuckles on the desk constantly. This one habit I got from her was the only thing that was now stopping me from running. Something told me that only talking wouldn't make her believe. Hell, who would believe me?
"Now tell me why you had a suspect on Roth."
Hearing the man, I thought back to that day in the locker room. I had just finished a game and Lana was supposed to meet me there but instead of her, I walked in on Roth trying to kill Lana with a knife. I could still feel my bones go cold as I recalled the aftermath.
"I saw Roth trying to kill Lana. I didn't know she wasn't human back then. I thought she was just fucking nuts. I saved her but she won't even talk to me. My calls will go unanswered and things alike. I thought Roth already did something to her so I called 911 but you know the strange thing? Lana said Roth never tried to kill her." I still remembered the humiliation I felt when the cops told me that I better stop pranking or I'll be sent to jail.
The man hummed in return. "Hmm...mind control."
"And this wasn't the strangest thing at all. I accidentally bumped into Lana in the mall and she told me that I was cheating on her. I didn't confess so she got angry. I followed her ass home, I told her things that I shouldn't have said. When I was leaving her house, I saw Roth changing into a hound...in front of my own eyes." I said all those in one breath and relaxed when the man was looking at me like he believed me.
Like I just didn't lose it.
"Shifter. I knew that brat will try to kill Lana. Now here's your answer. I told you her birth mother is a Reaper but Roth is way worse than that. She is a hellhound trapped in the earth. She'll do anything to kill Lana so she can go back to hell." He looked straight at me. "You should be the one who stops it."
"What's the catch?" I asked suspiciously.
The man continued. "You just signed the rest of your life for her safety and you want to know the catches?"
What?
"What are you talking about?"
"The contract." He pointed at the paper I just signed. "Your life for her safety."
Fuck.
Holy fuck.
"Why would you do that?" I wasn't really angry like I was, but I was more curious. "I don't understand where your share of interest in Lana's life is. I mean, you don't even know Lana and you just made me sign my life away just to protect her."
He gave me a smile which was anything but friendly. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jonathan Bazin but I go by Jonathan Vale Franklin now. I'm the former King of Shadows, the creature of the night and...the father of Lana Deshayes."
***
Gill's cabin was where we always went for winter break. This year though...I did promise Lana that we'll spend our break there even if we were having fights. To my surprise, my hands shook, the bike almost crashing against a road sign. Shit, even the wind was different, was a storm coming too?
I was too busy in my thought that I didn't notice when I reached the woods. And when I finally did, I couldn't stop the horror from showing up in my face among others. Jumping off of the bike, I started looking for her, screaming her name with desperation until I saw her trying to run past me.
"Hey, I was about to call you. You still mad at me?" I apologized, shaking a bit. I didn't know what else to say. Grovel or make her run with me. As if she heard my plea, she turned around only to look at me baffled.
I knew she was about to bolt so I leaned forward, my fingers touching her falling strands. As soon as I did, an alarm went through me. Red, it's like she was drowning in blood. "When did you cut your hair? And Red? You hate red since-since she died."
"G-Get away." She had a glare in her eyes and when she looked at me again it was pitch black. "I don't-"
What the hell?
"What are you doing here? We were supposed to meet at your house."
Unless our fight ended things between us. No, I didn't want to believe that. I wouldn't let Roth come between us. Everything was going to be alright, I had proof. But then I looked at her and knew it was just a wishful dream as she let out a scream, pushing me away.
"Leave me alone! I don't know you."
My heart broke a little hearing her but I still had that hope. So, my grip became even tighter around her hands. "I know you're in shock but I need to tell you something important about Roth. But first, we have to get out of here. The fire has spared into your house. It's not safe to stay here anymore."
As soon as those words were out, I looked behind me to see that I was right. But she wasn't listening. Why wasn't she listening?
"I don't have a house here! You are lying! Last time I'm saying go or you'll regret ever meeting me." Before I could make her look at me, a smile formed on her face.
"Or maybe I could just show you how much regret you're going to have now." Her grin widened. The surety on that promise had me back down a little. I didn't know what was wrong but it was definitely not good. Maybe I was already too late?
Heck, no.
"I don't know what is happening to you but what I do know that I did deserve it for acting like an ass to you but please this is dangerous. The fire will soon be here. I can't see you get hurt." I kept repeating that I had sworn an oath on my life to always protect her. That she meant everything to me but it was like my old Lana was already gone.
"But I don't care if I hurt you. I know what you are! You are a puppet who is doing everything on one person's command; my mother wants to distract me from hunting her. But tell that woman she doesn't know her daughter fully." This time I wasn't even sure if she was talking about Roth or someone else. This time true fear started to kick in. She was gone. Lana was gone...
"W-What...?" Stuttering, I tried to step back again but I was trapped. My whole body was on fire and it looked like someone was ripping every organ from my body. To my horror, I saw my body starting to fade away and with a final scream, eternal darkness welcomed me.
***
Pain.
Everything was so painful.
I tried to blink but my eyes were glued shut. Revenge awaits you. The humming grew the more I tried not to listen to them. Where was I? I couldn't remember anything but a whisper. Kill Lana. Kill Lana. Kill Lana! With great difficulty, my eyes opened, the humming now almost impossible to ignore. I knew where I needed to go. What to do.
Godfrey Sanatorium.
Here I come...
K.H Kate is a University student, occasional painter and author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance books. She loves to venture into the world of action, dark romance, give happy endings with a little bit of tragedy and paint a world full of raw emotions. Born and raised AS A DREAMER, she has been writing for four years. She started writing to give life to her imaginary characters until they become stories themselves. If you guys want to know more about me or any upcoming releases, fi
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Devil’s Shadow MC Series
LETHAL
SNIPER
Martinez Mafia Dynasty Series
THORNED
DAMAGED
The Reaper Saga Series
CHAINED