“I’ve not done anything wrong! Some stupid prophecy says I’m going to end the world and you believe it? Come on Nancy you know me better than that! I mean hell we’ve been friends for a while now.” Nancy laughed.
“Yeah. Such great friends that you actually believed I screwed your boyfriend.”
“He made me believe that. I know it’s not true now.”
“Big defense there Skye.” Nancy rolled her eyes. “It’s so easy to believe that I would screw your boyfriend because of what I am right? Well I didn’t. It doesn’t mean I didn’t want to though.” Nancy added.
“Nancy…” Skye’s mouth opened shocked.
“He’s a big hottie. Maybe after he mourns your death I’ll go comfort him. With a body like mine, who would turn me down?” Nancy smiled widely at her.
“Go to hell! He would never be with you.” Skye spit out through her teeth.
“We’ll see. Or rather I’ll see. You won’t. You’ll be dead.” Nancy winked to her then sat down beside the weaponry table.
“How did you do this? You don’t have the power to do what you did.” Skye questioned thinking back to her kidnapping. “Everyone was frozen and there was some spell on me. Sirens don’t have that type of power.”
“No I don’t. Honestly as much as I would love to take credit for all of this, it wasn’t my idea. I was all for it though.” Skye shook her head.
“Then… who? Who wants me dead this badly?” Skye asked.
“I do.” The beautiful voice rang out. Skye didn’t turn at the voice. She knew the voice instantly and refused to believe it. She shook her head adamantly.
“No, it’s not possible.” Skye whispered.
“Well, it’s not so much that I want you dead so badly, but that I’m not ready for the world to end. You have proven not to be very reliable. I mean your first real boyfriend is a demon? And the son of a demon that wanted you as a child. Really Skye? I would expect more from my granddaughter.” Skye felt her heart drop at the words.
“Nanna,” Skye whispered, as she finally lifted her head towards the voice. Her grandmother stood still nearby, looking her over with what seemed to be utter disgust on her face. The words had hurt enough, but the expression on her face made Skye feel even more betrayed than she already was.
“I really am sorry about this.” She didn’t sound sorry to Skye. Her grandmother walked over to the table and ran her fingers across the blades on the table slowly.
“But, you trained me. You spent your life watching over me.” Skye couldn’t reconcile the memories of the days she spent with her Nanna with the woman standing in front of her now.
“I trained you to see if you truly had the power inside of you that you were supposed to have. You were too quick to learn though. I saw how bright your light shined. I knew you hid demon blood inside of you. I had hoped I was wrong but I wasn’t. It’s why I sent the demons to our home realm. I hoped they would kill you before you came into your full power so that this wouldn’t be so difficult. But no, you had to defeat them and you used your demon side to do it.” She shook her head in disappointment.
“You… you sent them?” Skye let out a harsh breath. “They nearly killed my family and Mike. I had to heal them. Your own daughter nearly died!” Skye felt the tears slowly falling down her cheeks before she even realized she was even on the verge of tears. Traitorous tears. Traitorous grandmother.
“I never intended to hurt Cloud!” she snapped at Skye. “I love my daughter.” Skye’s brow creased in confusion.
“If you love her and don’t want to hurt her, then why would you try to kill her daughter?” Skye knew to any sane person that her argument would make sense, but she could see her Nanna wasn’t sane… not anymore. Skye wondered how long she had been so crazy. Why had she not seen it before? Skye almost laughed at herself.
“What?” Her grandmother noticed the look on Skye’s face.
“I wanted a family. Someone to love me so desperately that I couldn’t see who you really were. It’s pathetic.” Her grandmother shrugged.
“You should have never been born. Your mother was weak to fall in love with Gary and to defy her family by being with him. She will mourn you, but then she will see that I gave her the best thing in the world by getting rid of you… a future.” She picked up a sharp blade and walked closer to Skye.
“Nanna…” Skye’s eyes narrowed on the blade. “Please don’t.”
Skye had accepted that she might be killed in battle. She had even accepted that she might die but she never thought her own family would be the cause of her death. No matter how hard she tried Skye knew she would never see the purpose of this.
Skye tried to jump back but she felt her knees give out from beneath her. She watched her grandmother and knew what she was doing to her. Skye lost control of her body. She couldn’t force her own muscles to move at all. She had no way to defend herself as her grandmother stood in front of her holding the blade so very close to Skye’s skin.
With a quick flick of her wrist, her grandmother cut Skye on both of her forearms leaving small slices behind. She had not cut that deep. Skye gasped at the sharp stinging feeling. It was one she knew well, but she had not cut herself in a long time. This was different, this was not to release herself from pain, but to bring it. Skye almost wanted to laugh at the irony that she was being cut to death, but she was too heartbroken to even crack a smile.
Skye met her grandmother’s eyes as she cut her several more times on her arms and then stepped back with a smile looking at her granddaughter. Skye’s blood dripped from her body slowly. The light purple color began to stain the floor beneath her.
“Why not just cut her throat and get it over with, Evelyn?” Nancy asked breaking her silence. She sounded bored. Skye shot her a dirty look.
“Oh that would be too easy. I want to see her face when she realizes that she doesn’t actually love her little demon boyfriend anymore.” Skye’s eyes darted to her grandmother in shock at her words.
“What?” Skye shrieked.
“Oh, I know all about the toxin in your blood that makes you love him. I’m going to drain you until you no longer love him anymore. Then when the pain showing on your face becomes too great for you to bear, I will end you.” Skye’s shook her head.
“I don’t get it. Killing me is unthinkable, and still you want to torture me while doing it? What the hell is wrong with you?” Skye felt breathless. She couldn’t believe what this woman was capable of.
“You basically chose a demon over your family. Had you stayed away from him, then you would not have become what you are today. I want to see you regret doing this to your family. I want you to realize what a disgrace you are to your bloodline. My bloodline.”
Skye didn’t know when it happened, but her Nanna went from crazy to completely fucking loony. Nancy laughed looking at a defenseless Skye unable to move.
“Enjoying the show?” Skye sneered.
“Immensely actually. I think you can do better than this though, Evelyn.” Nancy said looking to Skye’s grandmother. With a quick nod, Evelyn cut Skye’s shirt off of her leaving her in her bra from the waist up. She left quick cuts on her chest, stomach and back. There were not deep wounds. They were only scratches really. Skye was puzzled. If she wanted to kill her then Nanna would have been stabbed surely? Skye gritted her teeth together trying to hold back any sounds, but couldn’t help it. Small cries escaped her mouth. Hanging her head down staring at the blood that was pooling around her feet, Skye wished her grandmother would just end it already. Skye knew it would be painful to no longer love Maddox anymore, but she also realized that it would be so much worse for her family to find her body so mutilated that she might be unrecognizable. They deserved better than that.
Skye felt dizzy from the blood loss. She could no longer lift her head and gave up on trying. She leaned her head onto her shoulder but refused to close her eyes. She stared into her grandmother’s eyes as this monster she thought she knew cut her a few more ti
mes. Evelyn walked across the room to sit with Nancy.
“That’s enough. She’s losing blood quickly so it won’t be too long before she is drained.” Evelyn said sounding satisfied.
“Meanwhile I sit here bored.” Nancy complained. Evelyn lifted her eyebrow at her.
“Did you want to have a little fun?” Nancy answered with a broad smile on her face.
Nancy looked at the table and decided to grab a different blade. She grabbed one, walked over to Skye, and stood in front of her. Skye’s lip raised baring her teeth. She wanted to hurt Nancy so badly she could taste it.
“Let’s see,” Nancy said as she bent over in Skye’s face. She slowly cut down her cheek letting the pain explode inside of Skye’s head. Skye felt as if her face were covered in flames. Whatever blade that Nancy was using was obviously spellbound with magic to leave the lasting effects of pain behind. Nancy cut Skye’s other cheek just as slowly to match the other cut.
“You bitch!” Skye grunted at her through her clenched teeth. Nancy laughed as she bent over to whisper in her ear.
“When you’re dead and forgotten Maddox will be inside of me and he will scream MY name.” Skye felt the rage within her boiling her blood, what blood was left, and she snapped. Moving her head forward quickly, Skye bit into Nancy’s neck. She latched onto her and dug her teeth in harshly. Nancy let out a bloodcurdling scream from the pain and shock. Before Skye knew what was happening her Nanna hit her in the head forcing her to release Nancy’s neck.
Skye’s eyes blurred from the blow to her head. She snapped her head back with a gasp. Blood gushed from her head and poured down her face. Skye heard her Nanna help Nancy up and move her away from Skye, but she couldn’t see them. Skye fought the heavy feeling of her eyelids but when the blood wouldn’t stop dripping into her eyes she gave up and closed them, welcoming the darkness that accompanied it.
Chapter Fourteen
Skye felt warm arms wrapping around her. It was a feeling she knew all too well. Maddox was here holding her in his arms. Skye wanted to smile, but she was unable to move a muscle. She let a small cry escape her lips. She knew she was safe. Maddox would protect her now. Everything would be okay.
“Skye?” his voice sounded so very far away. “Where are you?” Skye didn’t understand. Why he would ask that? Why he sound so far away? He was holding her. How could he ask where she was? “Oh God Skye.” His voice sounded broken. The sound was wrong. He was far too strong to sound that way because of her. Skye fought to open her eyes and tell him it was okay. To tell him that she would be fine. She couldn’t move, not even a tiny bit.
Skye’s slowly opened her mouth. Sucking in a deep breath, she gagged immediately. Her mouth was full of blood. Skye cringed at the metallic taste. She tried to remember what had happened. An image of Nancy’s bleeding neck filled her mind. That was right. She had bit her. Good. Skye wanted her to feel pain.
The feeling of Maddox’s arms drifted away. She felt cold and alone. Skye realized that Maddox wasn’t with her. His arms were never wrapped around her. She had imagined it. Skye let out a small breath of relief at the thought. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this. If she looked as bad as she felt, then Skye knew she was a complete mess. Her body was cold and weak even though the cuts still stung with a fire burning inside of them.
Skye finally managed to open her eyes. It was hard with dry blood covering her face. Blinking, she was able to finally see in front of her again. Her Nanna sat in a seat watching her from across the room. Skye’s eyes focused on her. Skye felt such hate running through her feeble body for the woman in front of her. How anyone could do something so cruel to anyone was beyond her. To a family member? That was mind boggling. Skye hoped there was a special Hell for people like her Nanna.
“I was wondering how long you were going to nap.” Skye wondered how long she had been out. It couldn’t have been long if she was still dripping blood. Skye was surprised she hadn’t died yet. Her body was shivering and shaking hard from the cold that seemed to be bone deep now.
“You’re… evil.” Skye managed to say. Her voice didn’t sound like her own anymore. It sounded like a weak whisper of her old self.
“Oh that’s just looking at things in black and white dear. There is a whole grey area in between and I believe that is where I reside.” Evelyn was completely off her rocker. Skye’s eyes flittered over to where Nancy was sitting. Nancy’s eyes were closed. There was a bandage on her neck covered in red blood that had seeped through.
“Yes. I’m afraid you killed her. You bit into her artery. That really wasn’t nice. She wanted to see you bleed out, but she went first. She’s weaker than I had thought and you my granddaughter, seem to be stronger than I had ever anticipated. Then again, that could be the evil inside of you refusing to let go. Damn demons.”
Skye’s eyes widened a fraction as she took in her Nanna’s words. She had wanted Nancy to hurt for what she did but death? Skye felt frigid at the thought. She had killed her. She killed Nancy. Maybe I am evil, Skye thought to herself. She knew she had been defending herself, but she also didn’t regret doing it. Skye felt like such a monster in that moment.
“The blood flow is slowing down now. It’s almost out of your system. You’ll have time before you die though. Time to regret everything.” Evelyn said with a pleased smile.
Skye felt tears dripping down her cheek. They felt warm compared to her body. She had not wanted to cry, but with death being just around the corner Skye figured it didn’t matter anymore. Skye’s family and friends had sacrificed everything to save her and keep her safe. It had not been enough.
The reality of it was that her own grandmother would be the one to end it all for her. Skye could only hope her parents would survive the loss of a child. She knew it was supposed to be the worst pain someone could feel. Skye then tried to think about Maddox, but his face was fuzzy in her memory. He was disappearing from her mind.
Could it be possible her love for him had been the toxin? Skye would have never have believed it, but trying to remember his face and coming up blank made her let out a cry of despair. In her last moments, she had only wanted one thing, to remember those she loved. Yet she couldn’t remember them all. They had been stripped and drained away from her.
Skye shook her head weakly as if trying to clear it of the thoughts she was having. She would never let those she loved go. Skye loved them and they loved her. Love was stronger than hate. She had to believe that. She just had to.
Skye closed her eyes tightly trying to picture her loved ones in her mind. Skye thought of her father and slowly the image went from foggy to clear. Skye would have let out a happy sigh, but she didn’t have the strength to. Instead, she thought of her mother. Cloud’s serene image popped into her mind a bit slower than her fathers. She wasn’t surprised by that. Even with a great relationship with her mother, she had only truly known her father her whole life. His image had always been branded into her memory.
Skye took a small shaky breath and thought of her friends. A memory of standing in the parking lot of her high school started to solidify in her mind. Kel was standing there looking ready to devour anyone in her way. Evan was quietly standing, yet always aware of his surroundings, and then there was… Mike. Skye’s heart felt like it did a flip in her chest. Mike. Standing tall with his brilliant red hair and eyes that held secrets that no one else knew. His mouth that had been so soft to touch. I love him right? Skye asked herself.
She felt something teetering on the edge of her memory but it was too fuzzy to make out. A dark figure in the background. Menacing, yet seductive eyes stared at her in her memory. Eyes that were not human. No. They belonged to a demon. Skye’s eyes snapped openly quickly with a shudder. Demons were after her. They were evil. Right?
Skye wanted to scream from the frustration in her own mind. She knew demons were bad, yet something was telling her that wasn’t always true. Skye felt part of herself fighting the thought of good versus evil. Things in life were never
so clear. It was never black or white. There was always more. But what? Why couldn’t she remember?
Skye looked to her outstretched arms that were shackled and gasped. How had she ended up this way? Glancing at her body she was stunned to see that she was covered in her own blood. Healed cuts on her body that had obviously been a way of torturing her. Skye couldn’t remember what had happened. She let out a weak cry, as she looked around for any sign of help.
Skye’s gaze fell first onto Nancy. Skye gasped with what little strength she had left in her. Nancy was dead. She was pale. Her blood had dried from a wound on her neck. Nancy’s lips were blue. Who murdered her? Was Skye next? Feeling the stings on her chilled body, she knew the answer had to be ‘yes’. That’s when Skye saw her.
“Nanna?” Skye whispered. She was afraid someone else would hear her. “Nanna help me! I don’t know what’s going on. We have to get out of here before they come back!” Suddenly Skye was having problems focusing. Everything was becoming blurry around her. Her head spun as if she were drunk. But her Nanna’s expression confused her. She looked amused.
“Oh child. I knew that there would be some confusion from the blood loss, but to forget everything that has happened here? Well, it’s really quite insulting.” Her voice was so casual. How could it be casual? Skye was bound and bleeding and Nancy was dead!
“What? Nanna we have to…” Skye paused feeling nauseated. The world really needed to stop spinning if she was going to properly warn her Nanna about the danger they were in yet it kept spinning faster and faster.
“You brought this upon yourself.” Evelyn grabbed a long sword as she stood up. Skye’s eyes widened a fraction. She couldn’t maintain focus on her Nanna but she saw her coming closer with the long blade. It was pointed directly at her chest.
“Nanna?” Skye’s voice broke into a sob. This couldn’t be. This could not be real. She refused to believe it.
“I’m weary of this. Goodbye Skye.” Skye fought hard to keep her eyes open, but failed. Darkness claimed her and she fell into a deep sleep.
Shattered Skye (The Skye Chronicles Book 3) Page 9