Twelve of Roses

Blood soaked the white sheets, splattered on the wall, and stained my clothes. I could hear it trying to form suction around my blade, hear her bones crack and turn to mush.

I didn’t need her anymore, and she’d ultimately failed me, anyway. She’d do nothing but get in the way now. Sure, I could have simply strangled the life from her body, but this somehow seemed more effective. There would be no resuscitation.

I needed her to die.

I oddly felt like my father in this moment.

I wondered if these were his emotions when he felt he had no options left, choosing to blow a hole in Rose-Mary’s head and then in his own. They were kind enough to leave me detailed instructions that said to watch out for sickly Molly and find my Roses.

They should be proud of me, in my opinion. I’d just sent Molly to be with them and accomplished what I was meant to, apart from starting my own family. That wasn’t an option, though—not without Roselynn by my side.

Walking into the room where Justin and Lauren were, I stood over them and released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My brother sat up and eyed the blood on my clothes and the knife in my hand with a blank expression.

“It’s time to go,” I announced.

Chapter Twenty-One

Something was wrong.

I knew it the second I opened my eyes. How could I do something so stupid? Willingly enter the viper’s den and then sleep beside it? What the hell was I thinking?

The house was dark and quiet, which I found rather odd considering three other individuals were lurking somewhere.

Fuck. I looked at the alarm clock and swiftly got out of the bed, snagging the long white robe off the back of the bedroom door.

“You know what I decided?”

“Holy shit.” I jumped out of my skin, placing a hand on my chest and turning in the direction his voice came from. Con stood on the far side of the room, just coming out of the bathroom.

I took a quick inventory of his bloody clothes and the ax tucked down by his side, along with the knife sticking out of his waistband.

“Con, what did you do?”

“I realized that it doesn’t matter if I change the way I look, build you a beautiful house, or even promise you the world. You still haven’t learned how to accept me, Rosie. You’re still trying to leave.”

Swallowing an angry retort, I made sure my steps were barely noticeable and inched towards the door. His words had déjà vu tingling in the back of my head.

“Con, put the ax down.”

“Why? Are you scared?” He cocked his head and gave me a maniacal grin.

Fuck yes, I was scared. I was terrified. I knew this wasn’t some scare tactic bullshit—he had every intention of using that tool against me. Con had always been certifiable, but I loved him anyway.

Everyone picks their poison—a sick little addiction you know is detrimental to your health, but you just can’t help yourself. You blatantly don’t give a damn.

Some people liked cake.

I liked serial killers.

But I never thought we would be here.

The faint sound of sirens could be heard in the distance, the rescue brigade showing up exactly when Sheriff Reynolds had said they would.

He’d whispered to let Con take me before I lowered the phone from my ear. I’d pretended I’d hung up when he arrived as ‘Max,’ but I had managed to leave the call going until he forced me to ditch the cell all together.

“You know what that sounds like?”

“Sirens?” I answered dumbly.

“No, that sounds like you trying to run away from me again.”

I’m not sure how it worked in the wild, but if prey knew when the predator was about to strike, they would run just like I did. I made it into the hall before he sent me careening into the door across from his. My body bounced off and absorbed the shock.

“Con, no!” I screamed, barely getting out of the way when he took his first swing, fortunately splitting the wood apart instead of me. I took off at a dead run.

He followed right behind me.

At the top of the stairs, he shoved me from behind. With nothing to catch myself on, I went down, rolling like a bowling pin.

My joints banged off the hardwood and pain radiated throughout my body. I crawled for just a second, my heart pounding so hard I feared it would be the end of me. I pushed off the floor and ran towards the front door. It opened, bringing me face to face with Justin.

“Sorry, little sis.” He shoved me in the chest, knocking me right back on my ass.

I more heard Con approaching than saw him, spurring me back into motion. I ran through the living room, crossing into a dining room and emerging into a kitchen at the same time Con did.