Corrupt (Devil's Night 1)

“Why don’t you put her in a guest room?” my mother suggests.

But I shake my head. “I’ll sleep in one tonight. Let her have my room. She needs to feel safe.”

And then I look at my mother. “She should have her own room here, though.”

She sleeps over a lot since her father’s death, and given her mother’s behavior, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Let her have a space here that feels like a home.

My mom nods. “That’s a good idea.”

I walk past my mother, grabbing a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt out of my closet. “Poor thing.” My mother strokes her hair. “So fragile.”

“No, she isn’t,” I correct. “Don’t coddle her.”

I snatch my black hoodie off the chair by the door and head into the bathroom to change, since the dog’s blood is all over my jeans.

After I’m in fresh clothes, I dial Kai, hearing loud music and lots of voices in the background.

“Do you still have those masks we used for paintball last weekend?” I ask, stuffing my wallet in my new jeans and running my fingers through my hair.

“Yeah, they’re in the trunk of my car,” he answers.

“Good. Get the guys, and meet me at Sticks.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Whatever we want,” I reply.

And then I hang up, walk back into my bedroom, and take one last look at Rika as she sleeps on my bed.

The corners of my mouth lift, and I can’t wait for tonight.

She corrupted me.

THE END