Scorch (Virtues & Lies 2)

I run into the staff living area, but all that greets me is the loud ruckus from the service bells on the far wall above the dining table. The sofas are empty.

Where is everyone?

“Where’s the fucking phone?” I run to the other side of the house.

There’ll be a phone in Max’s office. I doubt Emily’s had it packed away.

I’m running past the gallery entrance when the door opens with a gusty draft sucking all the other open doors in the house shut.

I halt as Cassie trudges in coated in fluffy snow from her head to her toes. Casper is behind her with a large swaddle of blankets in his arms.

“Oh, thank God,” I choke out the breath left in my lungs. “I need a phone. We need a doctor. Ambulance. I don’t know….”

Shit, I have no idea what’s actually wrong.

“Please!”

Cassie digs into her pocket finding her phone. “What’s happened?”

It’s the fucking million-pound question around here.

What’s happened?

What’s wrong?

What’s going on?

They’re a broken fucking record.

“I don’t know.” I wheeze my reply as she calls for help on her phone. Dragging her towards the sunroom, I acknowledge the fact Casper is heading up the stairs with far too much composure. “Where are you going?”

“I’m putting Fleur to bed. She’s out. I’ll meet you in…”

“The sunroom!” I yell back at him, skidding over the icy patches Cassie’s left behind her.

When I reach the room, there’s so much commotion that it’s impossible to know what’s going on. Penny’s standing in the outskirts as Lucian and Wayne try to wrangle Francis off the chair and onto the floor.

Should they be moving him?

Francis is as pale as I imagine the ghosts in this place to be. His groans are raw, and this entire scene is chilling me to the core. Too many feelings assault me. Memories of ice flowing through my body. Life seeping from me in every possible way.

“I told you to go see a proper doctor!” Wayne tears Francis’ black polo; the cry of the cloth rips through me. “You’ve always got to be so fucking stubborn. Don’t you?”

He’s panicking at the sight of his friend lying on the floor. A large bandage wrapped around his middle, a small bloody stain spreads on the left side of his abdomen.

“It’s fine. I’m fine,” Francis wheezes like breathing is the most painful thing he’s ever done.

“You’re bleeding!” Pushing Wayne aside, Penny kneels on the floor. Her hands tremble as she loosens the bandage. “You said it was an insignificant altercation. But this…this…”

A perfectly formed well dots his abdomen. Its inky blackness looks harmless, but then he coughs, and black ink becomes crimson streams rivering down his skin.

Unstoppable.

Relentless.

“What the fuck?” Christopher pushes Lucian out of the way. “What did you do?”

He’s got that “it’s okay” face that haunts my memories, but panic screams from his pores.