sorry. I’m so sorry.” I begin to rock back and forth, and Daphne crawls onto the bed behind me, wrapping her arms around my chest to comfort me.
I never knew touch could feel so good and make me feel so complete, but with every stroke of her hands along my shoulders, every glide of her lips along my neck, her hard nipples teasing the curve of my spine, I realize being in the light isn’t a bad thing.
It’s darkness that has swallowed me whole, and now I’m making the climb to get out. Her sun feels good shining against my face, and I know if I keep climbing, eventually she’ll engulf me.
I’ve already lost myself in Daphne, but it’s the good kind of lost. I want to wander around and learn new things about her. I want to go on a journey and hope life can show me how good it’s really supposed to be.
“It’s okay. I don’t blame you.” Sarah’s voice is hoarse, and I can hear the pain I’ve caused.
“You should blame me.”
“Reaper doesn’t know I’m calling,” she admits, keeping her voice quiet. “I love you, okay? Don’t come back yet. Let me wear Reaper down. He’s pretty pissed.” She grunts, and I hear someone mutter something in the background. It isn’t Reaper, but I’m sure they are warning her to hurry up, so she doesn’t get caught talking to me.
“I love you too. I’m so sorry. I’ll never forgive myself.” The image of the knife piercing her stomach is something I’ll never be able to forget.
“Nonsense. You have to,” she slurs with sleep. “Forgiveness is the only way to achieve happiness, Tongue.”
“Okay, come on,” Doc’s voice interrupts our
conversation, and the static on the other end deafens me. “Tongue, she’s fine. We can’t be caught talking to you. Reaper has forbidden it. Stay safe, man.”
I’ve always been the outsider. I’ve always liked isolation.
But it’s been a long time since I’ve felt like I don’t have a home, and the dial tone reminds me of how alone I am.
Daphne skims her hands down my arms reminds me that while I don’t have my usual family, I have her.
I have no one to talk about my newfound happiness with. Everyone has turned their backs on me, and rightfully so.
“What do you need?” she asks the right question, one that has me thinking about my darkest desires. She’s scratching the itch inside me. Her fingers trace along every burn, and I shut my eyes, relishing in the touch I’ve never had.
I need to cut a tongue out, but I don’t know where to go for that. I don’t know where The Groundskeeper is. I don’t know how to go about finding him. There isn’t an abundance of a threat like there was with the attack on the club. I got to cut so many tongues out. It was such a good day. My swamp kitties were well-fed because of that.
My phone rings again, and I almost throw it across the room, but the wizard emoji pops up, and my brows shoot to my forehead. It’s Seer.
I ignore it. I’m not in the mood for anything out of this world right now.
“You aren’t going to get that?” Daphne asks.
“No. I’m too tired to care what he has to say.” The phone stops ringing only for it to start chiming again. I sigh, seeing the wizard emoji once more. I ignore it. NOLA is probably expecting me to come there. I bet Reaper called them. I’m wondering if my patch is about to get ripped off, or I’m about to get traded. Damn it, that would really fucking suck.
The phone falls silent, and it lights up again, ringing. Annoyed, I answer it and snap, “What?”
“Nice of you to finally answer.”
“Been busy, Seer.”
“So I’ve seen.”
Great. He probably knows everything about me now. How the hell do secrets get out in the open so damn quick? “What do you want?”
“I saw a note this morning while having coffee.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I clutch the phone so tight that the cheap plastic cracks from the force. “And?” I push when he doesn’t fucking say anything. “What the hell did it say?”
“The roses are red. Did they find their way to you? You didn’t stay away from him. Your lips will turn blue.” Seer recites the note from memory.
My heart stutters, and I reach up to lay my hand on top of Daphne’s. “Did you see anything else?”
“An old building,