The Tracker Hive Academy Year One - Avery Song Page 0,82
it feel to look into the eyes of a killer?"
My whole body froze at the cool breath next to my neck. I didn't move, not out of fear, but to avoid doing anything stupid. I'd dealt with my hallucinations long enough to manage the ones that felt all too real.
The ones that really made me feel crazy.
The problem right now was determining if this was fake or real. Was the man I'd been after for years behind me? Or was this another mind game?
"I killed no one," I muttered, tossing the mirror to my left. I heard it shatter, the pieces skidding along the tile floor, but I didn't care.
It wasn't a weapon I could use to defend myself. Might as well free myself from the added accessory.
"You'll drown in your lies soon enough," the cold voice whispered. I took a shaky breath, only to be mocked by his laughter.
"Are you afraid of me?"
"Afraid of what? An illusion in my mind? If you want to face me, be a man and do it," I muttered, lifting the ice stake and staring at the little bolts of electricity as a distraction.
"Stop trying to atone for your sins and play a hero," he snarled, his words sending tremors through me.
My hand trembled. "I never said I was a hero," I whispered.
"And yet you continue to walk down these halls like you know what's going on? You hide around those boys because they make you feel worthy of their attention and love. Killers like you don't deserve an ounce of grace. You're better off sticking that stake into your wrist and bleeding to death."
"I don't need your advice."
"I wasn't giving you any," he replied.
Things got real when he grabbed my hand with the stake in it, inching it closer to my right wrist. I hissed and tried to fight his strength, the watch suddenly going haywire as it beeped over and over again.
"Do I feel real now?" He chuckled.
I couldn't move from my place, and I realized the room was dark once more. I was no longer in the showers, but in the family house I was raised in.
I stood in the middle of the dark room, but instead of the bodies of my four family members, it was the Maxwell brothers who laid in their place.
"Realize what you're going to cause. You'll repeat what you did all those years ago," he whispered. "Only this time, it'll be to these stupid men who only love you for what you are. A disgusting killer."
I bit my lip hard, wishing to be back in the shower hall and away from the haunting dark room. I couldn't bear staring at the four bodies on the floor, to acknowledge the image of Zackery, Zion, Zeus, and Zeke being dead.
All because of me.
The tip of the shard dug into my flesh, enough to make the first indent into my skin. A bead of blood formed on the spot, and I fought against the force that tried to dig it deeper.
Snap out of it, Jade. It's just a hallucination.
I was breathing hard, but I worried this really wasn't a hallucination. That he was here right now, trying to kill me.
Manipulating me into doing what he wanted. Like he had back then.
Cold water suddenly shot down on me and I shrieked. I took a step back right into someone, their arm wrapping around my waist to prevent me from slipping.
The ice stake fell to the floor, shattering into tiny bits before it faded entirely. I looked at my wrist, noticing the trail of blood that began to drip into the pooling water at our feet.
It took me seeing my own blood to realize my illness was back and that what had just happened was truly a hallucination.
A really strong hallucination.
"Jade."
The firm, deadpan voice had me hesitantly looking over to see Zeus's electrifying gold eyes.
To say he was pissed was an understatement. He was downright furious. Whether it was directed at me or not, I wasn't sure.
I bit my lip, knowing if I spoke right now, I'd say something stupid. The situation wasn't for silly commentary. If that was a hallucination, I needed to get back on my meds.
That was going to be non-negotiable.
With a shaky breath, I whispered, "I-I think I have to start taking my meds again."
I don't know what it was about that confession that made my eyes water, but with a few blinks, tears began to roll down my cheeks.