Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,142

hear Idun scream. I only hear Anna laugh that much more hysterically, almost as though she gets off on the pain.

As the lightning strike ceases, Idun is still crying out, and Anna is cheerfully singing once more.

As Anna dusts herself off, and adjusts one lopsided pigtail until it’s righted, she carries on with her song, eyes narrowing with some sinister delight clearly shining.

“But I’ll never go back inside that motherfucking box,” she concludes with her dark grin.

In a deliberate motion, Anna cuts an accusing glare toward me. An uneasiness settles on me, forcing me to avert my eyes in an almost painful manner.

That chill only grows stronger, nearly freezing my spine in place.

Anna returns her attention to Idun and throws the alpha through the wall, decimating the side of the house, and causing more of the ceiling to collapse around us, blocking my view for a brief moment.

It’s chaos with the rain, strikes of lightning, and crumbling building.

Anna comes into view, as she sashays toward us, reaching into her bra. My breaths are labored, and my body is frozen to the ground, while my mind reels, trying its damnedest to catch up.

“Isn’t this fun?” the madwoman ex-ghost asks me, her eyes bright and full of excitement, as she puts several vials on the ground.

My mouth moves, but I know I must look a fool, because there aren’t any words that form. No words form in my mind either.

I blink several times, as she pats my cheek. “Be a good lad and heal Violet’s daddy. Then tell her I was a good girl,” she adds, her mischievous grin only spreading wider. “Do as you’re told, and maybe I’ll let you name a plane after me.”

She moves so fast that I have to look around to find her, startling when I spot her all the way across the room, standing just outside…next to where Idun is slowly lifting up from the ground.

Anna gives me a wave, as lightning crashes into both of them again.

More screaming.

More laughter.

In the next instant, they’re both gone, and I shove off Tom, careful not to let any of the shit that’s collapsed onto me fall onto him.

Tom quickly takes the vials and starts drinking them, his hands shaking so bad that the vials clank his teeth several times. I hope those are the ones you drink instead of the ones you’re supposed to apply directly to the wounds…

My head tries to process too many things at once, and a dull ache forms in my temple.

Staggering, I move to the opening, looking around in search of the redheaded lunatic and the homicidal brunette.

Neither are in sight.

The storm slows, somewhat, causing the lightning to become less frequent, even as the rain pounds harder.

“What the hell was that?” I ask on a hushed, confused breath.

I’m not expecting Tom to actually answer, but he does.

“That was Violet spinning out of control. She’s scary when she loses control. And pretty dangerous too. That’s a different face and attitude from the last one I saw. I reckon this one’s even scarier,” Tom says, completely downplaying the fact his heart is pounding so loudly that I could easily hear it a mile away.

He makes a series of pained sounds, as he presumably strains to climb back up to his feet.

I turn to see his face rapidly improving, but still not quickly enough to stop him from looking broken.

His eyes level mine.

“It’s scary when Violet panics. It’s a lot worse than scary when she gets angry. It’s good that it takes something pretty big to piss her off. It’s bad how often it has to happen,” he adds in a flat tone. “When this is all over, I want to go home. Alright?”

My mouth opens and closes again, as I start and stop, unsure where to go or even what to do.

Hyde.

Where the hell have I heard that name before?

Jack’s surname wasn’t Hyde. I’m certain that’s the only Jack they could be referring to. However, Anna was in no way anything like the others I encountered…

The others weren’t…ghosts or projections or what the fuck ever she’s been this entire bloody time…

I feel completely stupefied, and I have no idea how to even begin processing this.

This is what it feels like to be Arion the vast majority of the time.

Tom comes up on my side, stepping through the broken home, as he limps toward his truck.

“Actually, I think I’m heading home right now. My truck’s just a block away, so long as no other monster is