Mephitic (Anathema #2) - Yolanda Olson Page 0,5
trying to make out.
“Smart move.” Turning on my heel, I hop into the driver’s seat and toss my shit inside, making sure the hatchet is within reach in the back floorboard before I tuck my current pack of cigarettes in the visor.
Lighting up, I crank the car on and roll the window down before I start tapping the horn when the kid is taking his sweet time rearranging the bags in the back.
"The devil waits for no one!" I shout over my shoulder and angle the rearview mirror to watch the kid glaring at me just as Daphne starts to get in the backseat. I shake my head and tap the passenger headrest. "Up here. I don't want the kid getting too attached."
She smiles at me as she climbs in the front seat and I know this was the right choice. The kid is just going to glare at me for a while, and I'd much rather be worshiped by the person in my peripheral vision.
Next stop, Satan's doorstep.
Three
Replacements and Resentments
Aftyn
I have my eyes closed and my back so firmly planted in the seat that I could almost swear I’m trying to become one with it.
It smells mostly like Daphne, but like Dexter too. The one scent I never want to lose is the one that belonged to my best friend, Willa, but I know that Lakyn’s constant smoking will blot that out just like Daphne did her life.
‘I fed her to the fucking wolves,’ I think miserably, and I feel angry as a tear rolls down my cheek. We loved each other—even if not in the way I knew we could—but in the way that best friends often do.
And I guess karma played her hand earlier than I would have imagined.
I took out Dexter for trying to keep Wills to himself and Daphne killed her to keep Lakyn to herself.
All because I didn’t want to stand down on a dare.
“Crying again?” The amused, disapproving tone of Lakyn floats back toward me and I open my eyes to meet his in the rearview mirror.
I wipe my sweaty palms against my jeans and clear my throat. He’s nothing like I’d hoped he would be. He’s cruel, clearly doesn’t give two shits about anything other than himself, and maybe Daphne.
Maybe Mom wasn’t so bad after all.
“My best friend was just murdered in front of me. You’ll have to forgive me if—”
Lakyn lets out a loud, fake snoring sound and I grit my teeth when he turns his eyes toward Daphne and smirks.
The urge to lean forward and pull the steering wheel is starting to build inside of me. I doubt that anyone would mourn either of us if I managed to flip the SUV, unless…
“Didn’t mean to bore you,” I begin in a clipped, conversational tone. “Your boyfriend is a hell of a lot more interesting, anyway.”
Lakyn stiffens.
A small smile begins to creep across my lips as he turns his eyes back toward the road and I watch his knuckles turn white. It seems that the great Lakyn Meyer has a switch that’s easily flipped and I think it’ll be fun to play with it.
“Ease up on the steering wheel, Pops,” I continue breezily. “Wills loved this fucking truck.”
If he wants to be malicious, two can play this fucking game.
I run my hands back through my hair as I lean over and grab one of Willa’s thin hair ties from the center console. Snapping it around my wrist, I decide that its mine now and will keep me and Wills together for as long as I live.
Bringing my wrist to my nose, I inhale the faint scent of Willa’s hair, blink back tears, then drop my hand on the empty spot next to me.
Wills should be sitting here with me. We should both be going to meet this Aunt Beatrix person and instead, she’s lying dead on Lakyn’s living room floor.
“So, listen,” Lakyn finally says as he clears his throat and pulls the pack of cigarettes from the visor. Then he reaches over and taps Daphne’s thigh, nodding toward the carton of cigarettes and she immediately opens it, handing him a new pack with the most adoring look in her eyes.
I should have left you on the sidewalk of the fucking rest area where you belonged.
“I know you think that you’re being witty or cute or whatever it is that you’re trying to achieve by saying what you just did. The thing is, kid, that cute and witty doesn’t work with me.