Sins of the Innocent - Jamie McGuire Page 0,16

to the spot next to Levi.

Morgan made a face. “You just told me to stay away from him.”

Levi watched the group, targeting them through the darkness between lampposts, before Morgan even realized they were there.

“Don’t worry about them,” Levi said.

“Huh?” Morgan asked, shifting his weight.

“C’mon, Morg. Let’s just go,” I said, reaching out my hand.

“Well, hello, friends!” Red Hat said.

Morgan glanced back, immediately recognizing a few in the group. He pushed up his glasses as he always did when he was nervous.

“He looks like he’s out past his curfew, Craig,” another man said.

The Red Hat had a name, one much more civil than what I would have liked to call him.

Craig smirked and leaned against the closest lamppost, calculating the entertainment value of simply humiliating Morgan or pushing it a step further.

Morgan sensed his intentions, taking a step back.

Craig’s laughter was echoed by his friends. “Where are you going, scrawny? Hope your fag hag will save you again.”

“Pardon?” Morgan said. “Wh-what did you call her?”

Craig shoved him. “Pretty sure I just called you a fag.”

Morgan’s eyebrows turned in. “Call me what you want. Leave her out of it.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Craig said.

He shoved Morgan to the ground. His group erupted in laughter while Morgan straightened his glasses.

I took a step in front of Morgan. “Keep walking,” I seethed.

“Do it,” Levi said. “Snap his spine.”

I blinked, the revolting vision in my head breaking me free of anger.

I looked to Craig. “We don’t want any trouble.” I gestured behind me for Morgan to move to the side.

Craig’s attention was drawn to Morgan again when he moved. Craig attempted to shoulder past me, shocked when I didn’t budge. He looked down on me, pure hate in his eyes, and nudged me again. This time, I let him.

“We’re going to leave,” I said, backing away.

“You sure about that?” Craig asked, a malicious smile on his face.

He wasn’t just being a bully. This wasn’t entertainment or even a show for his friends. Craig had a lust for causing pain, and it had been too long since he heard someone begging for mercy.

“Let’s go,” I said, trying to redirect Morgan.

We had only taken a few steps when Morgan spun around, refusing to leave quietly.

“What did we do to you? Nothing. We were minding our own business. You walked up on us.”

I stared at him, surprised at the bold move. Morgan had never stood up to anyone until that moment.

Craig glowered at him. “You hit on my friend at that party, and I told you then that I was going to whip your ass. Everyone knows you’re a faggot,” he said, nearly biting his lip when he said the last word.

“I can assure you, there’s not one of your friends whom I would be attracted to,” Morgan said. His voice more confident than I’d ever heard it.

I smiled at him. He was being quite brave, keeping his wits. Maybe he thought the worst that could happen was his head being dunked into a trash can again, but I knew different. I could feel the evil within Craig, swirling and building, as he waited for something, anything to give him the excuse to release it.

Craig moved toward Morgan, but I stepped between them again. The goading laughter from the group turned into encouragement.

“C’mon!”

“Beat his ass, Craig!”

“Stop being a girl!”

Craig fumed. “Get out of my way, bitch.”

“No.” My answer was simple but firm and a bit louder than I’d meant.

“What are you waiting for, Eden? Take him out,” Levi said, still relaxed on the bench.

Craig narrowed his eyes and laughed once, looking over at Levi. “You got something to say, pretty boy?”

Panic sent my every nerve on edge, and I immediately went into peace-keeping mode. Levi wouldn’t hesitate to murder every one of them.

“Craig,” I said, attempting a calming voice, “look at me.”

He didn’t obey. “Shut up. I’m having a conversation with the pretty little thing on the bench.”

I pointed to Levi, feeling a flicker of activity coming from his direction. “Levi, don’t.”

Levi chuckled. “Don’t what? I’m just sitting here.”

“Let me handle this,” I said.

Craig wrinkled his nose. “Handle what?”

“Then handle it,” Levi said.

He was trying to force me to hurt the humans and reveal myself to Morgan in the process. Levi wasn’t going to manipulate me. He was simply going to observe what he predicted would be my failure.

“You promise not to hurt anyone?” I spoke low, too low for anyone else to hear.

Levi shrugged. His promise wasn’t worth anything anyway.

The young men