R.I.P.

by Charity B.

  “Shit,” I whisper.

  Her paws rest on my thigh as she looks between my legs. “Oh no! You’re hurt!”

  “N—now Kai will find out for sure.” All my words come out stuttered. I lie back, looking at the roof of the trailer that is now littered in pink, blinking lights. My body feels weird. I’m shivering while sweat continues to thicken on my skin, my hair sticking to my face. I should try to clean up, I’m just too frightened to get out of the bed I might die in.

  She cuddles up next to me, her horns poking my arm. “Malakai will be here soon. He won’t let you die.”

  The timing is so perfect, it’s as if he heard her. The door swings open, and the most beautiful boy in the world walks through. There’s pain on his flushed face when he looks at me from the trailer entrance. “Are you okay?”

  What do I say? I usually never struggle with words, but this…I shouldn’t have listened to Princess Sparkle. I should have waited to ask him.

  He steps over to the bed, walking through the lights as he puts more weight on his left leg. Why is he walking funny? Once he reaches me, his eyes widen in horror.

  “Oh, my God…” Wet tears shimmer over his irises as he evaluates the sight of me. Holding my face tightly, he sobs, “What did you do?” I can feel his hands tremor as he reaches between my legs. A jarring stillness settles over his brooding expression when he grips the bloody wire. If I wasn’t already lying down, he could knock me over with the look he’s giving me. “Why would you do this?!” he bellows through his tears.

  Chills overtake me, choking me with dread. As if I’ve forgotten how to speak, my lips shake without making a sound. The hanger clatters on the counter after he hurls it across the trailer.

  A red spot on his thigh catches my gaze. Why is he bleeding?! The words may have refused to appear seconds ago, yet now they pour from my mouth. “Malakai! What happened?”

  Answering with the same silence I did, he limps to his backpack. Mikkel’s letter crinkles as he carries it to the phone. The pain makes nausea slam into me, and I lean over the side of the bed to throw up.

  “Try to stay still. I’ll clean that in a minute.” He doesn’t look at me as he dials the number. I can tell when someone answers because he stands up straighter. “Hello… May I please speak to Mikkel Courtenay?” Though Kai’s voice has calmed, there’s a sharp, furious edge to it. I loathe that I’m the reason for the boiling terror and rage emanating from him. “Yeah, uh, hi. It’s Malakai. We got your letter and—” Whatever Mikkel says perplexes him enough that his bewilderment momentarily eats everything else. “Oh, wow. Okay, well, um, we’re here.” Even though his chuckle is awkward, it’s still soothing to hear. “Yeah, but Adriel’s hurt really bad, and I was just recognized at a store.” Someone knows we’re here? That’s not good. He sighs in relief, telling Mikkel the name of the convenience store. His stance loosens, making him appear lighter. “Thank you. I know this is crazy.” Kai’s relief is comforting even from across the room. After giving Mikkel the address, he thanks him again and hangs up. Dropping his head, he loses himself in thought before finally looking up at me.

  I have oodles of questions about what he said and what happened at the store. More importantly though, I’m worried about why he’s bleeding. He didn’t even mention it to Mikkel.

  “What did you do to your leg?”

  The expression I get from him is one I don’t understand. It’s as if not even he knows what he’s feeling. “I got shot.”

  “What?!” I sit up straight, the movement sending currents of heat pinching between my thighs.

  Crawling on the bed next to me, he leans against the headboard. “Luckily it just grazed me. I’m fine.”

  I watch my hands shaking in my lap. He could have been killed. Caressing his fingers, I hold his hand. “What happened?” He shows no indication that he heard me or plans on responding. “Malakai?”

  “How long have you known?” His eyes dart to mine, the fury burning in them darkens his ashy eyes.

  “I didn’t. Princess Sparkle reminded me how late I was.”

  “So, you did this based on a possibility? Why didn’t you take a fucking pregnancy test before impaling yourself?”

  I look at Princess Sparkle, but she hasn’t been alive since Malakai got back. “I…I was scared you would be mad at me because it’s my fault. I made you come inside me in the mausoleum. Princess Sparkle told me how to stop it. My creations are usually right.”

  His arm wrapping around me is the safe warmth I’ve been craving. He rests his head against mine, so I can hear his shallow breathing. “Mikkel’s on his way.”

  “What did he say?”

  “It’s actually kind of creepy. He’s apparently been keeping tabs on us ever since he found out that Mom and Dad died. Surprisingly, he knows all about the video and that the cops are looking for us. He didn’t sound like he was bothered by it either. He just didn’t know how to find us.” With a kiss on my head, he gets up and goes to my bag. Pulling out a blue sleeveless dress he says, “Here. Let’s get some clothes on you before he gets here.”

  I raise my arms so he can slip it over my head. “Is he a doctor? I think I need one.”

  “I don’t think so. He just said he would bring ‘help.’”

  “Are you still mad at me?”

  His dark eyebrows narrow as his lips press together. “I’m pissed as hell that you would do this to yourself. There’s definitely some shit we need to have a talk about when you’re better. Right now, though, all I care about is that you’re okay.” Careful to be gentle, he lies next to me and pulls my head to his chest. His fingers comb through my hair while he sings, “You are my sunshine. My only sunshine…”

  Malakai

  18 years old

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Adriel jolts next to me, gasping from the pain she put herself in. As enraged as I am, for several reasons, her surviving this is all I can focus on right now.

  I’m across the trailer in three strides. Swinging open the door steals the oxygen from my lungs as I take in the appearance of the man on the trailer steps. For a split second, I think my father is standing in front of me. When I take in that he’s much younger and dressed way nicer than my dad ever was, I’m able to move my feet.

  “H-hi…um, thanks for coming. She’s over here.”

  Another man is with him and follows us to the bed. Mikkel stands at the footboard, looking down at Adriel with his familiar blue eyes. From her expression, she sees the resemblance as well.

  “I’ve been eager to meet you both. Though this isn’t how I had hoped it would come to pass.” He gestures to the older man. “This is Dr. Black. Can you tell us what happened?”

  Another sob rises in my throat when she answers, “I think I cut myself inside…” she points between her thighs, “here. With a hanger.” Not a single reaction crosses Mikkel’s face.

  “Lie down on your back for me,” Dr. Black instructs.

  I know Mikkel is helping us, but I still don’t know him. I’m uncomfortable with the idea of him seeing her body, mutilated or not. “Maybe we should leave the room while he does this.”

  Adriel grasps my hand, looking up at me while she begs, “Please stay.”

  Glancing at our cousin, his face tells me nothing. Nodding, I agree, so she will relax. Dr. Black spreads her legs far apart, shining a light to see.

  Even though he’s given no indication that he is anything other than concerned with her wellbeing, it still makes my skin burn to watch Mikkel’s eyes graze over Adriel. I open my mouth to ask him to look away when he does so on his own.

  The doctor’s gloved fingers prod inside her body. When he touches somewhere painful, she gasps, tightening her hold on my hand. I press my lips together to keep myself from yelling at the doctor to be more fucking careful.

  “How many times did you do it?” he asks.

  “Twice.”

  Mikkel’s eyes shift between me and my sister, making me wonder what he thinks about all th
is. Dr. Black switches off his light before removing his gloves and turning to Mikkel.

  “I want to take her to my clinic to inspect her better. From what I can tell, she didn’t get anywhere near the cervix, though there are two cuts inside her vaginal canal that I want to treat for possible infection.”

  Energy surges from my stomach to my head, making me jump to my feet. “So, she’ll be okay?”

  Dr. Black nods. “I need to do a more thorough examination, but yes, she should make a full recovery. However…” Just as my pulse begins to slow, it speeds right back up. ‘Howevers’ are rarely good. “If she was pregnant before this, she still is. Assuming that it isn’t wanted, we’ll need to take further steps to terminate.”

  I feel Adriel’s gaze seeping through my flesh, my chest rising and falling quickly. She could still be pregnant. A baby… What the hell are we going to do with a baby? The room spins around me. I really haven’t spent much time thinking about being a dad, and never with my sister. How would we explain our situation to a child? I hate to admit that she might have had the right idea; she just went about it in the worst way imaginable.

  “Which is something we can deal with at a future date,” Mikkel interjects. “For now, we need to get Adriel taken care of. You’ll both be staying with me from now on, so gather your things.”

  His urgency snaps me from my thoughts. I kiss her on my way to get our bags. Dr. Black passes by me as I watch Mikkel lean down, sliding his arms under Adriel’s back and legs to carry her outside. I can’t get a feel on him, and it’s bugging me. Seeing her in someone else’s arms sets my nerves on fire, especially with the way she’s leaning in to him.

  It only takes a couple of minutes to collect all of our stuff. After one last run through the trailer, I meet them outside where a large, black SUV sits out front.

  A tall man, a little older than me and dressed almost as nice as Mikkel, greets me with a small smile. Where the hell did he come from?

  “Hello. I’m Thomas Kregg. I’m Mr. Courtenay’s personal assistant.” He reaches out, taking our bags to load them in the back. “If you need anything, I can fulfill most requests.”

  I’m starting to get the impression that our cousin has a much cushier life than we’re used to. “Uh, okay, I just have to drop off the key at the front desk.”

  His palm opens in front of me. “Give it to me, I’ll do it. Go be with your sister.”

  Dropping the key in his hand, I open the door to sit next to Adriel. Mikkel turns from the front seat to face us.

  “We have a lot to discuss, you and I.” I can’t decide if his smile is menacing or comforting. His bright blue eyes shift to Adriel. “But first we need to get you to the clinic. How are you feeling?”

  “I think I’m okay.” Even as she says it, she shifts uncomfortably in her seat as she hugs her doll that I illogically hate. I know her mind distorts things, and the toy isn’t real, but that doesn’t make me want to rip it’s head off any less.

  He nods before straightening back in his seat to look forward. When he speaks again, I can’t see his face. “The most important thing I need you both to understand is that there isn’t anything you can say or do that will shock me. You are truly safe in the presence of myself and my associates. Your relationship is a non-issue in my home, and soon it won’t be a problem at all.” I look at Adriel who appears just as confused as I am. What is that supposed to mean? “However, I do need to know, are there any other bodies besides your uncle’s?”

  Despite him just telling us he’s trustworthy, it’s still a hard thing to discuss with a stranger, and who knows if he’s being completely honest or not.

  “Yes. Uncle Bennett was an accident. The others weren’t though,” Adriel says, wincing as she puts that stupid fucking doll in the seat next to her.

  The skin around my eyes stretches knowing she’s about to spill all of our secrets. He grins over his shoulder, arching a brow.

  “The others? How many are there?”

  Just as I open my mouth to stop her she says, “Do you mean since Uncle Bennett or before?” She seems tense, slowly releasing a heavy breath. “Because it will take me a while to count all those.”

  I caress her hand, attempting to distract her from the pain. Mikkel’s laugh is loud and seems uncharacteristic based on the little bit I know of him. “You’re definitely family, little killer.” Shaking his head, he quiets down to a chuckle. “My list of questions is growing longer by the minute.”

  While his response might be unsettling under different circumstances, right now it allows air to expand my chest. At the same time though, I wonder what kind of person could take all of this so lightly.

  Thomas returns from taking back the key. “Straight to the clinic?”

  Mikkel nods as we pull away from the rental trailer. “While Adriel is getting looked over, Malakai and I will go back to the house to get their room situated.” It makes me nervous to think about leaving her alone with someone we only just met. I want to object, but he’s saving our asses and possibly Adriel’s life. Making him angry is something I’m pretty sure I want to avoid. As if hearing my thoughts Mikkel adds, “She’ll be fine. I trust all my associates to respect and protect those I hold dear.”

  Adriel kisses my cheek and whispers, “It’s okay.”

  In the trailer, she’d begged me to stay. It’s strange that she’s comfortable with being separated now.

  Mikkel looks to his assistant as we drive down the LA-1. “Is our convenience store problem resolved?”

  Thomas nods. “Being taken care of as we speak.”

  ‘Convenience store problem’? They must be talking about the guy that shot me. I can’t help but assume that ‘taken care of’ means exactly what it implies.

  “Perfect.” Peeking around his seat, Mikkel nods to me. “I noticed your leg was bleeding. Do you need Dr. Black to take a look?”

  Honestly, with my adrenaline, I can barely feel it. “It’s fine.”

  The ‘clinic’ looks more like a huge garage than a medical facility. A large loading door opens, the bright light from inside illuminating the night. As the SUV pulls inside, I look through the tinted windows. Half of the building space is bare, with the other half set up like the infirmary at summer camp. Cabinets are set against the wall behind the three beds lined up next to testing equipment and shelves filled with different sized bottles. Portable surgical lights are beside each bed and a man wearing a lab coat filling up pill bottles at a table.

  I climb out of the car to walk around and pick up Adriel. My stomach drops at the blood spot left on the white towel she was sitting on. Her arm hugs my neck while she holds her evil toy to her chest.

  “I promise I’ll be okay,” she whispers. “I trust him.”

  Following Dr. Black as he weaves through tables and equipment, I lie her down on the stark white sheets of the bed.

  Considering the odd location, I’m surprised by how impeccably clean everything looks. Daunting implements stare up at me from the metal table, and I wonder if any of them will be used on my sister. Dr. Black is having a hushed discussion with the man in the lab coat when Mikkel’s fingers brush over Adriel’s hair. “We’ll see you soon, little killer.”

  My gaze burns as I watch his hand on her. What’s worse is she turns toward his touch, making my heart freefall between my ribs into my stomach.

  She tries to get into a comfortable position as Mikkel’s palm rests on my back. “Come on. Thomas will have her home before you know it.”

  With a sigh, I press my lips to her temple. “I love you.”

  Her smiles have always had an effect on me, and this one is no different. “I love you too, Kai.”

  Mikkel and Thomas lead me back to the SUV. I don’t even get my seatbelt buckled when my cousin says, “Is something wrong? Besides the obvious of course.”

  Jesus, he’s intense. “I’m just not used to seeing other people touch her.”

  The dark swallows the car as we pull onto the street. “While I wi
ll freely admit I immediately felt a connection when I first saw her, you can rest assured, I have no desire to fuck her. The pull I have to you is very similar. There’s a likeness between the three of us. I just want to protect and care for you.”

  “But you barely know us. Why are you risking so much for us?”

  Bending over, he opens the middle console and pulls out a flask. “Telling you the whole story is a conversation that I want both you and your sister present for. Just know that I’ve been curious about you your entire life. And I’m risking nothing. Family has always been important, which is why Micah disconnecting from us was such a blow.” He takes a long drink before handing it to me. “It’ll take the edge off.”

  Eager to numb my senses, I swallow as much as I can. “What happened between you and my dad?” I ask between coughs.

  “I’m sure there are many things you want to know, as do I, though, I prefer to have a single conversation with the both of you simultaneously.”

  We pass the flask back and forth a few more times before Thomas asks, “Are you hungry? Our cook could make you something. Like me, Eugéne Pierre can fulfill most requests.”

  “If you like Cajun, you’ll have to try his jambalaya,” Mikkel adds.

  The mention of food has my stomach growling with emptiness. I chuckle to cover my embarrassment. “Never had it.”

  Every street we’ve driven on has been scattered with stilted homes. This one, however, only contains a single residence. Fences are another thing I haven’t seen much of either, yet as if needing to be different from everyone else, there’s a stone wall curving away from a wrought iron gate outside Mikkel’s home. The detailed designs in the black metal are haunting yet beautiful. Thomas enters a code into the screen on his dashboard, granting us entrance. The property is much larger than anything I’ve seen so far.

  The house itself is white, trimmed in an earthy green tint. The entire house is covered in windows, and the lower half is made of a wood material with four olive garage doors lined up in a row. The third one opens up, revealing at least twenty gorgeous cars, a boat, and a jet ski.