Love and Decay, Vol. Two

by Rachel Higginson

  He brushed wayward hair off my forehead before dropping his to meet mine. He rested there for a few silent moments, as if absorbing my words, as if he felt them as strongly as I did. “I love you too.” His low murmur did nothing to hide the emotion in his voice.

  My heart and soul swelled with his matching feeling. I felt some metaphysical part of me bend and expand so that I could hold this happiness, this… confidence… this greatness.

  The door pushed open and our moment was shattered by cold reality.

  Matthias started barking out orders and shouting furiously as his men jumped to attention. The wind howled through the open door, making the lanterns quiver and the papers rustle. Dust and rocks crackled through the room as they invaded our storm sanctuary. The scent of burning flesh and Zombie rot drifted toward me.

  What was going on out there?

  The last man inside struggled to yank the door closed, flailing wildly as the wind threatened to overpower him. His eyes were wild when he turned around, but Matthias didn’t acknowledge the weather or what smelled like a fire.

  Finally the door slammed shut and a hush fell over us. Matthias’s attention turned to me and I knew, even without looking at him, this was my perfect opportunity to rile him up. I could feel the tension that rolled off him and permeated the room. He was worked up and prime for pissing off.

  Before I could pull away, Hendrix’s mouth moved to my ear and he whispered words that made my heart ache with something lovely. “By me?”

  “Always,” I vowed.

  With that promise between us, Hendrix let me go and I spun to face the man I was going to kill today.

  “I know she’s not dead,” Matthias shouted. “Where is she?”

  Page.

  I could have told him that she wasn’t alive anymore. I could have kept up the lie that I knew he almost believed.

  But then again, I really needed him to open this cell. I took a step forward and pushed back my shoulders. “Somewhere you will never find her.”

  The air sparked around him as his fury shot through the roof. “I’ll find her,” he snarled. “And when I do, I’m going to kill her. When I find her, I’m going to gut her from throat to stomach and let the Feeders feast on her useless body. I’m going to throw her body to the animals and let you watch her disappear piece by fleshy piece. Mark my words.”

  Hot fear surged through my system and I felt like crying. Not Page. That would never happen to Page. I gathered my courage and held his steady gaze. “Just as long as she doesn’t kill you first.”

  He spit out a bitter laugh. “Right.” More insane laughter cackled through the room. “That child isn’t strong enough to lift a weapon to kill me.”

  Adrenaline spiked through my blood as I sucked in a quick breath and pushed words out I had kept locked up. I knew Matthias wanted Page, but I didn’t think even he knew for sure how Linley died. I saw the suspicion flicker through him; I watched it drive the desire to find her. But he couldn’t be sure. Not until I gave him confirmation.

  “Does your wife feel the same way? Is she as confident that Page is as harmless as you think she is?”

  Matthias’s face flooded purple and for a second I thought he might choke on his tongue. “What did you say?”

  “I was just wondering if Linley felt the same way about Page? Does Linley have an opinion on what Page may or may not be able to kill?”

  “Get the keys!” Matthias shouted. “Hand me the goddamn keys!”

  Someone complied and in seconds Matthias had the cell door ripped open. He stared at me, his eyes black holes of evil. I suppressed my victorious smile, even as every man in the room trained their guns on us.

  “Bring him to me,” Matthias ordered.

  I took a step forward before his words truly registered. Him. Bring him to me.

  I lifted my gaze to meet Matthias’s enraged glare. “I blame you for her death too,” he told me in a rumbling growl. “You’re just as responsible.” He paused to breathe and I could see that it took great effort for him to calm his choking anger long enough to inhale and exhale something worthwhile. “So you will suffer like I did. Like I do. I will put you through what I have been through and then I will let you live long enough to feel this pain every day forward.” He stared at me, letting his words sink in and making sure that I understood his intention. “Bring me Hendrix,” he ordered again. “So that I can put a bullet through his brain.”