All of the boxes I had packed yesterday had been dumped open. My couch had been literally shredded by a large knife. As had the pillows. I walked further into the apartment and found everything in disarray.
“Hello?” I called cautiously. I wasn’t sure why. I had nothing to defend myself with. Whoever had been here was obviously angry and ready to kill me. But why? Or rather, who?
Who had Desi said before?Corrine.Was she a Seven Sin? Had this been her doing? Realizing that it very might well be, I called Desi quickly.
“Hey, are you back from your drive?” he asked.
“I am. Hey, I—” I looked around the living room, still unsure of what exactly I was experiencing. “Can you come back over?”
“The sun is up,” he said slowly. “Is it important?”
My heart sank. “No.” I lied. “It can wait. Will you come over tonight?”
“Of course. I have already started packing up my office. I told Arsenio you were done for good too.”
“Thanks. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.” I hung up and stared around the room. Did I clean it up and go to bed, or did I leave it for him to see? The words he was constantly telling me suddenly ran through my mind.
Don’t underestimate me.
Maybe he could figure out who had been in my apartment by seeing what they’d done. I was possibly cleaning up the evidence. I did another walk-through of the apartment, opening every door, cabinet, and thing in which something could be hiding before locking the door, putting a chair against it, and retreating to my room.
The only thing I bothered with was fixing my bed. Although I had a feeling I wouldn’t get much quality sleep. It was more for time to pass than anything. Surprisingly, I managed to doze off and wake up only when my alarm alerted me of nightfall.
Desi must have set his alarm to the same because I was still in bed when he called. I blinked, trying to see the bright screen in the darkness of my room. “Hello,” I groaned into the phone.
“I’m getting around now. Do you need anything?”
“Actually, yeah. Whoever was in my apartment drained my fridge. I need some blood.”
“Who was in your apartment?” he demanded. I sat up, realizing my slip.
Shit.
“Scout,” he said carefully. “Is that why you called me this morning? Was someone at your place while you were gone?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yes,” I said weakly.
“Fuck,” he swore. “Alright. I’ll grab some blood and be over in a bit. Sit tight.”
I got out of bed and started flinging every light in the apartment on. I was still paranoid that someone was here. My apartment had been locked when I came home, so I had no idea how they had gotten in.
I showered with the curtain open, so I wouldn’t be taken off guard. I had just finished putting on shorts and Desi’s t-shirt he had given me forever ago when he called me to tell me he was here.
I moved the chair away from the knob and let him in. He stormed in and began swinging his head side to side. I shrunk down, almost as if this had been my fault. He turned to me, eyes cold. I noticed the brown paper bag in his hand. My mouth was suddenly very dry. He handed it to me.
“I came home, and it was like this,” I said, taking the bag to the kitchen. I pulled out a six-pack of glass bottles. I popped one open and started drinking it. He began walking around, picking up various items, turning them around in his hands, and setting them back down. “Do you know who would do this?” I asked.
“How did they get in?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I have no idea. I checked everything.”
“It was Corrine,” he said finally. He was holding one of my pillows, staring down at it. It was then that I noticed there was a Tarot card tucked in one of the sharp gashes, whoever it was cut into it. He pulled it out and waved it at me. I came from the kitchen and took it from him. It wasThe Magiciancard.
“Is it a special card?” I handed it back to him. “Does it mean something?”
“Every card means something. This card is number one. That’s Corrine,” he explained. I shook my head, still not understanding.
“Who exactly is she? Is she a Seven Sin?” I looked up at him, and for the first time, he answered me.
