My head whips to the right, staring at My Atticus with wide eyes. “Are you… is this Atticus’sbody?”
But as soon as the question leaves me, I regret it. His expression grows cold, distant. His hand leaves me, and as he sneers, he bares sharp, razor-like teeth.
Teeth I’veneverseen before. It’s terrifying.
“Stulte! Vir nequam,”he sneers, voice colder and more distorted than I’ve ever heard it.
“Julian,” I whisper, unable to take my eyes off the man next to me. “What’s happening?”
“Atticus made a deal,” he explains. “To try and save Atlas. It backfired; he was possessed. Whatever it has said to you—”
“Non!”
As My Atticus—no, not my Atticus, thething—moves a singular step toward Julian, Julian’s eyes widen, and he attempts to take a step back.
I think I understand where that scar came from now.
I’m a fool. I’m so fucking stupid. A doppelgänger? Anextension?No. It was always him, but not. And I’ve been taking advantage of him in his weakest state, abusing his affection for me and my own desire so that I could keep some semblance of him.
I was about to give this thing Atticus’s body… Forever.
“We have to leave,” Atlas rushes out, shoving Julain’s chest. “We have to leave and call the reverend.”
The sets of legs I could see but not identify turn, running back up the steps.
And then, the loudest wail I’ve ever heard pierces the air, causing me to fall to my knees as I cover my ears.
What the fuck is happening?!
The room feels as if it’s spinning, my throat and chest growing tight. I feel as if I could pass out at any second, the air growing even more stifling.
As the sound fades, I look up, and there that thing stands, its teeth bared in a wicked grin, purple fingers extending claws that look deadly enough to kill.
Black eyes flicker down to meet mine, a chill running through me.
“Cameron, continue now,” the demon says, and as I don’t move or speak, it extends one sharp nail in my direction. “Now.”
Atticus
26
YESTERDAY, I WOULD HAVEthought this was a dream. I would have been alarmed by what my own twisted mind could conjure. But now, now I sit back, settled somewhere deep inside of myself as I witness the destruction happening around me.
This thing is going to kill my family. Cameron. And I can do nothing.
“No,” Cameron whispers, his body settled on the floor as he looks up at me in terror. “I can’t.”
“Sic, you can,” I hear myself say. “You will.”
Guilt and shame overcome me. How long has this thing been using Cameron’s love against me? All those dreams I’ve had of touching him—were they all real? Has this thing been assaulting him the way Atlas was assaulted?
“Come here, Cam,” Julian calls out, never taking his eyes off me.
Cameron stands, but I’m next to him in a flash.
No. No!
But it doesn’t matter how hard I try to scream, to move away, to doanything. My body isn’t mine to control anymore. It doesn’t belong to me, and it’s all my fault.
