Page 106 of Petrify

“Maybe not, but you killed him all the same.”

I wish his mask would disappear. I wish it was his face against mine and not this layer of plaster. And maybe a part ofme is a little vengeful, because I reach up, pressing my palm against the cool cheek.

His dark eyes flash, but he doesn't slow down, pinning me to the icy roof.

And when I pull his mask away, he still doesn’t stop.

Pale in the moonlight, dark curls messy at his forehead, thick brows and a few days’ stubble along his jaw. The puzzle pieces start to fit together. The cut of his high cheekbones, a strong nose.

He bares his teeth, his breaths coming quick, like he can’t catch his breath either, one of his canines the slightest bit crooked and sharp. And I had the thought, for half a second, that these were his fangs, and he’s a monster.

This is Bastien.

He’s hauntingly beautiful. Devastating in a rugged, messy way. A ghost from centuries past, doomed to haunt the manor, only the truth was much sadder: the eldest son, locked away, shunned from the world, forgotten.

Until I came along and became his obsession.

“If you thought you could leave before,” he says, stilling inside of me, pressed in as far as he can go, “then you’ve really damned yourself now.”

“I’m not scared of you.” It’s only half a lie. I’m scared of what he could do. I’m scared he’ll never let me see the outside world again, no matter how this party goes. I’m scared he won’t give me what he promised.

“Good,” he says.

Our bodies clash together, again and again, at the highest point of the manor, melting into pleasure. Only he could push me past this precipice. Only he could torment me like this.

Later, after he’s carried me to bed, slinking away into the shadows while he thinks I’m asleep, I begin to wonder just how he plans to keep me trapped here.

He won’t be able to keep his eyes on me forever.

Chapter 48

The Ghost

It’snights like this that I wish I truly could be in two places at once. The warmth of Mallary’s bed is too enticing, the lush sweetness of her body too tempting. And yet once she is deep asleep, safe within her slumbering, I force myself to leave her be. She doesn’t sleepwalk tonight. She trulyrests. Like her mind can finally relax now that she knows Iseeher and I am here to stay.

Soon, we will have this. We will wake to the other’s touch, every day. We will never again have to hide. She’s agreed to stay. She’s accepted me. Acceptedthis.

But tonight, there are things I must do.

The procurement of rope was easy. The snakes are hidden away, thanks to the crony. The drugs, however, were less simple.

I don’t want to kill theentireparty.

Not that they probably don’t deserve it. But if I kill them all, then no one will be able to spread the word about Mallary’s performance. And I did promise her that. If they die, all of this will have been for nothing. No, I just need enough of them out of their minds to cause a panicked exodus from the estate.

I tell Desmond everything that he needs to know. He’s irritated. Probably mad he’s stuck helpingme. Mad I found out about his little girlfriend. I don’t care.

Only once everything is in place, the morning sky lightening to a dull gray, do I slip back into her bedroom. She hasn’t moved.

My Mallary.

She deserves this rest. I kiss her face. I can’t help it.

She’ll likely wake soon. And I know if I stay, she may never leave this room until tonight.

I whisper my promises against her throat, breathe her in one last time, and resign myself to focusing on my revenge until the dark once more blankets the manor.

In twenty four hours, we will finally be free.