Page 122 of Axis of Fire

it was red too.

My body moved toward it instinctively.

The thought that it might be blood made my ears ring.

I prayed I wouldn’t find bodies at the bottom.

Prayed there wouldn’t be bodies anywhere else.

The pool was empty.

“Damn it,” Airis muttered behind me.

He moved quickly and efficiently—checking the yard, searching through the house.

Like this was routine for him.

Like this was what he did every day.

“The house is empty,” he said, stopping beside me.

“What the hell is this?” The words scraped their way out of my throat, row and unfamiliar.

“Looks like Harold’s work.”

My heart, which had only just started beating again, dropped straight into my stomach.

What if he’d gotten to Gwendolyn, Dwayne, and Mike too?

What if he was collecting the people I loved just to force me to join him?

“We need to—” Airis started, but I cut him off, my fists clenching at my sides.

“I need to go home.”

With sheer force of will, I tore my gaze away and headed toward the exit.

“Isn’t this your home?” Airis asked, catching up with me.

“This is my parents’ house,” I snapped.

“My real home is somewhere else.”

I headed straight for the car, barely noticing Airis opening the passenger door for me.

Every thought in my head revolved around the people I cared about.

Maybe things with my parents had never worked out.

But I hadn’t wanted this for them.

And not for Adeline either.

My little sister was only fifteen.

I didn’t want her becoming a victim.

Or even a witness.