Page 58 of Shattered Souls

“It’s kind of my thing, little scarecrow.”

19

Hyde

The needle pierces my skin at a rate human eyes can’t detect. The design stenciled on my skin is a meat hook, thick droplets falling off the tip. The pain grounds me, brings me back to the present instead of dwelling on the past. Away from the hands gliding down my torso. Or the quiet praises that were laced with a venom that has no antidote.

Rayvn has her nose stuffed deep in a book, drinking in its contents as if her life depends on it. Synn’s cleaning out the gunshot wound in the cop's leg, says it’s getting real bad. Not sure why we should care though.

“Hayze!” Speak of the devil.

I push up from the couch, Rayvn shutting her book abruptly, and make my way to the better version of myself. His hands are in his hair, not anger, just exhaustion.

“He’s dying.”

“Pump him full of adrenaline.” I suggest. “Shit, let him die, for all I care.”

The cop has been with us for three days now. Synn has cleaned the wound, only to then dump something back into it as a form of torture. It started with drain cleaner, and then moved to nail polish remover, salt mixed with lemon juice, and even essential oils.

“No. It’s time to just kill him.” The officer's eyes lift to us, no fight left to give. “Police will be looking for him soon enough. We need to dissolve the body and then get rid of the barrel.”

“Next step of the plan?” Pack and leave. The next step will take weeks, maybe even months. But the weight of needing to vacate Montana has been creeping in for a while now.

“Unfortunately,” He signs back to me. I know Synn means business when he’s signing, when he doesn’t want prying eyes.

“What plan?” We both spin. She’s standing in the doorway, eyes avoiding the cop laying half alive on the table.

“Nothing,” Synn snaps. She flinches at the bite in his tone, but doesn’t back away.

“Well,” She’s twirling on her heels slightly, the movement making her T-shirt swish around her torso. “It’s Friday. Anything happening today?”

“We’re a bit,” Synn motions to the body lying on the table, sadly clinging to life. “Preoccupied.” Rayvn pouts, her lip puffing out with sass.

We’ve both noticed it, this subtle shift in her person. She’s quieter, but in a relaxed kind of way. Like life has finally slowed enough and she’s grown accustomed to this life.

She spends almost every day unchained, and not once has she tried to escape us. She still sleeps in my room, never once trying to make a move to grow closer to Synn. Yet, I think she’s trying to protect me, viewing touching him as some sort of cheating in a sense.

“But you have to make an appearance tonight—right?”

“That desperate to get chased?” I sign at her, knowing she won’t understand. She watches my hands with a new interest, drinking in every motion of each phrase.

“No,” She squints her eyes at me, pride spreading across her face. She lifts her hands, and slowly signs, “I want to see the stars.”

I stare at her, mouth hung open in awe. Synn, he’s laughing his ass off. Bent at the waist, one hand clutching his stomach while the other swipes moisture from the corner of his eye.

“You can sign?”

“Seems like it.” The words are slow, and she trips over seems a few times before getting the motion down fully.

“Since when?”

“A magician,” She has to finger spell magician. I show her the sign for it right after, she signs thank you but continues. “Never reveals his tricks.” She giggles, the sound sending blood rushing to my cock.

“Man, that’s tiring. No wonder your forearms are shredded.” She rubs at the muscles in her arm, smiling giddily at me. I turn to Synn, who is watching this interaction, no longer laughing. Instead, he has a proud smirk on his face.

A groan from the table steals the soft moment from us.

“Fuck, he’s alive?” She’s steps away from him like he might jump out and bite her.