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Samuel swallows, apprehension widening his eyes. His suit is now rumpled, not the pressed, perfect suit he usually wears. It looks worn. Actually, Samuel himself looks like he's aged twenty years in the last few hours.
"So, what's the plan?" Atticus asks. "We going to just sit here and shoot the shit or actually go fix this?"
I lift my hands up in a shrug and drop them at my sides. They slap against my thighs. I'm still in my uniform, and a permanent chill has made its way across my body. "He left. I don't even know where he is. He's not going to just come to the church. He knows what we're trying to do. Whatever is in him is smart as hell."
"So, we don't just ask him to come to the church, then. We make a diversion," Levi says. I can see the wheels churning in his head.
He snaps his fingers. "Remember how earlier, when we opened the door, and I threw holy water on those things that were all over you?"
"What?!" my mom shrieks.
I wave my hand at her, ignoring her hysteria. "Yeah? What about it?" I ask Levi.
"So, let's say we get him somewhere. Close to the church, right? We'll sneak up on him and douse him in holy water. That should knock him down for at least a second, right? Maybe for enough time to get him into the church?"
"He should be weaker there." Felix nods, lost in thought.
"How would we get him even close to the church? He'd probably ignore my texts."
Samuel steps toward me. "He wants you to go with him, right? What if you said you wanted to leave with him? Convinced him that you guys can be together?"
"Samuel! I'm not putting my daughter up as bait," my mom snaps.
I shake my head. "I'll do it." I'll do anything for him at this point. "I'll do it."
"Vera, no.” My mom’s order is certain. She refuses to put me in danger. Too bad the moment we stepped into Castle Pointe, she dropped me into the pit of hell.
I snap my head toward her. "I'm doing it. You aren't going to convince me otherwise."
She opens her mouth to object, but from the look in her eyes, she knows I won't back down. She exhales loudly, closing her mouth and glaring at me. "I don't like this."
I lift my eyebrows. "Me neither, but we don't have another choice." Turning toward the guys, I ask, "So, what do we do?"
I push the hoodie over my head, still not able to stop the chill from taking over my body. Even changing into leggings and one of Malik's sweatshirts, the night is extra crisp. It's brutal, actually, and the fog is extra thick too.
I hope this works.
My fleeting text of,please come meet me,I changed my mind, had gone unanswered. I told him to meet me in the woods near the school. That I ran away from my mom after she tried to get me to leave, which to me makes it obvious that I want to meet by the school. The real Malik would know instantly that I’m not stupid. I know we can’t leave town, and my mom’s threats would be comical. But Levi seemed to think whatever is inside of him would be too manic to know otherwise.
I don't know if I really believe that. This thing inside him seems to be more intelligent than anyone knows, but I had to give it a shot.
Everyone is silent around me, hiding in the woods, save for my mom who both Samuel and I made stay back at the house. She's pretty useless when it comes to anything physical or dangerous. She's a high-heeled, manicured businesswoman who doesn't know how to throw a punch. She said she'd get ahold of us if she saw any sign of Malik.
So far, she hasn't. Which I hope means he's on his way here. But I've been standing out here for fifteen minutes with no sign of him.
Levi stands in the darkness, hidden behind some thick trees with a half-gallon jug of holy water he received from Father Moran. If we want this to go as planned, Levi will have to act fast.
The crack of a branch has my entire body stiffening. I wrap my arms around my midsection and stare into the distance, hoping for any sign of life.
There is none.
"Malik?" I ask, my voice echoing in the trees. The hair on my arms raises, and a feeling of being watched falls over me. Everyone has been staring at me, but this sensation is familiar. Hateful and possessive. Toxic but full of a need that I understand way too deeply.
Malik.
Another crack of a branch, and he appears, leaning up against a thick, aged tree. He looks nonchalant, like he doesn't have a care in the world. Like he didn't just toss a priest out of his house, knock his dad out, and tell me he hopes I rot in hell.
"What made you change your mind?" he mumbles.
