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An instant regret hits my gut. Of course not.
“So, did you do it?” The words come from Reign, and my body tenses. All our bodies tense as we turn toward him.
“What?” I ask him quietly.
He nods toward the blood, not looking shocked in the slightest. “Did you kill that guy last year? That’s what everyone thinks, right? That you’re a murderer.”
I balk, my mouth opening and closing as nothing but air slips from my lips. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
He stares at me blankly. “I wouldn’t put it past you, Lakyn. You’re a fucking fuse.”
I step up to him, instant rage burning through my veins. “Why are you here, Reign? I mean, honestly. Why the fuck are you here?”
He tilts his head to the side, looking smug. “Do you mean down here, below the ship, or here, in Hellcrest Heights?”
I grind my jaw, my hands fisting at my sides. “I mean here, in Hellcrest Heights. Are you here to fuck with me? To paint me red-handed? Watch me fucking suffer?” I point to the red on the wall. “You’re the one that did this, aren’t you?”
His smug face turns irritated. “You think I’d waste my fucking time painting a decrepit old ship just to get a rise out of you?” he barks, letting out a humorless laugh. “I wouldn’t waste my fucking time with this petty-ass bullshit.”
I snarl at him, and a smirk lifts his lips. “You’ve changed, baby Lake. You even look like a murderer.”
I step toward him, ready to unleash every bit of anger in me, when Creed’s arm snaps out, slapping against my chest.
“Don’t,” he growls.
“Reign!” Posie snaps. “Shut the fuck up!” She walks over to me, her fingers threading through mine. “So it wasn’t you. Then who the fuck was it? There’s like a hundred fucking people on this boat.”
I let out a shaky breath, my fingers releasing Posie’s. Walking toward the letters on the wall, I can see how fresh it looks, dripping down the old wood.
“Don’t touch it,” Archer snaps. “There might be a clue or something.”
I don’t listen to him, my finger lifting, brushing against the substance on the wall. I bring it to my nose, smelling it, my eyes widening. “This is blood.”
“What the hell?” Eloise cries out. “Did someone die?”
I rub my pointer and thumb together, in shock. Slightly horrified, and confused.
Is this message to me, or to all of us?
I glance up. “Someone’s playing a game with us,” I whisper.
“Who the fuck would be stupid enough to do that?” Creed snaps.
“Someone who wants to fuck with us, obviously,” Vienna says, and I glance up at her, seeing the color slowly drain from her face. “Are we in danger?”
Creed steps up to her. “You think I’d let anyone put a hand on you?”
“We’re at a party, Creed. If someone has the ability to waltz down here and paint the walls red with blood without getting caught, how are any of us safe? I mean, honestly, how the hell did they even get blood down here? Were they carrying a severed head? A bucket of blood? It makes no fucking sense!” she screams, and Creed steps forward, slapping his hand across her mouth.
“Shut the fuck up, V. We don’t know who did this, so quiet the hell down,” he growls.
“I’m going to tell everyone to get the fuck out of here,” Kyler says, spinning on his feet and making his way toward the stairs.
“How the hell are we supposed to figure out who did this?” I ask.
Archer shakes his head. “I don’t know, but we need this to be cleaned up.”
My brows lift. “I’m not cleaning up someone’s blood, Archer. I’m not…” My chest wheezes, and I want to pull my hair out. “I’m not doing it. Whoever can do this can come watch it dry on the walls, for all I care,” I snap, shaking my head. “I knew this party was a bad idea.”
