Final Debt

In a burst of power, she ripped out of my hold, swatting my broken arm.

I groaned in agony as she sucked in a breath for help.

I had two choices. Let her scream, give into the overwhelming pain, and let this end without victory, or fight through everything and win.

I fought.

Tackling her again, I didn’t care about my arm as I wrapped the broken one around her tiny waist and slapped my other hand over her lips.

Seventy-four.

Seventy-five.

Seventy-six heartbeats.

She folded as delicately as her beloved flower petals, crashing to the floor. I didn’t try to protect myself. I didn’t relish the impact or brutal pain.

I fell with her.

Agony I’d never felt before ripped through my bones.

I bounced on her decrepit body, squashing her into the carpet. I gasped, willing myself to keep going. “Not this time, Bonnie. You don’t get to win this time. This time…it’s my turn. It ends here. Just us.”

I was better than this. Better than her and all Hawks combined.

I would take this grandmother’s life, and I would enjoy it.

She was frail, ancient—the matriarch of a power-crazed house. Yet she was just human—same as me, same as Jethro, same as every person on this planet.

She wasn’t immortal or scary.

She’s already dead.

She batted at my hold with wrinkled hands, her strength rapidly dwindling.

“You deserve to die, Bonnie.” I pushed her further into the carpet. “You asked me when I came into this room what I saw when I looked at you. It’s my turn to ask you.” I held her wriggling form, breathing hard. “What do you see when you look at me?”

Your killer?

Your demise?

Not letting her answer, I snarled, “I’ll tell you what you should see. You should see a girl who’s reached the end of her limit. A girl who won’t hesitate to kill. A girl who fully intends to survive this massacre and burn your legacy to the ground.”

Her eyes shadowed with fear.

She fought me—surprisingly strong, but she couldn’t defeat the cold animosity siphoning through my veins. My rage turned into something not entirely sane as I stared into Bonnie’s terrified gaze. “Want to know a secret?”

Her nose whistled as she sucked in ragged breaths around my silencing palm.

“I know something you don’t know.” I had meant to kill her quickly, but taunting was too much fun. I wanted to do to her what she’d done to my family and me.

A dose of her own medicine.

And my secret about Daniel had to be shared. Who better than his grandmother who would soon be joining him in the afterlife?

Her hazel eyes glared into mine. I understood her silent message. You’ll die because of this.

I giggled, hovering over her. “I’m dead already, so what does it matter if I take you with me?”

The fight left her. An eerie calm replaced it instead. Her face filled with conversation, dragging curiosity through my blood.

Dammit.

Despite my need to end her, I had an intolerable desire to hear her final words.

“Don’t scream and I’ll let you speak.”

She nodded.

Was it stupidity or possibly insanity making me trust her? Whatever one it was, I removed my hand.

Her face turned to the side, sucking in oxygen, her white chignon falling apart thanks to the carpet.

I squeezed her tiny body with my knees. I was her death shroud. A crow hovering for murder.

One-hundred and four.

One-hundred and five.

One-hundred and six heartbeats.

“You’re not stupid, child. You know you’ll pay for this the moment Clarity returns. There are worse things than death. Haven’t you learned that yet?”

“I know.”

“Then get off me and I’ll make sure they don’t maim you too much.” Her smile was evil personified. “However, wait another moment longer, and I’ll personally tear you limb from fucking limb.”

The curse fell from her red painted lips.

I smiled, cocking my head. “Not yet. I want answers first.”

“I’ve given you plenty of answers.”

“No, that was convoluted history seen through your twisted eyes.”

She snorted.

“I want to know why you are the way you are. Why you’re ludicrously set on an ancient vendetta. Are you just mad and passed that defective gene onto your son or did you grow into this despicable creature?”

“You stupid, stupid girl. I’ve helped keep this family together. There is nothing wrong with loving blood over others.”

“Even murder?”

She grinned, showing yellowing death and bad breath. “Especially murder.” She raised her head off the ground, bringing our eyes closer together. “Especially your bloodline’s murder. You owe us.”

“What did we ever do to you to deserve such barbaric treatment?”

“You know what!”

“No, I don’t. I will never understand because there is nothing rational to understand. It’s just a sickness inside you that needs to end.”

She coughed, her ancient lungs rattling. “You don’t know a thing about me.”

“Tell me. I’m giving you the opportunity, right now.” I glared. “I want to know. This is your last chance.” A contorted smile spread my lips. “Call it your last confession. Purge your sins, Bonnie, because I’m sending you to your grave—secrets told or not.”