Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(42)
Author: Cambria Hebert

I couldn’t risk her being found. I couldn’t risk calling the cops. I shuddered at the thought of answering their questions and seeing their suspicious faces.

There was only one thing to do.

I made my way, quietly this time, back through the woods. Her body was exactly as it had been before. I reached down and pulled her around; her body fell heavily onto her back. Her eyes stared up at me, vacant and shocked. The last moments of her life had been horrible and no one should have to die that way.

Her face was mauled and bloody. Her body was broken and almost naked. Her skin and lips were already blue, and I closed my eyes to the awful sight.

Trying to detach myself, I picked her up and ignored the way her eyes seemed to stare at me. I went quickly to the lake shore, thankful that there was still the cover of trees and walked right into the water. For the second time that night, I threw a body into the lake.

Except this time, this body wouldn’t be coming back out. I watched the girl float and realized that I would have to weight her body to make it sink. With a sick feeling in my stomach I dove to the bottom and grabbed a heavy rock. Then from beneath the water I grabbed her leg and pulled her down….then further down still.

At the bottom of the lake, I held her body and placed several large rocks on top of her. There was some long vegetation growing, and I wound it around her hands and arms. I looked down at her face, her eyes still wide open. I reached out and closed them, hopefully bringing her some peace.

I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve this. But it was you or Heven. I won’t let this happen to her. So it had to be you.

Then I swam away without looking back.

Heven

One second he wasn’t there but the next he was, striding through the crowd, dripping wet and pushing the hair up off his forehead. He seemed to walk like he was weighed down, like something was wrong. I took that as a sign he didn’t find my bracelet. I resolved to myself that it was gone, and I vowed to not show him how upset that made me.

From across the table Cole and Kimber were talking, but I wasn’t paying any attention. I was focused on Sam. He stepped up onto the deck, and I couldn’t help but notice the way his wet t-shirt was plastered to his broad chest. When he caught me staring, he smiled, and his face transformed from torment to peace.

He slid into the vacant seat next to me and icy droplets of water fell against my hand. “You are soaking wet!” I exclaimed.

“I found you something.” He grinned.

“You did?” I asked.

He held out his palm and uncurled his fingers. My bracelet was there, nestled against his skin. I gasped and threw my arms around his neck. “You found it!”

He laughed, his arms clasping me tightly, his face buried in my neck.

“It was in the lake?” How did he find it?

“I guess I got lucky.” He said, kissing me on the nose. I laughed and scooped it out of his hand.

“I am so glad that you found it, Hev.” Kimber said.

“Thanks.” I smiled. “Can you put it on me?” I asked Sam.

“I think I better fix the clasp first, before you wear it again.”

I felt disappointed but he was right. I would rather not wear it than risk losing it again. “Okay,” I agreed and handed it back to him.

“I’ll give it back to you tomorrow.”

I nodded. I knew it would be safe with Sam.

“We should be going.” Sam said quietly to me.

I nodded, ready to leave.

He stood, his keys appearing in his hand, and Kimber came over to give me a hug. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Sure. I can help you clean up all this if you want.”

“You’re the best friend ever, Heven,” Kimber said, hugging me again. “And I am so, so sorry about what happened earlier.”

“I know. Happy birthday.” I returned her hug.

I gave a wave to Cole as Sam’s hand found mine. When we were around the side of the house I said, “That was quite a night.”

He made a sound in his throat. “How are you doing? You feeling okay?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.” I smiled, but he didn’t smile back. “Are you okay?”

His arms surrounded me and his chin rested on the top of my head. He was so solid and even though he was wet, he was still incredibly warm and I couldn’t help feeling safe, even when he acted so mysterious. When he didn’t answer I tried to pull back, but he wouldn’t let me and finally he spoke, his voice a mere whisper, “When you fell into the lake…I had no idea that you couldn’t swim. I never would have let you wonder off that far.”

“I was hardly twenty feet away!”

“It was too far,” he murmured, squeezing me tighter.

“But you pulled me out. And everything’s okay.”

“Let’s try and take it easy for a while, huh? At least until prom.”

“Prom?” I stepped back and looked up.

He grinned. “You are going with me aren’t you? You didn’t agree to go with that jock, did you?”

“Who?” I wondered.

His grin got bigger. “Good answer.”

“Oh. Brice? Yeah, right.” I rolled my eyes.

“So…me and you?” he asked, his tawny eyes turning serious.

“Of course,” I said, transfixed. I would go anywhere with him, even the depths of Hell.

“That’s my girl,” he whispered, hooking his arm around me and settling me in the truck.

As he walked around to the driver’s side, I came out of my happy fog just long enough to see his eyes scan the trees one last time before climbing in and locking the doors behind him.

The Hate

Rage boiled my blood, and I screamed at the sky. I could feel droplets of spittle gathering around the edges of my mouth as I screamed, but I didn’t care. I pretended the moisture was blood…and it had come from Heven.

But I loved to see the complete devastation that he felt when he saw that corpse in the woods. He thought it was his precious little love. He’s so pathetic, standing in the woods and mourning over a silly girl. Love is for the weak.

The only way to make him strong…to make him see who he truly is…is murder. The bitch must die. Though her death will mean his suffering, it isn’t enough. I want him to feel as much pain as possible. I want his soul destroyed.

So before I murder her and spread her insides out for him to see, I have a plan. I will whisper all the lies he tells her, the secrets he keeps, in her ear.

How satisfying it will be when he sees her gaze of love turn to disgust. She will rip out his heart. I will rip out hers.