Page 15 of Petty Deadly Gorgeous

“My sweet Countess, you will need to clean up and have a change of clothing.”

I lifted my head and I looked around. The bed contained most of the blood and there were no footprints.

“Jon? How do I not get caught?”

“Allow me.” He gave me a gentlemanly bow. “Stay right there until I come back.”

Doing as he said, I watched him leave the room, and felt myself growing cold as the blood cooled. I waited for the guilt of what I’d done to hit me, but it never came. I felt liberated! Intoxicated!

I wonder if this is what being drunk feels like?

Jon stepped back into the room. “Are you going to release them?”

“Oh, yeah!” I laughed. “Iroeshru.”

Both of their bodies slumped down, and I groaned as I gave Mother a hard shove back. Jon disappeared from sight and a moment later, I felt a sheet wrap around me as he lifted me up in his powerful arms.

He carried me from the room, down the stairs and out of the house. My athame lay across my belly, safely poking away from him, and he followed the path into the woods. He shimmered into my vision and I leaned my head on his chest, inhaling the sweet mix of blood and mint. I felt my emotions rise peculiarly. Turning my head, I nuzzled his chest and pressed a soft kiss to his covered chest, and heard a soft growl.

His footfalls were gentle as he trudged through the floor of the woods, but he startled a deer that was nibbling ahead of us. She stood still and then dashed which made me smile and a soft sigh escaped my lips.

My voice sounded muffled against his chest. “I don’t feel guilty.”

“Why should you?”

“I just killed my parents.”

“Ah, but did they deserve it?” He winked at me.

“I think so. Yes.”

“Never feel guilty for doing what you feel is right.”

The air changed from chilly to a warm moistness. The river should be near us, which seemed like the perfect place to get cleaned up. I thought he would put me down until I heard his feet splash into the water.

“Aren’t you going to put me down?”

“Of course.” He nodded and lowered me so I could stand.

Usually, the water wasn’t that cold and tonight it felt just right. Stabbing the soft ground with my dagger, I let the sheet drop from around me and I looked over my shoulder at him.

“Don’t get any ideas.” He shook his head at me. “You have my whole heart and my devotion. That should suffice for now.”

“Why?” I stomped my foot in the water.

“If anyone got wind of the fact that I touched you intimately, they would lock me up.” His eyes hardened.

Damn him. He was right.

I felt the pout on my face and I blew out a hard breath. “Then you better turn around.”

Groaning inwardly, I stripped down until I was completely naked under the moon. My feet carried me further into the water and I dove underneath. The water felt so good against my skin and I rubbed my body lightly. When I broke the surface, Jon cut a sharp whistle and tossed a bar of soap at me.

“Where did you get this?” I missed catching it and had to fish around for it.

“You had a bag packed already with it inside.”

That made sense. I’d packed a bag to go to Gran’s for last weekend, but dad found an excuse not to let me go. After finding my soap, I moved towards shallow water to scrub myself clean. I didn’t see Jon anywhere, but clean pajamas laid out on a large rock.

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