Page 100 of The Cute Psycho

"Please, Leo," the girl speaks, pinching her brother, "let's go home."

Leo seems unsure as he gazes between me and his sister, but seeing Leila's sad expression seems to make him reconsider his stance.

"Fine." He takes a step toward me, still keeping his sister behind.

I reach out to take his hand, surprised when he allows that.

"It's going to be okay," I repeat, hoping my promise won't be in vain.

We walk back to where Vlad and Seth are, and Glen is already dead, his skull half opened, his brain visible through bone cracks.

I keep the kids behind, so they don't see the slaughter, but given the abundance of blood now coating the floor, I can't help myself as I check up on Vlad.

"Are you okay?" I call out, and he whips his head up suddenly, as if he hadn't been aware of my presence before. He gives me a brisk nod, his foot shooting out to kick Glen's corpse to the ground before focusing on Patrick.

"Seth, why don't you take the kids to the car," Vlad says absentmindedly as he grabs onto Patrick, flinging him down to the floor.

Seth immediately complies, coming to my side and swiftly taking one kid in each arm. The twins are too in awe of Seth's size and appearance to protest, looking at him as if they'd never seen a human before.

He gives me a nod before heading back out with the kids.

"There were two children's bodies in the room. Autopsies," I tell Vlad as I join his side.

"Doc's work, no wonder," he comments, his eyes fixed on Patrick.

"You should have let me take the kids to the car. If they get restless or ask questions, Seth can't answer them."

"I should have," he answers vaguely, "but you stick by my side. Always."

Grabbing Patrick by the nape, he drags him toward the autopsy room. "Now, let's evaluate your skill, doc," he says, signaling me to follow him.

Vlad kicks the door open, throwing Patrick in the middle of the room as he assesses his surroundings.

"Talk!" he commands him, and I can tell he's no longer in the mood for jokes.

His lip curls up in distaste as he surveys the carcasses of the children, and his arm shoots out, choking Patrick and lifting him in the air.

"I said talk," Vlad enunciates again, slamming him onto one of the tables. His hand shifts to his nape as he pushes his head down in the open chest cavity of one child.

"See, this is your brilliant work. How does it look up close andpersonal?" he asks, and Patrick makes choking sounds, his arms flailing around.

I'm so sickened by what they're doing to children, that I can only hope Vlad will give him his due. My eyes trail over the utensils, taking some and placing them next to Vlad.

"He should feel it on his own skin," I nod toward Patrick, a sick desire taking shape inside of me. I want to see him suffer for what he's done. Even more than Glen, I want to see him beg for his life while Vlad opens him up like a lab rat.

"A girl after my own taste." Vlad smiles at me, sending me an airy kiss before suddenly becoming serious again, yanking Patrick out of the cavity. He breathes hard, gasping for air, his eyes wide with horror as he looks between us.

"Talk or..."

"I just do what I'm paid to do!" he exclaims, close to tears.

"And that is?"

"They bring me people... kids... and I do physical exams on them, if they are alive. If they are dead..." he trails off, looking at the corpses on the table, "I perform autopsies."

"Why? What is Miles looking for?"

"Failure," Patrick says in a low voice.

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