Page 49 of Satan's Son

I tried to suppress a smile. If Addy saw that, she wouldn’t stop and I could see Archie’s nerves were raw.

“Can you listen without speaking?” Archie gave her a serious look, but Addison ignored it.

“Can you move without your joints cracking?” Addison wasn’t letting up with the old jokes and that evil smirk on her face told me she was enjoying getting under his skin.

She was just trying to piss him off enough that he would end up leaving.

“I was behind the burning of women who I believed were witches. It wasn’t until after my death that I found out how wrong I was,” Archie continued. “You see, Addison, you only lived as a guider for a short time. You were able to make up for your wrongdoings but bad people don’t get the promise of a resting place.”

I knew it was hard for Archie to speak about this. He hated what he was, and he hated that he would be doing it until the earth exploded.

“So, you’re telling me that every serial killer is granted an immortal life to walk among the living?” Addison looked mortified. She glanced at me. “What the fuck are you thinking?”

Archie cringed at the word; he was old-fashioned like that.

“No, only some are given this opportunity. Most are just cursed.” Archie explained for me. “I was given the chance to grace the world as an immortal for the rest of existence. Doomed to forever make up for what I did.”

Addison didn’t say anything. She just blinked at Archie, not taking her eyes off him. What was she thinking? Had Archie’s story made a difference?

“Okay.” Addison frowned then looked between us. “I’m still waiting for the point of you telling me that story, because you just went and made this place depressing.”

Nope, it hadn’t made a difference.

“That’s it, I’m hungry.” She got up dramatically. “Pity I’m in a mood for cornflakes and someone ate them all.” She glared at Archie.

“I’ll take you to get something.” I needed to get some fresh air, and I wanted to speak to Addison alone. She was still upset about the whole Alex thing.

“Maybe I don’t want to go with you,” she argued.

She really wanted to play games, didn’t she? “I’ll get you one of those Happy Meals.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Will you help me put the toy together?”

I couldn’t resist rolling my eyes. A two-year-old was expected to be able to put those toys together but Addison expected me to do it for her. “Yes, I will put it together for you.”

“Score!” Addison spun on her heel with a large grin.

Maybe the Happy Meal would soften her up so she wouldn’t attack me when I tried to talk to her about Alex again but then, knowing Addison, she would probably try and kill me with her damn plastic toy - after I put it together for her.

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