Page 39 of Saint

Saint: You look tired, kitten.

Violet sneaks her phone out of her pocket and freezes when she reads what’s on the screen. Her back straightens, and her body tenses. Slowly, she glances around the room, looking for me.

There’s something to be said about hiding in plain sight. People can’t see what’s right in front of them. They’re too busy searching the shadows.

Just like how Violet has yet to recognize my voice or clothes. She’s always focusing on the wrong things.

Violet: It’s not fair that you know who I am when you won’t tell me who you are.

Saint: I never said this was fair.

Violet: What do you want?

Saint: You.

Violet: You can’t have me.

Saint: Debatable.

Violet: I’m serious. I’m done with all of this. Leave me alone.

Saint: No. But don’t worry, I like it better when you fight me, kitten. So keep it up, and maybe I’ll give you what you want next time.

Violet: I don’t. Not anymore.

Saint: Liar… Enjoy your new present.

Once more, her body tenses, and her head twists slightly from side to side as she looks around the room.

Violet: What present?

Swiping out of the Dark Desires app, I open the feed to one of the cameras I have in her bedroom. I zoom in on her bed and make sure my present is still where I left it while she was out at breakfast with Patience.

A small box. Blue like her eyes. A bed of black rose petals inside it… along with Nixon’s tongue.

Saint: Just a little something to add to your collection.

13

Nothing Better Than Watching You

Violet

I’m exhausted, completely drained.But it’s becoming clear.

Saint is always watching me. He has eyes in every corner of every room, even when he’s not here. I’m no closer to learning who he is, but at least I’ve come up with a plan.

If he never looks away, I’ll use that to my advantage. I just need to be careful how I go about it so no one else ends up dead.

My stare flicks to the corners of the ceiling in my bedroom, to the slats in the dark vents. I’m pretty sure he’s planted cameras in my room given how he knows the exact moment anything happens in here, but I haven’t been able to find them.

Focusing on the dark corners, I feel him watching me. Likely amused by the fact that I haven’t been able tooutsmart him yet. Or maybe curious why I haven’t gone to the police.

It’s a puzzle I’m still trying to solve myself.

When the time is right.

When I figure out who Saint really is.

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