Page 367 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

If it wasn’t a party full of killers and politicians then it was a summons, a trial, or a massacre.

Nothing went on in House Dufort that wasn’t over the top, extravagant, or full of bloodshed and mystery.

And usually tipping the scales between the two wouldn’t take much.

I remember hiding in my room most nights, preferring to starve than be around theirfriends. None of them had a kind bone in their body and if it wasn’t for the Dufort name attached to my own, then they wouldn’t have thought twice about gutting me purely for their entertainment.

It wasn’t until I was older did I garner their respect… and fear. Fear because of what I did and what I became.

A cold-blooded killer that hunted down any and all of their enemies. In the end, I realized what I really was... their personal assassin.

They manipulated me until I believed all their lies. Until I couldn’t tell the difference between the two, even when it was staring me right in the face. Even when my basilisk tried showing me the truth.

I ignored it all, and for what? For their love that I never received. For their care or kindness that was never shown.

The truth was, I wasn’t their son but a weapon they could wield. One they didn’t care if it lived or died.

If it wasn’t for Kai, I’d still be here playing their dutiful son, killing those who wronged them. And although most of the people I hunted were corrupt and vile beyond words, most did not need to die by my hands simply for going against my parents.

Only one was innocent, but by the time I realized it, it was already too late.

I shake off my past and move along the long hall to the next bedroom, pausing when I spot a shadow shift out of the corner of my eye.

Grabbing my dagger, I swiftly turn, ready to attack, but there’s no one there.

On silent feet I move forward, checking the spot where the shadow last was, but it’s gone, leaving no trace behind.

Keeping my eyes peeled, I move into the bedroom just as it shifts beneath my feet.

The moment the movement stops and I glance around at my surroundings, I instantly know where I am… Or where I once was.

My parents’ basement.

The last time I was here was when I killed that innocent man… Or at least helped kill him.

The room is as dark and cold as I remember. Empty, with only two high arched windows in the basement, shedding barely any light into the room.

A man in his early thirties with dark brown hair is bound and gagged to a chair in the middle of the room. His eyes are covered by a white cloth, but I know they’re as blue as the deep sea, his wide eyes never leaving my memory.

Younger me walks in; his eyes empty with not a speck of warmth in them.

Just before he reaches us, I reach out and try to grab the man’s shoulder but my hand goes right through him, just like I expected.

Sighing, I stand back and watch my past unfold in front of me.

Younger me is as silent on his feet as I am now. The man doesn’t know I’m in the room until I bend over, placing the hilt of the knife to his chin.

I feel the shift beneath my feet again, but instead of the room moving, I do. This time I’m inside my younger self, but only as a spectator as I dig the hilt of the blade further into his skin.

“Tell me who your boss is and I’ll think about making this quick. Attempt to lie to me, and I’ll make sure you know the true definition of pain.”

“I don’t know… I swear. They set me up.”I narrow my eyes on him, hearing nothing but lies. Even though deep down I know there’s something different about him than the others I’ve killed. Something in my gut telling me this isn’t right.

But back then, I only believed what my parents told me. Never questioning their motives. Too naïve and stupid to think they would lie to me.

“If you’re not going to tell me anything of value, then there’s no point in wasting my time.”

The sound of the blade as I unsheathe it rings out around the silent room, making the man cry out and beg for his life. I ignore his pleas, moving the sharp edge to his throat.

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