Page 54 of The Sins That Bleed
Why do I feel like I’m running out of time?
Sunny. I have to find her, she’ll know how to get in. I run to Nico’s suite where I last saw them and pound my fist on the door, hard enough that the hinges creak in protest. The panic is clawing up my throat—I have to get to her.
“Open up, Nico! Sunny, are you in there?” I shout before banging again. They’re taking too fucking long.
I’m about to kick the door in when it opens and Nico appears. “Why are you trying to beat my door down like you’re an ogre or something? What’s the emergency?”
“Is Sunny in there with you? I need her help.” I try and see over his shoulder to see if I can spot her.
“No, she left about ten minutes ago, said she was going to take care of something. What’s going on, Rai?” He’s serious now, picking up on my panic.
“It’s, I—” I rub my chest, the ache getting stronger as it calls me toward my girl. “Valeska, something bad is happening, I can sense it. We-we had a fight and she—I can’t fucking get to her, Nico! I know she’s in her suite, but it’s locked, I need Sunny to let me in.”
“Fuck, okay, it’s going to be okay. Let me call her and ask her to come back.” He turns into his apartment and swipes his phone from the counter. I start pacing to give my nervous energy an outlet.
“Come on, pick up, Sunny,” I hear Nico say, but he sounds far away.
I focus on my breathing, if I sink too far into my dread then I’ll be useless to help Valeska when I get to her. An idea comes to me and I take off running. I hear Nico shout after me and then hear his footsteps thundering behind me.
I reach Valeska’s door and slam my boot into the wood. I’ll kick it down to get to her. It doesn’t budge, so I repeat the action, again and again, but it’s not working. What the fuck is this thing made of? I switch to pounding on the door, but no answer comes.
“What the hell are you two doing?” Sunny shrieks at us and we both jump at her sudden appearance.
“Where the fuck did you come from? Never mind, actually, Rai needs to get into Valeska’s suite, something happened and he has a bad feeling, can you get us in?” Nico says all the words I can’t.
“I shouldn’t really, she has them locked for a reas?—“
“Please, Sunny, I need to get to her. If she’s okay and ends up pissed at us, I will take all the blame and say I tricked you into it or something,please.” I beg.
She studies me for a moment, and she must see the panic on my face because she moves around me. “Out of my way gentlemen.”
Within moments the door swings open and I’m racing through the entryway and towards a set of stairs. Her suite is completely different to mine and Nico’s, but somehow I know exactly where she is.
I’ll worry about how I know later.
I storm up the stairs, taking two at a time to get to her room faster. I burst through a door and find her large bedroom empty and everything in its place. I scan it again and notice another door open a little as steam slips through the crack and dissipates.
I run toward it and throw the door open. It takes a moment for the steam to clear but I almost wished it hadn’t. Blood. It’s everywhere, on the floor and walls, mixing with the steaming hot water of the sunken bath and, floating in the middle of it all facedown, is my girl, mon cauchemar.
And she’s not moving.
I race towards her as I scream her name. Time moves in slow motion as I try to get to her and save her. I don’t miss the jagged looking dagger that sits on the edge of the tub or the way her blood pools and drips off the tip of the blade.
I jump into the water, not caring as it scalds my skin, my only focus is getting to her. I reach her body and I’m partially aware of Nico and Sunny coming through the door, but I don’t look at them. All I can hear is my blood whooshing past my ears as I finally reach her and pull her to me.
I drag her lifeless body to the edge and find Nico there to help me pull her out. Sunny is frozen to spot by the door, her eyes unwavering on Valeska’s lifeless form. I pull myself out of the bath and kneel next to her body, Nico mirrors me on her other side.
That’s when I realise the extent of her injuries, the reason Sunny hasn’t moved from where she is. My heart breaks andshatters against the walls of this room, seeking out her blood to find comfort in them.
Hundreds of slash marks mar the exposed parts of her body; she’s in nothing but her underwear which means there is no hiding how many there are of them. Slice after slice, going in every direction like she was in a frenzy, covering her arms, legs, stomach, and her lovely face. She’s lost so much blood.
“No! No, no, no, no, no, don’t do this, Valeska. Please, sweetheart, come back to me,” I sob and pain lances through my chest.
I can’t lose her too.
Nico places two fingers to her neck to check for a pulse while I clutch her hand in mine, worried that touching her anywhere else will cause her more pain. I suck in a ragged breath as I wait for Nico to confirm her fate.
“I’m so sorry, mon cauchemar, this is all my fault.” The words leave me in a ragged whisper.
