Page 68 of The Sins That Bleed
I watch Sunny stiffen next to him and Valeska turns to stone at the mention of my sister going missing. I wait for the usual condolences and pity that comes from people finding out, but it never comes. They’ve probably seen and heard worse things, so this isn’t that shocking to them.
I make a mental note to ask Valeska how old she is.
“Well, when you put it like that, it is odd, but not impossible. Some people call this fate, others believe it to be their god’s work. And maybe those things exist maybe they don’t, who is to say? But I understand it as a thread, weaving the fabric of life by connecting us to people we meet. Rai was always meant to be your partner, a brother to you when you needed it most.”
Valeska’s words hang heavy in the air. Nico chews his lip while they settle in his mind, and it makes sense. I feel the exact same way about her, that there is a thread between us, pulling us together.
But I can’t work out why I feel one connecting me to Sunny too, and the pull is getting stronger every day. The answer dances at the edges of my mind, but disappears like smoke when I look too closely.
Valeska and I need to talk.
CHAPTER 30
Fuck It
VALESKA
After Nico’s confession, he shares some of the predictions he’s seen, and so far hasn’t noticed variances between the vision and what happens in reality.
When he first mentioned that he thought he might be psychic, panic flared inside of me that he knew all of my darkest secrets, and the biggest one I’d kept from them all hanging above us like an angry storm cloud.
But so far, he’s not mentioned anything about it. Nico is kind, funny, and protective. I relax a little knowing he’s not been put in a position like Sunny, having to lie to his friend’s face.
Sunny.
This is the first time I’ve seen her since that day in my underworld where, for once, I was the one flayed open, salt being poured into my wounds by the harsh, but true, words she spoke to me.
I’ve killed one person a day down there since she sliced me open, since I decided to live up to my nature of being a monster, ridding this world of the scum that threatens to ruin everything they touch, spreading their sins like seeds, trauma that is destined to wrap around their victims like poison ivy.
The only thing I’m good for.
“Valeska, are you listening?” Rai’s voice breaks through my thoughts.
“Apologies, I was thinking and missed what you said.” My words are too formal to use with Rai, but the need to put some distance between us forces my hand.
Sunny is watching me, and I cannot give in to his touches or fall for the soft way he speaks to me, the tone he’s used with me since we reconnected down in the garage. It would be cruel and wrong to allow it, no matter how much I want it, before he knows the truth.
“I said we should probably head out and leave these two to it. They’ve got a movie planned for this evening, and I need an early night.”
“Right, yes, sure, let’s help them clean up and we’ll leave.” I can’t bring myself to look at Rai as I speak, my eyes trained to the floor.
A nervous laugh fills the room—Sunny’s—and my stomach drops. Is this the moment where she will tell Rai what she knows? Expose me as the monster I am?
“We’ve already cleaned up, V, are you feeling okay? You seem distracted; it’s not like you.”
The forced lightness in her tone has me more on edge.
“I’m fine.” I lie.
I’m getting good at that.
She says nothing as I stand and Rai does the same next to me. I gesture for him to start toward the door so I can follow him out, Sunny and Nico trailing behind us and heading to the kitchen where I see the packets of microwave popcorn sitting on the counter.
“Thanks for the food and hot chocolate, have a good evening,” I say over my shoulder.
I’m desperate to get out of here. Being around Sunny when she hates me so much is like cutting myself repeatedly all overagain. Yet, this hurts more than the blade ever could. I miss my best friend, but I don’t know how to fix it, or if I even can.
Rai pulls open the door and I’m a few paces away from it when Sunny catches up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder to turn me. I flinch but turn to her to see what she needs. I’ll give her anything even if it means hurting me.
