Page 2 of Haunted Nights & Savage Sins
My feet drag against the plush, blood-red carpet that lines the floor. I stumble once, and my father has to readjust his hold on me. When I stand, I look over to the side and make the mistake of catching my reflection in the mirror.
He’s done it.
Exactly what he said he was going to do.
He’s turned me into a monster.
Bright red skin glitters with blood and other bodily fluids along the side of my face, starting from right below my temple, down the side of my cheek, coming to an end an inch or so away from the crease of my nose. The burn looks angry. Already it’s mutating my features.
My father catches me staring at myself in horror and takes the chance to further prove his point. He drags me closer to the mirror and grabs hold of my chin when I try to look away.
I don’t want to see. Don’t want to become what he wants me to be.
“No, you will look. Look at what compassion gets you. My perfect little monster.” He rubs my hair almost as if he’s proud of me for going through this trial and coming through in one piece on the other side.
What he doesn’t know is my entire being is broken. With each tear that streams down my face, another piece of my soul is chipped away.
After he finishes humiliating me, he continues to drag me down the hall.
My stomach lurches up into my mouth as my face continues to throb and burn. When will the pain end?
The long black drapes keep the halls dark, but the flickering flames of the candles allow me to see just enough to recognize where my father is taking me, not to the hospital or to a doctor but to the ones he expects to fix all his problems. My brothers.
The heavy wooden door creaks as he pushes it open. Killian and Declan stand in their nightclothes, both of them staring at the scene in front of them with anguished expressions.
The three of us may be at odds with each other more often than not, but I know I can depend on them. They’re family. My brothers.
“Clean him up.” My father shoves me into the room. I don’t remember walking or falling. All I can remember is landing in Declan’s arms.
“We got you. It’s okay. We’re here,” he mutters, and it’s the last thing I hear before I pass out.
My dreams are filled with pain and unnaturally scarred beasts chasing after me.
No matter how fast I run, it feels like they are perpetually right behind me, nipping at my heels, desperate to get their hands on me, to bring me into their ranks.
I don’t know how long I remain unconscious, but the next thing I know, I’m being shaken awake. I groan from the pain. My face is covered with gauze, and the material is sticking to the wound on my face. I want to rip it off, but part of me believes that if I do, my face will come off with it.
“We’ve got to go. Come on. Right now!” Killian yells in my face, and I struggle to understand the panic bleeding off his words.
Why the hurry?
Just as I force myself to sit up, the stench hits me.
Burning. Flames. Soot and ash.
For a second, I think it’s my skin again, but then I see the dark rolling cloud of smoke sliding its way under the door. It moves like it has a mind, like it knows I’m still alive and wants to rectify that.
“What’s happening?” I say through clenched teeth. I’m trying my hardest not to move my face. Even blinking is agony.
“Fire. The house is on fire,” Killian grunts as he takes my weight and leads me out of the room.
Turning my head, I can see a bright red-orange glow coming from the east wing of the house, the same room where my punishment was meted out.
I gasp, suddenly forgetting about the pain that I’m in.
“Mother?” I question and try to pull away.
“They’re trying to get to her. She’ll be fine.” Killian fights to keep me on the path that leads out of the house.
