achy and sore. My head throbbed lightly. The sun s

I was used to. When I checked the time, it was nearing 12 in the afternoon. Considering I w

until at least 5pm. I really didn't have much els

birds nest, my eye bags were heavy and darker than normal. My skin looked pale and flush.

ce and helping myself to the mouthwash sitting on the counter. I n

ront of him. As if he could feel my gaze on him, he looked u

one?" It was a decent home, larger than average. A luxury I coul

her walked out on me, quite some time ago. He remarried and

up by magnets. In one, a much younger Dean stood with an older man who shared the same features as him - all except the ey

ur

already willingly opening up, I took the opportunity to ask more than I sh

e is better than here." Dean couldn't have been more than ten years old. They all looked so-happy and lively. I noticed that Dean's eyes were di

at him again. He was chewing slowly, in

my eyebro

his face. "Nothing. You're just-well the first person w

t really, it won't change anything. Nor will it mean anything because

moment. "You don't want

ok my

"Would you like a

isclose my locati

ed at the same time. I offered a s

y?are?going

ough the phone. He had been going on for twenty minutes

o I had known the longest. He was essentially

." I reassured him calmly, although

pable of going to, I knew how easy it would be for him to kill me if that's what he

d my mind. With a life like mine, there was only way you'd go out and it was similar to the situation I

It wasn't the first or last time I'll be face

on in Eddie's voice. "If they don't get to yo

hed dully. "No

k with me. I doubt he'd e

th

now them. They never hesitate. There is nothing stopping

on't to

. "What makes

kill them if they do." I laid back on the motel bed

a long moment. "You don'

ing to let my ex-whatever-he-is, Derrick and his goonies kill him because

ly. "Just don't d

?" My voice c

hated

e you doing

as even listeni

quick to answer. "And?talk

loudly. "Warn him

iar with this life. Warn him that Derrick will be back-if not now, then ev

ght was souring. "Fine. I wi

ope you do-otherwise his dea

blank, disgustingly green coloured m

s dead serious without a hint of amu

n, the old man who owned the diner asked me. "

ly. "No, I'm o

polite smile before walking a

d today. I couldn't find enough interest to fo

ed, catching

tually?want?to ru

s sitting in the same spot I sat in last time- or

ett

cou

ely overlook the new hooded girl in town?

reluctantly met

urprise flashing across hi

rolling my eyes.

n on the stool beside mine. "Don't

ut me makes you think I'm in the

brows pull

what talking with

im. "You are a?ve

night- they're not people you should ignore

, Elettra?" His eyes glin

akes you-does it-God! Do I look amus

can handle myself. You

a giving you a heads-up so I know no blood will fall onto my hands." I

d. It was as if I were speaking about cotton-candy-rather than him dying

ely ease me. Anxiety riveted through my stomach. I didn't have a

more concerned

ed. "Don't say I

e speaking again. "What about you, Elettr

s either one of us or both

th didn't scare me. If I woke up in the morning, I would go about my day. I

ra? Yo

having realiz

o make sure you understand that they'll come ba

er. "Multiple guys against one, fairly t

ken care of myself my who

was trying to peel back all the layers of my skin and reall

mean?anything, you know where to find me.

Dean was the one t