Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
My eyes close. The smell. The smell. Oh no. The decay of metal mixes with the stale odor of mold.
Dripping water splashes against the ground. The sound of metal once more.
“Well, well, well…if it isn’t Little Miss Madness.”
The room tilts to the side again. I know I’m shit out of luck if I try to fight right now. There’s no way I’ll be able to. I was never good at combat with one sense.
Shit.
“Who are you?” The words feel as though they shatter whatever’s left of my ribs. “Why are you hiding?”
He steps out from the shadows, the handle of a machete squeezed tight in his hand. Fresh bloodstains drip from the rusted metal, and just like that, I’m back in this room. Not under the floorboards hiding and reliving it in the midst of my triggers of small places.
I’m right here.
Maybe I was wrong. I’d be able to fight…
Or maybe I’ve got a damn concussion.
“Show your face.” I try the words out loud, the pounding of my head refusing to let up. I slide to the side when he takes another three steps closer to me. Without moving my eyes from him, I take in the surroundings. My boots slide against the ground when I counter his steps. Dirt floor. The stream of soured waters.
“I should, Darling…I really should.”
Darling…
I freeze, and the corner of his mouth curves up in a smirk. “Tsk tsk…has she figured it out? The final puzzle?”
What puzzle? Smoke clouds the memories that lie beneath the surface. Cold, ice, snow…blood.
Wait. He thinks I am Darling. Darling would know what the fuck he’s talking about.
He clucks his tongue, a tune playing over from his mouth. God. There’s something so…taunting….
Carnival lights, lilac tent, naked, murder—blood….
I swallow past the bile rising in my throat.
“It took you far too long, but that leather sure suits you.”
My brain hasn’t allowed me to fully immerse myself yet. Probably out of self-preservation since the hidden man standing in front of me yields a damn machete. “Where’s Madison?”
The holster on my thigh tightens, and when I go to take yet another step, I’m backed into a corner.
Fuck.
He pauses in front, stepping into the dim light of what’s drifting down the hallway. “You really don’t remember, do you?” His head bends, and the ends of his hair touch the top of his shoulders. His mouth opens, lifting his head and—my blood turns cold. How could you.
Corbin smiles. “Fascinating. Utterly fascinating that the monster ensured he never feasted on…well…you.”
“Where’s Madison?” I repeat, ignoring his stab at Priest. Little does he know the monster does feast on me.
Often.
In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m his favorite meal.
“Does he know what I know? What we know?”
“Madison Hayes….” I don’t realize one of his hands is hidden behind his back until he flips a familiar black top hat in the palm of his hand, shifting it to his head. “Oh, this will earn me points.” Did Darling know his name? Why is he so different? It’s definitely him, the same scar marred over his brow. Has he always been this crazy?
He flips the machete around, and I do a double take. Now the metal is replaced with a black slick cane. “Riddle me this, Little Luna Nox Re—”
“Hayes,” I correct. I don’t think I care whether he knows.
He flies forward, shoving me against the concrete wall so hard my head cracks and stars explode behind my eyes. “You ever speak that name in front of me again, and I’ll kill everyone, Luna. Little, tiny Luna…he was your master, you were his toy, his pet, and you liked it, didn’t you?” His breath sticks to my skin like nicotine. “Admit it.” His mouth hovers close to mine. Memories of us when we were kids are too much to touch right now. Had he always been this ugly, and I was misguided? When I came back from Del Morts, I noticed the shift of my feelings for him. Saw a smidge beneath the surface, but this…
I keep my eyes on his, my fingers itching up my thigh. “I did.”
“Even though he was cruel? Even though he made you do bad things to dying people? Even though you watched him touch the decaying limbs of ex-lovers? Even when he said he hated you and wanted you dead?”
“Even then,” I whisper, leaning farther into him. My fingers tighten around the throwing star.
“Now, now, I wouldn’t do that, little Luna, because here’s the thing. Would you like to hear it?”
My fingers don’t move from my weapon. “Sure,” I answer sweetly, keeping my breathing steady and my eyes down the bridge of my nose on him.
“Bring her in!” His eyes widen on me to match his smirk. “First thing you need to know, is—” He pauses, stepping back finally with his arms spreading wide. “Welcome to Midnight Mayhem. We are not a circus, we are not a carnival, and the only thing you should be afraid of losing tonight?”