God and Monsters

Chapter 26

You bleed so pretty, diamond. Like your body was meant to be cut up by my knife.

I set my trembling hand down, still clutching the knife until my knuckles turn white. Maybe I don't need to make this salad.

Fuck, I know it hurts so good, doesn't it, diamond? Look at all that blood. My favorite color has always been red, and my God, do you look beautiful covered in it.

A hand brushes across my shoulder, and all of those memories come to life. Xavier is standing behind me, ready to take from me again. And I can't let it happen. I won't survive it.

"No!" I scream, whipping around and sending the knife flying straight toward his face. Does he like the sight of his own blood? I'll show him how glorious it looks on him, too.

A hand closes around my wrist, halting my progress, but fuck him. He's not going to stop me-not this time. "Little mouse," he whispers, and that confuses my brain. Enough for Xavier's face to fade, only for Lisa's to appear.

Heart racing and vision blurred with tears, my hand flies open, the knife clattering loudly against the tile. Fuck me, I almost just stabbed Lisa in the face. Eyes widened with shock; the only thing I'm capable of is to stare, unsure if Lisa is an apparition, too. She studies me closely, face carefully blank as she lowers my hand.

"Careful, little mouse, that's my strongest asset."

Blinking, I finally choke out, "Don't ever tell my mother about this." Lisa's brows pinch, and her mouth opens, then closes, before finally settling on, "What?"
I extract my wrist from her grip, my blood spiking hot from the lingering adrenaline, and now embarrassment.

"What just happened was entirely dramatic, and if she ever finds out I'm just like her, I'll die."

She blinks, amusement filtering in her yin-yang irises. "You'll die, huh?"

I nod once, sharply. "In absolute misery."

Her mouth quirks up. "I wouldn't dream of it then."

Sniffing, I nod once more, straighten out my shirt purely just to give my
hands something to do other than stabbing people, and then turn, open a drawer, and pull out another knife. "Good."

She's silent for a beat. "Do you want to talk about the attempted murder that just occurred?"

"Not really," I answer, chopping off another piece of carrot.

"But I do."

I sigh, setting the knife down and pivoting to face her again. "Lisa, I think I'd rather talk about my mother trying to convince me that chastity belts were the latest fashion when I was fourteen than talk about trying to stab you."

Another pause. "Okay, so there's a lot to unpack here, and I'm not sure where to start."

"Exactly, can you believe her? I told her she might as well make the chastity belt into an electric fence, too, so I don't have to suffer through that."

She arches a brow, fighting a smile. "Yeah, baby, not dramatic at all."

I shoot her a droll look. "You're here. Why are you here? Did you need something?"

"Just you, little mouse."

Dammit. Why does she have to say all the right things? She knows exactly what she's doing, too, and how much I secretly enjoy it. I narrow my eyes, and she forges on, a slight curl to her lip as she speaks.

"While I'm not scared of the Society, we are currently sitting ducks, and I need to handle a few things with Jay. And there are a few things I need to discuss with you, starting with who put a target on your head."