My Little Assassin

Chapter Three

Laylee's eyes got all clouded over and Jace just gaped at me. I understood Jace's reaction, it's the same one I get whenever I kick someone's ass. Laylee though, she was concerning me. Ignoring the pounded headache I had, I slid out of bed and moved over to her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?"

She blinked slowly and then shook her head, as if trying to get rid of the thoughts in her mind. "Yeah, don't worry about me. It was just a bad memory."

Jace's eyes widened in realization. "Honey, no. You weren't anything like her."

"But I could've been. If you hadn't showed up then, I could've been just as cold and uncaring as her."

I backed away, feeling like I was intruding, even though I knew that they were talking about me. How could someone like Laylee almost become someone like me?

"You didn't kill anyone. I did that part."

My eyes bugged out of my head. He seemed so sweet and kind that I would never peg him as a killer, like me. "You... killed someone?"

He looked at me and frowned. "You did too."

"But I act like a killer. You don't. The both of you are just too... soft-hearted for me to imagine you killing anyone."

For some reason that made her smile. Laylee stood up and wrapped her arms around me. "Thank you, I needed to hear that."

I was confused, but it wasn't my business to be nosing around in. I just detangled myself from her grasp and moved back towards the bed. Good thing too, because a few seconds later, the door burst open and a bunch of people crowded the couple on the chairs. I raised my eyebrows, but decided it was better now than ever to try and leave.

I sat on the bed and gently peeled off the IV adhesive, then slid the needle out of my arm. Ripping that shit out is dangerous because it could rupture a main artery, and I don't have plans to die today. I found my pants and pulled them on so that I wasn't in just a hospital gown, then attempted my escape. As I was almost at the door, a voice stopped me.

"And where do you think you're going, missy?"

I should have known. She's a mom, so she has mom senses and the mom tone down pat. I looked over my shoulder at her and found everyone else staring at me too.

"I'm leaving."

That look. It was the same one my mom used to give me whenever she didn't like something I said or did. My head snapped back forward as tears started to form, but I pushed them away. Much to my displeasure, my next breath in was shaky. 

Hands landed on my shoulders and I tensed. I kept my head down as I was gently turned around. Laylee wrapped me in a hug and I stood frozen in place. My eyes were wide as I stared over her shoulder at nothing. 

"Why are you crying?"

That snapped me out of it.

I stepped away from her and then backed up another step. My emotionless facade settled over my face and I shut down, moving on autopilot. "Thank you for bringing me here, but I really have to go."

Turning back to face the door, I opened it and left the shock-filled room. Hell, I'd be shocked too if someone was crying one second, then emotionless the next. I found a discarded jacket and picked it up, slipping it on over the hospital gown and tucking the gown up until it was out of sight.

With my stolen jacket, I made my way through the streets of the town. A howl tore through the air, but this one sounded pained and my heart clenched for the distressed wolf. I felt as though I should do something to help it, which is crazy because you should never go near a wild wolf. They are unpredictable and could tear you to shreds in a matter of seconds.