Unmasked | Book 1 in "Dark Descendants" (Editing)

Chapter 33

~Rose

Damien, Matt, Nathan and I gently lowered her coffin into the large, freshly dug hole in the soil. The others stood around us in the cemetery, heads bowed in grief. Someone had muttered to Damien that Kendrick was found, as a statue, in the middle of the forest. I knew it was Callie's "work of art" but I decided to say nothing. Damien would come for us later.

I straightened up as a hand clamped onto my shoulder. Someone tilted their mouth to my ear: "Rose, I need to go."

I turned around and stared. Joe stood in front of me, a mixture of emotions painted on his pale face. I frowned at him, momentarily gave a glance at the coffin, the shovels ready in the three males' hands, before leading him away from the rest of the crowd.

I let go of his arm. "Why, what's up?"

He mutely showed me his phone. Missed call from Big Bear.

"Big Bear?"

"Fallon," he explained.

My eyes darted up to his. "Something happened to Ken?" I asked with a growing concern. He opened his mouth to say something, then decided against it.

"I am so sorry, Rose," he whispered. "But I have to cut this short. I hope you understand."

"No, wait." I stopped him. "What happened to Ken?"

*

Joe entered the crypt.

He expected to see Ken slumped there, covered in blood, completely dead. He was surprised to see nothing of the sort.

Confused, he turned his gaze deeper inside the room. There was a figure sitting inside the shadows.

"You didn't pick up," said Fallon. He walked into the path of the moon light and Joe could spot the grief in his eyes as he tightened his grip on a clear glass bottle holding little liquid. His heart sank as he was struck with a sickening realization.

He was too late.

Joe said nothing, but half turned away from him, ashamed. Fallon cocked his head to the side.

"What, no witty sarcastic remark? Just too damn busy to be there," he spat in disgust. He raised the bottle to his lips and swallowed the rest of the liquid. Joe's eyes followed his movement.

"You're drunk," he observed in disappointment. He should have guessed the first time. Fallon never showed his true emotions unless he didn't have the strength to keep his walls up.

Fallon scoffed and smiled humorlessly. "My mind's never been clearer. And you know what I'm thinking right now?" He didn't let him answer, "I'm debating on whether to lecture you on why people should be present when their relative dies, or just smash this bottle on your head and tell you how damn furious I am at you." He raised the bottle. "I was considering doing both."

"What do you want me to say?" Joe asked him. "You told me to attend Diana's funeral. You told to be there for her."

Fallon shook his head at him disapprovingly. "And you told me that you would return if anything else happened to him. What were your words? 'I won't abandon you'?"

The guilt ate at Joe mercilessly. He swallowed. "I'm sorry."

"Tell that to Ken." Fallon paused. "Oh wait, you can't. 'Cause he's dead!"

"Our friend was dead!" Joe shouted, losing his temper. Why was he defending himself? Instinctive reaction, he supposed. But inwardly, he disapproved of his own actions. Couldn't he just take the blame?