Sinful Magic (Book 3 of the Ink series)

Chapter 36

 "Hola," K said. A big grin on his face. "So nice to see you two could join us. Right, pops?"

Dad sat at the end of the boardwalk, his shoulders slumped, his eyes dull. "I've made a big mistake, kid. And I need to fix it."

Slade kept me back, refusing to let me close to K or my dad. "Mr. Zigler, are you alright?"

Dad produced a halfhearted shrug, falling over. He was drunk, but he was also a mess that I never seen before.

"I'm not okay." His voice cracked. "I killed that woman. I ruined so many people's lives. And this guy says he can help me. He says he can help all of us."

I shook my head. "No, no dad you didn't ruin anything. Don't believe anything this guy is saying. He's helping Hutch; he is here taking orders for Hutch."

K smirked. "Please, stop your killing me. You all are too much. I'm not helping Hutch. I'm helping myself. So what if Hutch thinks I am, whatever it takes to get what you want right?"

Slade did a double take.

"What?" I asked.

"Hutch is an idiot," Slade said at a loss for words. "This guy played him."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to let him hurt my dad," I said.

Dad raised a hand blowing me off. "I want this to end now."

I raised an eyebrow, my mouth falling open. Dad was giving up and letting them win. It wasn't what I wanted, and I knew it was all part of Hutch's plan. The trap he set I fell right into.

"You hear that," K said. "Pops wants you to choose, either Slade or him. I'm here to take care of whoever it is you choose."

I swallowed. "And if I don't choose?"

"Then I'm sure your dad will make that choice for you. He isn't feeling too happy knowing he offed the mayor's wife anyways are you, pops?" K said.

Slade didn't say anything. I didn't know what I should do. I couldn't begin to fix something I didn't understand. I would do whatever it took to save my dad I knew that much. I wouldn't let him suffer for what I was now.

I regretted lifting the spell. "Just let him go. I'll do whatever it is you want me to do. Leave my dad alone. Please." I begged.

The crowd of people stared in awe at our wicked life. It was a sick entertainment for those not involved but a personal misery for me.

I couldn't read K's expression. I balled my fist in desperation, sobbing, wishing anything would sway K from doing whatever he was about to do.

Nona and Claude pushed through the crowd. "What the hell is going on?" Nona yelled. She shook her head in denial that Dad was on display for the entire town of Cherry to see, up until now as far as Nona knew Dad kept his drunken stupors under wraps.

"Nona, please stay away," I said. "This is all a big mess and this guy is dangerous."

I couldn't tell if she believed me. Her lips pursed together, her brows met in the middle as she studied me. Just like she did when I was little and threw fits that she didn't understand. At last I recognized the subtle nod of her head, she believed me. She and Claude stepped back.

K turned on his heel and faced the crowd. He raised his hands. "There is no more to see here people. So why not go back to the festival before I do something each and every one of you regrets."

They didn't budge. Their hard stares shot daggers into K.

Slade moved into actions. "If you want to test us stick around, the mayor's not here to save all your pathetic asses from Satan's wrath this time."

That was all it took to move the crowd.

Slade stepped forward. "I want you to close your eyes, imagine what angers you the most and harness it toward me. Push all your energy to me."

I shook my head. "Why?"

Slade took my hand pressing my palm against his chest. "Because I don't want you to lose your dad."

I pulled away from him. I couldn't believe he asked me to kill him. But I knew that was what he wanted me to do.

"There has to be something else," I said unable to focus on Slade, K or even my dad. I couldn't breathe. "Please, let there be something else."

K interrupted. "There's not. And frankly I'm tired. So I'll give you about another 30 seconds to decide on your own and then I am going to do it for you."

He wouldn't get away with killing my dad because I wouldn't sit back and let him.

"You better have a gun or something, because I will not make it easy for you," I said showing my teeth like a rabid animal ready to attack and tear him limb from limb.

Slade pulled me closer, trying to gain my attention again; I refused to look into his eyes. "Choose me. I'm not going to let you lose your dad."

K cracked his knuckles. "Times up." He moved towards Dad, reaching out and touching him on the shoulder. In that instant all the life left Dad's eyes and he fell.

Nona and I screamed. I grabbed Slade's arm, covering my mouth in shock.

"What are you?" I sobbed, dropping to my knees. I clutched my throat staring at my dad's body lying on the boardwalk. I raised my hand refusing to let Slade near me.

K came over and kneeled down beside me. "Let's just say I'm the end to all means."

I refused to look at him.

"I'm who comes when your times up. And today I have decided time is up for your pops." K touched my arm. "I think this is the time when they tell you he is in a better place."

I couldn't breathe. "He's not dead." People didn't  drop dead because somebody laid their hand on them. It didn't happen.

"Come on, Hope. You're a witch; you have to believe there are other things out there. Like reapers, and angels and demons. Slade knows all about the dark side, don't you, Slade?"

"What is he talking about?" Nona said in hysterics. Claude held her back, refusing to let her loose, he knew as well as I did that she would attack K if he didn't stop her.

Slade moved in, and lifted me up before I could protest. "Are you done here?"

K shook his head, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Nope, I have something to ask of the both of you."