Relentless

Chapter 44

The next thing I know, I'm staring at Peter and he is staring back. My breaths are rapid, I try to slow them but my heartbeat is thumping in my ears.

"I don't think you want to see any more."

"Who are you to decide that for me?" I asked, astonished. Astonished by the way Peter was protecting me and astonished by my own reaction.

Peter seemed to be at a loss for words. He quickly regained his composure and said, "because they're my memories and they haunt me everyday. Don't you see? They were horrible to live through so why would anyone want to watch them? You would have to be a machine in order for them to not cause you pain."

"But it's not about my emotions. It's about understanding. I want to understand what you've been through."

"Even if it is hard to see?"

"Especially then. You don't know someone until you share their pain."

"Even if it scares you?"

"Yes."

"Even if I scare you?"

I hesitated, not knowing how to respond. "You could never scare me."

"What if I'm a monster?"

"I don't believe that."

"You won't or you can't? Because then you're either naive or a monster yourself."

I look at him in shock. That's when I see it. I see the same fire behind his eyes that I've only seen a few times before. My eyes flicker to Kane, he almost looks afraid. Peter returns to normal. It may have only lasted a moment but in that moment all I could see was Emma. I saw the hunger in her eyes when she held that knife.

What is happening to this family?

"Please," Kane begged his brother. "Don't argue anymore. You're just making it worse. Just show her and be done with it. Look what this is doing to you?"

What is he talking about? Now I'm freaking out. Not only did Peter just have the hungry look of a murderer scoping out his next victim but Kane has drastically changed his tune.

My hands tighten at my sides in anticipation. My nails are biting into the hem of my sleeves.

Peter turned to me. His voice solemn and quiet. "Fine."

When he steps toward me, I instinctively took a step back. Peter halts. "I'm not going to hurt you, Celeste. You know that."

If he would have said "I promise" instead of "you know that" I wouldn't have been put at ease. It reminds me that I do know him even if I only know one side of him, but he's willing to share his darkest secret with me. How could I refuse?

This is a test of trust on both sides. I need to know,

"I know you won't." I said, reaching to take his hand.

This time I'm on a beach but something isn't quite right. It takes me a minute to realize what. Let's see. I see Emma and Kane holding hands just standing there staring off into the sunset. The sky is painted red from the setting sun. The color is so vibrant and overwhelming with beauty. The bottom of the clouds are ablaze with color.

My first sign that something is off is that the crashing waves make no sound and there is no wind. At first I just think that I can't feel it because I'm in a memory but then I realize that Emma's long orange hair is resting and motionless on her shoulder. I glanced to my side to see Peter silently watching them as they talked back and forth.