Twin Sacrifice

me with a sharp knock and no sympathy. "Mrs. Blackw

pace filled with mirrors and lights and racks of clothes I could never afford. Three women in black uniforms sto

an's expression did not change. "We don't have

irst came the waxing. Hot wax on my legs,My arms, Places I did not want to think about. I

Curled it. Then straightened it again. They trimmed the ends and styled it in a way

lush,Eyeshadow,Mascara,Lipstick. They painted my face until I

. Heels that made my feet ache. Jewelry that sparkled under the li

tly styled, her face perfectly made up. She looked at me the

holding yourself wrong. You walk

d up s

nd your eyes. They're too wide. You look lik

w my eyes. I tried to become someone I was not.

oing to ta

to smile. How to laugh. How to look at people like they were beneath me. I mimicked her

vienne said. "It's commo

have an

r tone. Everything about you scre

ed." I said the words until they lost all meaning. Until they were just sounds coming out of my mouth. By the time th

r and probably cost more than my entire life. "This is yours now. It has one contact. Me. You will an

d at it. The screen was blank ex

commanded. "

ed hard.

nne, wearing clothes that belonged to Vivienne, answering to a name that belonged to Vivienne. I felt like a ghost. Like I had died and someone else wa

nd of the corridor. I did not know if she was there. I did not care. I needed to f

ts. Vivienne with friends. Vivienne at parties. Vivienne smiling like she did not have a c

ked with a tiny gold clasp. I picked the lock with a bobby pin I h

says it's an honor. She says it will secure our family's future. She says I should b

ooked at me like I was a piece of meat. Like he was alread

his eyes. Something dark. He touches me when no one is watching. Nothing obvio

doesn't speak. He doesn't look at me. But I feel him watching. I fe

t let them. I won't be sold like cattle. I won't be

the contract is binding. She says if I don't do this, she'll disown me. But I don't care. I'll

was running from something real. Something dangerous. I closed the journal and held it to my chest. For the first time, I

ldn't be

y. Her face was pale. Her eyes were wild."I

. "Understand that I'm a coward? That I'm run

quietly. "I understand that they scare y

amed. Tears streamed down her face. "You think I wanted to be sold to monsters? You think I wanted to spe

thing. Like I was already his property. Do you know what Dante whispered in my ear when no one was listenin

of it sent me stumbling back. My cheek burned. My eyes watered

as raw. "You think I'm spoiled and cruel and heartless.

For a moment, I saw myself in her,Trapped,T

ter you

ened her shoulders. She was Vivi

aid. "And stay out. Don't e

n the bed and stared at the ceiling. My cheek was still burning. My hear

," she said. "You have on

blood ran c

. Blackwood wants you ready.

y sister. They turned me into someone I did not recognize. When they were done, I stood in front of the m

ard the sound of cars pulling up outside. The roar of engines.