A Vicious Love, A Deadly End

a triumphant sneer on her face. Beside her, she held the simple wooden box that

rlee said, inspecting the necklac

old. "Give th

he opened the box. Before I could react, she upended it,

he music seemed t

Then, with a deliberate motion, she ground the

her eyes gleaming

n, of grief, all coalesced into a single point of white-hot r

sister back. I scrambled on the floor, trying to ga

ing backward. "She' s

nking me to my feet. It was Alexa

ink you' re doing?" he s

words. I could only point at the desecr

aid, his voice dangerously

ing at the box, and she flew at me! And... and she broke the necklace you

look at the ashes on the floor. He onl

y on me. "You wi

stumbling backward, my head ringing. The crow

and apologize to h

gaping wound in my soul. I saw him clearly for the first time. Not

ry last drop, evaporated in that moment.

My voice was q

rossed his face. He was

rm again. "I s

in the eye. I felt a strange sense of cal

arm, and a strange smile touched his lips. "You have a

ome on, darling. Let' s no

of the silent room, a circle of horrified faces arou

drove back to the mansion one last time. I packed a single ba

nto this house, trying to make it a home. I had arranged the art. I had chosen the fabric

open. Alexander stood there, his

think you' re g

ing. We' re

on me. "She said you threatened her. You told

lie. A f

true," I said

ms, and dragged me out of the room, down the hall, and toward th

he smell of chlorine. He

ught a lesson, Addi

over my head, filling my nose and mouth. I was a weak swimmer, and the heavy fabric of m