Chapter 115-1
Kiana
“Damn it, Lunessa, that hurt,” a male voice growled from the darkness.
Clarm
I inhaled sharply. I should have been afraid, but that voice. It sounded so familiar. “Mama? Daddy?” I asked quietly. “Who is that?”
“He’ll hurt you, Andrea,” my mother pleaded urgently. “Get rid of him while you still can.”
Why was it so dark? Why couldn’t she see anything?
“Why can’t you get rid of him, Mama?”
“Because you let him in,”
“Kiana.” The man’s voice wrapped around me, tugging at something inside of me. Something warm and comforting. “My love, I’m right in front of you. Take my hand.”
“I can’t see you.”
“It’s all right. I can see you, and I have you. I’ll always have you. Just stretch your hand out and take
mine.”
Sucking in my bottom lip, I looked frantically around. “She says you’ll hurt me.”
“Never willingly, Kiana.” There was so much pain and desperation in his voice. “Never again. I’d carve my own heart out first.”
“Andrea, don’t do this!” my mother wailed, but for a second, I knew that nothing would stop me from taking this man’s hand. I reached out and held my breath. Fingers clasped around mine, and as soon as we touched, the darkness receded.
Still clutching his hand, I gasped and looked around. Everything about our home was still the same. My father was still in his chair. My mother was still standing in front of him. The fire still roared.
But the man in front of me did not belong here. Staring up at him, I took a step closer. “Why do you call me Kiana?”
“That’s your name, baby.”
“HER NAME IS ANDREA!” my mother snapped, and the house shook. With a squeak, I ducked
but you under the man’s arms, and he pulled me closer. I’d seen my mother angry, but never quite like this. At the sight of my fear, her face softened. “I’m sorry, Andrea. I didn’t mean to scare you, need to trust me. This man is going to ruin everything.”
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Chapter 115-1
“Is that… is that Ragor?”
Clam
Ragor? I’d never heard that name before. I looked over to where the man was pointing. “That’s my daddy. He’s a werewolf. My Mama calls him Dane.”
“Dane. And you’re Andrea. Someone wasn’t very creative in renaming the two of you, were they?” His breath was warm in my ear as his arms circled around my waist. “Is that your mother?”
“Yes. Isn’t she pretty?”
“Not as pretty as you, Kiana, but listen to me. None of this is real.”
Unable to help myself, I laughed. “You’re funny.”
“Are you sure this isn’t getting too scary for you, sweetheart?” my father said suddenly as he looked over at me. “If it’s going to give you nightmares or keep you up at night, your mother can read you something else.”
“Now I know it’s not real,” the man said darkly.
I was confused. “Daddy, do you know who this is?”
“I know you’re brave, honey, but you don’t have to be brave. You’re only five years old.”
Five? I looked down at myself. I really did grow. A lot.
“See?” the man said behind me. “See, it’s not real. You’re not five years old, Kiana. We need to find our way out of here so I can save you.”
My mother laughed sharply. “Is that what you think you’re doing? Saving her? That’s what I’m doing. I am her mother!”
“And you’re dead,” the man said steadily behind me. “At least, you better be because if you’re not, I’m coming for you next. No mother should let her child go through what Kiana endured, and none should trap them in her mind.”
“You don’t know anything,” she snarled back.
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