Black Holes - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 3

Chapter Twenty Three

Jared should've realised from Riley's smug words where she and Zarah would lead them.

They took the back roads through Narra, creeping down alleyways and melting into the shadows every time they heard sirens, and their route grew convoluted enough that Jared lost sight of their location. It was only when they stepped onto a dark street opposite a familiar two-story house, that he realised where they were.

He hadn't been back to the house Leah had shared with his parents since Alice told him he needed to kill someone else touched by dark matter. He'd wanted to return. He'd told Alice he would. But the lead up to the S.I.S's attack on the rebel base had been chaotic, and once it was over, his portal was gone, stranding him in the wrong world.

He knew there wasn't much else he could have done, that the fact he hadn't come back until now wasn't his fault. But as he stared at the house, he wished he'd managed to return sooner.

Because something was clearly wrong.

Leah's old house looked innocent enough. The porch light was on, the curtains covering the open windows fluttering with the breeze, but the street around it stood dark and abandoned, and sounds echoed from those windows; moans and gargled words, as incoherent as they were pained.

Jared's blood ran cold, and though Danny still hung over his shoulder, he barely noticed the extra weight as he darted forward and came to a stop in front of Riley.

"What happened?" he asked, panic turning the words harsh. "Who's in there?"

Riley met his gaze for a second, assessing, and then she rolled her eyes.

"Calm down, it's not Alice making those noises."

Jared relaxed, but only slightly, and when Riley moved to push past him, he grabbed her arm, forcing her to another stop.

Before he could blink, a knife was at his throat, the metal kissing his skin, and Riley sneered up at him.

"Let's get something straight, Caldwell," she said, the knife pressing harder, drawing a trickle of blood. "You never grab me. Understood? Never."

The threat barely registered though. It paled against the anger that was suddenly surging through Jared, and before Riley could realise her mistake, his free hand flashed up and grabbed her wrist, holding the knife still.

Riley's eyes widened imperceptibly, and then, when his grip tightened, he saw the panic enter.

"Let me go," she hissed.

Jared only closed his fist tighter, forcing a curse from between her teeth.

"You forget what I am, Riley," he said, his voice trembling with anger. "And you also forget you're one of the people who banished me and Leah to the in-between. Don't think I've taken that lightly."

He released her wrist, letting her stumble back, but the anger still roared through him.

He'd heard the moans coming from that house before. And he'd heard them often. In a place that was dark and devoid of anything else, they'd been so persistent they'd felt burnt into his ear drums.

"Who else is in that house?" Jared demanded again, though he had a terrible feeling he already knew.

His gaze flickered to Leah, hoping he'd see something comforting there, something that tempered his suspicions, but the resignation in her gaze did the opposite. Her eyes were glued to that house, haunting memories swirling in their depths.

Riley just stared at him though, resentment running rivers through her eyes, and something in him snapped.

"Who is it?" Jared yelled suddenly, stepping forward.