The Window to the Soul

Chapter 30: Finale

It's pretty weird seeing yourself on TV. Well..not yourself...more like your crimes. I reclined the dusty chair and kicked my feet up.

Lucky for me Riley keeps a hidden stash of cash in his car underneath the mats. I found enough to get me a room at a decent hotel and a nice dinner. I was stuffing my face with chips while watching the news when there was a knock at my door. I didn't even bother looking through the peep hole.. I didn't care about danger anymore. I opened the door to find a tall man a little older than me. He was wearing a plaid flannel over a plain white T-shirt, followed by some dark jeans and work boots. Needless to say, he dressed nice. I looked up after examining his clothes to look at his face. I've been really lucky with guys. How come all the ones I met looked perfect? It was almost like they were from a book they are all so perfect. He had a very prominent jawline, with very high-set cheekbones. His dark gray eyes sprouted beautifully full eyelashes and eyebrows. When he spoke I was even more suprised to find he had a British accent.

"Hey Zoella," he smiled sweetly.

I took a step back. "Do I know you?"

He leaned against the doorframe, his biceps bulging ever so slightly. On his right bicep was a long scar...

~

That day was a gloomy one. I had to walk home from school because my mom had a "business" meeting. Rain trickled down from the sky and slipped off the roofs of houses, collecting into large pools of water. I ran and jumped in one, splashing both of the boys next to me. Dante laughed, pushing me into the puddle. The other boy joined in, scooping up handfuls of mud to put on Dante and I's heads.

"Hey, you're gonna get it now!" Dante laughed, pushing him into another puddle as they both tussled around. I giggled, pulling my soaking coat and scarf around me. Boys. We were so cute then. Those were the best memories. When I was happy. My happy thought was broken by a shrill cry. I turned back to the boys, where Dante was scrambling back to his feet. The other boy's coat was ripped, and all the way up his arm to his collar bone was a long red cut, oozing hot blood.

~

"Oh my god, Danny?!"

He smiled, embracing me in the warmest hug I've had in awhile. I pulled him inside the hotel room with me and shut the door. I took a seat in the recliner as he made himself comfortable on the bed, his shirt riding up on his body to expose his toned lower stomach. He was making it hard for me to not express emotion. Since when did I become such a player? Eh, I don't care.

"How did you find me?" I tore my eyes from his adorableness.

"It wasn't that hard. You're not to good at cleaning up evidence," he gestured towards the long path of bloody footprints made from my boots.

"Shit," I mentally noted to be more careful next time. "Danny, I have something to-" he sat up abruptly from the bed.

"Shhh, I already know. Dante told me everything a month or two ago. I'm kind of like you." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"So you're a hybrid?"

He got up, walking over to the chair and sitting on the arm. He leaned in so his face was inches from mine. I felt my breath hitch.

"No. I'm a trained assassin. But, just like you...I crave death. I love the screams of the innocents," he brushed his lips against mine. "The taste...of their blood," he grabbed my chin, crashing his full lips against mine, pulling away before I could get a taste of his poison. The thought of Dante crossed my mind so quick it wasn't even there.

"I've been waiting years to reach this point, Zoella. I'm so happy you've gotten a taste of the dark side, of being a natural killer. I thought id never see the day. But oh, I'm so glad it came. All I'm asking is for you to join me," he turned my head to whisper into my ear. "I can satisfy your bloodlust like no other," his warm breath gave me goosebumps. The little boy I knew had changed. Were all my childhood friends psychopaths? Whatever, I didn't care. I was sold.

"I would love to," I smiled, and he leaned down to lock his lips with mine, his brunette locks entangled in my fingers.

Gabriel's voice boomed in my skull.

"We are coming to end your reign. Even if it means...killing you."

There was no faltering in his voice. He was dead serious. My own friends were turning against me. But what did I care, I craved death, drama, and destruction. Did he even realize I was trying to protect them..and myself? By breaking any connection I had with them, there was no way my emotions would come back. There was no way they could be used against me.

~