Mack (King #4)(34)
Case in point, I’d given Miranda a fake chalice, and she was now here to collect. With my life.
I sighed. “Miranda, I thought you’d be busy picking fleas from your hair or strangling kittens.”
“Mack, who is she?” Theodora asked.
“I’m the bitch who’s going to kill him for double-crossing me!” Miranda threw the silver chalice at my head, which I blocked with my hand.
“Where the f*ck is the real one, Mack?” Miranda snarled.
“I wish I knew,” I lied.
“I’ll give you three seconds to give me another answer, or the little bitch loses her head.”
I stood from the floor, careful to keep myself positioned between Miranda and Theodora. Life held no value for Miranda, except for the pleasure she derived from taking it. I knew because she used to own me. Almost five long years in her basement. She’d kill me, let me come back, torture me and kill me again. She couldn’t get enough. Some days, she’d play out her sexual fantasies before she killed me.
She was evil to the core.
“Well, Miranda, I think we both know how this is going to play out.” I was going to do everything in my power to kill her. She would use one of her abilities to subdue me. I would end up dead and she without her answer. Yes, we’d done this dance before when I’d lived in her basement and she wanted information about my brother. But I never talked.
She smiled and flipped her frizzy long blonde hair back over her shoulder. I always wondered why she looked so vile—right down to the animal-print spandex pants and stick figure body. A woman had to work extremely hard to look that bad.
“Yes,” she said. “You’re going to tell me where the chalice is; then I’m going to slit your throat.”
No. What would really happen was she’d try to kill Theodora and me. Dammit.
I needed to get Theodora out of here. Of course, that meant Miranda might kill me and my soul would be left wandering the earth, still cursed.
Sonofabitch. Why couldn’t I catch a break?
~~~
TEDDI
The woman—who I recognized from the mental health center—stood in the doorway of the cabin with her bleach blonde hair teased out into a wild mess of straw, tight pink leopard Spandex pants, and a gold sequin tank top. What struck me as odd, however, was how I felt about her. I wanted to end her life in the most violent of ways.
Why? How the hell should I know! Because, apparently, someone had done a number on me and made me forget my past. Only, some part of me remembered the emotional impressions I had of people. I loved Mack. I was afraid of King. And I hated this bitch. Seriously f*cking hated her.
“Love the outfit, lady. Hope you win,” I said.
She gave me a look and then brought her attention back to Mack. “Who’s the little slut, Mack?”
Mack slid on his jeans, completely unashamed of letting this woman see him naked and looking cool as ice. “Someone I picked up to pass the time.”
“Bullshit,” she replied. “I’m getting a vibe off of her. What’s she do?”
Mack shook his head. “She’s not for sale, Miranda.”
Sale. What the f*ck?
She shrugged. “Fine. Then maybe I’ll just take her.”
Mack growled. “How about this? I’ll tell you where the real chalice is if you let her leave.”
“Do I still get to kill you?” Miranda asked.
“Sure,” he replied.
“Mack, no!” I protested. What was he doing? Because according to him, I was the only one who could end his life. Meaning, if this woman did it, he’d end up some tormented, disembodied cursed soul again.
Mack glanced over his shoulder at me. “Go. I’ll be fine. Miranda is within her rights since I conned her.”
“I’m not leaving, Mack.” In fact, my brain had already located a weapon and had figured out a plan of attack. There was a small knife on the counter next to my car keys. I would grab them both, slide by this woman and take her out.
Jesus. Who the hell am I? Because apparently, I was no stranger to killing. Double-O-Teddi.
“I’m not asking,” Mack said.
I dropped the blanket I’d been holding around my naked body and then threw on my dark sweater and jeans, acting severely pissy about it. I walked over to the small counter, angling my body so that the woman wouldn’t see my move. I gripped the knife in my right hand with my keys, holding the blade pressed flat along the inside of my wrist to conceal it as best as possible. “Mack, I really think you should—”
“Just go!” he yelled.
“Fine. I got what I wanted anyway.” I shot him one last look for effect and slid past him. The woman was just to the right of the door and only a few feet away. She wasn’t threatened by me because she didn’t move an inch as I approached.
Lucky me.
Right as I got to her side, I made my move, swiping sideways for her neck. But faster than my eye could register, she moved out of the way just as Mack lunged. The knife hit Mack right in his neck.
I screamed.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
TEDDI
The blonde woman laughed hysterically as Mack stumbled and fell over, cupping his hand over the wound. The blood didn’t just dribble, it flowed like an open spigot.