In Peace Lies Havoc (Midnight Mayhem #1)(75)

The passenger door opened and Ashley, Keaton’s mom, came sprinting out. When she saw me, her lips trembled. “What’s happened?” Her eyes flew over my shoulder. She squared her stance and her hand came to mine, pulling me behind her body to shield me.

“What have you done, you crazy fucking bitch!” Ashley screamed. “I’m going to fucking ruin you!”

My father pointed to the SUV. “Ash, put her in the car, please. I need to handle this.”

“No, Klaus. I will not leave you here with this creature! Where is Dove?” Ashley directed down the driveway again. She always could tell my sister and me apart.

I couldn’t turn around to see who she’s talking to.

I couldn’t speak.

My body was convulsing. My lips were trembling.

I wanted King.

I needed King.

“De—” I managed to say, a notch above a whisper, but when I tried to force the rest of the words out, my mouth snapped closed. I never wanted to speak again. It would have only reminded me of my sister. We had the same voice, the same cry, and the same scream—“Mom?” The memory gnawed at my brain, stabbing it with a sharp knife and twisting it until everything turned numb.

Everything silenced, and I broke out into sobs, making my way into the car. I slammed the door closed and locked the doors, curling into a ball.

My sister was dead.

My twin sister was dead.

My mother murdered her and then tried to kill me.

A door opened and closed, just as I heard Ashley’s voice whisper, “It’s going to be okay, Perse. We will fix this and make it better.”

I fly off the sofa, my skin drenched in sweat. “She—she—” My legs tremble as I fall to the ground. My hands cover my face as I feel thick arms wrap around my body.

“I’m so fucking sorry.” I hear King’s voice behind me, his lips on the back of my head. I jump out of his grasp as quickly as he put me there, spinning around and pinning him with a filthy stare.

“Where were you?” I scream so loud everyone silences.

King runs his hand over his mouth, his eyes on me. “We didn’t know, P. Mom and Dad didn’t know you were going there. Jessika, she set it all up.”

I run my hands over my arms. “I’ve been living a lie. I stole her life.”

“Truth,” Kohen says, walking into the sitting room with a bottle of whiskey dangling between his fingers.

“I’m sorry, Kohen,” I whisper, but he ignores me.

“You’re sorry?” Kohen chuckles, shaking his head while he drops down onto the Lazy Boy.

“Kohen,” King warns.

“Nah-uh.” Kohen chuckles, swiping the dark eyeliner from beneath his eyes. “You lost a sister that day, but I lost my sanity.”

I believed him. All of the memories are in vivid detail in my head. Every single Christmas, every single argument King and I had.

“I thought you thought she was alive and I was dead?” I ask softly.

Kohen shuts down, his eyes turning on King. “No. I thought you were both dead. Until tonight.”

“I took you to see Keres after that,” a soft voice says from the entryway, and when I look up to find it, I notice the strawberry-blonde hair naturally around her collarbone. The dark green eyes that glisten with unshed tears. The small face and pixie nose. Ashley. She steps forward, closer, but remaining a safe distance away from me. “He worked his voodoo with you and made me swear to not say anything to anyone. We agreed for your safety that we would say you both died.” The first tear falls as she swipes it away angrily. “I thought we agreed and had a plan.”

“What happened?” I ask. I trust her. I know I can trust her. All those years ago, I still remember the fierce wave of protection she washed over me in that split second she shoved me behind her body.

“Well.” She continues, taking out a cigarette and placing it between her lips. She lights it and exhales the thick cloud of smoke. “Your father lied. He was so blinded by that witch who he thought he could fix her. He took her with you when he ran, and he ran from Kiznitch ever since.”

“Only when we finally caught up to you all,” King growls, but again I don’t look at him. “We found you alive and you being called Dove by your father. You were both called Little Bird, so the nickname didn’t mean shit.” King snatches the bottle off Kohen and takes a long swig. “Figured P was the twin who was killed and you were the survivor. We agreed not to tell Kohen that you were still alive, because of his fragile sanity and his history of violence. We couldn’t risk him losing his shit again when he found out that Dove was, in fact, alive.” He brought his eyes to mine. “I fucking hated you when I saw you for the first time. When I was given my first task, I just wanted to kill you. Why could Dove live while P died?” He tilts his head, his bleak eyes examining me closely. “I hated you, but I had my task.”

“And what was your task?” I ask, and suddenly it feels as though it’s just him and me in this room together. No one else.

His eyes darken, and his mouth kicks up in a deathly smirk that sends chills down my spine. “You.”

“I don’t understand,” I murmur, looking around at everyone who is here. If I’ve done my math correctly, all of the fathers are here, as well as King’s mother, Ashley, Kohen.