Vicious Minds (Children of Vice #4)(53)

“Did that priest just try to deny you Communion or was it just a cough?” my grandmother whispered very low and sternly in Irish.

“Apparently God was giving him the memo,” I answered, and I kept my eyes forward watching Sister Calliope doing the Lord’s work…again.

But how did she know? And did she really go through all of this just to make sure I wasn’t denied at communion? While that would have a major scandal in our community, it wasn’t something I could not get out of. It would have been a pain in the fucking ass but still nothing that required the amount of effort she was exhibiting now.

Through the rest of service, I was trying to figure it out, but nothing came together. When it ended, I let my grandmother speak with Father Macrae, but that left me with the other families who closed in on me as soon as we got outside.

“Ethan,” I turned as Savino approached. Beside him was a young petite woman with light brown wavy hair and brown eyes, wearing a questionable dress for church. “I’d like you meet my daughter Klarissa. She’s just moved back home after graduating from Rome.”

Do parents normally try to set up their children this obviously?

I looked at her and she smiled tucking her hair behind her ear, not speaking. She got into the University of Rome?

“Ms. Moretti, welcome back to Chicago.” I nodded to her and before she could speak, someone screamed.

“Watch out!” Someone shouted up ahead. I saw the body of man land on the top of a car. The crowd rushed forward. I felt that phone vibrate against my chest. I read the first and only text message I’d gotten from her.

ATTIC NOW. She also texted a map

I turned and looked up at the top of the church. She isn’t…she couldn’t be…no…

YES, IT’S THAT, she replied like she could read my mind….and I hope she could because I was fucking pissed.

Goddamn it, Calliope!



CALLIOPE - AGE 22

Chicago, Illinois

Sunday, March 10th





“Oh…oh…” I exhaled through my mouth, sitting up against the headboard.

“Breathe. Don’t forget to breathe.” The elder nun, Sister Barbara, sat in front of me and wiped my forehead. Her wrinkled arm held me in place while the other nun, Sister Karen, with a large mole on her chin, spread my legs.

What the fuck do you think I’m doing? I wanted to say, but I held my tongue and instead exhaled through my nose. Soon…fucking soon. “AHH!”

“You’re already crowning?” Sister Karen looked up to me, her blue eyes wide with surprise. “How long have you been in labor?”

“What kind of fucking question is that? Does that matter?” I hollered at her, and Sister Barbara squeezed my arm tighter.

“Now, now. Stay calm.” Sister Barbara gave me her fake smile and she was so motherfucking lucky I was pushing out another human being or I’d be shoving her fat head up Sister Karen’s fat ass!

“On three.”

“THREE!” I screamed, pushing…fuck…and then fell back again.

“Go! Breathe! Just a few more pushes. One, two…”

“AHH!!!” Fuck! ETHAN! Oh, I wanted to kill him too. I was going to kill him. I was going to kill everyone.

“Oh…oh…” I exhaled, leaning back once more.

“Okay, one more! Just one more and she’s here! Just one more.”

I didn’t want to, but I sat back up, feeling as if I was being ripped open. And then I heard it.

“Whaaahhh!” she cried, and I wanted to too. Sister Karen cleaned her gently, looking her over.

“She’s so small,” Sister Barbara said, letting go of me when she moved to let Sister Karen cut the umbilical cord and then wrapped what had to be my heart in a small white blanket.

“Can I hold her?” They both looked at me. “Please, just once.”

The old swamp monster in a habit made a condescending face “It will be easier if you let go cleanly.”

Ethan, where the fuck are you?

“Please, I just want to know what she feels like, since I can’t see her.” I said to them. They looked at each other. Sister Karen frowned. She had a soft spot for my “disability.” Sister Barbara nodded, and she came to my bedside. I held my arms out and she carefully put my little girl in my arms. She was covered in blood, her skin was a little wrinkled, but she was beautiful…so beautiful.

“Excuse me. You can go—” I heard a voice as the doors opened.

He stood there in his dark grey three-piece suit and burgundy tie, surveying the space before looking at the angel in my arm.

“Mr. Callahan?” Sister Barbara called out. “You do not have permission to be—”

“I gave him permission, Sister.” I looked up from my daughter to her.

“You?” she stammered, shaking her head. “But you said—”

“I lied.” Before she could say another word, I reached under my pillow pulling out my gun and fired right into her head.

“O—” Sister Karen tried to scream before I turned to her and fired twice. Her body fell back on the wooden beam before hitting the ground.

I looked to Ethan and he stared at me, his body tense with rage, confusion clear on his face.