Chapter Ten
Praxis couldn't convince Verena to get out from under her bed. No matter how many times he assured her she was safe, she wouldn't budge. Praxis had given up and just sat on the floor next to her bed instead.
Verena couldn't hear his words of assurance. All she could hear was the same black figure that continued to taunt in her ear. After she heard Riven's voice, the shadow man rushed her. She scrambled under her bed, which was no use.
The male-shaped figure that was made of almost a black mist peeked its head under the bed.
Those terrifying white circles where his eyes were supposed to be glared right at her, making her stomach turn.
She squeezed her eyes shut, but it did nothing about the words it whispered in her ears.
It was only whispers, yet it made her ears ring as if someone was screaming right in her ear.
Verena winced as she tried miserably to cover her ears. It was useless as the whispers went right through her palms as if they weren't there, trying to shield her ears. Hearing Riven set her off. It agitated the figure. She couldn't get away. She could never hide.
Can't you feel it? The guilt for all the suffering you caused? You think you don't deserve to be killed by him? Your own brother, who is forever haunted by your sinister actions. The voice taunted menacingly in her ear.
Verena didn't even move to wipe the warm tears now rolling down her cheeks. She stayed frozen with her eyes squeezed shut and her hands over her ears; she just waited for it to stop.
She knew she deserved to die for what she did.
She was still scared because she knew it would hurt.
Riven would make sure she suffered before she died.
Just like Carter did. She remembered his wide green eyes looking at her as he choked on his own blood.
She still remembered the life leaving his eyes that were struck with terror as he knew he was dying.
Verena still couldn't find it within herself to feel bad for what she did. She knew she should, as she committed such a horrible and bloody crime, but she just didn't feel guilt or regret. That is what made her such a monster.
She was broken from her trance when she heard footsteps enter her room. "Where the hell is she?" Davian's voice carried a tone of confusion.
Praxis sighed and ran a hand down his face. "She's under the bed. I think she heard Riven's voice, and it spooked her."
Davian shook his head in distaste. He bent down to look under the bed. "Verena, get out from under there. Riven left the house." He tried to coax her.
When Verena didn't move, Davian gritted his teeth in frustration. "Verena, I am not going to tell you again. Get out from under there.
When she made no attempt to move, Davian grabbed her ankle and tried to yank her out from under the bed.
She then began to scream in absolute terror and tried to yank her ankle out of his firm grip. Her high-pitched scream made Davian's eardrums painfully vibrate. It almost made him wince.
"Davian, stop!" Praxis yelled, pulling on Davian's shoulders to stop. "Just leave her be!"
"She can't just stay under there! Verena, stop being difficult!" Davian snapped, continuing to pull on her ankle.
What they didn't know was that she wasn't seeing Davian. She was seeing that demonic figure. It was gripping her and trying to engulf her in darkness.
Got you now, sweetheart. It laughed as a wicked smile began to form on its face.
Verena's eyes burned with tears of terror. "No, no, no, no! Please!" she pleaded.
"Verena, stop!" Davian roared in frustration as Praxis continued to pull him away.
Verena then used the leg that was free to kick the figure in a pathetic attempt to get it off of her. Her foot slammed into Davian's nose.
"FUCK!" he yelled as he released his grip and retreated from her bed while holding his nose.
An amused snort sounded from the doorway, and the brothers turned to see Azryn watching with an amused grin on his face. "She got you good, big brother."
"Shut the fuck up." Davian hissed in anger.
Praxis then realized that she may not recognize them at the moment. She could be hallucinating.
"Davian," Praxis started. "She may not be completely here right now. I think she's hallucinating."
Davian inhaled and nodded his head. "She will have to come out eventually. Just make sure she doesn't hurt herself." He then walked out of the room, leaving Praxis and Azryn.
"You have no idea how satisfying it was to see Davian get his nose kicked in." Azryn chuckled as he watched Davian's retreating figure.
"Azryn, this isn't funny," Praxis said while sending a glare at his brother.
Azryn turned back to him. "Verena freaking out isn't funny, but come on, don't tell me it wasn't a little funny to see that asshole get kicked in the face. By our little sister no less."
Praxis shook his head and sat down on the floor near Verena's bed, but still at a comfortable distance. He ran his hands over his face under stress. Azryn observed him for a moment and then looked towards Verena's bed.
"So, she's in bad shape, huh?" Azryn said more to himself as he tilted his head slightly.
Praxis just sighed in exhaustion. "She is sick, yes. It's not like we gave her a good childhood, which is likely a contributing factor to her mental state."
"I wonder how that would lead up to her killing Carter. I don't know how us ignoring her would lead to a breakdown like that." Azryn pondered.
"I don't fucking know, okay?" Praxis raised his voice in frustration. "All I know is that she is traumatized and severely mentally ill because her brothers treated her like shit her whole life."
Azryn stared at Praxis for a moment. Something flickered in his eyes that disappeared quickly. He huffed and left his sister's room and went to his.
Praxis stayed next to Verena's bed, sitting against the wall. He continued to wonder what was going through Verena's mind and how the hell any of them could help her.
Praxis drifted off to sleep with the fear that it may be too late to help their little sister.