Chapter 35
Delaney
I don’t know where to go and I’m sure it doesn’t take a shrink to know why I end up at the track. It might take one to cure me of my madness though because seeking out Maddox for comfort after everything that’s gone down is definitely the definition of insanity.
It’s extra packed tonight and I walk past the same groups of people three fucking times before I finally give up.
There’s no sign of Draven or Maddox. Hell, I don’t even see Josh, not that I care to.
Either everyone is still on lockdown or they’re partying elsewhere and I’m afraid to go back to their compound because my trust level is at an all-time low as it is.
Passing a group of guys, I wave halfheartedly when one dips his chin before turning back to his friends.
They’re caught up in some prank that I don’t have time to enjoy, and a shiver racks my spine when a gust of wind blows between the trees.
I could suck it up and go home. I should go home but what awaits me there?
My throat hurts as it is from swallowing my mom’s lies. How much more can I take before I drown?
Either way, I shouldn’t be here. If what I suspect is true then Maddox’s hatred for me will only amplify and I’m not ready to drive that final nail into the coffin, assuming it’s not already there.
Resolved, I make my way back to my car only to pause when Josh emerges from between two vehicles.
“Delaney,” he says with a wide grin, and I muster a feeble smile.
“Hey,” I mumble.
“Where you been? Micah’s been a total ass since you left school.”
Micah? For a moment I can’t process his words because who the fuck cares about Micah?
Finally, I wave my hand and say, “Um, I was sick. I have to go.”
My thoughts return to the shit storm I’m in until I move to step past him, and he grabs my arm, saying, “Delaney, whatever Micah said about me, he lied. You have to believe me.”
Huh? I have no idea what he’s talking about and once again, I don’t care. I’m teetering on the precipice of hysteria, and I just want to go…hell, I don’t even know where but it’s not here with Josh.
“Okay,” I say, pulling away. “I gotta go, though.”
“I knew it,” he growls. “You believe him. He’s an asshole, Delaney. He’s never treated you right.”
“Josh,” I sigh, meeting his gaze, but the intensity behind his eyes makes me falter.
What’s going on?
When a kernel of awareness slides down my spine, I step back. His mouth curls into a grimace and he splays his hands, but something isn’t right.
“Look,” I say, easing back another step. Unfortunately, this puts me farther away from my car. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t spoken to Micah.”
“No?” he says, cocking his head and I don’t know what inspires me to do it, but I spin on my heels and take off just as he reaches for me again.
Call it instinct if you want but as I race away, I don’t have time to fumble with my phone and maneuvering between the parked vehicles only slows me down, which is why I divert into the trees, hoping to lose him in the darkness.
“Stop! Fuck,” Josh says and when I look back, he’s too close for comfort.
The branches tear at my skin and I stumble over the thick foliage but I’m immune to anything but the pulse of my heart telling me not to fucking stop.
Despite the thick covering of trees, the path is still slick with snow, and I mutter a curse every time my feet slip out from under me.
Through the frigid air of my breath, I glance to the side, where I’ve kept the track in sight. I don’t want to get lost out here, especially when I’m alone.
This is my fatal error because I’m not paying attention to what’s in front of me and I trip over something before tumbling to my hands and knees.
Sweat stings my eyes as I turn my head to glare at the culprit, an ancient log, moldering beneath another tree. Except, I’m drawn to something that gleams in the small sliver of moon peeking through the boughs and I freeze.
The milky white orbs don’t belong and when my brain catches up to what I’m seeing, I crab walk backward with my heart in my throat. Those fucking eyes, blind to anything but darkness now, stare into mine and I drop to my ass before glancing around.
However, there’s nothing here to make this nightmare go away and I’m alone with the woman who just a few weeks ago…was a beautiful, if sassy, flirt who didn’t deserve this, whatever it is.
Beneath the fine layer of foliage, my fingers squish into the mud and a sob wells in my throat, as I whisper, “Darcy?”
She’s so still, so pale. Her fingers, the skin blackened, curl into the dead leaves as though she’s reaching for me and bile races up my throat before I push to my knees.
When a bug appears from beneath her body, a waxen caricature of the lively woman I once knew, squirming through the dirt before crawling up her skin, I jump to my feet and stagger away.
“Unh,” I gag, tears blurring my vision.
The bitter bile in my stomach swishes with every step and when I stumble into a tree, I claw the bark, pushing back the images that dance macabrely through my head.
Why? Why would anyone hurt her?
It doesn’t matter, Delaney. Go!
Pushing on, I don’t know how long I walk when a faint rustling sound in the bushes brings me around. I can’t see a damn thing though and judging from the windy conditions, I suspect it’s going to snow.
Assuming the rustling sound was the wind, I turn to continue my trek and bounce off the man standing before me.
My scream echoes through the trees and Josh raises his hands, saying, “Whoa.”
Why is he here? Why was she there?
Although adrenaline has made me punchy, I’m not sure I have the energy to run but I will not go down without a fight, I decide and raise my fists to ward him off.
“Delaney,” he says softly. “He lied. I never gave him the drugs. I promise.”
Drugs? What drugs?
Once again, I have no idea what he’s talking about, and I shiver, glancing over my shoulder.
It’s nonsensical because she’s dead but some part of me expects Darcy to be standing behind me with that damn hand outstretched once again.
I’m in a suspended state of motion when Josh touches my arm and I flinch away, whimpering as he says, “Del–”
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
It’s the sweetest growl ever and I look over Josh’s shoulder, my limbs noodly while he turns and backs up, his hands in the air. “Nothing, I was trying to help.”
“I don't think I heard you right,” Maddox says, grabbing Josh and jerking him toward a tree.
“Fuck you,” Josh grunts.
It’s as though I’m watching through a tunnel when Maddox wraps his hand around Josh’s neck and spits, “Fuck who?”
Josh sways in his hold, scratching desperately at his fingers and I glance back the way I came before whispering, “Maddox?”
When I turn back, Maddox stares at me with eyes so black they’ve blotted out the irises before he shakes his head and drops Josh to the ground, saying, “You just signed your death warrant.”
Of course, Josh doesn’t respond, and Maddox grabs my hand, leading me away. Once we’re clear of the trees, he barks, “What the fuck are you doing here, Delaney?”
Sinking into his chest, I wrap my arms around him and rasp, “There’s…there’s…”
“Princess?” he says, grabbing my chin.
Raising my hand, I point over his shoulder and wail, “Darcy!”
Maddox
Darcy? What the fuck is she saying.
She’s trembling so badly that I drop to the ground and pull her into my lap.
I’m still trying to beat back the adrenaline surging through my system after finding her alone with Josh.
She stood there, achingly still with those gorgeous eyes wide in terror. Fuck me, I don’t think I will ever be able to forget it.
Approaching her was a fatal move on his part and now he’s going to live just long enough to regret it. The only thing that stopped me from choking him right there was the weird sound she made.
I would rather die than know that she’s afraid of me, which is why Josh has a few more hours. If he’s smart, he’ll leave town but I’m betting on him being anything but, the fucker is too arrogant.
When Delaney shivers, I close my eyes, beating back the horror dancing through my chest as I set her back gently and say, “I need you to tell me what you saw, princess.”
Her eyes meet mine, glazed with shock no doubt and she whispers, “Darcy’s dead. She’s…back there.”
Fuck me, I hoped this wouldn’t be the case but her running away or something equally mundane was just a pipe dream.
I know I have to go and confirm what she saw. The police will have to be involved, and I don’t want either of us being affiliated.
This is such a fucking cluster.
I also don’t know where Josh went off to and it’s really fucking suspicious that he was anywhere near Darcy’s body.
“Hold on,” I say, and she nods, her blue lips wobbling.
My chest clenches brutally when she blinks those eyes and wrapping my arm around her, I pull out my phone to call Reaper.
He’s around somewhere, checking shit out. We got word that Draven ran away and might be here but so far, I haven’t seen any evidence of it.
“Yup?” he grunts into the phone.
“I need you. North side of the tracks near the trees.”
I hang up before he responds and turn back to Delaney. She’s staring into nothing and shivering into her coat. Why is she here?
I don’t have time to ask because Reaper appears and as soon as he’s close, I bark, “Wait here with her.”
Reaper nods and ignoring his frown, I step beyond the trees. I don’t want to leave Delaney as she is, but I have to confirm what she said before I figure out what to do.
It doesn’t take long to find her, and I cover my mouth, choking back a cough when Darcy’s sightless eyes meet mine.
With all the decomposition it’s hard to determine what happened to her but she’s naked and posed in a compromising position that sends me back a step.
This is so much like Mom…blocking the images that push at my thoughts, I march back toward Delaney and bark, “What the fuck were you doing here?”
That could be her right now. She could be fucking dead. Jesus Christ!
My stomach roils and I clench my jaw to keep from shaking her. Doesn’t she know how dangerous this world is?
“What’s up?” Reaper says and I grab Delaney’s arm.
“We have to go. Now!”
“What?” she rasps. “No! Darcy–”
Turning her toward me, I say, “We can’t be found with a dead body, Delaney. You can’t either.”
She searches my gaze with a frown before whispering, “We’re going to leave her there?”
It’s the best option considering the police would love to pin something like this on us, but I know I can’t do that, which is why, I grunt, “No, I’ll make sure the cops are notified.”
I refuse to acknowledge the burn in my chest when she nods, trusting me to make this right. Still, my skin itches to get her as far from here as possible and as soon as we’re back at the cars, I look around.
“How did you get here?” I ask and when she points at a sedan toward the back, I lead her over.
“Maddox?”
“Hm?”
My mind is going a million miles a minute. I need Delaney away from this right fucking now. I can’t think straight knowing she was so close to the poor dead waitress.
“I need–”
“Later, princess,” I say.
“But–”
“Keys.” I snap my fingers, and she frowns but pulls them from her pocket.
After unlocking the door, I push her gently toward the car and when she resists, I bark, “You can’t be here, Delaney. Please.”
Her wide eyes meet mine and I lock my jaw to keep from saying more. Thank fuck, she slowly nods, and I exhale before kissing her forehead and saying, “Go.”
Once she’s behind the wheel, I watch her go before turning away. I have to take care of Darcy but once that’s done, it’s time to do some hunting.
There’s a little weasel that’s about to meet his end.