Chapter 10
Ten
Out of all their places, I hated Lucian’s apartment the most. For some reason, it was always entirely too silent. It was the kind of silence that made me itch, the kind that left too much room for the noise in my head to take over.
I hovered near the far wall, my form flickering faintly as I watched him and her. She was perched on the couch beside him, her phone cradled in her lap, her legs tucked under her like she owned the place. Her laughter rang out, soft and sweet, as she leaned into Lucian, brushing his arm with a practiced ease that made my stomach churn.
Lucian tilted his head toward her, his smirk lazy as he sipped his beer. He looked comfortable, relaxed, like nothing in the world could touch him. Like my death hadn’t even been a ripple in his perfect little pond.
I drifted closer, drawn by the faint buzz of the bond, even though I knew it would only hurt. My gaze flicked to her phone, curiosity gnawing at me. Her thumb darted across the screen, typing with a speed that made me pause.
The messages she sent were stark and glaring in the glow of her phone:
God, I can’t wait to get out of here. Watching him brood is exhausting.
A bubble popped up, her friend typing back.
Bet you wish it was me there instead of him.
Her smile widened as she replied, tilting the screen away from Lucian, who was too busy scrolling through his own phone to notice.
You have no idea. Lucian’s good for dinners and gifts, but you? You’re my real fun.
I froze, the words cutting through me sharper than any knife.
She paused, then added another text, the audacity making my chest tighten with rage.
Tomorrow? After he’s asleep?
The reply was instant.
You know it, baby. Can’t wait to hear all the boring details about his sad little life while I fuck you properly.
The phone dinged, but she didn’t bother to hide her smug grin. Her hand brushed Lucian’s thigh absentmindedly, her voice soft as she said, “You’re quiet tonight. Everything okay?”
He glanced at her, the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Yeah. Just tired.”
“Tired of me yet?” she teased, her tone light, playful, and full of lies.
“Never,” Lucian replied, shaking his head as he leaned back.
She laughed, tucking her phone against her chest as she shifted closer to him. Her other hand reached for his drink, stealing a sip like it was some cute little inside joke.
I wanted to scream.
The bond between us throbbed violently, sending a wave of nausea crashing over me. My chest burned, the phantom ache spreading until it felt like my whole body might shatter.
This is what I died for?
The thought roared in my head, louder than the bond, louder than her laughter. This was the life I was tethered to, the person he chose over me—a liar, a cheat, someone who didn’t even care about him beyond what he could give her.
The lamp beside her flickered, just once, but it was enough to make her pause.
“What was that?” she asked, glancing toward the light.
“Bad wiring,” Lucian said, brushing it off as he stood. “Want another drink?”
“Always,” she said with a grin, handing him her glass. As soon as he turned his back, she snatched her phone again, typing something too quick for me to catch.
I backed away, my fists clenched as a new kind of heat coursed through me—hot and sharp, burning away the edges of my despair. This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.
I drifted closer to the lamp, focusing on the bulb. The bond pulsed faintly, feeding me just enough energy to push. The light flickered again, brighter this time, making her flinch.
“What’s wrong with that thing?” she asked, setting her phone down.
Lucian returned, handing her the glass without even glancing at the lamp. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
But I wasn’t done.
I pressed harder, the lamp flickering wildly now, casting jagged shadows across the room. She shifted nervously, her smile faltering.
“Lucian,” she said, her voice tinged with unease. “Are you sure it’s not going to, like, blow up or something?”
He frowned, glancing at the light as it steadied again. “It’s fine,” he said firmly, though his tone was less certain.
I stepped back, my form flickering as the effort drained me. But the anger stayed, stronger than the exhaustion, louder than the despair. My thoughts running in circles.
This was what I died for. What I’d bled out in a filthy, forgotten theater for.
For a liar with pretty eyes and a phone full of secrets?
I stood in the corner of the room, watching him lounge on the couch, oblivious to everything around him. His girlfriend sat beside him, her fingers idly swiping through her phone while Lucian scrolled aimlessly on his own. Her expression was serene, her lips tugging into a soft smile as her thumb hovered over her screen.
But I knew better now.
If I leaned in close, I could see the texts she hadn’t deleted. The smile that wasn’t for Lucian. The lies she crafted so effortlessly, her fingers dancing across the screen with practiced ease to an entirely different conversation than the one she had just minutes before.
I can’t stop thinking about last night *winking emoji*
My chest tightened, the flames of my anger licking higher.
“Last night,” I echoed, bitterness creeping into my tone.
The room flickered faintly, the lights dimming just for a moment. Lucian glanced up from his phone, his brow furrowing as he looked at the lamp.
“Bulb’s going out,” he muttered, mostly to himself.
His girlfriend didn’t even look up. She hummed noncommittally, still engrossed in her private little affair.
It wasn’t fair.
I couldn’t see my mom. Or Elise. Or Jenna. The people who actually mattered, who might have cared that I was gone. They must be so upset now that my body has been found. But instead of trying whatever ghostly bullshit I could do now to try to comfort them, I was tethered here to them .
And they didn’t deserve it.
I clenched my fists, my form flickering faintly as my anger surged. The glass on the coffee table trembled, the liquid rippling inside. Lucian’s head snapped toward it, his frown deepening.
“What the hell?”
The girlfriend finally glanced up, her gaze darting between him and the glass. “What’s wrong?”
Lucian didn’t answer, leaning forward to pick up the glass. He turned it in his hand, inspecting it like it might reveal some kind of answer.
The bond pulsed faintly, a tug of energy flowing into me. I didn’t notice it at first, too lost in my anger, but as I watched Lucian rub his temples, the realization hit.
He was tired. No, more than that—he looked drained.
And I’d caused it.
I felt a smirk curve on my face. The chair nearest the window scraped against the floor, sliding just an inch but enough to make the sound echo. Lucian’s girlfriend jumped, her eyes widening as she clutched her phone tighter.
“What was that?”
Lucian shook his head, standing as he scanned the room. “I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair, the tension in his shoulders visible even as he tried to play it off. “Probably just a draft or something.”
The girlfriend didn’t look convinced. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, her eyes darting toward the shadows in the corner.
I didn’t feel guilty. Not even a little.
If anything, I felt stronger.
I moved toward the lamp, letting my anger guide me, and brushed my fingers against the bulb. It flickered violently, casting erratic shadows across the room. Lucian winced, pressing a hand to his temple as the bond throbbed faintly.
“Dammit,” he muttered, grabbing the switch and turning it off entirely.
The girlfriend stood abruptly, wrapping the blanket around herself like armor. “I’m going to bed,” she said quickly, her voice tight.
Lucian didn’t stop her. He didn’t even look at her as she disappeared into the hallway, his focus fixed on the lamp, the glass, the chair.
I hovered near him, watching the tension in his jaw, the frustration that creased his brow. He didn’t understand what was happening. None of them did.
And that was fine.
“Feel that?” I whispered, my voice low and venomous. “That’s just the beginning.”
I turned my attention to the blinds, letting them sway faintly as though caught by an unseen breeze. The sound was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it made Lucian’s shoulders stiffen.
He stood abruptly, pacing toward the window and yanking the blinds still. His breath came faster now, uneven, his hand twitching at his side.
The bond pulsed again, another wave of energy flowing into me as his fatigue deepened. He stumbled slightly, catching himself on the edge of the couch.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” he muttered, his voice low and strained.
I smiled, a sharp, bitter thing that didn’t feel like me.
“Everything,” I said softly. “And you’re just finally feeling it.”
The exhaustion hit me like a hammer, the surge of power fading as quickly as it came. I slumped against the wall, my form flickering faintly as I fought to stay upright. The bond quieted, retreating back into its steady hum, but the satisfaction lingered.
I was learning. Growing.
The apartment blurred around me as the pull of the bond faded, leaving me to drift back to the theater. I collapsed onto the stage, the familiar chill of the wood grounding me as I tried to catch phantom breaths that never came.
Lucian wasn’t the only one who could feel me now. They all would.
Fucking finally.