48. The Ghost
The Ghost
It’s nights like this that I wish I truly could be in two places at once.
The warmth of Mallary’s bed is too enticing, the lush sweetness of her body too tempting.
And yet once she is deep asleep, safe within her slumbering, I force myself to leave her be.
She doesn’t sleepwalk tonight. She truly rests.
Like her mind can finally relax now that she knows I see her and I am here to stay.
Soon, we will have this. We will wake to the other’s touch, every day. We will never again have to hide. She’s agreed to stay. She’s accepted me. Accepted this.
But tonight, there are things I must do.
The procurement of rope was easy. The snakes are hidden away, thanks to the crony. The drugs, however, were less simple.
I don’t want to kill the entire party.
Not that they probably don’t deserve it.
But if I kill them all, then no one will be able to spread the word about Mallary’s performance.
And I did promise her that. If they die, all of this will have been for nothing.
No, I just need enough of them out of their minds to cause a panicked exodus from the estate.
I tell Desmond everything that he needs to know. He’s irritated. Probably mad he’s stuck helping me. Mad I found out about his little girlfriend. I don’t care.
Only once everything is in place, the morning sky lightening to a dull gray, do I slip back into her bedroom. She hasn’t moved.
My Mallary.
She deserves this rest. I kiss her face. I can’t help it.
She’ll likely wake soon. And I know if I stay, she may never leave this room until tonight.
I whisper my promises against her throat, breathe her in one last time, and resign myself to focusing on my revenge until the dark once more blankets the manor.
In twenty four hours, we will finally be free.