30. Chapter Thirty #2
“You are so fucking wrong,” Morgan growled back. “Cody is mine!”
Nyrah slowly started rounding the table and Morgan stepped back, bumping into the kitchen counter.
She reached behind her while keeping her eyes on Nyrah.
Morgan’s fingers found a plate from the dish rack, and she immediately snatched it up and hurled it at Nyrah.
Nyrah dodged the flying plate with ease and it smashed into the cabinets behind her.
Morgan didn’t want to turn away from the advancing cat-fairy-bitch, but she needed something, anything from the dish rack that she could use as a weapon.
Her hand curled around the hilt of the chef’s knife.
Before Morgan could question if she should be grabbing the knife, Nyrah lunged at her.
Morgan brought up her forearm to block the catgirl’s attack.
Morgan cried out in fear but…Nyrah paused, slowly shaking her head.
The tips of her claws merely poked Morgan’s skin, making tiny beads of blood form, but nothing more.
“No…you c-can’t be…” Nyrah said.
In that moment of confusion, Morgan saw her opening. She screamed and shoved the knife into Nyrah’s stomach. Nyrah gasped, her red eyes going wide.
“No…but you’re…” Nyrah looked into Morgan’s eyes, as if searching for an answer.
It was too easy. One second the girl had her pinned against the counter, and now Morgan held a knife in her stomach.
Thick, warm blood was seeping out, soaking Nyrah’s white tank top.
Nyrah’s eyes fluttered, as did her wings.
She stepped back and the knife slid right out of her, as easily as it had gone in, with Morgan still gripping it in her hand.
Nyrah stumbled into the kitchen table, and then collapsed to the ground, her hands going to the gushing wound in her stomach.
It felt like the entire world grew silent.
All Morgan could hear was her own heart, beating like it was going to burst from her chest. She felt her skin grow cold and clammy, her legs growing weaker by the second.
Her breath came in short, ragged gasps as everything that happened slowly caught up to her:
Morgan held a knife.
Morgan held a bloody knife.
Morgan held a bloody knife that she had used to stab Nyrah.
Morgan was pretty sure she killed a girl, and she did not like it.
Cody
Yana ran swiftly through the forest, with Cody staying as close as possible.
Yana could really book it and it was difficult to keep up, but he managed.
As they approached the cottage, he could see the lights were on in the kitchen.
Yana didn’t slow down. She ran to the door, slamming it open–and froze.
Cody nearly collided with her but stopped just in time.
Yana was only still for a moment. Something between a gasp and a wail escaped her and she rushed forward, falling to her knees. And then Cody was able to take in the whole scene, but it was like his brain was having trouble catching up with his eyes.
Yana was kneeling next to Nyrah, crying.
Nyrah was in her nekofae form, lying on the kitchen tiles.
Her white shirt was soaked in blood, with one hand pressed to her stomach.
Cody looked up and saw Morgan, visibly shaking, holding a knife dripping with blood. As soon as his eyes met hers, she dropped the knife. It clattered to the tiles, breaking the spell that was keeping Cody frozen to the spot.
“I d-didn’t mean to,” Morgan said, tears now running down her ashen face. “S-she attacked m-me. She’s…I don’t know w-what she is!”
“She’s hurt!” Yana cried and turned to Cody. “Is she dying? Do you have healing potions? I don’t have any.”
Cody knelt down on the other side of Nyrah, his back to Morgan. He placed his hand over Nyrah’s, trying to staunch the flow of blood. But there was already so much on her shirt and on the tiles surrounding her. How much blood could a person lose before it was too late to save them?
“I don’t have any healing potions,” he said dully, his head still feeling fuzzy. “I’m sorry.”
“Yana…Cody H-Hampshire…” Nyrah said weakly. “I love you. Both of you.”
“I love you, too,” Yana said. She was giving her friend gentle scritches behind her cat ears.
Cody knew it wasn’t love he was feeling for Nyrah, but he cared about her. She didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve to die.
Cody… came Knife’s voice. Do you want me to…you know?
Cody wasn’t sure what Knife was asking. Nothing was making sense. He could call 911, but how would he explain what a nekofae was to the paramedics? And would that put Morgan in danger, if she was the one…who did this?
It won’t work if she’s already dead. Knife sounded more urgent now. It’s a now or never situation, buddy.
“What do you…” Cody said out loud, even though he was talking to Knife. But he understood.
We’ve had a good run, right? Knife said. And you want to save her?
I want to save her.
Just know: you were the best of them. The best host I ever had, and the best friend I ever had.
Yeah, same. Cody pulled Knife out of his inventory. I’m going to miss you.
“Cody…?” Nyrah eyed the knife that appeared in his hand.
“This might hurt,” Cody said. “But you’re going to be okay.”
And then he stabbed her in the heart.