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A flash of pain in her eyes. “No. I didn’t let him get that far. I’m still your little lamb, Remy.”

Our breaths mingle, and she arches her hips into me. I’m so close to her now, I can feel her heartbeat. Her hand finds my cheek, and I grab her hand, moving my fingers down to the belt loop of her pants, desperately wanting to pull them off and see for myself.

My erection grows thick against her center.

It takes every ounce of self-control not to consume her. I saw the aftermath of what happened that night, just like I saw the aftermath of Talia. Except the difference is Diana embodies both dark and light, a true mix of saint and sinner. Her soul is torn between heaven and hell.

Talia’s too forgone for celestial redemption.

I need to keep Diana away from her.

Her body tenses as I pull away, giving her access to leave just as Diana’s eyes begin to glass over.

Talia spiked her drink, but I don’t think Diana has any clue. And I’m not the one who needs her right now, even if I will take my turn eventually. Tommy needs her more than I do.

I run my knuckles along her cheek as she moves to step around me. “You should go find Tommy. You’re going to need him tonight.”

“Yeah,” she says, her eyes growing distant, and I see the moment her psychosis shifts as the acid takes over. “Maybe I should…” She turns and leaves me alone, and I stand back, desperate to be close to her again, but biding my time.

Tommy is the better guy for her tonight.

DIDI

What the hell is wrong with him?

I leave Remy and head outside—nearly bolting through the door. My lungs might suffocate if I spend one more minute with him. I can’t breathe when I’m with Remy, almost like he sucks the air right out of my lungs.

I keel over as soon as I’m outside, resting my hands on my knees and sucking in a breath. The fresh air is like a cool mint in my lungs, tasting like the trees around me.

A few eyes linger as they pass, heading toward the large group amassed around the fire. Smiling, laughing, like they all aren’t on death’s door. The energy around this house is so unsettling, almost as if it’s the origin of the evil that resides here.

Surprisingly, it feels like home.

I tilt my gaze up as a cloud shifts across the night sky, revealing the stars twinkling above. My eyes easily adjust to the nocturnal light, and it’s as if each star has its own orbit. They shoot across the sky like a million fireflies.

Firefly… Does Tommy think I’m a shooting star?

Crinkling my nose, I stare at them longer than I should—standing by myself with my mouth gaping. The world is fuzzy as a guitar blares in my ears. It’s not Tommy singing anymore, but a stereo blasting from the front door, echoing down the grassy front lawn.

I search for Tommy but can’t find him in the crowd. I take a deep breath, trying to snap out of it.

I’ve smoked dope once or twice, and I didn’t care for it, but this is different. Running my hands through my hair, I can’t tell up from down, everything around me is amazing with the twinkling tea lights in the yard and the darkness of the trees beyond.

I take a step, and my foot gets tangled on something. Glancing down, my stomach does back flips as my scarecrow stares back at me. A burlap mask is on the ground, caught up in my shoes.

I reach down, pick it up, and run my hands along the fabric, interlacing my fingers in the black slits—eyes like coal.

“What did you find there?” I shoot my gaze up and see a dark-haired guy with long hair staring at me. The flames from the bonfire dance off his face.

I pause and stare at him, and reach my hand out, which he grabs. “I’m not sure.” He gives me a kind smile, but I no longer trust kind smiles.

“Why are you over here in the dark all by yourself?” he asks me, taking a step closer.

Closing the distance, the world spins, and I’m lost in a daze. My skin tightens, almost like it’s peeling away, and my vision becomes razor sharp. His face blurs and distorts, and the face of the devil stares back at me.

“You devil bitch.” Mama’s voice cuts through the soft music playing. My hand whips to my mouth, and I gawk up at the man, as if the man sounded like Mama.

“Aaarrreee yyyyoooouuuu okkkkkkay?” He sounds like a fragmented dream as his face twists and contorts.