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"But it ht I was pure blood" Deep breaths Keep breathing My reatestanother parent aches inside my heart, burns in my soul, makes me feel so alone

"I’h, but it’ll probably take some time" He pauses, conflicted "I just want to make sure you prepare yourself for what I find out"

"You mean, prepare myself for if she’s dead" My bluntness shocks him, however he quickly composes himself and nods "Preparerevelation clicks inside h all of this, I’ll still end up alone ifher false hope," Cah he just showered and shaved; his skin is smooth, his blonde hair perfectly styled and his black shirt and jeans unwrinkled "You knoell as I do that that wasn’t a joke That her mother is probably dead… That E…" He shuts his eyes and inhales deeply "I can feel herto be collected" He reopens his eyes "Lucky for her, the Reapers see you down at the moment, so her soul has some time left in her body, but still, she’s dead"

"Well,I’uy in the alley"

He elevates his eyebrows atin his eyes "You want to pay that price again?" He s overher"

I scowl at hi hi lance back at Asher "You said Reaper’s couldn’t coh the doorway like he owns the place "Full Reaper’s can’t, but half Reaper, half Angel’s can"

"I don’t understand" I look back and forth between the two of thee a look and then Asher sighs "Remember how I said that I spend most of my time in a place my mind creates, the one that I lived in Sort of like an in between… well, we’re there"

"In your asted

Asher wavers "Sort of, but not exactly"

"Think of it as a place that belongs to only one person," Cameron says "And that one person can create whatever they want, build it however they want, and only let in whoever they want"

"It sounds like a video game," I remark with a frown

"You could look at it that way," Cameron says

"Well who built this place?" I wonder

Asher points at himself "I did"

"Then why is he here" I aier at Cameron "When all he’s done is torture me"

"You really believe that?" Ca the necklace on my neck "Plus, I helped you out back there, all because I care for you," Caes "Despite what you think"

"I don’t think anything," Ithat I feel connected to both of the-o-ithto cave into Cameron, but also melt into Asher

"Sure you don’t" Caht beside Asher His face contorts with disgust "Nice wings, by the way" His face pinches as he stares at the look for you" His head cocks to the side "Although I do love the eyes"

My fingers shoot up towith ain For a

Cameron stares at the back of Asher’s head like he’shim to turn around and look at him "Do you want to tell her or do you want ravely "I don’t want to tell her at all," he says with re to see eventually," he steps aside and gestures to the et it over with"

I wait for Asher to say sout-wrenching look on his face as he backs away froet away from me, but then he holds out his hand for me to take

Nerves bubble inside my body as I take his offered hand As he helps me tome balance

"Keep your shoulders up," he says, de his own "It’ll help a little"

I nod and then raiseht Then, with his eyes fastened onwith hile to stay on my feet When we reach it, he blocks my view for a moment, reluctant to let , he irrevocably steps to the side and out of the way

I inch forward,slowly until s of black and red

Tall and strong

Though shoulders curled in

Cursed eight

Eyes like ash

Skin like snow

Lips blood red