Despite the commotion, my focus never wavered, attention only spared for the one-eyed, patch-wearing mammoth of a man I once called Uncle.

My progression was hindered by the rising panic that sifted through the crowd. I shoved people out of my way in the fight to get to Oscar. My hopes shattered when he threw himself over the Oakviews and dragged them out a hidden door sidelining the podium.

I was too late. I’d never catch them.

My eyes closed and I heaved in mouthfuls of air to quench the rushing beats that drummed in my ears.

“They’re insane, they’re fucking insane!” Katsy yelled before she clasped onto my arm, her touch alone releasing my demon from within. Darkness immediately took hold to come forth and consume both of us whole.

I pulled her into a tight embrace, stabbing the fractured glass into her gut. With a rattle from her chest, I shoved hard on the upstroke, the stem slipping upward beneath her ribcage.

“I am insane,” I whispered over her flushed face.

Katsy’s eyes flickered before me, a beautiful symmetry of disbelief and pain passing in their depths.

My Variant soaked in her despair like a drug, feeding on her deterioration to satiate my triggered bloodlust.

She flopped to the ground with a final sigh, my entire front saturated in her blood. It was a welcome addition to my outfit, mostly camouflaged by the dark material of my dress.

Surroundings suddenly bled into recognition. Crazy inmates ran rampant through the room, harassing and chasing guests. I didn’t know how they were released from their cells, and I didn’t care. I revelled in the havoc that permeated the space.

A thin, wiry patient stood at the refreshments table, one hand chucking food at terrified guests, the other shovelling the rest into his mouth. Food particles plastered to his naked body as he toothlessly cackled.

The speakers whined until a clear, high voice rang through the microphone. A copper-haired inmate wearing a makeshift flower crown had seized the stage. At least this one had clothes on. “All must bow before our gracious light and sun. She will burn all you sinners to the ground. Repent or burn! Repent or burn!”

The main exit remained blocked by the stampede trying to escape. I bypassed the crowd and jumped over the podium, inclining my head to the hippy flower guy as I passed, giving him recognition for a job well done as I departed out the hidden back door.

Chapter 17Psycho

Ipaced my padded cell when the door clicked open and my least favourite person hijacked the entryway. Captain Fucking Douchebag lifted his chin with the smuggest smirk known to man (not that it had much effect). A splint remained strapped to his broken nose. I visibly sneered at him.

“I can sign it for you, if you want?”

Fern pulled at my shirt, dragging me down the corridor, all humour lost. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Ripping out of his grasp, my eyes narrowed. “You aren’t taking me fucking anywhere.”

“Not even for your good doctor? It’s the fundraiser ball tonight, you know.”

I fucking know. The orchestra melodies vibrated through the castle, the tune haunting and sinister.

I lifted a brow and his smirk reappeared full force, like he was privy to something that I wasn’t.

“Fine,” I said. “But touch me again and I’ll break your jaw to match your nose.” He growled before turning on his heel to lead me down the corridor.

After re-emerging from the theatre with my brain fully intact, I wanted to kill him. I desperately wanted to rip him apart and gnaw the flesh from his fucking skeleton.

Micah forbade me. I couldn’t risk any upsets until she found my sister. So I relented. Even though it clashed with every goddamned cell in my body, I relented. For her. For them both.

As Fern’s back turned, I used the opportunity to ingest the vial of Micah’s elixir. I wouldn’t let this imbecile fool me again.

He swiped through to the security control room, simplistic and unadorned except for the wall opposite, overloaded by monitors. All screens displayed various angles of the communal hall, decked out and filled with the rich and famous of JC.

I refused to step foot in the enclosed space. There was no one else around, which meant this was a trap.

Fern swung into a lone office chair, typing away as the images redirected to zone in on one particular individual—Micah King.

My breath hitched in my throat. Micah was a vision in dark purple, her gown skintight with a deadly slit that practically came to her navel. I choked down a groan. Fern could get fucked if he thought he’d get a reaction out of me.

He spun in his swivel chair and looked me dead in the eyes, twirling a pen between his fingers.

“You think I couldn’t tell? Think I didn’t catch the preferential treatment she gives you? Think I didn’t notice the way you look at her?” He tapped the end of the pen to his temple. “I see everything. And with this knowledge, I’m finally going to destroy you…by destroying her.” His mouth lifted in a triumphant grin.

Fuck the trap. My feet drew me forward until I passed the threshold. I closed the door behind me, the lock automatically clicking into place.

“Are you threatening me?” I managed to force through my lips.

His head fell back with a raucous laugh. “I took some advice from Katsy. Surprisingly, I think it’ll work. A reward system,” his tone turned teasing. “But what could I use against the famous Psycho? A man truly mad, truly nuts that he cares for nothing, for no one…or so I thought.”

He lifted a side eye to Micah and released a low whistle. “She’s a beauty, ain’t she? Who knew she was hiding those legs under all that fabric.” He licked his lips and I had to prevent myself from pummelling him into the ground.

Fern tsked. “Now this is what’s going to happen. You will follow my every demand. Each and every one. If you don’t, she will pay the price. Do you understand?”

I nodded, my eyes focused on the flawless female that dominated the screen. Fern didn’t waste any time and dropped his pen, allowing it to roll between us.

Leaning back and spreading his knees wide, he pointed to the offending object. “Pick it up.”

I stared at him impassively and followed his command. When he outstretched his hand, I snatched it back out of reach.

“You really are as dumb as you look, huh?” He flinched and I let my mask fall, letting the real crazy shine through. Ecstasy laced my veins as the elixir took effect, my instincts transitioning into a fraction of my former glory. It was enough. “You think you could show me my golden girl, threaten and flaunt her in my face, and get away with it?” I released a quick laugh, then sobered immediately. My voice had changed. It was more menacing, more disturbing. “You just invoked your own death warrant, Fern. Any last words?”

Fern stuttered and drew his baton, his other hand hovering over the gun slung at his waist. “I’ll shoot you, Psycho. Don’t test me.”

“Don’t fucking test me! SHE’S MINE!” My body launched forward, the baton clanging to the ground as I blocked his downward strike. Dodging his half-assed fighting skills was child’s play. He went to unsheathe his gun, but he wasn’t fast enough. I took advantage of the distraction, wrapping a hand around the back of his head and stabbing the pen directly through his eyeball.

“I said I’d take your jaw, but your eye will do.”

He screamed, pushing against me in desperation. “I’m going to kill you, kill her. I swear, I swear.”

“You can’t do shit when you're dead.” I pushed harder, my hold steady and sure despite the blood saturating my fingers.

I heard his breath hitch, then his broad form slumped dead, the pen fully embedded into his eye socket. Thankfully, he was situated on one side of the room, so I still had floor space to move around in his swivel chair. The seat cushioning was comfortable and remained warm. Getting in a cosy position, I couldn’t detain my grin as I enjoyed the view.

My slanted grin soon dissolved. Mayor Oakview filled the screen, his greedy expression directed at Micah.

I didn’t like the image: his beady eyes undressing her, imagining her naked and writhing beneath him. One didn’t have to guess what the fuck was going through his brain.

It didn’t matter if his last name was plastered over the entrance, or that he was the leading politician ruling the damn city. He was looking at my girl like he was going to eat her, and she was entertaining his hungry stare, wearing an accepting smile.