I notice Sebastian on his phone, no doubt already talking with the police chief to keep this off the record. Carter and our men form a barricade around the three other bodies on my living room floor, ensuring that no one sees them there. The less they know, the better for everyone.

Little Red is picked up and wheeled out of the room. I follow along with her as they wheel her out of the house and down the hallways to the outside. Carter and Sebastian grab Leo and follow me, leading him out of the house, ensuring he doesn’t see the mess that we made, shielding his eyes from his mother as she lies dead.

Outside, in the bright light of the day, I grip onto her hand before I need to let go, so they can put her in the back.

As they do, I lean down to Leo. “It will be okay, Leo. Stay here with Sebastian. I am going with Annie to help her at the hospital. She will be okay,” I say, before kissing his head and rushing to jump in the back of the ambulance with Annie. Sitting next to her and gripping her hand in mine once more.

31

Annie

The constant beeping in my ear rouses me as I stretch out my legs and roll my head away from the bright light. Slowly opening my eyes, I groan as I wake and feel slight pain in my shoulder. I am in a room that is not familiar, and as my eyes begin to focus, the beeping noise gets a little faster.

My eyes search the room as I try to get my bearings. I have no idea where I am, and I look for clues as I observe the white walls, bright lights, and scratchy linen underneath me. Taking a breath in, I get the whiff of strong disinfectant that travels up my nostrils, burning the hairs slightly, and I swallow hard, trying to encourage moisture to my dry throat.

“Red?” his voice echoes around the empty room, and I immediately feel safe.

“Dante?” I say, as I try to turn my head to meet his voice, but it comes out scratchy and hoarse from lack of use.

“Here,” he says gruffly, his tone not warm and inviting as it usually is, and I spot him leaning farther away against a wall. I watch him walk across the room and pour me a glass of water from a jug that is sitting on a small table nearby, before walking it over to me. His eyes are steely as they look at me, his face set.

“What happened?” I ask him, my brain slowly waking as I try to sit up and take the water from him.