Page 83 of Lovely Darkness

“Is that all he does with them? Just kill them?”

Her face goes sour and her posture goes rigid. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying… he learns things from them. Each of them is a piece in a puzzle. And he’s the only one working on that puzzle right now. But it can’t last. You see, Nick Tate has limits. And he’s bumping up against them right now. He needs help. That’s why he’s here.”

“We’re here for my cure.”

“Your cure?” I laugh. “What the hell do you need cured?”

“Me, Indie. Me. I’m a fuckin’ disease. And we’re here for my cure.”

My mouth drops open. “What?”

“Donovan has it. Carter. They know how to fix us and if Nick is working on a puzzle, this is the big picture. Curing me. And Donovan, and Carter, and Merc—they’re the final pieces. That’s why we’re here. We’re gonna pick through the bullshit and get the answers I need to be normal. To be cured of this sick thing they made me into.”

“No. Wendy.” I grab her by the shoulders. Pull her in for a hug. She’s stiff, doesn’t hug me back, but she doesn’t pull away, either. “Sweetie, no.” I push her back so I can look her in the eyes. “You’re not a disease. You’re not sick. You don’t need a cure! You need answers! And Nathan and I are gonna take you to those answers. Right now. Let’s go.”

I turn, grabbing her hand, making her turn with me, but I’m too late. This conversation took way too long because there he is. Nick Tate. Walking up the garden path, head looking side to side, searching for Wendy. I look to my right and find Nathan coming our way as well.

We took too long.

We should’ve had this stupid conversation in the truck, because now Wendy is gonna—

“Nick!” she calls. “Over here!”

“He can’t come,” I whisper.

“The hell he can’t.” And she does not whisper.

“The hell I can’t what?” Nick calls. He’s still a few flower beds away, so it takes him another thirty seconds or so to make his way to us. He and Nathan approach at just about the same time.

“Indie wants to show us something,” Wendy says.

I roll my eyes. “For fuck’s sake, Wendy. Discretion!”

“Nick and I don’t have secrets, Indie. That’s not how we play the game. So whatever you want to show me, you can show him too.”

“What did I miss?” Nick asks. His condescending tone suddenly reminds me a lot of Adam. In fact, in this light, one might mistake him for Adam if you didn’t notice the missing tattoos.

“Tell him, Indie.”

“By all means,” I say, panning my hand towards Wendy. “Be my guest.”

“She found a nest of girls.”

Nick shoots Nathan a look, one eyebrow up. “I thought you said you lost them?”

“I said they were gone when we went back,” Nathan replies.

“But you know where they are now?” Nick counters.

Nate shrugs. “This isn’t about you or your hunt. It’s about Indie and Wendy and the cure.”

Nick’s face goes instantly hard. It’s like he changes into another person altogether. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“The cure,” I say. “Isn’t that what you and Wendy are lookin’ for? She told us that you’re here for Donovan and Carter.”

“And?” Nick says.