36. EVERYONES SECRETS AND LIES

EVERYONE'S SECRETS AND LIES

I sat at the easel in my studio, working to get some painting done before Jess arrived for movie night. The girls were asleep in their room, tucked in tight, and snoring peacefully. My latest commission, a fridge-size portrait of a Peruvian Guinea Pig named Theodore, was in its early stages. Tilting my head to the side, I contemplated the owner's insistence that I "capture the essence" of Theodore's personality, "especially his sense of humor." Sighing, I glanced longingly at a few mostly-finished, mixed-media pieces against the far wall. Those pieces were mine, made up of my own thoughts, imagination, and heart. Pieces that I'd poured my blood, sweat, tears, and soul into. They were my mind given form, calling to me to finish them. And I would. I promised myself that I would. Just not tonight.

I stared into Theodore's glossy black eyes that shone like the onyx stones I kept in my daughters' nightstands for protection. I blinked, and for just a moment, I saw Andras in the clearing by the cabin, eyes as black as night, his blood-flecked golden face seething with violence as he cut down one halfling after another. Thrack. Thrack. Thrack. I shook the image out of my head, picked up a brush, and then froze, fighting against the sudden tightness in my chest. My paintbrush clattered to the floor, splattering black paint across the cement. Tears fell in tiny rivulets down my cheeks and dripped into my lap, darkening my paint-stained smock. I hadn't even realized I was crying.

My phone buzzed.

"I'm here," Jess texted.

I patted my damp and puffy face and picked my brush up from the floor to put it back in its rightful place. I wiped my still-shaking hands on my smock and hung it up on its hook on my easel. Then, I wandered slowly out of the studio and back into my house to let Jess in.

***

Jess and I were drinking a much-needed bottle of white wine in my living room, cozied up on the rug with blankets and snacks as usual, watching Dracula with the sound off–the part where the actor is shirtless and sensual in all of his evil glory. I couldn't help but think of Callum, and those depthless black eyes of his. Jess bounced her thick eyebrows playfully and adjusted the collar of her sleep shirt as she continued the story of her date: "So we're getting hot and heavy, and we're kissing, and it's amazing, and I'm unbuttoning her blouse and going in for some boob action, and—"

I wrinkled my nose and interrupted, "—you know that you sound like a frat bro when you talk about sex, right?" I threw a piece of popcorn at her, and she caught it in her mouth and then flashed a winning grin.

She playfully chewed, swallowed, and cleared her throat dramatically.

"As I was saying," she went on, "before being so rudely interrupted by my prudish sister…I was caressing her gorgeous breasts ." She paused to let it sink in, "when I swear I saw fangs, and I realized that maybe we should lay off of the movies for a while," she quirked her mouth to the side, "that, or I need to smoke less weed."

My whole body went rigid. Fangs? I leaned into Jess, closing the distance between us. "What do you mean fangs ?" I whispered.

Jess frowned. "Dude, are you okay? Why are you whispering? And why do you suddenly look so…peaky? You're acting so…off…today."

"Jess, seriously, what do you mean she looked like she had fangs?" I pressed.

"I don't know, like fangs. Like, hiiiiiisssss," she held up her hand with her pointer finger and middle finger curled into a "V" shape, "like, you know, fangs." She kept talking but her voice suddenly sounded so far away. "I thought I caught a glimpse, but obviously, it was just the angle and the moonlight because when I looked closer, nothing was there, and also, that's just crazy. Anyway, we definitely fucked, and it was awesome, and I thought you'd be proud because it's been forever. Like, I almost worried that she'd find cobwebs in there."

She gestured to her crotch.

I couldn't breathe. My mind raced. It was probably nothing. What were the odds she'd meet another one? Andras said there weren't many. Should I ask him? After avoiding him for two days? Just forty-eight hours ago, I'd been in a cabin in the mountains with him, in a state of both terror and ecstasy, but that already felt like another life, somehow–like it had happened in another realm. Jess slowly passed a hand in front of my face.

I twisted and gave her a flat, unamused look, my head inclined to the side.

"Sis? I'm getting worried about you. Is everything alright?" she asked me, her face pinched with concern.

"I'm fine. Yeah, I'm fine." I cleared my throat and forced a smile. "Anyway, show me a picture of this super babe."

Jess grinned as she flipped through her phone before handing it to me, screen up. "Here she is," she sang.

I took the phone, smiling back. Then my gaze landed on the screen, and the room tilted. The walls closed in, and I had to steady myself on the rug as my breath quickened. I knew that woman. Those big almond eyes, lined with thick black eyeliner, those high cheekbones, that sharp nose—I knew her.

Nadia . I was looking at a picture of fucking Nadia. But the name on her profile said "Raven." Raven, my ass.

"Sis?" Jess called to me softly, her hand moving to rest gently on my shoulder. I jumped, the warmth slowly draining from my face and limbs. Why was Nadia going after my sister? Other than my children, Jess was the most important person in my life, and if something happened to her…if someone hurt her…I ground my teeth at the thought. Panic turned to rage, and I was on my feet, stomping to my phone, leaving Jess sitting on the carpet looking bewildered and concerned. I snatched my phone from my bag and called Andras.

"Danny?" he answered, voice ragged as though he'd been crying.

"Why the fuck did Nadia go out with my sister?" I snapped.

My eyes narrowed as I saw red and felt my blood roil in my veins, felt my legs buzz into action, felt…felt…oh fuck– I felt electricity in my hands. I am going to fry her.

"Wait, what?" Andras asked, incredulous. "I didn't know that she...she's here, let me ask her–"

I didn't wait for him to answer.

"We're coming over," I barked and hung up.

I spun to face my wide-eyed sister.

"Brace yourself, Jess," I said, "I have so much to tell you."