King of Hearts by Briar Brooks

Author:Briar Brooks [Brooks, Briar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13 – SUBMIT

Jason

Maya left shortly after Eve was done with her shower, and even when I go to sit in the viewing room, Eve remains standing in front of the retort, watching the body inside until it is reduced to ashes. Contemplating, observing, the wheels in her head turning so loudly I can hear them from where I am sitting. It isn’t until an hour or so later, when she is sure there is nothing left to burn, that she comes and joins me inside the room.

I recline on the couch, legs splayed out, and watch her toss her empty coffee cup in the trash as she walks over to me.

“What time is it?” she asks as she nudges my leg over and sits near my legs.

Lifting my arm, I check my watch, looking out the windows of the crematorium and sighing thankfully at the lack of sun.

“It’s about 3:30am,” I say, moving sideways towards the back of the couch and patting the space next to me, beckoning her to come lie down next to me.

She obliges, sweeping her hair over her shoulder and bringing her head to rest on my chest. Her legs entwine with mine, and we lie there, both of us quiet and pensive. Her fingers trace the buttons of my shirt, occasionally sliding inside the gaps between to graze my chest. She hums softly, bringing her hand to rest over my heart: I can feel her inhale deeply, and as she speaks she lifts her head to look up at me.

“Jason. I hope you don’t think differently of me after what happened. I just…I snapped, and I didn’t feel in control. I just let my instinct take over, and I couldn’t stop myself.”

I look down at her, bringing my arm up from behind her head to gently stroke her hair.

“Eve, I understand. It’s not like you just went out and decided to kill someone, you know? The situation forced you to choose, to survive.”

I glance over at the retort in the next room, at what remains of the man she had murdered.

“After all, he was evil. And the world is better off without him”

She nods before pushing her hand against my chest, rising off of the couch and pacing over to the window.

She’s restless. I remember that feeling well. Coming to terms with taking a human life is always a process, no matter how predisposed to violence one might be. I’ve always been violent, always been a killer. But Eve? For as dark a shadow as her true nature might cast, I’m still not sure of what she can handle.

That is, until I remember that look she had on her face in the driveway. Staring at the body, her chest swelling slightly with confidence and pride, her face refusing to look away from the battered victim before her.

She looked like she enjoyed it. At this point, I’m not really sure if she really just ‘let instinct take over,’ or if she CHOSE to take it that far.

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