The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine #2: What Lurks in the Shadows by Z Brewer

Author:Z Brewer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2025-10-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

The End of a Very Long Day

Viktor’s sneakers scraped along the cracked sidewalk as he trudged home, his messenger bag sagging heavily on his right shoulder. The day had been rough—math test, forgotten lunch, and the constant itch of being watched. He always felt it, like eyes burning into the back of his skull, and it didn’t take a genius to know whose they were.

Celeste’s.

He rounded the corner onto his street, eyes downcast, trying to push the thought of her away. He had almost reached the safety of his house when he heard a sharp, familiar laugh. His head snapped up.

There, sitting on the porch next door, was Celeste. And beside her, laughing along with her like they were old friends, was Damon.

Viktor stopped dead in his tracks, the world tilting sideways for a moment.

Celeste leaned back, her hair spilling over her shoulder in perfect waves, looking as smug and untouchable as ever. The only thing that lessened her smugness some was the bandage on her nose. She said something Viktor couldn’t hear, and Damon laughed again, harder this time, like whatever she’d said was the funniest thing in the world.

Viktor’s fingers curled into fists at his sides. His heart thudded painfully in his chest, confusion twisting into anger. How could Damon just sit there with her, like she hadn’t spent their entire lives making Viktor’s life a living hell?

His steps slowed, each one heavier than the last, the distance between them shrinking but not fast enough. He didn’t want to confront them, but he couldn’t just walk past without saying anything, either. He was stuck in some nightmare limbo.

As he got closer, Celeste’s eyes flicked toward him. A smirk tugged at her lips. She elbowed Damon lightly in the ribs and whispered something. Damon looked up, his smile faltering as his eyes met Viktor’s.

“Hey, Viktor,” Damon called, awkwardly raising a hand. “Uh, we were just hanging out. Wanna come join us?”

Join them?

Viktor stared at his best friend like he didn’t recognize him. Damon, who had been with him through every snide comment, every shove, every stupid prank Celeste had pulled on him. And now, there he was—on her porch, laughing with her.

“What are you doing?” Viktor’s voice came out hoarse, like he had swallowed broken glass. The words tumbled out before he could stop them. “It’s one thing to empathize with her. But since when are you two friends?”

Damon shifted uncomfortably, his foot tapping against the wooden porch. “Look, man, I know you two have . . . history, but she’s not that bad once you get to know her.”

Celeste’s smirk widened. She crossed her arms, leaning back like she was enjoying every second of this.

“History?” Viktor’s jaw clenched. “History is when someone accidentally bumps into you in the hallway. This isn’t history, Damon. She broke my phone. She tripped me in gym class. She’s made every single day at school suck since kindergarten.”

Damon opened his mouth to say something, but Celeste spoke first, her voice oozing with fake sweetness.

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