Another slash into the wood, and the spellwork started to fizzle.

Ana stepped away from the porch as it started to spark. It glowed for just a moment like a cheap, underwhelming firework before the carvings faded from view. Marchosias would surely sense his spell being ruined and get mad…but he still didn’t come. Even when she waited for thirty minutes on the porch, scrolling through her phone.

Ana was pissed. More than pissed. She thought of everything she could to grab the attention of Marchosias, and he still did not come. She used the summoning spell again, and now she ruined the spellwork carved into the porch. Nothing was working. Nothing ever worked.

Logan had been spamming her phone for the past two days, since the morning after Deacon’s death. Ana hadn’t told her anything, but she swore her best friend had a sixth sense. That, or Ana had just been ignoring her for too long. She sent many texts to Logan insisting she was fine, but Logan wanted to call her. Ana, unfortunately, was in a sour mood and didn’t trust herself enough not to say anything rude.

Her anger and sour mood is what lead to the spellwork on the porch being destroyed. If Marchosias didn’t want to check on her like he should be doing, then he can forget about his stupid barrier spells. Now Ana stood on the porch, tapping her foot as she thought about what to do next. She wanted something to yell at, specifically Marchosias, but unfortunately he was not here. She had no way to vent her anger that was more healthier than punching glass(a bad habit developed after the incident) or smoking cigarettes.

Cigarette. Her fingers twitched, and she looked at the old ashtray sitting on the patio table. She hadn’t felt this stressed and angry since before she first started smoking. It was a good stress reliever, and one of the few things that helped her cope with everything that happened. She knew she used to hide packs of smokes in places, just in case she ran out. Maybe she still had some—

No. She quickly shook her head and sat down on the chair next to the patio table. Six months of staying clean, and she was going to throw it all way just because Marchosias wasn’t giving her attention and her friends with benefits is dead? No. She’s better than that. She’s stronger than that. What would her mother think if she found out she went back to smoking? Ana already felt like a disappointment for all the shitty things she’s been doing lately, she can’t add smoking on top of it.

A pair of footsteps crunched against the gravel driveway, and Ana lifted her head to look at her visitors. Beau and Judas walked toward her, the latter trailing a few feet behind, dragging his feet like a little kid throwing a tantrum.

“Fucking shit…” Ana stood and lifted the back of her shirt. She touched the tattoo and as soon she felt the solid weight of the gun in her hand, she pulled down the hammer and aimed it at Judas.

He raised his hands and took a few steps back. “See? I told you she was gonna go fucking crazy!”

“You’re on my property,” Ana murmured, looking down the barrel of the gun. “I have every right to shoot your damn head off.”

“Just—” Beau stepped in front of Judas, his hands also raised. “Can we all calm down? Can you lower the gun, so I can say what I have to say?”

“It better be that you’re leaving. If not, then you can turn right around and fuck off.”

“Can you actually shoot that, though?” Judas moved from behind Beau. “Or is it all for show?”

She aimed the revolver at Judas again with an eyebrow raised. “You willin’ to test that theory?”

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“Gladly!” Judas moved away from Beau with his hands raised. “And I don’t mean in the foot like you did with that boyfriend of yours. In my face, right here.”

He pointed to his face, his silver rings reflecting the afternoon sun. Ana adjusted her grip on the weapon and aimed closer to his head. One pull of the trigger, she thought. It would be so easy to avenge Ophelia…so why was it so hard? What’s stopping me? My guilty conscience?

Judas slowly smiled and tilted his head. “What’s stopping you, Kravens? Are you too cravenly to pull the trigger? You have enough reason too, don’t you?”

“Alright, that’s enough. You had your fun now let me speak.” Beau spoke up, pushing Judas away before turning back to Ana.

Ana scowled and lowered the gun as Judas sent a middle finger her way as soon as Beau turned his back. She leaned against a post, gun pointed to the gun but still ready to fire just in case. “This better be worth my time.”

“It—it is, I swear. Just hear me out.” Beau insisted, taking a step towards her. “We’re leaving. The Creed of Solomon are in town, Ana. You need to leave too. Killing Deacon must have upset something—I’ve been—I’ve been researching his family Ana, they’re big—”

“I don’t care.” Ana slowly shook her head. “They haven’t shown up here yet, but if they do then I’ll give them hell. I’m still waiting for my father to show up, which means you need to get the hell out of here before he does.”

Judas chuckled. “This is just sad at this point.”

Ana turned to him. “Would you like to say that in front of him? I’m sure he would be more than happy to see you.”

“Alright, let’s not—” Beau tried to get in front of them, but Judas slapped his arm away and walked closer to Ana.

“No. You want to know what I find pathetic? After all this time of speaking to Beau and I, even seeing his memories for god’s sake, you still defend your father with your last breath. Are you that thick-skulled that you can’t see him for what he truly is?” His voice raised, and he pointed his finger at Ana.

Ana slowly shook her head. “You don’t know what’s been happening between us, so how would you know I haven’t been asking him the same questions I have been asking Beau?”

Judas scoffed, crossing his arms. “Because you’re still treating us like shit, like we were the main problem that caused it all. Have you looked in the mirror lately? Because that is who’s at fault.”

Ana glowered at him, her grip on the gun tightening. “No. Don’t act as if you didn’t kill Ophelia with your own bare hands. Don’t act as if your family didn’t kidnap me.”

Judas laughed, and Beau gave her a quizzical look. The former shook his head before smoothing his curly hair down. “Is that what he told you? You walked into our house willingly. Remember that? You walked in, and tried to choke me in my bedroom. That’s when we decided to end you. That’s when we took you down to the basement.”

Ana’s mouth hung open as she tried to remember. No. Father said…Father said they chased me into the woods. I’ve had nightmares about it. Why can’t I remember it explicitly?

She shook her head. Her grip on the gun had gone loose, and she tightened it again. No. He’s manipulating me. Why else would I have those nightmares?

“That doesn’t explain why you killed Ophelia. Maybe I did enter your home, but what about you?” Her voice was quivering, her rage making itself known to the brothers. “Was it out of jealousy? Spite? I know you hated her. Out of pure fucking selfishness and greed, you tore your family apart because you couldn’t handle seeing Ophelia and I together. You’re just like your namesake, Judas. Selling the ones you love out of greed.”

There were no words to describe the anger and pain on Judas’ face. Beau seemed to have the same problem, as he looked at him with a look of uncertain fear.

Judas took a few steps back, arms outspread. “You wanna know what happened in that basement? You want me to tell you what happened since he—” He pointed an accusing finger at Beau. “—is too much of a pussy to tell you?”

“Judas, stop—”

“No, brother. You’ve had enough time to tell her, so let me do it since you can’t fucking do it.” Judas disappeared in a cloud of blue mist.

Ana stepped off the porch and looked around the area, but he was nowhere to be seen. Beau grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him, his face twisted in anger.

“You shouldn’t have goaded him like that!”

She wrenched her arm out of his grip. “He started it, not me. Maybe you should be telling him that.” She turned away from him and continued looking around for the miscreant.

“I have spent the past four weeks trying to manage his anger control and you just…throw it out the window!” He exclaimed.

She whipped around and stepped closer to him. “If you have to be your brother’s caretaker so he doesn’t explode on people, then maybe there’s a fucking problem—”

“Hey!”

They both turned to the barn. Standing on the left side was Judas, holding Jazzy by the scruff of her neck.

“You asshole—” Ana raised the gun, but Beau quickly pushed it down and wrenched it out of her hand. She reached for it, but he held it away from her.

“No, enough. Not against my own brother, Ana.” His voice was no longer angry, but pleading, his dark eyes wide and panicked.

Ana stared at him, his eyes reflecting her own face angry face. How do I tell him it makes me feel safe? How do I tell him I could never pull the trigger?

She turned away from him and back to Judas, who was just fading from view and into the forest. If he wants me to follow him, then fine. She stomped towards the forest, intent on getting her cat back.

“Ana—”

“Don’t follow me!” She snapped. “Stay here or I swear to God I’ll shoot you.”

He obeyed, and she felt his eyes burn a hole in the back of her neck as she followed Judas into the woods.