Hollow Heathens (Tales of Weeping Hollow, #1)

by Nicole Fiorina

“And what are the reasons, Beck? Because I made a blood-pact with you all? Because of the Order? Because of the curse? Because I have to be loyal to everyone in this fucking town except her? How am I supposed to be with her if I’m not allowed to? The deeper we go, the harder it will be, and where will that get us? It’s already fucking hard enough. And worse, what if I kill her? I barely made it out after Johnny died, but with her? No, I wouldn’t be able to come back from it.” My chest shook, and I dragged in a steadier breath. “Everything’s eventual—” “And if it bleeds, it suffers,” Beck finished for me, reminding me we were human. “You know,” I continued, shaking my head, “she asked me once, ‘What was the point?’ And the point is, there is none. It just is, Beck. She’s a part of me already, moving inside me along with my shadow-blood, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.” But what if I didn’t kill her? What if I can break the curse and put her above everyone? What if I held on to the only light in my dark and miserable life? The only real thing that’s ever happened to me? I gripped the beer, closed my eyes, and lifted my chin, listening to the tree’s whispers. “I can’t take it. I think I have to see her.”