The Pawn and The Puppet (The Pawn and The Puppet #1)

by Brandi Elise Szeker

Sometimes it feels like they hire mentally unstable people to perform mentally unstable punishments on patients.

“You want to know what it’s like to be the patient that everyone laughs at? Then why don’t you sleep in these rooms, wear these chains, and endure the torture we are sentenced to like animals? HOW ABOUT THAT?”

“When she was alive, she found a purpose in life, and that was to stop the treatments here. She wanted the people here to be treated humanely. And when she died, I’m certain that was her dying wish. It’s something I have to do.”

For the first time, he looks human. He looks like a little boy, naive and afraid. There is no Cupid facade. There isn’t even a maniacal patient. Just Niles.

“Not every person has the courage and selflessness to put themselves into situations that are far worse than disturbing, especially as a child, just to save their family.” I lean in a little closer. “I’d choose that man for my friend over Cupid any day.”

home isn’t a home unless you can hide your secrets deep within it.

“Don’t be frightened. He’s been expecting you.”

Before we go in,” Suseas exhales unsteadily. “I must ask again. Are you absolutely certain you desire to meet this patient?” I resist the urge to twist a strand of hair between my fingers. “Because, to be absolutely frank… I wouldn’t wish this encounter on my worst enemy.” This is exhilarating. Her dim eyes tell me to be petrified with fear. But the only thing I am feeling is impatience. “I am certain,” I say.

Patient Thirteen—has a rare and deeply disturbing disorder. His soul—or personality, is split into two entities. The part that we see on a daily basis is beyond anything you can imagine. Murderous, genius, manipulative—vicious. There aren’t enough adjectives in the world.” She chuckles nervously, wiping a thin sheen of sweat from her brow with a handkerchief. “The core personality is what we believe to be the tame version of himself. But we haven’t seen that personality since he admitted himself into the asylum four years ago.

Oh, and don’t be alarmed. He will know specific details about you. It’s part of his facade.”

“I’ll thank you kindly to keep your hands off of my conformist,” he says, his rugged voice quieting the panic in the room like a theater. “You wouldn’t want me to lose my temper.”

You’re playing a dangerous game, Skylenna.” The way he says my name. My whole name. “Please, let me in,” I whisper back.

am not afraid of him. He intimidates me. He makes me nervous. He captivates me. He fascinates me. But he doesn’t scare me. If anything, I’m frightened by the fact that he doesn’t scare me. I should have the good sense to be afraid of him, but that sense doesn’t register for some unknown reason.

I wonder if there will ever be a human alive who knows my heart, passions, secrets, and demons through and through.

“I’ve been in the mood for murder as of late. I have an unorthodox thirst for it. It’s like an insect inside my brain readjusts the wires, and instead of thirsting for a glass of champagne, I crave the heat from fresh blood expelled from a collated artery to coat my hands and drip from my fingers.”

He’s a volcano—inactive until something disturbs him, causing an explosion that destroys all in his wake.

“Ignorance is bliss, my sweet girl,”

I know it’s inappropriate, and I should stop. But he’s always the one to initiate this need to touch. And God, he feels so good. I’m drunk with lust, and his eyes burning holes into my head only make me hotter.

“You’re—not—Kane or Dessin?” I ask in frigid caution. He grins in answer. “There’s a third alter?” I ask again, breathless, spineless, and detached from my body. “My name is Greystone.” His finger hooks under my chin to lift my head in perfect view of him. “And there are far more than three alters, pretty one.”