Chapter Twenty-Five: Soot & Heartache

"Why the fuck do you smell like my brother, Andrew?" Before I knew it, my lips were pulled back into a vicious snarl.

The blackening sky above us was the least of my worries when I stepped toward him.

His eyes flicked down to my feet and his face grew impossibly more ashen.

My eyes narrowed when his foot slid back.

"I... I don't have time for this!" Andrew whipped around and I swear the world tilted red. His disturbed expression flickered in slow motion as his leg lifted to retreat.

I could hear people screaming.

I could smell Andrew's fear.

He was going to run away.

Before I knew it, I was slamming him to the ground. The dust from the dirt path shot up to sting my eyes, but I didn't let go. My fingers clenched tight around his slender neck.

"What the hell are you doin, get off of me!!" Andrew shrieked, his eyes wild.

He was thrashing around on the ground. But the scene we were making would have little intervention. It would be too hard for someone to run to his aide when so ma