Chapter 21 Blood on concrete
Tasha:
“Neel thinks he can put me somewhere safe,” I whispered to the dark room, my voice shaking, “like I’m a thing that can be boxed and stored.”
The door to the bedroom was closed. The house was quiet. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that pressed against my ears until my thoughts screamed louder than sound. I sat on the edge of the bed Neel had given me, my hands clenched in the fabric of my sleeves, my breath coming shallow and uneven. His words kept replaying, gentle and careful and terrified all at once.
I’ll find you a place… it’s better this way… Tara is feeling strained… you can always come to me if you need help.
Always come to me.
Not stay.
Not belong.
Not mine.
Something inside me twisted so hard it hurt. Not the wolf this time. The wolf whimpered and pulled back, curling into itself like a punished child. This was something colder. Sharper. Older. It rose slowly, deliberately, filling the empty spaces the wolf left behind.
He chose, it whispered.
My chest burned. Heat crawled up my spine, settled behind my eyes. I bent forward suddenly, a violent gag tearing out of me. Thick black liquid spilled from my mouth onto the floor, steaming faintly as it pooled. I stared at it, horrified and fascinated all at once, as another wave of nausea hit. My reflection in the dark window caught my eye.
Red.
My eyes were glowing red.
I laughed, a soft broken sound that didn’t feel like it came from my throat. “So this is what you are,” I murmured to myself. “This is what wakes up when I’m pushed aside.”
The wolf tried to speak. Tried to warn me. I silenced it without effort.
Sleep, I told it.
And it did.
By the time I left the house, the pain had begun.
It started in my bones, a deep grinding ache that felt like my body was being reshaped from the inside. I walked anyway. Each step sent a jolt of agony through my legs, my hips, my spine. My shoulders burned, my fingers curling and uncurling as dark veins surfaced beneath my skin before fading again. I bit down on a scream, tasting blood, forcing myself to keep moving.
The demon did not care.
This is necessary, it told me calmly. You are too soft. Too divided.
I followed the pull in my chest without questioning it. I knew where Tara worked. I had listened when she spoke, smiled when she spoke, memorized every harmless detail she shared so freely. The office building loomed ahead, all glass and steel, lights glowing warmly inside. Human. Safe. Fragile.
She came out just as I reached the underground parking entrance.
Tara was laughing softly into her phone, her bag slung over her shoulder, her steps tired but light. The sound of her voice sent something sharp and ugly through me.
She froze when she saw me.
“Tasha?” she said, lowering her phone slowly. “What are you doing here?”
The garage was nearly empty. Concrete walls. Dim lights. Long shadows. Her smile faltered as she took me in properly. I saw the moment it happened. The moment her instincts whispered that something was wrong.
“I wanted to see you,” I said, and my voice sounded gentle. Almost kind. “Is that strange?”
“You didn’t call,” she replied carefully. Her eyes flicked behind me, then back to my face. “Are you… are you okay?”
I stepped closer. The lights flickered above us.
“You’re very nice,” I said. “Did you know that? Everyone says it. You make it easy to forget how much space you take in someone else’s life.”
Her brow furrowed. “Tasha… you’re scaring me a little.”
I smiled. “I admire you. Truly. The way you talk about Neel. The way you believe in him.” My head tilted. “Do you believe he belongs to you?”
She stiffened. “That’s not...what kind of question is that?”
“I love him,” I said softly.
The word landed between us like a blade.
Tara stared at me. “I think… I think you’re confused. You’ve been through a lot. Neel helps people, that’s who he is.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “He helps. He touches. He stays late. He listens. Even when he says he’s tired.” I took another step closer. “Did he tell you how often he checks on me? How worried he gets when I don’t sleep?”
Her breath quickened. “Stop.”
“I don’t want you in the way,” I said gently."Even though you are always kind to me..but that reminds me of myself when I was....alive." Tara's face left colour.
"W-what do you mean by that" She took a step back.
"Oh, he didn't tell you about my case then?Guess he is keeping secrets about me from you now.I just....want you out of my way Tara." I took a slow step toward her,making her back up again.“I wanted to say it kindly.”
She took another step back,stumbling now,her face stunned with horror. "Tasha...." her voice trembled with pain and sadness. "I've been nothing but nice to you." Tears slipped from her eyes, but somehow, I didn't feel bad.
" I know....but it's not in my control anymore. I want Neel only for myself, look at only me, breathe around me, smile at me and just with me....and I want him to forget about you. You know...he is the only one who cares for me now, and I want to keep him for me." I tilted my head.Her heel scraped against the concrete.“You need help,” she whispered. “This isn’t love. This is...this is obsession.”
Something in me snapped.
The pain surged again, violent and blinding. My hands glowed dark, corrupted light spilling between my fingers. Tara turned and ran.
“Tara,” I called, almost sadly." I'm sorry...I guess."
She screamed.
Her footsteps echoed wildly as she sprinted between parked cars, her bag slipping from her shoulder, papers scattering across the floor. I moved faster than sound. She glanced back once and nearly fell.
My eyes were fully black now. My face no longer entirely mine.
“Please!” she cried, stumbling, her palms scraping raw as she caught herself. “We can talk! Neel would want us to talk!”
I reached her before she could stand. My hand slashed out, catching her side. She screamed again, pain ripping through her as blood soaked her blouse.
She ran anyway.
Her phone shook so badly in her hand that she nearly dropped it as she dialed. “Neel,” she sobbed when he answered, breathless and breaking. “Neel, please...Tasha is here...she’s trying to kill me—she”
I lunged.
Her scream cut off as the call clattered to the ground, the screen still glowing.
And far away somewhere from her phone, Neel yelled.
"Tara! What's happening?!!! I'm coming!"