Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Truth
The sight looked gruesome, the man’s feet were bleeding with peeled off skin, his eyes were melted.
There were scratches around his eyes as if he was trying to gauge them out but couldn’t bring himself to.
His face was twisted with fear and pain. Annie knelt in front of him and undid his shirt.
On his shoulder, there was a black hand mark, she had found this on Sanchez’s parents and the other dead guy.
" The mark of the Grieved, it’s said whoever has been touched by a grieved only had 72 hours to live.
If they don’t confess their sin before those 72 hours are over, then they were bound to die a gruesome death, let’s go."
She dragged Sanchez and they went back to the black market. Sanchez took a long bath.
Everything that was happening was too much for her. Learning her parents might’ve killed somebody who was too much for her to handle.
She looked at her aged face through the mirror, she still looked beautiful but she could see wrinkles were starting to form.
They were not noticeable yet, but unless one paid very close attention which would be weird.
She picked up her phone and contemplated calling her ex fiance but placed it back down. It was not like she could even make a call from the black market.
Besides, it’s been eight years now, he has moved on, got married and even had two kids.
Sanchez would be lying if she said she wasn’t jealous. When they were together, she kept postponing their wedding to focus on her work.
It got even worse when the Adrian situation came along, she got so obsessed with work that he finally couldn’t take it.
Sanchez shook her head, ’ You can’t cry over spilled milk Rosa.’ she got dressed and went to find Adrian.
She needed more information about this Bloody Mary thing as well as this Grieved Souls situation.
She wanted to know if she can help in any way. " So what’s the situation?" She asked impatiently as soon as she showed up.
" Well first of all, you need to have a funeral for your parents, then we can discuss anything else."
Annie replied, that made Sanchez frown but Annie wasn’t going to budge on this. " Fine then."
She turned around and left. " Do you think she’s doing alright?" Adrian asked.
Annie shook her head, " I think she’s mad at her parents, finding out the people you trusted might’ve been murders must be devastating for a cop."
Adrian nodded, " Okay, so what did you find out about her parent’s case?" He asked. A werewolf appeared with a stack of papers.
He placed them in front of Adrian, " After some digging my lord, I found out the victim was a young woman.
Her name was Anandi Mudlow, 22 years old and a recent college graduate working as a bartender at the Redlip Night Club
She was on her way to work when she got hiy by a car, she died before help could arrive.
The car and driver were never found, of at least that’s the official statement but the chief of police knew the truth.
Him and a few others on his payroll hid the evidence and the case was put under the rug."
" So there are others involved in this? You wanna check them out?" He asked Annie. She shrugged.
Adrian left it at that, the following morning Sanchez was taken out of the black market to make preparations for her parents funeral.
They were going to be buried together so she didn’t have to do separate funerals. Her colleges came to support her.
Adrian had sent two werewolves to stand by her side and guard her. He didn’t know if the Grieved Souls target the families as well.
Although Annie said that was unlikely, the truth was she didn’t know as well. She just read from an ancient book.
The funeral was had four days later, Sanchez returned to the black market and chose to stay there for some time.
One morning she approached Adrian and Annie who were acting lovey dovey. She stood there watching them.
They noticed her but they didn’t stop embracing each other and whispering sweet nothings to one another.
Annie saw the look on Sanchez’s eyes and removed herself from Adrian’s arms much to his displeasure.
She took Sanchez’s arms and they left. " So, what’s eating you?" Annie asked, she was very attentive of other’s feelings.
Sanchez smiled softly, " Nothing, I just envy what the two of you have, the way he looks at you, I can’t remember the last time somebody looked at me like that."
Annie hugged her, " Don’t worry, you will find somebody." She tried to comfort her but it didn’t seem to work.
Sanchez giggled, " Thank you but it’s too late now, I’m nearly in my forties with no child, love isn’t on the table for me anymore."
Annie looked up at her, " You could always join us, you’ll remain young for thousands of years, you’d have to be cursed to not find anybody in all that time."
Sanchez smiled bitterly, " If you’d ask me this a few days ago, I might’ve jumped on the wagon immediately."
" But?"
" I’m not so sure anymore, it’s hurt Annie, it’s hurt deeply, I’m not sure I want to live for another day, let alone a thousand years, not with this pain, not without my family."
Annie stood up and walked away then stopped. " I can’t say I understand your pain, hell I don’t know what I would do if my parents died.
But one thing I’ve learnt in the past eight years is that family is more than blood, family are those who make you feel most at home."
Then she walked off leaving Sanchez with those words. Sanchez sat there contemplating what Annie had said.
Three more days went by and the birthday of the twins came up. Anathi and Athanathi were turning sixteen.
Most of the werewolves followed Annie to their birthday. Unfortunately Adrian couldn’t go.
Not until he managed to upgrade the fox tail and the cloak but only Meggie can do that.
The birthday on the twins went smoothly, everybody was having fun. Late at night their friends and schoolmates left.
Most guests left as well leaving the family and the werewolves. Annie called the twins to the living room.
They sat around the table as a family, their mother held their hands and looked at Annie, " It’s up to you."
Annie looked at her brother and sister, " The two of you have turned sixteen, it’s time you know the truth."
