CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on Mar 31, 2024 19:53:07 GMT
Six in a day. It had to be some sort of a record, even with everything that was going on. Not even close. The voice scoffing in the back of his head had Cory twitching. He didn’t need Augustus filling him in on the good old days with glee. This shit wasn’t a competition, it was people’s lives and he hated seeing them torn apart. The other reapers might’ve had their consciences stripped out when they’d signed on Death’s dotted lines, but he wasn’t like them. Each one left a mark on him and now he had no chance to erase any of them by fighting to bring them back.
Cory glanced around the clearing in the woods where he stood. Judging by the amount of blood that had been splashed around this body might not’ve been the only one out here. Even if wasn’t, Elias wouldn’t be out here getting his hands dirty any more. He was probably parked on his throne, swinging his scythe around like a king with a sceptre, making it clear to his underlings that he didn’t have to get his hands dirty anymore. His orders had been given and they had to respect them.
”It’s time to go,” Cory said hoarsely, glancing aside at the man standing next to the wreck of his car. ”I promise, it’s gonna be alright.” He’d given him the story already, had then waited patiently for it to sink in that he was dead. Elias probably would’ve been clapping his hands his hands if he was there, telling him to get a move on, but people deserved more than that.
Holding onto the guy’s hand, Cory blinked them out of there. The man’s heaven was clad in night when they got there, but something about the dimly lit street they stood on seemed to bring the guy some relief. He let go, wandering away towards a house at the end of the street. Maybe it was New York, maybe London, somewhere with tall, brick buildings. Somewhere that probably had a ton of happy families tucked away behind those lit windows the way he’d imagined they would as a kid. They’d have one eventually. Him and Dani would have their own bedrooms, decorated just how they wanted them. There’d be a big yard out back to throw a ball around with his dad, even if it’d still be years before he grew into his feet.
The thought reminded him of Petyr and Cory paused, wondering if he’d have the time to go and see him while he was up here. Just a few in and out, long enough to maybe get some more photos for Destiny and Grey. As though Elias had heard him even considering it, he felt that tug in the pit of his stomach again. Cory dragged his hands over his face. The others didn’t seem to get tired like this, they were robots, they could go on forever, but at some point his body would start screaming for sleep and food, all those human things that he still needed. Not necessarily, I could…
”Stop it,” Cory muttered. ”I don’t need your help with it. I’m going.” That’d probably been Augustus aim all along, give him a little prod, getting him moving, earn a bright shiny star from the boss.
One lot of darkness gave way to the dimming light of the early evening. Dusk was leaving dark streaks in the sky and had deepened the shadows under the trees. Had he been right about there being another body in the car? Cory turned in a circle, twitching as he saw movement among the trees. No. The last spot was just off the road, he couldn’t even see it from where he was and he doubted anybody had managed to crawl that far. This was something new. Someone else.
Slowly, he moved towards the movement, figuring the spirit was just agitated by what had happened. He reached the line of trees, stretching out his hand like it’d be less startling than just appearing bang in front of the spirit. ”You’re dead,” Cory started, his voice soft. ”I’m sorry for it, but I’m here to take you to…” There was two figures, one as ephemeral as most spirits. The other…
”Ruby…” How many times was he gonna come to her like this? There wasn’t water lapping at their chests now, or the threat of assholes on horseback, but he was staring at her big dark eyes with fear crashing its way into his chest. There was blood, so much blood … ”Ruby … what’s happened? What’s he done to you?” He wanted to whisper that he was here for her, to reach out, but how many seconds could he hold onto her before she tore herself away? A wild animal always so determined to be free.
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RUBY HERRERA
Werecreature
were-jaguar
Posts: 41
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:44:28 GMT
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Post by RUBY HERRERA on Apr 19, 2024 22:12:14 GMT
 ━ an ache for home; a shelter against storms ━
He saw her on the street, and Ruby had frozen on the sidewalk like a fucking helpless animal. He was outside that big fucking building where only rich people could afford to stay, which made sense━he was wealthy. They usually were. They’d gotten a little less rich as she got older, but the clientele was pretty much always the same.
He recognized her. Ruby could tell by the slick grin that slid onto his stupid fucking mouth, remembering, suddenly━like a knife stabbing into her skin━how it felt against her own. How it’d touched her skin. She nearly heaved.
But she thought of Sapphire again, and she grinned back at him, still not moving as he approached. She couldn’t. All she could do is give him that inviting smile, the one that’d been trained into her since she was five fucking years old.
He fell for it.
Ruby let him loop his arm into hers, and while he’d suggested the hotel, she promised she knew a better place. She let him engage her in mindless chatter about what he was doing here, what she was doing here, and how she’d been since his vacation in Mexico. He didn’t actually care, of course, and neither did she━especially not when he tried to hide his wedding ring from her━like she gave a shit. Like it made a difference. Like it hadn’t pressed into her skin ten years ago, too.
The “better place” was the woods, and he joked about her having a hideout here━a secret spot━as they disappeared into the treeline. Ruby laughed to ease him, but she could hear it in his voice━the nerves, the sudden realization that maybe he’d made a mistake.
Before he could finish his protest as they headed deeper, Ruby turned on him, blue eyes glowing in the increasing darkness. Before he could scream, she tore at his throat with her claws, and shredded him like only an animal would. Like how she’d imagined Sapphire had gone━or, at the very least, her dreams. Ripped from her violently and without mercy.
Ruby tore at him for Sapphire’s sake, for the girl she hadn’t thought of since she was seventeen. Her soulmate, her best friend, her twin. A long-lost sister because Ruby wasn’t aware she had anybody but her dad. And she was gone because of pieces of shit like him━assholes who made this possible for their fathers in the first place.
She didn’t realize she was crying until the blood began to separate and get watery, and then a voice broke through the ear-piercing buzzing in her head, and Ruby stared at the man’s body, wondering how he could be talking after what she’d done to him. But then she looked up, glowing blue eyes fading into their regular dark brown as she spotted him.
Cory. Fuck.
Why was it always him? Slowly, she recognized that she’d practically called him to her by tearing this man to shreds, but she hadn’t been thinking about that. She was thinking about Sapphire.
And why was Cory so quick to defend her? To be on her side━ask if she was okay? And what he’d done to deserve this? Why was he so fucking nice to her? He liked following rules, like running around with his tail between his legs and talking about what was good and bad, so why wasn’t he condemning her over this?
“He…” Ruby croaked, “I know him. From before. He was on vacation with his wife.” Maybe his kids, too. The idea made her sick, but she wasn’t a little kid when she’d met this man━maybe he wasn’t as bad as the rest. But she was still too young, and he still helped her dad by funding…
Ruby reached up when she felt a tickle at the edge of her mouth, uncomfortable━especially in this moment. She batted away the tear almost violently, smearing blood over her skin. At least her claws were tucked away. “They hurt her. They all hurt her. And I’m gonna kill ‘em all for it, so if you got a problem…” Ruby gritted her teeth, but the threat was empty. She wouldn’t do anything to him, especially after all he’d done for her━after all he was doing now.
CORY COLLIER |  |
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CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on May 30, 2024 19:07:34 GMT
Like they were spotlights, Cory froze in the beam of those electric blue eyes. He’d seen them flare to life before, had felt the shiver run through him at the threat of them. A shapeshifter’s warning that he just couldn’t hear when it came to Ruby. Almost every move he’d ever seen her make, even towards him, had been born of fear. It seemed to bleed into him now, tightening his throat, leaving his fingers curl into his palms with the need to reach for her. Even if she was covered in blood.
The frown cut deeper into his face, heavy brows drawing together as he looked her over. How many times was he going to find his way back to her like this before she’d start to let him in? How long ‘til the threat of a blade wouldn’t come when he tried to step in? What had happened in the train station hadn’t been a step forward for the two of them, not a permanent one at least. Ruby had held onto him, not just for the two seconds it took them to travel, she’d thanked him, and then it was like they’d stepped back again. Giving her space hadn’t been easy, specially when he’d woken up most nights, puffing out shuddering breaths as he tried to push away the dreams that had shown her back in the station with those things. Twice he’d gotten out of bed to check, making it halfway across the parking lot before he’d forced himself to stop. Smothering her with his fear would only send her running again.
She could probably smell it on him now, an acrid burst of anxiety that drifted around the edges of the coppery tang of the blood that was, Jesus, splashed all over her and the clearing. Cory’s lips pressed together, his hand lifting slightly like he’d rub it all from her skin, hiding what she’d obviously done. It had been self-defence in his head even before the words croaked out her. His head snapped away as Ruby said she’d known him from before. Most of the details, thankfully, hadn’t been carved into his brain yet, but what Ruby had told him was enough to have disgust rushing through him, washing away most of the fear. ”He … touched you,” he said hoarsely. ”Did he do it again? Ruby, did he hurt you?” Then, now, did it matter when?
If she hadn’t been standing there, tears rolling down her face, he’d have rushed the spirit. There was no question of what they were going and the asshole probably knew it. His crimes had finally caught him to him, his suffering only starting with the wounds that had been born into him by fang and claw. Cory watched the spirit shrink away from him, his mouth twisting. ”What’s wrong with you?” he spat. No answer came. What one could he possibly give for what he’d done when he’d cheated on his wife?
The sharp move of Ruby’s hand had him looking back. Cory’s expression softened, that ache for all she’d gone through welling up in his chest again. He tugged his sleeve down over his hand, hesitating for a moment as he realised Ruby wouldn’t let him wipe her face like his dad had always done for him when he’d been a kid and he’d scraped his knee at the playground. Instead, Cory tugged it over his head as Ruby began to explain again. He held it out to her, one sleeve dangling from his fingers in a silent explanation of what she might do with it. ”I’m not gonna cry about someone who deserves it,” he said hoarsely, surprising himself with his words. When had he gone from wanting to save everyone he was sent to find to being willing to stand by and watch the evil ones burn for what they’d done?
Ignoring the fact that he didn’t feel bad about it, like he should, Cory took a half step towards her. His gaze was skittering around again, the worry seeping back. She wasn’t saying he, they’d, hurt her. ”Who did they hurt? Is there someone else here?” Other than the spirit watching from a distance, probably unsure whether to stay with his mangled body or run off into the woods. It wasn’t he’d escape his fate by doing that. They weren’t meant to force souls to go with them, maybe they couldn’t even do it, but if there was one he wanted to drag to Hell by the fucking neck, it was this man.
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RUBY HERRERA
Werecreature
were-jaguar
Posts: 41
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:44:28 GMT
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Post by RUBY HERRERA on Jul 5, 2024 19:47:06 GMT
━ an ache for home; a shelter against storms ━
It was almost funny how disgusted Cory was by it. This was her life, she knew nothing except… this. It’d always been that way. It was her, then it was the other girls, and that was… the way it worked. If you didn’t comply, then you died. You weren’t useful anymore. That was it.
Cory could find it awful as much as he wanted, but it wasn’t gonna change anything. This man had hurt her once, but he wasn’t the first, and he wasn’t the last. He didn’t even matter. She just… kept thinking about Sapphire.
She flinched when he snapped, not expecting that from Cory of all people, but quickly realized he was talking to… the air? No. The soul. This guy was here. His body was laying beside her in the dirt, but he was still here. If there was anything left of him, she would’ve continued ripping him up just because she knew he was watching.
Ruby shifted as Cory approached, standing quickly to ensure she could put space between them if needed. But he was… he was just taking his sweater off for her. She wasn’t cold. Didn’t he realize that she was a literal animal? She wasn’t gonna get cold. But she was covered in blood, and maybe he didn’t plan on blipping her to the motel.
She took it cautiously, reaching out slowly and then snatching the sweater from him. Ruby didn’t realize she was trembling until she was wiping the blood from her face and felt like she’d smeared it everywhere it wasn’t already. It didn’t bother her, but she was moving on instinct━or maybe suggestion━and it seemed like Cory wanted it gone, so she complied.
While her face was buried in the fabric━it smelled like him, like safety, like being rescued━she didn’t see him step closer, and was too focused on the scent to hear him. Or maybe, maybe, a small part of her let him get closer.
“No,” Ruby scoffed like he should’ve known, “Sapphire’s dead ‘cause of them.” She said bitterly. She didn’t know when the last time was that she’d spoken her friend’s name aloud, but it ripped through her throat on the way out.
Ruby glanced up, finally meeting Cory’s eyes again, “I’m gonna kill every last fuckin’ one of ‘em. Ain’t seen him in… I dunno, like thirteen years. But his bitchass remembered me.” She spat on what was left of his dead body, then sucked in a shuddering breath, trying to push away the memory of Sapphire’s soft face, how she would’ve loved Cory. She would’ve trusted him with all her heart, would’ve pushed Ruby towards him, and more tears rolled into the sleeve that━apart from the blood━smelled so good. She’d spent her whole life being afraid of what would happen if she was like Sapphire, but, right now, she felt delicate enough to lean into it.
“They killed her ‘cause she didn’t wanna do this no more. She was fifteen. She didn’t deserve that shit.” Somehow, she could feel bad for Sapphire but not herself. Not anyone else. Maybe, after Sapphire, she’d realized it wasn’t worth it to care.
CORY COLLIER | |
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CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on Aug 16, 2024 19:17:41 GMT
He was naïve, still shocked by the violence of what one person could do to another, but still, he’d only had to take one look at Ruby and at the man she’d killed to be able to tell roughly what had happened here. The knife Ruby had pulled on him had flashed into view again, only this time the blade had been thirsty enough, she’d been scared enough to bloody it. Before, something inside of him had quivered, but now Cory was glad of it. When she’d needed it, Ruby’d had a way to protect herself from the things reaching out from that past he only knew the general, ugly shape of.
Frowning deeply, Cory swallowed hard. If he’d been here … Would he have fought the man like he’d tried to do the guy who’d been in Ruby’s room after she’d been snatched. A looming scarecrow of a protector who shook inside like a tornado of fear was tearing through him. For a split second the promise ’I won’t let them’ burned on his tongue, but who was he kidding. It wasn’t a promise he could keep and he wasn’t making one to her just to let her down later, Ruby had already had too many people do that in her life.
The back of his throat burned, that sick feeling clawing its way up his throat. He might not’ve been the hero anybody would’ve imagined or wanted, but he wanted to protect her all the same, even if it was just from the spectre of a man she’d already stopped. If he’d seen her flinch away from him the façade all would’ve crumbled, apologies spilling out, but every ounce of focus in that moment was on that son of a bitch – the one who cowered back, like he could still be hurt. Maybe he could be, but that wasn’t his job. There were people who would handle that for him, things that would strip away what little soul he must’ve had to do what he’d done.
Like he couldn’t even stand to look at him anymore, Cory shook his head slightly as he turned away. The tension slipped away then, the anger of a moment before giving way to the sort of tenderness she deserved. ”It’s clean,” he said hoarsely as she reached out to take his sweater from him. She snatched it, slowly wiping the blood away. There were probably spots she’d missed, but it was easier to ignore the lingering signs of violence and pain on her skin when it was smeared into transparency – and her face was buried in his sweatshirt. She wouldn’t let him hold her, but he hoped it gave her some comfort all the same.
”He killed her? That man killed Sapphire?” There was an edge to his voice, a strain to it that could’ve snapped just like his temper. Maybe there was something he could do to souls after all. Some variation on the killing touch he was meant to have, something to drive what was left of that man to his knees in agony, to make him suffer the way he’d done two girls. Cory’s jaw tightened until his teeth ached, his eyes growing cold as he looked at the spirit. The man was backing up again, like he could melt away into the trees, but no distance was gonna be great enough to stop him from burning for an eternity for what he’d done.
They softened as Ruby looked up at him, his expression crumpling at the threat that spilled from his lips. ”He deserved it, but you shouldn’t have to do that. Ruby…” Her name stuck in his throat as she spat on the body, sucking in a breath like it had hollowed her out. His chest ached as he watched the tears began to spill. ”Let someone else punish them. You remember them too. You give their names to the cops and they’ll stop them. They’ll still suffer, I promise.” And you won’t have to suffer through this again. Washing their blood from her skin, shaking from the stain of what she’d had to do.
Fifteen? Cory’s heart broke. He was sure he heard the brittle crack as the tears welled into his own eyes. Sapphire had been a child who hadn’t wanted to be … swallowing suddenly didn’t seem enough to keep the bile from searing its way up his throat. Having your corpse puked on was another insult, but again, it would’ve been deserved if he hadn’t fought it back for Ruby’s sake. ”I’m sorry,”{/b] he whispered. ”She didn’t deserve it, you didn’t deserve it. Someone should’ve been protecting you both. You should’ve been safe. I wish I could’ve saved you.” The words whispered out as he reached for her again, he’d take the blade if he had to, but he needed to let her know that not every man wanted to hurt her the way that one had.
Gingerly, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her towards him, his lips touching her head as he bent his head. He could smell the blood on her still, but it wasn’t that fuelling his nausea. ”Do you want to see what happens to men like him afterwards?” Cory asked hoarsely. ”I can let you see it, or I can take your back to the motel while I take him there. He’s not gonna go somewhere peaceful like she did. They’ll hurt him for an eternity, everything he ever did to you done to him.” He’d never exchanged a word with the things that lived down there, but Augustus had and surely the reaper owed him enough favours to ask for one on his behalf now. Make sure his suffering never ends.
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RUBY HERRERA
Werecreature
were-jaguar
Posts: 41
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:44:28 GMT
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Post by RUBY HERRERA on Sept 16, 2024 17:11:37 GMT
━ an ache for home; a shelter against storms ━
She laughed bitterly, looking at him now as he said the cops would do anything about it. “Yeah, pigs are real good at gettin’ their jobs done. Like when they found my mom thirty fuckin’ years after he killed ‘er. Or when they found me.” Ruby scoffed again, and idly wondered if her throat was bleeding from how scratchy her voice sounded. “You think the cops would even show up there? Or that they ain’t got people inside to warn ‘em shit’s goin’ down?” Or that they’d get everyone out… or even that Ruby would end up coming out of it all scot-free. There wasn’t a chance. And even if it did happen, someone would just start up the same shit now that their competition was gone. And Ruby would probably end up dead━for real this time.
Finally, she spoke the truth about what happened to Sapphire, that she lost her life because she wanted a better life for herself, because she’d dared to dream about the future. Cory’s response had Ruby frowning down at the sweater in her hands━long since pulled away from her face━like she couldn’t process the kindness coming from him. “Too late for that shit.” She muttered sourly, either unable or unwilling to let herself daydream about the past. It wouldn’t do nothin’ for her now, so it didn’t fuckin’ matter.
When he touched her, Ruby didn’t know what to do. He’d done this before━when he’d taken her outta that place━but that was different. He had to… never mind that she’d grabbed him first. She went stiff all over, but he smelled exactly like his sweater, and though nausea roiled in her gut at his touch, she swallowed it, trying to fight her way through it. She wasn’t sure why, ‘cause she didn’t owe him fuck all, but… maybe it made her feel a little better, too. She’d never had anyone hold her and kiss the top of her head, not like this, but she didn’t let herself imagine what life would’ve been like if she could’ve had this growing up.
His proposal was intriguing, but, ultimately, Ruby didn’t wanna see where she’d end up. She wouldn’t be up there with Sapphire, she’d forever be surrounded by the assholes who’d tormented her for her entire life.
“No,” She whispered, shifting her head slightly━but she was not nuzzling into his warm, broad chest. “Jus’ the motel.” Keep the surprise for when she actually died.
That warmth, that comfort, eventually grew suffocating. Ruby had never experienced it, so more than small bites at a time overwhelmed her. She lasted a little longer than she had in the train station, but not by much. She drew in a wheezing breath, then grumbled, “Let’s go.” To speed him along. She could barely wait until they were back in the motel room before pushing away from Cory, letting the sweater fall to the ground between them. “Don’t tell nobody ‘bout the shit you saw.” The bite was gone from her voice, but she still couldn’t meet his eye, as if ending this harshly was the only way she could recover.
CORY COLLIER | wrap here or w yours |
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CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on Sept 30, 2024 19:08:10 GMT
Her dad? The revelation hit like a fist to his gut, a breath exploding from Cory as the sick feeling intensified. Your parents were meant to protect you from the monsters, not be the monsters. His own had barely raised his voice, let alone a fist. Cory tried to swallow the sadness it brought on, knowing that Ruby wouldn’t want to see it written all over his face. She didn’t want sympathy, didn’t even want him fussing around her, not when it might mean she owned him something, but how the fuck was he meant to walk away from someone who’d gone through all of that?
The cops hadn’t exactly done a great job after his dad had been killed, but Dani had become one anyway. She’d been the line between him and the bad shit afterwards, always trying to stand up for him. He was sure that if he would’ve asked she’d have been forcing her way into the investigation surrounding Ruby and what had been found in her car. Ruby wouldn’t have wanted that anymore than his sympathy though.
”Not all of them are that bad at their job,”{/b] he puffed, the argument stopping there. It wasn’t like Ruby had ever seen a decent example of what they could do. They’d failed her at the point in her life where they’d had a chance to save her, it was no wonder she thought she had to do this herself now. ”Maybe they do, but it’s gotta be worth trying. Someone needs to stop them.” Without more blood ending up on her hands. Cory’s eyes dropped to her hands, the black hole of her faith tugging at his for a moment. Dani probably still had her connections in the Bureau, they were the FBI, surely they could get inside to stop what these people were doing to kids.
If there was any bit of his heart that hadn’t been broken by all of this, then it cracked now as Ruby told him what had happened to her friend. His lashes fluttered as he tried to blink the tears back. He wasn’t sure he could keep doing this – what had happened to Theo, Destiny and Grey losing Petyr, hearing about a dad killing his own kid because she’d tried to find a way out of hell to a better life, it was all stealing what strength he had to do this job. Elias probably wouldn’t let him walk, but he wasn’t like the others, he was only a reaper because of the thing that was in him. Augustus had gone silent through all of this, maybe for the better. ”For Sapphire, but not for you,” Cory whispered. Whether or not Ruby would believe that was another matter.
Drawing Ruby close, he’d braced for the sting of the blade. He hadn’t expected Ruby to hug him back, but this was like hugging a statue, one that would crack at some point. Cory breathed in, the scent of blood overlaying her, but he felt better holding onto her anyway, offering up what warmth he could give to someone who’d probably never had any. Some part of him was relieved when she said she didn’t wanna go with him. She’d suffered enough without seeing how things like that bastard who was watching them from where he still stood over the sad, empty sack of his body. ”Alright,” Cory breathed. ”I’ll get him after and I promise … he’s gonna pay.” For once he hoped that a spirit’s eternity was as violent and painful as possible. If there was any justice in the world everything the son of a bitch had done to those girls would be brought back on him a thousand times.
Cory met the spirit’s eye, his own narrowing. It seemed in no hurry to try and escape, maybe the son of a bitch knew this was it. Justice had been served with that blade. After a minute, Ruby was drawing back, mentally and physically, her breath wheezing in, the order rolling out as she pushed away from him. His sweater fell, but he’d get that on the way back out. ”Promise I won’t say a word,” he told her hoarsely. ”I’m sure the cops’ll find a dozen people who would’ve been happy to get rid of someone like him.” If they found the body at all.
His hands came up again, not to force her back into the hug, but to cup Ruby’s elbows lightly. The jump was fast, the woods around them falling away, a dark motel room appearing around them. Hers. If he’d taken her to his, she’d likely have run immediately. ”I’ll … deal with him. If you need anything, you know where I am, alright.” Cory doubted she’d come running to him tonight. He’d done enough to sway the scales between them again and if their past meetings were enough to go by, Ruby was already hating that she thought she owed him one more thing. A tiny smile touched his lips and then he was letting go, vanishing back the way he’d come.
”You need to come with me. You need to pay for what you did to her,” Cory snarled as he stalked across the clearing in the direction of the bloodied heap that had once been a living, breathing, human being and the monster that had now been cut free of it. This was one spirit that would have no choice whether it came with him or not. He was going to burn.
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