Is this happening?
Jude felt a rapidly growing bulge in his jeans, and when Ashley reached down and fondled it, he groaned. Then she was pulling at his clothes and throwing off her bath towel. She climbed on top of him. His hands slid over her silky thighs and up to her large breasts. Rose’s locket hung around her neck. She had refused to take it off, even after he’d begged. She called it her trophy. After a few days, he had stopped nagging her and just forgotten about it. Other than her newfound confidence, she was the same old Ashley.
Except she’s naked and on top of me.
She’s so beautiful. Why have I not seen how beautiful she is before?
The next ten minutes flew by in a breathtaking, emotional whirl. Afterwards, Jude wanted to cry and shout triumphantly at the same time. He wanted to tell Ashley how much he loved her, but he couldn’t get his thoughts in order. She was his friend. Like a sister.
No, not a sister. Not anymore.
What is happening?
Ashley remained sitting on top of him with a mischievous smile on her face while he went soft inside her. “Still think we’re just friends?”
“I… I don’t know what just happened. It was… amazing.”
“Yeah, it was. Like I said, this is our time now. Nobody’s gunna tell us what to do. We have the power now, Jude. I…”
He frowned. “What?”
“I love you. Always have, I guess. Just took a naked child killer in the woods to make me realise it.”
He was shocked, and at the same time, not in the least surprised. He nodded. “Yeah, I love you too. There could never have been anyone else.”
She kissed him on the mouth. He ran his hand behind her ear like he was going to pull out a coin, but instead he brought his fingers back along her cheek and stroked her face. “You’re a treasure.”
The door to Ashley’s bedroom opened and her father stepped inside. It looked like he’d been about to say something, but when he saw his naked daughter sitting on top of an equally naked Jude, his face broke apart in anger and he raced forward. He grabbed Ashley by the hair and threw her to the floor. Jude tried to get up off the bed, but Ashley’s dad struck him in the face and knocked him back down on the mattress. “I’ll kill you,” he snarled. “You do this in my house?”
Jude closed his eyes in fear as Ashley’s father raised his fists to pummel him again.
“Leave him alone!” Ashley bellowed in a voice Jude had never heard her use before. It was so… angry.
Jude opened his eyes to watch what was happening and saw Ashley’s dad turn away from him to face his daughter. Ashley was bleeding from her mouth. It stained her teeth, turning them red as she snarled like a wolf.
“You’re never seeing this boy again,” her father raged. “And you’re grounded for life. Do you know how disrespectful this is? Under my roof!”
Ashley didn’t appear afraid or at all ashamed. She stood before her father, completely naked, with her fists clenched. “Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Room.”
“You dare speak to me like that?” Her dad raised a hand and took a step towards her.
Then he dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Ashley’s dad lay on the floor, clutching his chest and groaning. The anger left him, and suddenly his eyes were wide and desperate. He reached out a hand to Ashley and tried to speak. He could only whimper.
Ashley clutched the locket against her chest and growled. “Nobody hits me. Nobody.”
Jude sat up on the bed. He was aware he was naked, yet it was unimportant right now. “Ashley… stop!”
Her dad tried to get up, but it was a hopeless battle. The life left his eyes and he collapsed onto his back. He went still.
No question, he was dead.
Jude collapsed onto his side in shock. “Ash…”
Ashley’s mum came rushing into the room. She looked around for a moment, confused, and then when she saw her husband lying on the floor, she dropped onto her knees and started screaming. She shook him over and over again, and wailed at Ashley to get help. But Ashley just stood there with a satisfied grin on her face.
Jude realised then that Ashley had changed. The anger that had always been inside her was now an ugly, dangerous thing. It was a weapon she could wield to hurt people. Sixty-odd years of Rose’s hatred and malice was now hanging around her neck and infecting her with its evil. Strengthening her. Jude had known it the night in the clearing when she had healed the deep wound on his cheek. Part of him had also known it when she had refused to take off Rose’s locket.
She likes the power.
And now she’s killed her dad.
Jude looked at his best friend and tried to hold back tears. Blood trickled down Ashley’s lip and some of it dripped onto her naked breasts. She was still staring at her dad, pleased by what she’d done.
He tried to get her attention. “Ash? Ashley, we need to get help. Your dad…”
She whirled on him, fury in her expression. It took several seconds for her to relax, and he found himself fearing her terribly. His heart thudded, and he wondered if she would ever make it stop beating in his chest.
“It’s too late,” she told him. “He’s already dead. He’ll never hurt me again.”
Her mum stopped screaming and looked up at Ashley with a mixture of anger and confusion. “What are you talking about? He’s your father. Ashley, please, just call for help.”
Jude sat up on the bed again. “She’s right. Ashley, we need to do something.”
“He’s dead.” She spoke without emotion. “It’s too late.”
And Jude realised she was right. It was too late. Ashley was gone.
“Ashley…?” He shook his head. “Ash.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and her upper lip curled slightly. “Don’t turn on me, Jude. Not you.”
“I-I
