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    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt
    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt
    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt
    Ebook301 pages4 hours

    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt

    By Kristie Lynn Higgins

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The Shades Of Gray Series follows the adventures of Kat, a woman with no memory of her past who is called the Pandora Project by those who hunt her, and Kim, a woman leading the life of a legal assassin called a Life Closer. The world they live in is plagued by clouds that prevent the sun from shining down on the land called Dry Clouds, making all who live in Noir forced to live in endless night.

    Kat searches for clues to her past while androids called Un-Men and human bounty hunters try to kill her, and Kim searches for who murdered her mother. The two women's paths collide, and they form a shaky partnership to unravel the mysteries that haunt their lives and they try to protect one another from those who do not wish for them to discover the truth.

    Everyone's soul is marked by a color. Which shade of gray will they hold to?

    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt:

    The final woe falls upon those in the Sanctum.

    **Shades of Gray Series**

    (STARTING POINT QUADRILOGY)
    #1 Shades of Gray: Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness
    #2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love
    #3 Shades of Gray: Cerberus Versus Pandora
    #4 Shades of Gray: Sisters

    (ZOMBIE TWILIGHT QUADRILOGY)
    #5 Shades of Gray: Night Of The Twilight- The Chimera Strain
    #6 Shades of Gray: Dawn Of The Twilight- Outbreak
    #7 Shades of Gray: Day Of The Twilight- Patient Zero
    #8 Shades of Gray: Land Of The Twilight- Closing of Days

    (MYTHS AND DESPAIR QUADRILOGY)
    #9 Shades of Gray: Rise of the Gorgons
    #10 Shades of Gray: Woe To The Watcher
    #11 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Has Held His Heart's Tongue
    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKristie Lynn Higgins
    Release dateJun 12, 2013
    ISBN9781301348251
    #12 Shades of Gray: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt
    Author

    Kristie Lynn Higgins

    You can also check out my author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/author/kristielynnhiggins

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      Book preview

      #12 Shades of Gray - Kristie Lynn Higgins

      Shades of Gray

      #12

      Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt

      Kristie Lynn Higgins

      SHADES OF GRAY: Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt

      Text Copyright © 2013 by Kristie Lynn Higgins

      Cover Art Copyright © 2013

      Smashwords Edition

      www.KristieLynnHiggins.com

      No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Table of Contents

      Also

      Ginn's Poem

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Chapter Twenty-one

      START this series by TRYING the 1st book

      #1 Shades of Gray:

      Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness

      CLICK here to TRY it

      or go to my website

      www.kristielynnhiggins.com/SOG1.html

      Start this series by TRYING the 1st book

      AabiLynn's Dragon Rite #0

      Dragon's Brood: Egg Hatchlings' Ritual

      Click here to TRY it

      or go to my website

      www.kristielynnhiggins.com/DR0.html

      Also from the author

      Beauty of the Beast #1

      The Mystic Rose- Part A

      The Flower, The Sword, And The Kiss

      Click here to try it

      or go to www.kristielynnhiggins.com/BOTB1PartA.html

      Also From The Author

      Ayann A Fantasy Aciton Adventure Series

      try the first book

      Click here to try Ayann #1 Part A

      or go to

      www.kristielynnhiggins.com/Ayann-1-PartA.html

      Two woes have passed and the third nears.

      Will the one who thought they could only hurt learn of affection?

      Or will she be also sacrificed to fate?

      From the Assembled Works

      Ginn L. Irynkissgthie 525 B.D.C.

      Chapter One

      Woe To The One Who Thought They Could Only Hurt

      32 A.D.C...

      November 5...

      Friday...

      Hellenistic Sector, Industrial Vicinage...

      The Sanctum...

      Oracle Mount...

      Minutes before the end of book eleven...

      10:36 P.M...

      Stephanie's viewpoint...

      I know I don't have much time left before my world is changed. Mr. Decuma has already told Kat the second vision that he had, and he has already hinted at that he will tell her who murdered Argus; it must be his third vision. We're both anxious and afraid of what he'll tell us next, but I'm the only one who knows the terrible truth he'll reveal. My dreams of living as a family with my sister are about to be slaughtered, and I don't know what to do to prevent the disaster from happening. I did very much want to live with Ms. Griffin and Kat in the apartment, but I know all of it has been a wonderful delusion I allowed myself to believe in. Such a wonderful delusion; if only I could remain in these sweet dreams.

      I come to terms with my reality. I wasn't meant to have family, and I wasn't meant to be happy; my past has shown me that. Kat tenderly holds my wrist, and we stand side-by-side facing Mr. Decuma. I almost can't stand the fondness and consideration she is and has been showing me. I had been brought up to see her as my enemy and as my rival for the Council's attention. These past few weeks I have come to see her as more. More isn't the word. I don't see her as my enemy or rival anymore, I see Kat as someone who is like me. We're both projects and have been subjected to inhuman experiments and cruelty. Most recently I have seen Kat as my friend; someone who has shown me thoughtfulness and affection. Even after I killed Argus, I wanted very badly to remain as her friend, but soon all of the joy, comradery, and sisterly love I've experience will be wiped away by an action I did. I was forced to kill Argus, but I was still the one who did it. I feel sick, and I want to run over to a corner and barf my guts out, but I can't. I have to suffer through the horrendous scenario I have created. I have to suffer through losing my friend.

      Kat asks Mr. Decuma, Why are you telling me your visions?

      I believe you are going to destroy the world, Pandora; and I have decided we should not fight destiny but embrace it like a dying lover. Mr. Decuma pauses, and I wonder what he meant by dying lover. Is he referring to the timeline that started with Preacher that has led us to this point or is he hinting at something else? I don't know, and I fear the answer to it as he continues, The final vision I had concerning you is that in this very room you will discover who killed Argus.

      He's going to do it! He's going to tell Kat that I killed Argus, but he promised he wouldn't! Will he break his word? I could rush up to the platform he is on and break his neck before he utters another word, but will the two S.C.M. Units kill me before I reach Mr. Decuma's chair? What if they hit Kat as they try to kill me? Even if I survive and my secret is kept, how do I face my sister and tell her that her best friend is dead? I won't have to admit to my sister that I'm the one who's at fault, but I would know; and I don't know if I can live with that, so I stand beside Kat and wait for the executioner to come and kill the happy life I have hoped for. It's a happy life I had a little taste of and that makes this all the more bitter. Cursed be the day I discovered I had a sister! Cursed be the day I discovered I had a family! My mind sobs as I think the next thought. Cursed be the day I discovered I could be more than a merciless killer...

      I tense as Kat utters her question, How will I discover who killed Argus? Are you going to tell me?

      Mr. Decuma glances at me as he replies, I had made a promise, so I will not tell you their name. He's going to keep his promise, but it doesn't mean I'm free and clear. The look he's giving me makes me feel like he will betray me as he tells Kat, I will only say that the Beretta that belongs to you and was returned to you was held by only one other after it was recovered from the Factory.

      What did he say? Oh my Zeus! He told her who killed Argus as if he had said my name. I turn to Kat; and at first, she doesn't understand. Is there a chance she'll never understand his meaning? It can't be that easy; Mr. Decuma has set this all in motion. He knows how it will turn out. I feel as if I'll collapse to my knees.

      How is that supposed to tell me who murdered him? Kat questions. Stephanie gave it to me. How..?

      I shutter as she speaks my name, and I tremble in her grasp as the rest of her question fades from my hearing. Soon she will know. What will I do? What will she do? Kat turns to me, but I won't look at her. I can't; I can't face her with all my shame and guilt bearing down on me like the fangs of a wild dog. I turn further from her piercing gaze as she looks at me. I feel as though I will crumble, knowing her rage and hatred is merely in the distance. They will soon be here and with them all her fury. What will she do to me? My hand trembles more in her grasp, and I start to cry unable to hold back the misery creeping over me. Kat will hate me. She will see me as the monster that I truly am. No matter what she said before, I am a monster; only monsters kill for no other reason than they were told to. The Council was right. I'm something that was created and raised in a lab and I can't love; I can only hurt. I want to run from this place; I want to hide my face from the friend I betrayed, but she gently has me by the wrist. Before I have a chance to react to my thoughts, Kat moves around, closing the distance between us, faces me, and sees the tears streaming down my cheeks.

      Don't cry, Kat tells me as she puts her free hand to my unclasped one then she says, We'll save your sister soon, so please don't cry. I look up at her and endure my fierce shame and overpowering remorse; and as I see her looking at me, I know that at that moment Kat realizes that I'm the one who murdered Argus. I wait as she stares at me; I wait for her to react to the horrible news. Will she hit me? Will she yell at me? Will she kill me on the spot? I see something in her gaze that I didn't expect. I see compassion in her eyes, not hatred; and I see empathy, not anger. I must be imagining it; she can't be that understanding of what I did. She has to be mad out of her mind. Before I know what she's doing, Kat wraps her arms around me and embraces me. What's going on? Did she understand what Mr. Decuma implied? I killed Argus; I'm the one who took his life as if it had no meaning.

      She continues to desperately hug me as if she's denying the truth, and I hear irritation in Mr. Decuma's voice as he asks, Do you now know who killed Argus?

      Kat doesn't reply to him as she holds me in her endearing embrace. Does she know? Maybe I only imagined it. Maybe she doesn't know yet, and maybe I have a few more moments to exist as her friend. I hear Mr. Decuma repeat, Do you know who killed Argus? Answer me! Or I will...

      I do, Kat softly answers; I lose it and weep in her arms. Kat holds me tighter, but I want her to yell at me, not console me. Why is she doing this? Why doesn't she lash out at me? Why is she showing me understanding? Has she forgiven me? I want to ask her, but I don't have the words. I want her forgiveness, but I don't deserve it. I'm about to force myself out of her arms when she whispers to me; and at first, I'm not sure what she's saying. I don't know if it's because I'm crying that I can't hear her or is it because she's speaking in a low tone? Her words seem forced and then I recognize them. Why is she telling me this? Why is she saying these words to me? I can't take them, and I lift my head and howl like an abandoned dog. Kat continues to recite the words that are breaking my heart. I don't understand what's going on. Why is she telling me this? Why tell me these words? Of all the things she could be telling me right now, why this? Don't tell me! Stop saying it!

      I hear Mr. Decuma speak as Kat continues to whisper in my ear as she holds me tighter and rocks me back and forth. I can't do this. I can't stay here, but I also don't have the strength to leave. Mr. Decuma tells her the first possible reaction to her knowing I have killed Argus. He tells her she'll shoot me, and I hear Kat's lip tremble as she continues whispering to me. I can't take it, and I bury my head in her chest and sob all the more. I end up dead in Mr. Decuma's first vision. He tells her the second vision, and it's increasingly terrible; I also end up dead in it. I knew it; she hasn't forgiven me. Kat's only buying her time until Mr. Decuma has finished then she will take her revenge, but there's still one more possibility. Maybe there's hope that she'll... He finishes the third vision, and it's the most frightening of them all. In that possible future, Kat goes crazy and kills everyone. Mr. Decuma finishes with his visions and asks, Which of the three will you decide on? What dark path will you take? Will you bring another Twilight and lead us to the Closing of Days?

      What have I done? Have I caused the end of the world by killing Argus? Will I cause Kat to lose it because I did what I was told? Mr. Decuma knew all of this from the start. He knew the moment Argus brought me back to the Sanctum and I agreed to kill Argus that all of this would happen. I want to murder Mr. Decuma with my bare hands. I want to cause him as much pain as my own actions have caused me.

      Kat doesn't answer Mr. Decuma but finishes her recitation. I still don't know why she's telling me all these things. In a way they're cruel, knowing what she's going to do to me. Kat finishes and steps back from me, and we look at each other. Her eyes are red. Has she been crying? In her own way, she has. It hurts me to see that I made her cry. I deserve whatever she does to me, but I can't let her destroy the world. If she destroys the world, she would destroy Ms. Griffin; and I can't let that happen. Ms. Griffin must live no matter what.

      What will you do? Mr. Decuma questions my once friend and now reinstated enemy.

      Kat stares at me as she places a hand over her holster as if to unsnap it. Is she going to shoot me? Is this how it's going to end? Kat lowers her hand before drawing her weapon. Isn't she going to shoot me? I want to say something to her; but right before I start to speak, she smacks me across the face with her open hand. I stand there stunned as I hold my face and my cheek burns with her impulsive strike. I start to speak again, but Kat forcibly grabs my hand. What is she going to do? Her eyes blaze with blue Ult L-E, and I fear this is my end as I see purple flare up within the fire consuming her eyes. The anger I hope would never come overwhelms her face as she raises her hand to slap me again, and I could swear I see sparks of red in the Ult L-E. Kat pulls her hand back even further then makes it into a fist. Is she going to beat me to death? I'm sorry. I want to tell her I'm sorry, but I don't dare as I wait for her vengeance to begin.

      * * *

      Oracle Mount...

      Minutes before the end of book eleven...

      Kat's viewpoint...

      I do, I tell Mr. Decuma after he had asked me if I knew who killed Argus as Stephanie weeps in my arms. I know she killed Argus; I know she's the one who murdered him, but I hold her in my arms anyway as if I'm consoling her. I don't hold her out of understanding or out of forgiveness, but I hold her because I'm afraid of what I'll do to her if I face Stephanie. I realize at that moment I don't care what the reason was that she took his life; she killed him and that's all that matters. I want to hurt her, and I want to yell at her, but I do neither. A deep loathing builds up inside me, and I don't know what to do. This is what Mr. Decuma wants; he wants me to hurt Stephanie or worse. I have to do something before I do something I can't take back, so I will force myself to speak to her. If I talk to her in tender words even if I don't mean them, then maybe my anger will lessen. But what do I say? What do I tell the one who took Argus away from me? I can't tell her that it will be all right; it won't be. I can't tell her that I've forgiven her; it would be a lie. I have to think of something to say, and I need to do it quick before my anger takes over. Without realizing what the words are or the meaning behind them, I whisper to her, If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I put all my resolve in the rendering of these verses; it's all I can do at that moment for I'm too weak to do anything else. As I speak the words to her, Stephanie lifts her head and wails. She must be hurting, and the guilt must have been weighing on her, but I can't let go of the fact that she killed Argus. I.., no we were supposed to protect him, but she took his life. I want to hurt her so much, but I can't give in to my rage, not unless I want a repeat of what happened in the alternate timeline when the Accursed EFP came over me, so I rock Stephanie in my arms. I can't let the dark side of my soul take over again, but I don't know if I can keep it locked away. The words I'm telling her are meaningless to me at this point; they're only a means to occupy my mind, and keep it from hurling over the edge and bring the whole world with me into the abyss.

      Mr. Decuma tells me the three possible ways I will react to this news. He's to blame as much as Stephanie, if not more. He may have been the one to order her to kill Argus. I try to ignore what he's saying and focus on the verses I'm whispering as I continue, If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. The words don't seem to help me, and I feel the anger rise up inside me; but I persist, hoping the words will sway my heart from its dark path. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

      I can no longer ignore Mr. Decuma, and I hear him say, The third one is my favorite. You reach out and grab her by her throat with no hesitation as your eyes skip over purple and radiate with red. You slowly choke her...

      I'm losing to my rage, but I continue, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

      He tells me, ...and an Accursed EFP pulses from you and incinerates everyone in this room including me.

      I whisper, trying to block all that he is saying, trying to block out the hatred I feel for Stephanie, It's not rude, it's not self-seeking, it's not easily angered– I don't know if I can do this, and I whimper over my own weakness to forgive. My eyes burn without tears to soothe them. Why did she kill Argus? If the Council told her to do so, why didn't she say no? Why didn't she...

      Mr. Decuma says, You hold the charred remains of Cerberus as you weep tears of blood, then you drop her and turn as a second and larger Accursed EFP pulses through the Sanctum setting the building on fire.

      "–it keeps no record of wrongs. I feel what little willingness I had to forgive collapse around me as rage gains a foothold. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with– My lips quiver as I utter, –but rejoices with the truth." The truth is Stephanie killed Argus, and I can't forgive her. She took someone I cared about; it isn't like when Preacher was taken from me, but it still hurts.

      Which of the three will you decide on? Mr. Decuma questions me. What dark path will you take? Will you bring another Twilight and lead us to the Closing of Days?

      I don't answer him but finish the verses I had memorized, It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I finish and step back from her, and we look at each other in a new light. I see Stephanie as a monster who will do anything her masters bid. I'm not sure what she sees me as, but I can tell she is looking at me different.

      What will you do? Mr. Decuma asks me.

      I stare at Stephanie as I place my hand over my shoulder holster. I decide I can't kill her, not like this and I lower my hand. All of this is playing into Mr. Decuma's hand and that annoys me, but it's of little consequence, considering I want to hurt the one who hurt Argus. I notice Stephanie is going to say something to me; but I know I'm not ready to hear it and I also can't let her think I have forgiven her, so I smack her across the face. I put a lot of force into the slap, not holding back the emotions swarming within me. She stands there stunned and holds her cheek after my hasty attack. She starts to speak again, but I know I can't deal with it right now, so I seize her hand to make her shut-up! I feel my eyes blaze with Ult L-E as I raise my hand to slap her again. I ball up my hand instead, wanting to punch her and then I turned to Mr. Decuma. The expression on his face infuriates me. He knows he has already won, and all he has to do is watch the fiery end unfold. I look back to my raised fist and a thought comes to mind, so I ask him, Did you see it?

      See what? he inquires of me.

      Did you see me slap Stephanie in your visions?

      No, why do you..?

      I can't let him trap me, and I can't let him dictate what I will do; so I lower my fist, turn, and rush toward the exit, dragging Stephanie along by her wrist as I tell him, I pick four. We near the exit as the S.C.Ms. look to Mr. Decuma, not sure what they should do. They block my path to the door, and I glare at them as I feel my eyes burning with agitation that comes with the purple Ult L-E. A few of the S.C.Ms. shrink back from me, and I turn to Mr. Decuma and tell him, Did you hear me? I pick four, now tell your men to move or are you a liar?

      Well done, Pandora, Mr. Decuma tells me as he motions with his hand for the soldiers to move and then he continues, And I am not a liar. You are free to go, but this is unexpected. I never thought you would pick a path that I did not see in my visions. What are you going to do? Who are you going to try to save first? Will it be Euryale and Stheno, Ms. Griffin, or..? I am getting ahead of myself. I should be asking a different question. Are you going to forgive Stephanie?

      I don't know what I'm going to do, I admit. I do know that I'm leaving, and I'm taking Stephanie with me. As I say her name, I tightly squeeze her wrist as if I would break her arm, but then I let up. I can't take all of this out on her, at least not here. The soldiers move, and I drag Stephanie out of

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