"Darlin', don't you stand there watching, won't you

Come and save me from it.

Darlin', don't you join in, you're supposed to

Drag me away from it."

-Sedated, Hozier

Kate was a smart girl, she thought about things before she said them. She stood there, beside Seth's new car for a few moments, looking at her options.

The easy way out would've been to take the keys to the RV and run, head back to the border and explain there what had happened at the Titty Twister. Not all of it, of course, but just what the Gecko brothers did. She could say they'd killed her brother and father, that she was the sole survivor, and make up some story about how she'd seduced Richie to escape. They'd send her back to Bethel and she could live in the house, she'd be eighteen in a couple of months anyways, and then she could get her things together, get a real job.

But Kate was up for a challenge, ready for some excitement in her life. Her father was always her conscious, and he wasn't there anymore. She took her chances with Seth.

()()()

Things were good at first. Kate was a good girl, like she'd always been. Seth would go out and do the dirty work, steal and kill, and she would reap the rewards.

Seth was a sucker for her, even more than Richie was. He was hard to win over, that was true, and for the first few months he wouldn't go near Kate-he'd gone as far as getting them two hotel rooms even.

And then she turned eighteen, and the forbidden apple was no longer forbidden. She took a bite out of Seth, discovering her own Santanico inside of herself. Sometimes she rode along now, enjoying the thrill of the kill, of blood dripping down her knife and arms. It helped that most of their victims were Native Mexicans-their pleas for help were almost always in Spanish, a language neither Seth nor her fully understood.

She could feel her father's eyes on her, disapproving and judging. Kate ignored them, returning to her conquest. She wanted power, and money was power. Seth was power.

Afterwards, they would fuck, and when they were done Seth would regret it. He'd pull away, prying his lips from her neck and feeling guilty for it.

"You were supposed to help me, you know," He'd shake his head, his strong arms wrapped around her tiny frame. It was moments like this that he remembered she was a child still.

"What do you mean?"

"When I took you with me, I thought you'd make me feel guilty about this life, and you'd save me from it."

"But I joined you," She sighed deeply, looking at the motel room walls. "I"m sorry."

"You're no angel, Kate." He smiled, kissing her gently. "Sometimes I think I ask too much of you."

()()()

A year after the Titty Twister they met up with Santanico and Richie.

Seth didn't recognize his brother. He looked different now, healthier; he didn't need his glasses anymore.

Santanico nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Kate; how the girl had grown. Gone was the child who walked into their trap, her skinny arms and chattering teeth, and in her place was a woman who could've worked there. She'd put muscle,, no doubt from the same illegal activities as Seth, and she'd gotten a good tan down in Mexico. She had blossomed, and Santanico was proud.

She watched carefully how Seth took care of her, wrapped her arm around her. It was clear Richie wasn't the only Gecko capable to treat his girl like a queen. Of course, it was different with her-Santanico was a real queen.

"I think we need drinks," Santanico said, looking pointedly at the boys.

"Right," They nodded, getting up together and crossing to the restaurant's bar.

"So," Santanico turned to her new friend. "You are beautiful, Kate. You have always been, but there is something new inside of you now. You have power that you are only just discovering."

Kate shook her head.

"I hate it,"

"Why?" Santanico reached for Kate's hand.

"I was supposed to save him, Santanico, even Seth said so. Instead I became them. I started stealing with Seth, sleeping with him, killing with him. I can feel my father's hatred burning down on me." Kate started to cry a little bit, alarming her friend.

"Oh no, don't be upset! Seth will think I've done something, and he'll have my head." The two laughed then, relieving some of the tension.

"Seth wanted me to be his savior," She shook her head. "He told me so himself. He wanted me to pull him away from this life, to teach him how to be a good person, to live closer to God. And instead, look what I did, I dragged him farther in."

To Kate's surprise, Santanico actually laughed.

"Kate, you are not God and you are not the devil. You are a human, so is Seth. No one can change you, no one can help you. You have to fix yourself-my time in the Titty Twister taught me that."

"I thought Richie saved you," Kate raised an eyebrow.

"He did," Santanico smiled. "But not all by himself. If I had sent him down through the tunnels alone and hoped for the best none of us would be here today."

The boys returned then, respective drinks in hand. Richie raised an eyebrow at the whiskey Seth had gotten Kate.

"You've turned her into quite the rebel, haven't you Seth?" Richie grinned, putting an arm around Santanico.

"Of course he did," Santanico smiled. "That girl's always had a wild side, don't tell me you didn't see it?"

"The preacher's daughters are always the wild ones," Seth grinned, leaning in and kissing her.

Kate turned to whisper in his ear.

"Are we still doing that thing later tonight?" She muttered.

"Of course!" He feigned shock. "What kind of man would I be if I didn't let my girlfriend rob a bank at least once a week?"

Santanico started to laugh again.

"Can we come?" She smiled, the couple giving her a confused look. She pointed to her ears. "Superhuman hearing, remember? It'll be like old times, the famous Gecko brothers…and their accomplices."