Page 33 of Ravage
I can handle that to avoid missing out on this lead.
I just wish they would stop showing up wherever I go.
The man that was supposed to be my victim is zip-tied to his gaming chair in front of Kellan and Jackson. He’s covered in blood, bleeding profusely through his nose, and littered in bruises already blooming over his face. One of his legs is bent at a weird angle, which explains why they didn’t bother tying his legs up.
I shift my gaze to Kellan, who’s standing in a wide stance, his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. The bit of knuckle I can see on one hand is already scaled over, meaning he bloodied his fist and his gift took over to protect him. Apparently, he’s using that armor-like skin to continue beating the guy. Kellan’s jeans are ripped, his shirt maroon and tight across his chest and arms, accentuating the pure muscle he’s developed.
Jackson is dressed like the first night I’d seen him in the city. All black, hood up, but his piercing blue eyes almost glow through the shadow of it as they lock on me.
Kellan looks like a pure enforcer, while Jackson looks like the God of Death, just waiting for Kellan to be done with him before he whisks him away to the afterlife.
“What the fuck, Jack?” Kellan growls at his friend. “You knew she was here, didn’t you?”
Jack shrugs, which makes it difficult to tell if he knew and didn’t care I was here or if I somehow surprised him.
Since my target is already bound and helpless, I yank my gaiter off my head. “What are you doing here? This guy’s mine.” I jab my finger at the guy whose head is bent over while he sobs into the carpet.
“I didn’t see your name on him anywhere, beautiful,” Kellan drawls in his deep voice.
My teeth clench as he uses the nickname for me again. To torture me? If so, it’s working. It feels like a punch in the gut, winding me with memories and old feelings of safety and being cared about. And then it all slips through my fingers when he stirs those emotions up, because I may be physically close to them, but I’ve never been farther away.
“Well, I’ve spent weeks getting to this night. I’m not letting it get fucked up because of you,” I snap back.
This is also my last lead that Elias worked hard to get for me before leaving on his trip.
I have to make this count.
Kellan scoffs and steps up into my space. I hold my ground, my hand gripping the knife at my side tightly. One wrong move, and I’ll stab him in the dick.
Wait, would that scale up like everything else? Become an armored dick?
Fuck, not important. Focus.
He leans over me, because he’s a giant compared to my five-foot-four self and smirks. “Not my problem. Now, skedaddle before you become my problem. Or more of a problem than you already are by being in this city.” He smells of blood and musk, rich and dark and so delicious; my body heats with excitement at his proximity, even as angry as I am with him. I really need to get my mind and body on the same page.
“I didn’t realize you owned this city. Where’s your name stamped on it?” I snark back.
“Oh, it’s on it. Trust me. You just need to listen a bit harder.” He bares his teeth in a grin, and I’m tempted to stab him over it. Prick.
“Look. I’m not leaving until I get some information. Either you let me stay or—”
“Or what? You’ll fight me? Don’t waste my time.” Kellan turns away from me, and I take that moment to lunge forward. He spins, prepared to block my attack, but I pivot and wrap my hand around the back of the restrained guy’s neck. It doesn’t matter that my glove is still on. It’ll disintegrate first, and I can buy new ones.
“Fuck, you wouldn’t,” Kellan growls at me. Then he turns to snap at Jackson. “Are you really just going to stand there?”
“Or,” I continue as if he never cut me off, “I kill him. Then none of us get the information, and we’re all back to square one.”
Kell swears viciously, and his face turns thunderous. “This isn’t a race. Both of us losing only means they’re winning. Let him go.”
At least Kellan can’t read my body language so easily to tell that I’m bluffing. “Let me stay.”
Jackson tsks and finally moves from his spot to stand in front of the guy in the chair. He squats down and leans his face into his fist as his elbows rest on his knees. “See what you’ve done? She might just kill you out of spite because you won’t tell us one location. And when she does, believe me, it’ll hurt far worse than anything he or I could do to you.” His voice is husky and low but calm as ever while he talks about murder. Then he smiles, and a full body shiver takes over the man.
He continues, “Do you know what she can do? Her gift allows her to break down the molecular structure of things she touches. Primarily inanimate objects, but it works on people too. You see, people don’t just turn to dust like other matter. It attacks your organs first. Breaks them down internally. Then it hits your skin, and it begins to crack. It splits apart. And finally, your heart bursts. It’s all in a matter of minutes, but I’m sure you can imagine it’ll feel like an eternity when it’s happening to you.” Jackson’s smile is sharp and wicked, the gleam in his eye making it look like he’s lapping up the fear he sees in the man.
“Would you like to give it a try? You can let us know how it feels. The others are usually too busy screaming, so we’ve never gotten a clear answer. Maybe you can do better,” he finally finishes.
Even I have goosebumps on my skin at the threat, and it’s my gift he’s talking about.
