Page 63 of Desecrated Saints
Tossing him aside, Travis swipes blood from the corner of his mouth before fleeing from the room. I haven’t dipped into my dark side in a while, but it’s very much still there. It was bred into me by the fearsome woman who raised me and Charlie when my piece-of-shit mum bailed on us.
You’d think being related to a gang leader would be hard going, but Nana loves fucking fiercely. I wouldn’t be alive without her, even if she made me into the deadbeat, asshole addict I truly am. I grew up on these streets. I took the fall for them. This is my kingdom, whether it makes me sick or not.
“You can’t avoid her forever.”
Brooklyn’s hoarse whisper draws me back from my anger. I find her sitting up, rubbing her bleary, tired eyes. She lets me collapse in her lap and strokes my newly re-dyed blue hair. Eli stayed up with me last night to do it. The memory of his blue-stained hands and tentative smile makes my chest warm.
“I have to keep Nana safe.” I sigh heavily. “Charlie too.”
“I get it, we’re bad news. But she’s family, Nix. Two years is a long time. Say goodbye before we have to run again. Give her some closure in case we don’t come back.”
I roughly grab Brooklyn by the chin. “Don’t give me that bullshit, firecracker. We have no choice but to survive. I refuse to lose you again. Incendia can kiss my ass before I let that happen.”
Her smile is so sad, it stabs me right in the damn heart.
“I fucking love you. Perhaps too much.”
“I love you, Brooke. Quit it with the sad talk. Shit’s depressing enough.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Let’s find the others.”
We head for the kitchen together, hand in hand. Kade has taken over the scarred table in the corner, sweeping used needles and empty liquor bottles aside to pour over more printed documents. He looks frantic, circling and highlighting anything he can find.
He’s attempting to profile Bancroft, but so far, the man’s squeaky clean. He was honoured for services to the medical industry several years back, as Incendia’s empire of institutes grew. The millions of images a quick search brought up made me sick. He’s well-loved and protected by his reputation.
“Anything?” I ask tiredly.
Kade shoves his glasses into his hair. “Fucking nothing. He’s worth millions and has shares in just about every public stock going. I’ve counted three political parties funded by his donations. Don’t get me started on this stupid knighthood. The media loves this bastard.”
Hudson takes a gulp from an open bottle of vodka. “What about your dad?”
“Bancroft’s been on the campaign trail with him three years in a row, along with a lot of financial endorsement. Dad’s piggybacking on his reputation by sitting on Blackwood’s board of directors.”
“Chummy, huh?” I snort.
Brooklyn shakes her head. “That’s one word for it.”
Releasing her hand, I approach Eli. He’s standing at the back of the kitchen, staring out at the falling rain. Running a hand over his arm, he startles at first before nuzzling into my side. I kiss his mop of ringlets, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
“Where’s Seven?” Brooklyn asks behind us.
“He’s been outside for four hours now,” Hudson answers. “Won’t say a word to any of us, same as yesterday. He just keeps on hitting that bag and pacing.”
We stare into the overgrown chaos of the garden that hasn’t been tended to in decades. Buried amongst the billowing trees and weeds, Seven has found an old punching bag. He’s methodically beating the shit out of it without breaking a sweat. It’s a mesmerising sight, watching his fury play out in real time.
Brooklyn comes to stand next to us, frowning. “This isn’t good.”
“What? It’s a healthy outlet,” I argue.
“It always took him a while to come back after jobs. Sometimes weeks would pass before he returned to being himself again, not just… Patient Seven. I should go out there and help.”
“Give him some space to cool off. You can’t coddle him forever,” Hudson says without his usual vitriol. Seems like the ice man is beginning to thaw after all.
The sound of the front door smashing open interrupts our conversation, sending us all into fighting mode. Kade and Hudson both pull weapons, while Brooklyn wields her knife like it’s an extra limb. I shove Eli behind me before he can protest and square my shoulders. Heavy footsteps are approaching.
If Incendia has found us, we won’t go down without a fight.
I refuse to die here, of all places.