12. The Eye
Chapter twelve
The Eye
Kazimir
I put my view back on the Don.
With wild eyes, he watched the alligators rip the woman apart.
A symphony of bone crunching began. Red juices sloshed from their jaws as chunks of her raw meat flew in the air. A few of the alligators in the back fought to get in the front.
The Don directed his view back on me. “Now where’s that pretty sister of yours?”
You ask about my sister after getting a blow job from a woman and killing her? Many men had died for less.
I swallowed down my anger and gestured to the jar with the Eye. “That is an interesting object right there.”
“Quite the sight, ain’t she?” The Don stood on the edge of the platform. “That’s the Eye of the Gator. Brings a lil’ bit of the bayou magic to this ol’ house. You got an eye for the exotic, don’t ya, Mr. Lion?”
“I have an eye for the valuable, Don. And I believe the Eye of the Gator falls into that category.”
A low, rumbling chuckle escaped the Don. “Well now, ain’t that something? You got guts. I’ll give ya that.”
“How much for the Eye?”
The Don’s laughter ceased, his gaze hardening. “That’s a tall order. The Eye ain’t something you just give away.”
“I’m not asking you to give it away, Don. I’m here to negotiate.”
“Negotiation. Such a big word.” The Don walked over to his throne, lowered onto it, and leaned back. “Negotiate, you say? Well now, that’s music to ma ears. But remember, Lion, everythin’ in this world comes with a price. Even the Eye of the Gator.”
I held his gaze. “Name your terms.”
“My people say you visited the Bayou Banshee first.”
“I did.”
“I don’t like her much.”
“I can understand that.”
“She send you over here?”
“If I give you that answer, will you give me the Eye?”
“I do not believe that would be fair.” He put his gaze on the jar. “The Eye has been in my family for generations. She’s more than a trinket to me, she’s part of ma heritage.”
“I am willing to give you land.”
“I have land.”
“Not around the world. Name a city. Country.”
“Everything I need is in the swamps.”
“Then, name a price.”
“No suh. If I let this Eye go, it has to be for someone who has proven they deserve it.”
I leaned my head to the side. “And what does that mean, Don?”
The Alligator Don’s smile widened into a toothy grin as he pointed to the space that stretched between us—that pit of munching alligators. “See, Mr. Lion. The only way you can get the Eye. . .is if you fetch it yourself.”
I scowled. “You expect me to wade through a pit of alligators for the Eye?”
The Don’s expression was nonchalant. “That’s the price, Lion . Fetch the Eye and it’s yours. Fail...well, I reckon the gators will appreciate the meal.”
No sound came from outside the door. I had no idea what Valentina, Tisha, and Rafael were doing. What I did know was that I had to get to the Eye before the Don was signaled and rushed off with it through that back wall exit.
But how?
I could fight men. I could even dodge a few bullets here and there, but creatures were different. They were primal, unpredictable, and very, very hungry. The thought of diving into that swirling chaos without a weapon sent shivers down my spine.
The Don waited for my answer.
I glared at him. “Is this your idea of a serious negotiation?”
“More like an initiation, Mr. Lion. Only those worthy enough, who show true bravery and guts, can claim the Eye. I can’t just give it away to any linen suit-wearing pretty boy.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, and before I could respond, the door crashed open.
Finally.
Valentina and Tisha appeared. In a swift motion, Valentina had one of the men in a headlock, her small knife pressed against his throat, while Tisha had the other man at gunpoint.
They dragged their hostages into the space.
Good Job.
Valentina looked calm and deadly as she kept the man in her grip.
I turned back to the Don. “I think it is time to renegotiate. What do you think?”
The Alligator Don’s expression hardened as he took in the scene. For the first time, I saw uncertainty flicker in his eyes.
“Those two don’t mean anything to me. Kill them.” He rose from his throne. “I’m not sure what you’re thinking, Lion, but I have to warn ya, this choice will be deadly. There’s a lot of people to go through when ya leave.”
Suddenly, shots rang in the air.
Then, bullets filled the Don’s chest.
A second later, his body dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.
Who killed him?
I glanced back over my shoulder.
Valentina held her hostage’s gun. Meanwhile, the hostage lay on the floor in a pool of blood with his neck slit.
I smiled. “Are you trying to replace David?”
“Only if I get a promotion.”
Tisha slung his hostage away and then shot him in the head. The man screamed and then fell to the ground. Tisha stepped over him. “We should hurry. There is already a war outside the compound.”
“And the pansy? Rafael? Where is he?”
“He went to handle the guards outside of the house.”
I turned back to the platform and stared at the Eye. “We do not leave without that jar.”
Tisha got to my side. “I love you, cousin, but my job duties end at alligators.”
I smirked. “Scared?”
He frowned at me.
Valentina shook her head. “I will go in and—”
“You will not.” I took off my shoes. “I will do it, just—”
“Hold on! If I was David, you would let me go in—”
“But, you are not David, you are my sister who I love very much, and you are the mother of my favorite niece.”
“You only have one niece.”
“Yet, she still is my favorite.” I gestured to the dead men on the ground. “Drag them to the pit and push them in. The dead will distract the alligators.”
Tisha sighed. “That might not be enough, Kazimir.”
“There are several alligators eating the woman.” I got to the edge of the pit. “There will be others that go for the men. All you need to do is shoot the ones that come for me.”
“At least take this.” Valentina threw the knife my way.
I caught it.
She cursed under her breath and helped Tisha drag the men over.
As I stood close to the pit, several alligators gazed up at me, waiting to feast on my flesh. The very idea of going in there with them did not excite me at all. In fact, a fearsome fire blazed in my very core, screaming in my head to not do it.
But then I thought of my mouse. Sweet, beautiful Emily. Her laughter alone had brightened some of my darkest days. Upon being with her, I now had my own family—two sons and more children to come.
She needed the Eye.
I still didn’t fully understand why, but if Delphine said it was important, then it was important.
I am doing it.
In the end, my mouse was worth facing a hundred pits of alligators, if needed.
It will be fine.
A sense of calm washed over me, extinguishing the flames of my fears.
I squared my shoulders, readying myself.
Tisha and Valentina rolled the bodies over to the edge.
My heart pounded.
Fuck.
“Okay.” I bared my teeth. “Throw them in.”
Tisha shook his head. “Are you sure about this, cousin?”
“Hurry.”
With a determined nod, Tisha tossed his dead man into the pit. The alligators quickly closed in, tearing at the flesh. The sickening sound of bones cracking echoed in the air.
Having a little more difficult a time, Valentina shoved hers in next. The remaining alligators rushed to that body.
“Have your guns ready.” I took a deep breath, held my knife out, and jumped in. Warm water splashed on me. The pit not only reeked of death, but alligator waste.
Ugh. This is disgusting.
Getting my footing, I quickly trudged forward.
Out of nowhere, an alligator lunged towards me with its mouth open wide—eager to devour me whole.
Damn it!
Somehow, I side-stepped it, right as a bullet slammed into his head. The beast crashed into the water, splashing gunk onto me.
Thank you, Tisha or Valentina.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins.
I raced through the pit.
More bullets fired.
I had no time to see what was going on behind me. All I could do was get to the other side of that damned platform before other alligators rushed my way.
My lungs burned.
My legs ached.
A small alligator charged my way. Rushing forward, I swung the knife, slashing at the snout and slinging it back.
Almost there.
Then, suddenly, right in front of me, I caught sight of the enormous alligator that I had seen earlier next to human skulls.
No. No.
I sprinted forward with every ounce of energy I had, even though my legs screamed in protest.
That damn creature glided through the water with ease. Sharp teeth bared, ready to snap me in half.
Come on, Tisha and Valentina!
Shots rang out all around the big beast, but none hit him.
Terrified, I continued racing through that pit, pushing myself harder and harder.
Tisha and Valentina shot at the alligator, but still couldn’t get him. He kept getting closer and closer to me.
Shit!
The huge bastard leapt for me.
What?!
With the knife in front of me, I dove for the ground and twisted around. The beast soared over me. Somehow, I sank the knife into his flesh. The alligator shrieked over me, writhing and twisting.
Together, we crashed into the water.
The blade was jammed in its scaley belly. And even more, I couldn’t get the damned knife out to stab him some more. Water got in my eyes and mouth as I wrestled to get the knife away.
I had no idea if the alligator had been injured good or was just trying to get a better angle to get a bite of me.
More shots rang out.
I felt the impact of one bullet slamming into the creature.
Finally!
The alligator went limp against me.
I shoved it off and rose from the ground, dripping with murky water.
I hate this fucking city!
A cacophony of booms occurred next. It was hard for me to see. The only thing I was certain of was that gunfire was now coming from both sides of the pit.
What?
I wiped water from my eyes and turned toward the platform.
On the Don’s platform, tons of my men charged out of the back wall exit and shot at the pit. Others stood on the edge of the platform shooting alligator after alligator. Bullet-riddled creatures surrounded me. Their blood mixed with the murky water and the torn-apart corpses.
Good. It is over.
I let out an exasperated breath and trudged through the water.
Meanwhile, Rafael stood next to the jar with the Eye. Sweat trickled down his face. He held a bowl in his hand, dove a spoon into it, and began to feed himself a thick red liquid.
I spoke through clenched teeth. “Are you fucking serious?”
He widened his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“You are fucking eating!”
“The Don really does have the best gumbo on this side of the bayou—”
“I was fucking being torn apart by alligators while you were fixing a meal for yourself?!” I got to the edge of the platform as two of my men helped me up.
Rafael ate more of his soup.
I climbed onto the platform and narrowed my eyes at the pansy.
Realizing I was still watching him, Rafael swallowed down the soup and edged back. “Honestly, I did not think you would jump into the pit. I assumed you would wait on the other side, knowing that. . .clearly, I was going to take your men to the platform to get the jar.”
I bared my teeth. “Why would I think that?”
“Because I told you that I had your back.”
Idiot.