Chapter 30
THIRTY
LEVIATHAN
“You cheated!”
“I don’t think you can cheat at this game.”
“Well, Aiden, you’re fucking special because you managed to do it.”
I hiss, unlatching my lips from the back of Aiden’s neck and glare at Bel. “Don’t curse at him.”
I feel Aiden’s chuckle vibrate through my chest as his hand comes off the controller to settle over mine. I calm down a bit at the feel of his thumb brushing against the scar on the top of my hand and pull his body closer to mine. He cranes his neck, feeding me his lips for a quick second before turning back to the television.
“Do you want to go another round?” he asks Bel, innocent as a precious lamb, not like he’s just single handedly beat him at his favorite video game five times in a row now.
Bel huffs, throwing him a glare before nodding. “Fuck yes. I’m going to prove you’re cheating.”
I drown out the rest of the bullshit trash talk Bel speaks, focusing back on my task. I dig my teeth into the meat on the back of Aiden’s neck, sucking until a deep purple welt appears. I lick over the spot before moving on to the next, trying to give him a beautiful purple collar of my marks.
The last few days have been annoying. Ever since Gore invited Aiden to our movie night, he’s been wanting to spend more time out of my room. Bel and Gore have had no problem monopolizing Aiden’s attention, showing him this or that, or whatever bullshit they get up to when they’re not fucking like rabbits. While something unexpectedly pleasant has filled me at seeing Aiden carefree and enjoying himself, I resent that I’m not his sole focus. So, I’m determined to make it known that—while my brothers can borrow him—he belongs to me .
“Can we go now?” I ask him after they play another round, my hand wandering down to his crotch. “Need to fuck you, little lamb.”
Even through the marks I left on him, I can see the way his neck flushes a pretty pink. “Levi…”
“Oh, don’t mind me,” Bel says, gesturing crudely to where I’m groping Aiden’s soft cock. “You know I love to watch.”
I growl, not liking that one bit, and it makes me move my hand up and under Aiden’s shirt to pet his stomach. “Not a chance.”
“One more?” Aiden asks me, and I wonder if he’s doing that fucking fluttering eyelash shit on purpose.
I bite down on my tongue, tempted to just drag him back to my room and shove my dick in him, but find myself nodding. “Whatever you want, little lamb.”
He opens his mouth to say something but is cut off when Gore nearly tumbles down the stairs. His green hair all disheveled, and his eyes wild as he claps. “It’s go time!”
Immediately, Bel drops the controller and hops to his feet. “Seriously?”
“Yeah!” Gore cheers, laughing when Bel nearly tackles him against the wall. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Bel cocks his head to the side, smirking deviously as he spins Gore until his face is pressed against the wall. “If you’re thinking that I need to get a nut in real quick, then you’re a genius as usual, baby.”
That’s our cue to leave.
Aiden wrinkles his nose in confusion as I help him to his feet. “What?—?”
“A pre-hunt nut is not something you want to watch,” I tell him, covering his eyes and guiding him up the stairs as Gore drops his pants and Bel kneels behind him to spread his ass cheeks apart. “Trust me. You don’t want to see.”
“But—” He gets cut off by the first whine Gore lets out, and I can feel his cheeks warm under my hands. “Oh.”
Once I’m sure he can’t see them anymore, I uncover his eyes and take his wrist. Mammon is waiting at the top of the staircase, already polishing his gun. “Ready to go?”
I nod. “Just give me a minute to get Aiden settled.”
“What’s happening?” Aiden asks, eyes widening as Asi walks by with his ax perched on his shoulder. “Levi?”
Since Gore never gets that excited for no reason, I’m guessing that Master has given Mammon a job for us to do. It’s very rare that all five of us are allowed to be out of the complex at once, especially so close to the Winter Solstice, but we never question what we’re told. I’m assuming it’s the same shit it always is. Someone needs to fall in line, someone needs to be converted, or someone just needs to be gone. Or maybe Master recognizes that every once in a while, his Hellhounds need fresh blood. The reason doesn’t matter to me as long as it ends in a night of violence and release.
But Aiden doesn’t need to know all of that, so I just kiss the top of his head before putting my hands on his shoulders and pushing him up the stairs. “We’re going out for a bit.”
“Out?” he asks, eyes widening with something akin to hope. “Can I come?”
I lead him through my bedroom door, sitting him down on the bed before going to my dresser. “Why would you want to come?” When silence greets me, I turn and see him fucking with his fingers. “Answer me, Aiden.” Something stabs my gut. “Are you saying you don’t want to be here with me anymore?”
FUCK NO!
My skin starts to itch as I wait for his response. I busy myself by pulling a black shirt over my head, but his continued silence starts to unsettle me. Does he want to leave me? Why would he? I’ve done nothing but take care and nurture him and?—
“Levi. Stop.”
I blink, realizing that I’ve been clawing at my arms, faint scratches already dripping thin tendrils of blood. Aiden takes my hands in his, stopping my assault on my own skin, and sighs. “I just…”
“What?”
“I’m feeling restless,” he admits reluctantly, looking down at his feet. “I haven’t left this house in… I don’t even know how long I’ve been here.”
“That’s because this is where you belong,” I argue, squeezing his hands. “You’re my bounty, little lamb. I’m keeping you here until?—”
“Until it’s time to kill me, I know.” He sounds almost defeated, letting go of my hands as tears start to well in his blue eyes. “Sorry, it was a stupid thought.”
It was a stupid thought. Why in the seven hells would I let him out of this house? He hasn’t made any attempts to escape—more than likely because he realizes how futile it would be—and while I’m entirely consumed by him, I’m not an idiot. The risk of letting him out into the world is too great. My Aiden is starting to come to terms with the fate that was chosen for him, but he’s still only human, and other people are pathetic idiots.
Still, my heart stutters and convulses at the single tear that slides down his cheek. Confused at my own reaction, needing to do something, I bend down and lick it off his skin. The salt of his sadness stings my tongue and makes me feel…
“Would tagging along make you happy?” I find myself asking.
He just shrugs, wiping the rest of his tears with the back of his hand. “I just need to go outside.”
I nod, petting the back of his head as I pull him to my chest. “Okay.”
“Really?” he asks, eyes open with excitement as he looks up at me. “I can come along?”
“You just have to promise you won’t do anything stupid like try to run.” I wrap my hand around the pretty purple marks on his throat. “Because if you do, I’ll just chase you down and fuck you until you pass out and wind up back here. Understood?”
I feel his gulp, see the little spark of fear in his eyes, and a hint of something else I can’t name. Something that makes me think him coming with us is actually an excellent idea. For me, that is. I know that Bel and Gore will want nothing more, Asi won’t give a shit, but Mammon’s going to be the tough sell.
I spy something over the top of Aiden’s head in the corner of the room and smirk.
That’ll do.
“You two look so fucking precious.”
I chuckle as Aiden shoots Gore a look. He tugs at the collar around his neck, uncomfortable with the weight. “Was this necessary?”
“Don’t like it, little lamb?” I tease, giving the leash that connects his collar to mine a tug, to which he glares adorably. “What?”
“Yes,” Mammon says as he parks the car, turning to look at us in the backseat. “This is already a ridiculous idea.”
“Well, we’re already here,” Asi sighs. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Don’t get too excited, Asi,” Bel teases, securing his mask before reaching for his scythe.
Gore snorts, wiggling in his seat. “Can we go now?”
Mammon turns his glare from the impatient terror twins to Aiden. He cocks his gun, a show of strength he’s never needed before. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
Aiden wets his lips, nerves making his fingers twitch, and nods. “Okay.”
With that, we all pile out of the car. We’re far enough out in the country that we’re not worried about getting caught, but I still wear my mask regardless. While Bel and Gore need to fuck before an outing, I need my mask to get in the zone. It’s an extra level of security for every one too—the mask, the collar—they’re just things to remind me of my place.
I’m a dog on a tether. I’m a faceless killer. I’m under someone else’s control.
I’m Leviathan, one of the Princes of Hell, and everyone should fear the puppet master who pulls the strings.
“Any particular reason we’re paying a visit to Mr—” Bel cocks his head as he reads the name on the mailbox “—Smith? How original.”
“Does it matter?” Asi drones, the drag of his ax against the driveway sinister.
It sure as fuck doesn’t to me. Bel must agree because he shuts up as we reach the front door. Gore revs himself up dramatically, wanting to kick down the door like some sort of action hero, but Mammon raises a hand to stop him. When he pouts, Mammon just shakes his head, taking out a lock-picking kit instead. It only takes him a few seconds to unlock the door and we’re all crossing through the threshold.
As we all climb up the stairs, Aiden looks around with wild unfocused eyes. They dart to the framed photos on the wall of the happy family—a man, a wife, and two kids—and there’s a bit of hesitance in his steps. I tug on the leash, pulling him forward until he stumbles. He looks at me, and I can tell he’s trying to ask me a wordless question, one that I’ve never been asked before.
Don’t you feel bad?
Not one single bit.
We pass by a room lit by nothing but a night light, and Aiden pauses when Asi and Gore slip in. “Them too?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. Doesn't matter.”
“They’ll be fine,” Mammon says as we make our way to the main bedroom. “A little chloroform will keep them asleep while we work.”
There are two figures lying in bed when we enter the room, a man and a woman, both curled up under the covers. Mammon places a single finger over his lips when Bel squeals in delight. He looks at me, jutting his chin to the woman, and I nod, understanding what’s being asked of me.
With careful and quick precision, I grab my knife, place it right under her chin, and slit her throat. If he wanted a quick-ish and a somewhat less unpleasant death for her, she must not be the reason why we’re here. Regardless, it’s not my place to question it.
Aiden gasps and there’s a tug on my neck as he backs away. When I look at him, I’m not afraid he’ll run. It looks like he’s more shocked than anything else, and I realize that this must be his first time seeing someone die.
My cock hardens. Not because of the woman and her quiet disgusting gurgles as she chokes on her own blood but because of Aiden. A sudden flush of affection hits me, gratitude that I get to be here for this special moment for him. The first murder is always the best, hands down nothing will ever compare, and I wonder what he’s thinking about.
I don’t get time to ask him when the man wakes up. Immediately, he starts to scream. Like most selfish humans, he doesn’t think of those around him that he needs to protect, but of himself. “Please! Don’t hurt me!”
Asi and Gore enter the room and the man screams once again when he sees how many of us there are. He jumps off the bed, crawling on the floor until his back hits the wall. “What?—”
“Can we play now?” Bel asks, brandishing the rope that was hooked onto his belt as he cozies up to Mammon’s side. “Come on, Daddy. I know you want to.”
To this, Mammon smirks, petting his hip. “Go for it.”
Bel jumps on the chance and tackles the man, tying him up in an intricate fashion that resembles how you’d tie up a stag. We circle him, the tether between Aiden and I giving him enough slack to stand just behind me.
A manic sort of brilliance takes over in that second. All the demons we hide are unleashed. We give into our wickedly cruel ways. The spilling of blood, the musicality of the screams, the satisfying crunch of bones breaking. It’s all a symphony that has each brother losing himself more and more, but while I’d normally be completely consumed, I find myself turning my head.
Because I’m far more interested in Aiden than the sad little mortal we’re unleashing all our monsters on.
Everything ceases to exist as I stare at Aiden’s face. There’s a transformation there. His eyes are wide, and he gasps when specks of blood coat his glasses, but he doesn’t shut down. He doesn’t hurl, he doesn’t scream, he doesn’t try to run. There’s something devious lurking in his blue depths, a curiosity I don’t think he realizes he has.
I also don’t think he realizes he’s smiling.
Smiling as he watches, the thrum of his excited body nearly reverberates through me, and then our eyes meet.
Those questions I asked him before?—
Do you sense me?
Can’t you recognize me?
Don’t you feel it?
They’re all answered now.
No matter how much my little lamb tries to hide it, he’s starting to learn what I’ve known since the moment I picked his name out of the box that sealed both our fates.
That we’re both born from the same soul.
Meant to be.