Chapter 6 #3
My breath hitches at this display of violence, at how natural it comes to Malakai to inflict harm. Yet, I don’t find it nearly as upsetting as I thought I would.
“My lord, sir, please,” Andrei cries upon receiving another cut, this time across his chest. “I do not know what you speak of. We brothers have always been loyal to you.”
“You have been, yes,” Malakai admits. He wipes the blood on his dagger onto Andrei’s shirt and puts it back in its sheath. Andrei takes a relieved breath, his posture sagging slightly against his constraints.
“But unfortunately for you, I know your allegiance has changed in recent years.” He flexes his fingers, and I know what’s coming. I lean against the wall across from them, making myself comfortable with Malakai’s vest still in my arms.
Malakai looks at me as he stalks around Andrei, the promise of pain and death in his eyes.
He looks like a hunter stalking its prey, and it suits him like a second skin.
A fluttering sensation settles in my stomach, and I find myself unable to look away.
When he catches me watching, though, Malakai gives me a small smile, enough to set me ablaze.
“My lord, please.”
He shifts his attention back to his prey, but I can see the small linger for a moment longer.
“You and your brother have been prone to misconduct for a while now. I let it slide because you’ve always been loyal.
Even though you know damn well, the contract prohibits murder if it’s not work-related.
But now”—Malakai lifts his hands, and his black magic surges through him—“you lie to me?”
The spell hits Andrei, wrapping around him like netting, cutting into his skin as Malakai moves his arms. Blood trickles down, and Andrei screams. My magic tells me there’s more to it, urging me closer to take a look.
“Curious, love?” Malakai purrs as I step up to them.
“Very,” I reply, my nose almost touching Andrei’s face as I examine the cut and the blood dripping from it. “What’s with his blood?”
“It’s slowly heating up, though he can’t tell yet.”
Andrei whimpers at this revelation.
Malakai stands behind me, his arms around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. “It will start to boil in his veins, raising his body temperature and liquefying his organs until it finally kills him. Slowly.”
“You reckon he won’t die sooner?”
Malakai kisses my cheek. “The beauty of this spell is that it keeps you alive until the end.”
“How long does it usually take?”
“Depends on the intensity. I could speed up the process, but where would be the fun in that?”
“How long does it take like this?”
“A couple of days.”
“His brother got off easy in comparison,” I note, utterly unconcerned about the terror in Andrei’s eyes.
“Oh, most certainly. I have to admit I do like slow better.”
“And the cost?” I ask him, my brow furrowing. This looks like the kind of spell that could take a lot from its caster, especially since it’s set to remain active even after he’s gone.
“Nothing a good meal won’t fix.” His breath is hot against my skin, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
A foul smell fills the room, and Malakai breaks away from our embrace.
He looks at Andrei, disgusted, and I see why: the man has pissed himself.
The stench is overwhelming, almost making me gag.
I raise my hand in front of my mouth to block it and take a step back.
My stomach begins to heave, and I cringe away further.
“Even your brother withstood his torture better.” Malakai rolls his sleeves back down and takes his jacket from me. “You have some thinking to do, Andrei. I suggest you, for once in your life, actually do so.”
We step outside, where a woman stands waiting for us, leaning against the wall.
“He’s all yours again. I’ll be back in a day or two to check on his progress,” Malakai says, putting on his jacket.
“I’ll take good care of him until then.” She smiles, rows of sharp teeth gleaming ominously.
Malakai leads us back to the ground floor, where I shoot the receptionist a deadly glare as we walk by. She immediately looks away, which means she’s smart enough to know my threat was genuine.
“You’re going to make a reputation for yourself,” Malakai teases as we exit the building.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Quite the contrary,” he replies, loosening his tie.
“There are plenty who will see you as weak because they will wrongfully think of you as human. Some will even think you need my protection. It’s up to you to make them realize you’re not and you don’t.
Now, how about a drink? There’s a nice coffee place just around the corner. ”
It’s indeed just around the corner that Malakai leads me to—a coffee shop that looks like any other. Upon entering, though, it becomes clear it’s far from ordinary; my magic whispers to me about how both the patrons and employees aren’t human.
My lips part to say something, but Malakai squeezes my hand and lets go, stepping away from me to order. I quickly glance around and pick out a round table in the corner. Malakai exchanges a few words with the man behind the counter, and I give them a small wave when they look my way.
“What was that about?” I ask when Malakai returns with two steaming mugs of coffee.
“You know how I mentioned I have plans to expand the business?”
I nod as he sets the mugs down and places his phone next to them on the table, sitting across from me. “Currently, we only do housing, but James over there has agreed to sell his coffee shop to us.” Malakai takes a sip from his coffee, regarding me carefully.
“You’re going to branch out into dining and drinking establishments?” I ask, excitement filling my voice as I pick up on where he’s going with this.
“There’s a whole community of inhumans, specifically half-breeds, in this world. Even though they will never truly coexist with humans, most are tired of spending their long lives crawling around in the shadows. They want spaces of their own, where they can be themselves.”
“But contrary to housing, you can’t control who walks into a bar. If this is to become a safe space, what will prevent humans from entering?”
“It’s why we’re only expanding now. We can create a magical barrier to keep the humans out, much like the one around the park.”
“A magical barrier we need to create, I take it?”
“Yes, when you take over the magical aspects that come with the business.”
Staring at him, I give Malakai what is probably the dumbest look ever. His lips twitch as he tries hard not to laugh.
“Why?” is all I manage to say.
He leans back in his chair, mug in hand. “Why not? It’s your company as well, so you should be involved. We’ll need locations in every country, meaning you’ll be able to travel. I know you used to want to do that before all of this.” He almost mumbles those last words, drowning them in coffee.
I smile, slightly taken aback by his kindness. If he doesn’t watch out, I might end up getting used to it after all. “I don’t know how any of this works.”
“You’ll learn.” His voice is firm, making it clear he won’t accept any excuses from me on the matter.
I take a big gulp of coffee, thinking. He’s right about the traveling part—I always wanted to see more of the world. And this would give me something to do, a purpose, so to say. I smile into my coffee at the thought.
“Unless you prefer to be a housewife again,” I catch Malakai saying.
I kick him under the table, and he almost chokes on his coffee.
“Be nice, love. We’re in public.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Are you willing to take the chance?” He looks at me, and the gleam in his eyes tells me he most definitely will if I push him. His magic reaches for me, running over my skin and making me shiver.
His phone starts to buzz, and his magic evaporates in the air. The screen lights up to show Thomas calling. Malakai grumbles something inaudible under his breath while reaching for the phone.
I can’t help but agree with his unspoken annoyance—always these interruptions.
His magic is already back against my skin by the time he ends the call. My head isn’t in it anymore, remembering the family dinner from last night. Something about it leaves me with a bad feeling, but I can’t quite place it.
“What’s on your mind?” Malakai asks as his magic gently strokes my arm.
“Something about last night with the family. I don’t really know.” I hesitate. “It might just be me overthinking since I don’t actually know them.”
I look away, but his magic touches my chin, turning my face back to him.
“Talk to me.”
I swallow my doubt. “I had the feeling they weren’t completely… sincere? As if they were hiding something.”
“I’m surprised you noticed anything, considering how busy you were misbehaving,” he teases.
I slap his magic away and narrow my eyes, a slight growl escaping me. Malakai’s eyes widen at this, then he leans back in his chair, chuckling.
“You’re right, though,” he eventually says. “I also sensed something was off. I had my magic on them all night, but there was nothing I could pinpoint. So either we both imagined it, or they’re very good at hiding whatever it is.”
“It felt like Thomas was hiding something, and Isabella…” I hesitate for a moment, unsure how to say it. “I don’t know how to put it. She felt… wrong? Somehow?”
Malakai thinks for a moment. “She did,” he agrees.
“I also don’t know how else to describe it.
So again, I don’t know whether there’s actually something there or not.
I’m hoping everything that’s been happening with the company is just because they’ve been slacking off, but part of me fears it might be more—they might be involved. ”
I’m surprised with him telling me this. But I appreciate it; it shows he’s serious about my involvement.
“What would they stand to gain from going against you?”
“If they have become greedy and are looking for a way to gain complete control over the company, then they stand to gain a lot.”
I gulp at this. “Could they?”