Chapter 14 Ezekial #3
Kane rarely shares memories. Today, he offered Julien one and now, this—her clothes slightly rumpled, bathed in a soft glow, scarlet eyes peering up through lashes as she murmurs, “But I’d be taking up an awful lot of your time, enforcer.”
As abruptly as it came, it’s gone, leaving me with nothing but the moonlit sprawl of the district and the thunder of blood.
“And here I am, thinking I’m special,” I drawl, but the smile never leaves my face. “How many times have you replayed that, brother?”
I make my way to the bedroom, shedding my suit jacket and unbuttoning my shirt. Kane will probably ignore my teasing question, but I hold on, hoping he might give me something more, maybe even mutter something insulting before he—
“Too many.”
My fingers slip off the third button as a low laugh escapes me. Just knowing this little vixen has stirred something in my brother—gotten under his cold skin, awakened something beneath his stoic darkness—only solidifies all my thoughts.
“She’s perfect.” And as if the universe wants to punish me for voicing such an obvious truth, I feel her.
My feet carry me towards the sensation until I’m in the middle of the master bedroom, staring at a wall, knowing she’s behind that soft plaster and concrete.
What is it, a few inches thick? Maybe there’s a cavity too, but it’s nothing. It might as well be tracing paper.
“Ground yourself.” Through our connection, Kane must sense the shift in me, feel my darkness rearing up again as it pulls at his.
“Trying, brother,” I grit out, then inhale sharply through my nose.
This is fine. I move closer to the wall.
I’m fine.
Rest my forehead against it.
I’m in control.
Inhale again, like I can somehow breathe her in.
Completely. Fucking. Fine.
“Distract me. Tell me something. Anything.” I’m just going to stay here. Against this fucking wall.
“Sai was furious at your abrupt departure,” he says, and it helps, my lips curling at the thought. “Thank you for leaving us to deal with that.”
“Where are you now?” I ask, partly curious, mostly needing the distraction.
“The outskirts.”
I lift my head from the wall. “You still think Prospero’s there?”
Mentioning his name always stings. Prospero was my friend, or so I thought. We began as rivals during enforcer training. He’s a powerful blood mage, but I always beat him. Just. We became Council Members on the same day.
“No more sightings, but I have a feeling.” Wind cuts across the line as he begins to move. “He’s running out of options. He’ll have to make a move soon. And besides the cave, this is where the barrier bleeds weakest.”
“His men?”
“Useless,” he says, voice sour. “But Sai wants to keep them alive. For now.”
“For her,” I clarify.
Everything comes back to her. I softly tap my forehead against the wall.
“What if she doesn’t want us?” The thought escapes before I can stop it, spilling into the silence. “She hardly knows us.”
“She will,” he says, calm, eerily certain. “And the more she knows you, brother, the more she’ll know she made the right choice.”
My brother. The cynic. The apathetic demon who always expects the worst, and instead of feeding my fears, he says that.
“And you, Kane,” I add, keeping my voice steady. And before he can cut in with one of his self-sabotaging remarks, I press on, “And Julien, and—as much as it pains me to admit it—even Sai.”
I catch the faintest breath of his laugh, barely there.
“Speaking of the others,” he says with mild displeasure. “I suggest you respond. The constant messages are irritating.”
I smile, lips still pressed to the wall. But with a final inhale, I step away. “Speak soon, brother.”
Perching on the edge of the bed, I open the group chat Sai affectionately named The Dark Daddies. Letting him create it—let alone be the sole administrator—was a mistake we all still regret.
Sai: And if he thinks I’ll ever interrogate someone for him again, he can go fuck himself. I’m DONE doing anything for that selfish, pretentious prick.
I catch myself chuckling at Sai’s last message, he always has such… colourful ways of phrasing things. I could add more fuel to the fire, tell him I certainly didn’t need his help when it came to torturing, but decide against it.
Me: Sai, I’m sorry. Really.
Sai: …
Sai: Not like it’s just me you pissed off.
Me: Julien, Kane, I apologise for my selfish behaviour. I should’ve been better.
Julien: I’m no better. If I was given the same opportunity, I too would have taken it.
Me: Am I forgiven?
Sai: You’re lucky I know without my forgiveness you wouldn’t be able to go on another day.
Me: When did you want that punch?
Sai: Any excuse to touch me, huh? ;)
Sai: Anyway, what’s the plan for tomorrow?
Kane: I’ll take Jasmine and Kacey to the Council building.
Me: Ah, about that… Julien?
Julien: Amon requires more time after his… incident.
Sai: So… Kane doesn’t need to babysit, then our girl doesn’t need to go with Kace, right?
Julien: What are you suggesting?
Sai: Mate, you want me to describe the explicit shit I’m imagining?
Kane: No.
I swipe out of the chat and flick through our shared calendar.
Me: I’ve an idea, but Kane will need to test the waters in the morning. Who knows what we’ll be facing tomorrow.
Sai: What? You think we’ll get more pissed off, Red? Oh, sign me UP.
Kane: We’ll speak in the morning.
With a chuckle I’m glad Sai can’t hear, I set my phone on the side table and start undressing, my gaze fixed on that wall, hoping for another chance to feel her.
I thought our conversation was done, Kane usually gave the final words, but a soft vibration says otherwise. I roll my eyes, expecting Sai’s name and some explicit remark.
Jasmine: Sweet dreams, my lord.
My fingers tighten around the phone, heart pounding so fiercely that I’m certain she can hear it through those flimsy walls.
She’ll be the death of us, and we’ll go willingly. Because in that death, she will breathe new life into our weary souls, light up our shadows, steady our chaos, and bind us together in a way we’ve never known.
Sweet dreams, ana mea.