Chapter 42 – GEO #2
Up close, the contrast between flesh and metal is even more obvious. Whoever did this to him wasn't going for aesthetics. At all. The metal enhancements—or replacements—are crude, functional. Meant for pure destructive capability rather than integration with his body.
But with the new mask Cosima somehow acquired for him, a mask with actual facial features worked into the metal—a straight nose, cheekbones, even lips set in a solemn line—he looks way more human than the last time I saw him.
And with his white hair falling around the mask in choppy layers…
Well. If you squint and ignore the fact that he's at least eight solid feet of scarred muscle and barely contained violence, he could almost pass for handsome in a classical, statue-from-hell-come-to-life kind of way.
Almost .
I crouch down next to the bed, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. The Knight's glowing blue eyes track my every motion, but he allows me to get close enough to examine his wounds.
The damage looks... extensive. And not just the new injuries from the chaos on Nikolai's territory. Some of these gashes look weeks old. A few long cuts in a bruising criss-crossed pattern suggest he was beaten with whips. Maybe even chains.
When I reach toward his back, where there are six deep vertical wounds—three on each side of his upper spine—the Knight lets out a dangerous growl. I immediately back the fuck up.
"Whoever did this was a butcher," I mutter, more to myself than anyone else. "No finesse. No consideration for long-term viability."
"Does it hurt?" Cosima asks softly.
The Knight's gaze shifts to her. He doesn't reply. Obviously. But he doesn't nod or growl, either.
My eye narrows. "Can you feel pain?"
This time, he stares at me instead.
Interesting. The last time I saw him, he seemed completely disconnected from physical sensation. Just a relentless killing machine.
But now...
"Can you speak?" I ask.
More staring. More silence.
I study the Knight's metal mask, trying to figure out what's going on behind those feral blue eyes. His gaze holds mine steadily, but he makes no move to respond.
"So that's a no on speaking," I mutter. "Question is… physically can't, or just won't?"
"His mouth has... problems," Cosima says carefully.
She's still perched on the edge of the bed, one delicate hand resting on the Knight's massive forearm. The contrast between them is striking. Her perfect fingers against his scarred flesh and cold metal. Like a fairy tale princess and her cursed beast.
Only this one won't be turning into a foppish prince.
Huh. Guess Raven can fill that role for her.
"Yeah, I caught a glimpse at the airfield. Pretty rough," I reply with a wince, remembering the horrific glimpse of exposed muscle and sharp teeth where his original mask was broken.
The Knight lets out a soft sigh that's barely audible but unmistakably human . The sound startles me more than his earlier growls and snarls.
"Well shit," I say, unable to keep the surprise from my voice. "There really is someone in there, isn't there?"
Those blue eyes fix on me again, and this time I catch something in them. Not just animal instinct or programmed responses. What is that? Resignation? Like he actually gives a shit that he's fucked up.
You and me both, big guy.
Not that I'd ever admit it.
"Alright," I say, running a hand over my face. "I'll get my doctor to take a look. Assuming he hasn't quit after the shit Raven and Nikolai did."
The Knight tenses at the mention of Nikolai's name, a low growl building in his chest. Cosima's fingers tighten slightly on his arm, and he stops.
I've seen plenty of alphas wrapped around an omega's little finger before, but this is something else entirely. The level of control she has over him, the way he responds to her smallest gesture...
Kind of sweet, actually.
"My doctor's good," I continue, scratching the stubble on my jaw as I watch them both carefully.
"Specialist in combat trauma. Done work on soldiers with prosthetics before.
Nothing quite like... this." I gesture vaguely at the Knight's metal arm and bladelike claws.
"But he can treat the wounds. Get you on the path to at least partially healing. "
Cosima nods, relief evident in the slight relaxation of her shoulders. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," I warn. "First I have to convince him to come back after your boyfriend's little stunt in my dungeon."
She arches one delicate silver brow. "And which 'boyfriend' would that be?"
"Take your pick," I grunt. "The pretty pain in the ass or the psychopath from your motherland."
A ghost of a smirk touches her lips. "That's funny, I thought the pretty one was your boyfriend."
My face reacts in shock and irritation before I can fully mask it, judging from the gleam of amusement in Cosima's eyes.
"Not even gonna dignify that with a remark," I grumble. I eye the Knight warily. He's gone completely still again, watching our exchange in his usual silence. "Look, I'll make the call, but you need to keep him under control. Doc's twitchy enough as it is these days."
"He won't hurt anyone unless they threaten me," she says with quiet certainty.
I bark out a harsh laugh. "Yeah, because that's so much better. You realize half the alphas in this place are a threat just because you exist, right? An unmated omega..."
"I'm not unmated," she cuts in sharply. "I'm just unmarked."
Well. That's even more interesting. It's also a distinction without a difference, depending on who you ask, but I decide not to push it.
I glance between her and the Knight, noting how his massive frame seems to curl toward her protectively even while remaining perfectly still. Like a sentinel, ready to spring into violence at the slightest provocation.
"Right," I say slowly. "Well… that's going to be a whole other problem."
She meets my gaze steadily, chin lifted in subtle defiance. "The only problem is people trying to control me. I make my own choices."
"Fair enough." I hold up my hands in mock surrender. "But try not to let those choices end with my base getting torn apart, yeah? I just had the place renovated."
That smirk returns, a little sharper this time. "I'll do my best."
"I'll go track down the doc," I mutter. "You two... behave." I eye the Knight meaningfully. "No maiming anyone while I'm gone."
He just stares at me, utterly still. But I swear that in the shadows of his mask, I catch a flicker of something almost like amusement in his eyes.
Nah. Can't be.
I'm so stressed out, I'm seeing shit now.
As I head for the door, Cosima's voice stops me. "Geo?"
I glance back. She's still perched on the edge of the bed, still touching the Knight's arm like it's the most natural thing in the world. Like she isn't petting an alpha who could tear her apart before she could blink.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," she murmurs. "For helping."
I grunt noncommittally. "Don't get too grateful. Just trying to keep my house in one piece."
But we both know that's not entirely true. There's something about her that makes me want to help, want to protect. Even knowing she's probably the most dangerous person in this place right now.
Not because of what she can do.
But because of what others will do for her.
As I pull the door shut behind me, I catch one last glimpse of them. Beauty and beast, silver and steel, locked in some kind of screwed up orbit I can't begin to understand.
And I realize I'm completely, utterly fucked.
Because I'm starting to care.
And in this world, caring is the quickest way to get yourself killed.