Chapter 35 – VENOM
Chapter
Thirty-Five
VENOM
It’s time.
I take a deep breath, place a fresh toothpick in my mouth, and roll up the sleeves of my shirt to hide the blood splatter from taking out the security on the outskirts of the property. Then I make my way to the front of Nikolai’s home.
As I casually stride closer to the front of the house, two men standing outside his door draw their weapon and step toward me.
“Who the fuck are you?” the one to the right says.
“Why, I’m the guest of the hour.”
“We don’t get guests here,” the left guy says.
“I’m sure I’m expected,” I respond with a grin and take a couple strategic steps forward.
“Stay right where you are!” The men look at each other for a beat before returning to me. “And your name?”
“The Southern Poisoner.” I dramatically bow and they eye each other again. I don’t miss how they push their shoulders back and tense. It only makes me smile even wider like the Cheshire cat.
I reach into my back pocket and both men take another step toward me and shout. “Don’t fucking move! Take your hand out of your pocket!”
I lift my left hand up in surrender and then slowly pull out my right, holding a cigarette box.
“Just getting a smoke, fellas.” They ease up just enough as I throw my toothpick away, flip open the lid and bring it to my mouth to pull out a thin long cylinder.
I toss the box to the ground and they eye what's in my mouth curiously. And then I blow hard, once, twice, the tiny darts sinking into dumbass number one and dumbass number two’s necks.
They both reach for their neck like they just got bit by a bug, pulling out the dart and throwing it to the side.
But before they have any time to do much else, they both drop to the ground.
Oh, how I do love those darts. The Golden Poison Frog is certainly one of my favorite species, and thankfully, I received my order of the bright yellow wild frogs last week, just in time to extract their batrachotoxin for these darts.
“Gentlemen,” I say as I step over their bodies and walk the rest of the way to the front door. A micro dose would have just paralyzed them, but the one I used, death already claimed them.
Reaching the door, I clear my throat, knock twice then place my hands in my pockets, fingers curling around the knives hidden in their custom venom-filled sheaths sewn into my pants.
A few seconds later, the door opens to reveal more armed men.
“Good evening, fellas. I’m here to see Nikolai.
” Once again, the men glance at each other for answers, but none speak.
What kind of armed guards are these fuckers?
“Honestly, is he truly not expecting me? I’m a bit offended.
” When they continue staring at me with furrowed brows, I add with a long sigh, “I’m The Southern Poisoner.
Nikolai took something from me. More specifically, a pretty little thing with fire-red hair. ”
Their eyes light up with recognition. Some draw knives. Others point guns at me.
“Now, now, none of that. I came to talk.”
With this many men armed, there’s no room for mistakes or hesitation. Thankfully, speed and precision are my specialties.
One of the men leans to the side and looks behind me, spotting the first two guards on the ground. “He killed Boris and Ivan!”
I spare a glance behind me. “Oh, them? Were they your friends? The others around the perimeter are gone as well. My apologies.”
A man with long hair tied back in a top knot grabs my shoulder. “You want to see Nikolai? Fine, it’s your death sentence. Let’s go.”
“Check him for weapons,” another with a full beard says.
Too late.
My knives come out fast, stabbing Top Knot in his armpit as he grips my shoulder, then I spin, slamming my elbow into another guard’s face before slicing him across the stomach in a spray of blood. A gun goes off, but I keep moving.
My knives move in a blur of steel, fresh blades sliding into my hand as needed.
They land in necks, thighs, and, for this next poor fella, I spin on my knee, slash his Achilles tendon, and when his knees hit the floor, I slice his neck open then bury my blade in his eye.
I pull the knife free, eyeball still attached, and hold it up, admiring it in surprise. “Huh, well look at that.”
The man falls back with a thud, and I nearly miss a bullet from another goon.
More shots are fired as they frantically try to shoot without true aim.
One bullet lands into another guard's chest as I use him to shield me.
I kick him toward the last armed man and, when they collide, I fling my knife.
It spins through the air with a soft hiss, landing right in that vulnerable spot at the base of his neck. His body twitches, then falls.
I stand tall, catching my breath as I look at the pile of bodies now laying on the white marble floor, slowly turning a shimmering red.
Some still convulse as my special concoction of venom courses through them.
Others stare blankly at the ceiling, already dead.
If the knife wound itself didn’t kill them, Venom’s Kiss surely will.
Running footsteps echo through the home. When I turn, over a dozen men stand armed, ready to shoot me into oblivion.
I raise my hands and smile. “Sorry about them. They were a bit rude.”
One of the men steps forward, holding up his hand in signal to the guards to hold their fire.
“So, you must be the man who stole my cherry.”
And there he is. Nikolai.
“Stole? Now I wouldn’t use that word to describe it.”
“I could easily kill you right now.”
“You could.” I shrug.
“Am I to respect that you have no fear?”
“Respect from you means nothing to me. I’ve come for my beast.”
He laughs. “You kill my men, make a mess of my home, and expect me to give you what you want?”
“Oh, certainly not. I’m here to make an offer. Myself in exchange for her. Let her go and you can have me. I am far better looking and am worth much more money to my enemies.”
“You think this is about money? You are mistaken, my friend. This is about betrayal and what happens to those who betray me. In fact, I am happy you are here, Poisoner. I have a new idea. Come, you will help me with something.”
I quickly look at my watch, taking note of the time, then step forward with my hands still raised.
“Check him for more weapons. And if he moves even an inch, shoot him.”
“Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot.” I grin.
He gives me a disgusted look then turns away as I’m pushed from behind to follow Nikolai.
I’m brought into another large, nearly empty room. I’m not sure what Nikolai typically uses this room for, but the man needs an interior decorator.
The armed men take up spots around the room with one remaining behind me, a gun pressed between my shoulder blades.
Nikolai takes a seat in a chair that looks more like a throne. I smirk. So, he thinks he’s a king.
If you come for the king, you best not miss.
And miss, I do not.
“Remove his shirt,” Nikolai orders.
“We just met, and you already want to see me naked?” My, this is moving fast.”
“Get your laughs in now. In a moment, they will be gone.”
The guard behind me kicks the back of my legs, sending me to my knees, and begins ripping off my shirt.
“Now fetch the girl,” Nikolai signals to the guard standing beside him.
My eyes follow him through a different door than where we came in and stay locked on it until it opens again, revealing my little beast, Ivy.
Her face is flushed, and some wild hair sticks to her face and neck with sweat. She looks around the room, eyes landing on me, and shock replaces any sadness she held.
“Venom!” She steps toward me but is jerked back by the guard gripping her. “You shouldn’t be here! What are you doing?!”
“What’s it look like? I’m being the hero, darlin’,” I say to her with a grin.
Her eyes widen and she lightly shakes her head before Nikolai’s laugh steals her attention, his voice echoing through the room. “Some hero you are.”
“I admit, I’m out of practice. Not my usual go-to.” I quip.
“Now, Red, the doctor hasn’t arrived yet, but tell me, is this the man you gave my cherry to?”
Ivy presses her lips together in a tight line and doesn’t respond.
Nikolai gives a nod to the guard holding her and he turns to slap her across her face.
My body seizes. It takes every ounce of control I have not to attack, to simply kneel here and wait.
“It was the sweetest cherry I ever had,” I say, drawing Nikolai’s attention back to me. “How unfortunate, you’ll never get to know.”
His face turns red, and a scowl forms as he looks to Ivy then back at me. He quickly stands and strides over with determined purpose and lands a punch to my cheekbone.
My head snaps to the side, then I smile back up at him. “Now you just broke rule one.” I look to Ivy and give her a wink.
“Rules? You think you have rules here, Poisoner?” He chuckles as he glances around the room to his guards. Some laugh along with him. Nikolai throws another punch. Weak.
“Is that all you’ve got? Well, that’s rather embarrassing.”
Nikolai looks past me, “Get my whip.” He then moves back to his throne, taking a seat.
A beat later, another guard takes the place of the original one behind me, letting the end of a long leather braided whip fall to the floor with a light tap.
This should be a good time.
“Begin,” comes Nikolai’s stern voice as he sits back to watch the show.
“No!” Ivy shouts.
I look at her and watch as tears begin to flow from her beautiful emerald eyes and then I look away, bracing myself.
Oh, beast, don’t cry for me.
Then the first lash comes, landing across my back and bringing old memories to the surface of my mind.
Pain is no issue for me, but as the lashes keep coming, it’s the memories of a small boy being whipped, never escaping the abuse of a mother, that have me nearly breaking.
But… although the boy died in that house, the man escaped… or rather… the monster.
Now I smile wide as the familiar kiss of the whip greets my flesh once more.