Chapter 009
Voren's phone buzzed on the coffee table amid the wreckage of the living room. The trashed cushions and scattered books made it hard to spot at first, but he grabbed it anyway, thumbing the screen. No caller ID. That wasn't Elara's style—she always made sure he knew it was her. He frowned and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Roux. It's been a while."
Voren sat up straight. Marrow, sprawled next to him on the couch, went rigid, his bony limbs clicking as he lifted his skull. Voren's pulse kicked up. He knew that voice. He stood, snatching his gun from the side table in one smooth motion. "Helena."
"So you remember me. I'm pleased."
"I don't think I'll ever forget you. What do you want?"
"Just to say hello. I can't call an old colleague to check in on him?"
"Cut the bullshit."
Kaelen wandered in from the kitchen then, a trash bag in one hand, pausing when he saw Voren's face. His eyes went wide, flicking to the gun. Voren wanted to wave him off, send him back out, but Kaelen wasn't the type to bolt. With a sigh, Voren hit speaker and pressed a finger to his lips. Stay quiet. He figured Helena already knew Kaelen was there—woman had a nose for weak spots—but no need to poke the bear.
She chuckled, low and knowing. "I thought you'd have grown out of your impatience, but I see I was wrong. You know what I want, Roux."
"I'm not handing myself over. If you're going to try to kill me, you'll have to work for it."
"I wouldn't expect anything different from you, but see, I have a problem. I have other people to attend to, which means I need to be quick. It would be easier for everyone if you would just hand yourself over so I can kill you."
Kaelen bit his lower lip, hard enough that Voren smelled the copper tang of blood. Voren reached out, squeezed his shoulder—firm, grounding. Kaelen's eyes were huge, panicked, but he stayed silent. Voren's own gut twisted. This was his mess, dragging Kaelen into it. Helena was good. Always had been. She'd dug into him, found the pressure points.
"Nothing has to happen to them," she went on, sweet as poison. "If you surrender, I'll let them go."
Voren snorted. "I know you too well. What else do you want?" No way it was just him. She lived for the hunt, the fear. This was too easy for her.
"Well, I looked into your boyfriend. He's an interesting man. He can come with you when you surrender and work for me."
Of course. Voren's grip tightened on the phone. "How about no?"
"Don't you think Kaelen would want to be asked? After all, this is the only way to keep the people he cares about safe."
"As if you're not going to kill me anyway."
"Oh, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about his mother and Robbie. Sweet Robbie. We wouldn't want anything to happen to him, would we?"
Kaelen sucked in a sharp breath, but bit it back. His face went pale, hands clenching at his sides. Voren's jaw locked. She'd done her homework. Mother. Assistant. Leverage.
"I don't think his answer would be any different if he was here," Voren said. "He's not going to surrender to you. He's never going to work for you."
Helena tsked. "That's a pity. It would've made things much easier. But now, I'm going to have to do this the hard way. Think about that, all right? Maybe you can talk about it and decide together what would be best for everyone. Just know that by the time this is over, you'll be dead and he'll be working for me. I don't care how many bodies I have to leave behind to make that happen."
"Oh, fuck off," Kaelen snapped.
Voren whipped his head around. Kaelen stood there, cheeks flushed under the pallor, eyes blazing. Angrier than Voren had ever seen him.
Kaelen's blood roared in his ears. He'd had it. The break-in, the threats, Helena's smug voice like she owned them—it snapped something. Fuck her. Fuck her organization. He didn't care anymore.
Silence stretched, then Helena laughed, delighted. "Kaelen. I didn't expect you to be on this phone call."
"I didn't expect you to fuck up my life, yet here we are."
"I can see why Roux chose you. You're delightful."
"And you're an asshole."
"I've been called worse things."
"I'm not very creative, but I'm sure I could come up with something else if you push me."
What the hell was he doing? This wasn't him—backtalking a killer like some tough guy from a movie. But stopping felt impossible. She reduced everything to this: threats, control. He wanted her gone.
"Well, since you're on the phone, I might as well ask you if you want to work for me directly. We pay extremely well. You'd never have to worry about the future again, and you'd be able to protect your mother and whoever you care about."
"I just heard you threatening my mother and Robbie. Do you really think I'd want to work with you after that?"
"Honestly, I don't care what you want. You'll work for me whether you like it or not."
The amusement faded, leaving ice. Kaelen shivered. This was the real her—cold, certain. Like that night with the Organization goons, before Voren pulled him out. His bravery cracked.
Voren held out his hand. Kaelen grabbed it, squeezed. Anchor. Trust. Even after the fights, the lies by omission—Voren wouldn't leave him hanging.
"I'll never work for you," Kaelen said, staring at the phone like it could burn. "I'll never work for your Organization. It's rotten, and I don't work for rotten people."
"I'm not sure you understand how powerful and rich the Organization is."
"And I'm not sure you understand that I don't care how much money you're offering me."
"A sum with seven zeros, Kaelen."
He swallowed. Seven figures. Mom's care forever. A real house, away from the stares, the whispers about his "gift." Safe.
The thought flickered and died. No. Not like this. "You can take all those zeros and go fuck yourself, lady."
Pause. Then: "I'm afraid this isn't going to be a choice for you, Kaelen. You'll work for the Organization whether you like it or not. I was trying to sweeten the deal, but it'll be cheaper for me if I can force you. Roux, this is my offer. Hand yourself over, along with Kaelen. You'll die as quickly as possible, and Kaelen will work for me. His family and friends will be left alone. If neither of you agree to work with me on this, well, I hope you like funerals."
Click. Gone.
Kaelen slumped into Voren, who caught him easy. Solid. Always.
"You okay?" Voren murmured, kissing his hair.
"Honestly? I don't know. I don't like her."
Voren chuckled, low. "I don't think anyone likes her."
"What are you going to do?"
"First thing, call Artemis. She'll need to know. Brutus, too."
Codename, real name—didn't matter right now. Kaelen shuddered. He leaned in, kissed Voren's cheek quick before he could overthink it. "I'm going to lie down for a bit. Come find me once your phone call is over?"
"I will. You sure you're okay?"
"I'm not, but there's not much you can do about it."
"I could try anyway."
Kaelen smiled, small. "I'm sure you could. Maybe once you're done with your phone call?"
He kissed Voren's cheek again. "I'll be in bed when you're done." Needed that. Needed to forget Helena's voice, the trashed apartment, the what-ifs. She wasn't done. She'd come harder. But right now? Voren. While they had it.
Voren leaned against the bedroom doorframe, arms crossed, watching Kaelen propped up in bed with a necromancy book open on his lap. The room was dim, lamp casting shadows over the rumpled sheets. The apartment's mess waited outside, but here it was quieter. Still felt like a siege, though.
Kaelen didn't look up right away, fingers buried in his messy hair like he'd been tugging at it. Focused. "Are you done with work?"
"Yeah." Voren pushed off the frame, crossed to the bed. "It's late. You need to rest."
Kaelen sighed, closed the book. "Hoped to find something in here about my ability and Marrow changing."
Voren's hand hovered, then brushed that stray hair back. Soft skin, warm. Kaelen leaned into it, just a fraction. Good sign. "You're no good to anyone if you collapse. Let me take care of you."
Kaelen's eyes flickered—fragile, lost. Chest tightened. This wasn't them, not fully. Helena's shadow lingered, but they'd fix it. Had to.
"I don't know what to do," Kaelen whispered. "I need to do something, but I don't know what. I hate feeling useless."
"Not useless." Voren cupped his cheek, thumb along the jaw. Firm. "You're not."
Kaelen's breath hitched, eyes shutting as he pressed closer. Tension hummed under his skin. Voren knelt on the mattress, hand to Kaelen's neck. Kaelen gripped his wrist—hold on.
"You don't have to do it alone," Voren said, lips to temple. "Let me help."
"I don't know how."
"Then let me show you." Tilted Kaelen's chin. Hesitation there, uncertainty. Then a nod.
Voren kissed him—soft, steady pressure. Promise. Kaelen melted, hands to Voren's neck, kissing back hungry. Desperate. Heart ached. Almost lost this. Might still.
Deepened slow. Bodies close. Voren's hands down Kaelen's back, spine under thin shirt. Kaelen tangled fingers in Voren's hair.
Broke for air, foreheads together. Kaelen's lashes shadowed cheeks. Beautiful. Voren tugged the shirt hem up—slow, watching. Kaelen's chest rose fast, skin flushing as fabric peeled away.
"You don't have to—" Kaelen started.
"I want to." Shirt off, hands on chest. Heart hammering under palm. "So tense. Let me help you relax."
Kaelen gripped sheets. Voren kissed throat hollow—breath catch, soft sound. Lips trailed down chest.
"Voren," Kaelen whispered, trembling.
"Trust me." Needed it. After everything.
Kaelen nodded. Hands to shoulders as Voren explored—gentle, deliberate. Cherishing.
Pulled back. Kaelen shaky, flushed. Cupped face. "Better?"
"Yes, but it's not enough."
Voren smiled, chaste kiss. "I'll take care of you."
Kaelen shifted, hands to Voren's shirt hem. "Your turn." Shy voice. Adorable, always.
Voren let him pull it off. Kaelen's touch tentative on chest—scars rough under fingers.
"You don't have to be nervous." Hands light on hips. "We're fine."
Kaelen glanced up, small smile. "I'm not nervous. I just wasn't sure I could still have this at one point."
Voren caught his hand, kissed knuckles. "You do. For however long you want me."
Kaelen smiled wider, kissed confident now. Skin to skin, world out there forgotten. Breathe, finally.
Kaelen's fingers traced the jagged knife scar across Voren's chest. Light, like it might shatter. Skin prickled, warmth spreading.
"This one," Kaelen murmured, eyes up. Curious, soft. "How'd you get it?"
"Knife." Rough voice. No more needed.
Kaelen's lips parted—then pressed to the scar. Tender. Breath hitched. Kaelen mapped it slow, kisses reverent. Exposed. Hands twitched—held still. Kaelen needed this.
Fingers lower, puckered bullet scar above hip. "And this?"
"Bullet."
Humming breath, kiss—tongue flick. Stomach clenched, groan out.
Kaelen looked up, faint smile. "Sensitive?"
Voren tangled fingers in hair, pulled up for kiss. Kaelen melted, bodies flush. Hand down back, gripped hip—no space.
Kaelen gasped break, eyes dark. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
Rolled, pinned Kaelen. Kiss again. Moan into it, hands roaming shoulders, arms.
Mouth to neck—nip. Arching, gasps uneven. "Voren. Please."
"Tell me what you want."
"You. Always you."
Smile. Hands between, pants down. Gasped as hand wrapped, stroked firm. Hips bucked.
"I love you." Trembling, hitched breaths. Unraveling him—his.
Clawed back. "Voren—I need—"
"I know."
Out of time. Finished stripping, lube from nightstand. Kaelen flushed, gorgeous—legs open.
Kissed thighs, stomach. Fingers thorough—quick but careful. No hurt. Ready.
Lined up, pushed in smooth. Cry out, arch. Paused—Kaelen hooked legs, pulled deeper.
"Move."
Slow rhythm—moans each thrust. Sped, urgent. Hand to cock, stroked sync.
Arch, cry—came over hand. Enough. Deep, groaned release.
Stayed, breaths syncing. Pulled out, collapsed beside. Kaelen turned, lazy smile. Finger to jaw.
"You're incredible."
Caught hand, kissed palm. "So are you." Never again. Trust, always.
Kaelen leaned, slow kiss. Mischief in eyes. "Think you can go again?"
Eyebrow up. "Challenge?"
Kaelen laughed soft, fingers down chest. "Maybe."