Greys III - Revelations

Chapter 29 - Kings of the Killing

"Just tell me and I'll let you kill it. Otherwise, Ailech will knock you out and you can take a nap in the car while we have all the fun. We're walking out of there regardless, we won't lose, so you might as well get to play too."

Ailech and I shared a look, both clearly missing key pieces of information. But Malachi filled them a moment later.

"Skia and Shafes would be my bet. I'd guess dad's pretty mad at you and going after your soft underbellies with this weak Clan."

He closed his yellow-gold eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose, cocking his head as if listening.

"And they'll be here soon."

He smiled when he opened his eyes again, even as my stomach sank. The Collector was going after Chi and her Clan because he knew it would tear me down, destroy me if they were killed. Who else would he go after?

"And do you want to sleep this one out or have some fun today? They'll see the collar and report back, think you didn't have a choice. You'll probably not get punished too harshly. At least, not more than the fun is worth. That is - if my father ever gets his claws into you again in the first place."

James' voice was teasing, goading as if he wasn't talking about torture and death and Malachi betraying the Collector, even if it was only for one fight.

"Oh, he will get me again, I have no doubts about that. And I'll pay dearly for this, but I do hate Skia. Cocky little Human pricks."

Malachi's grin was back, and James returned it in equal measure, looking like a couple of high school boys about to do something notably stupid to impress a girl, or their friends, or whoever teenage boys tried to impress.

"Abby's rules are modified here obviously. Don't hurt us, don't hurt the Clan inside. Besides that, you have your freedom. Enjoy."

"Carte blanche? Are you sure about that, abbas?" Malachi's smile tipped higher, something in it looking hungry, something about it unsettling me.

"Don't make me regret it, batnae," James answered seriously, though his lips quirked up and amusement sparked in his deep eyes.

Malachi's eyes flicked to black and the car filled with his power. James followed suit, making the air seem to sizzle like it was charged. Ailech and I shared another look. I didn't like the strange camaraderie that James and Malachi seemed to share.

We pulled back the rolling doors and were met with the exact scene I had woken up to for weeks. I felt a flash of annoyance that Chi hadn't moved her Clan, that they were bold enough to stay where they had been found and attacked already. But then I realized it wouldn't have mattered, clearly wherever they went they could be found.

Horn and Halo were half in bed still, just rolling out at the sound of the door, both mainly undressed with sleepy eyes and messed hair. Spade was in their modest kitchen, making breakfast. But Chi was training, her black eyes zeroed in on the intruders, us. She held a short glass dagger in one fist, across the room from a wall peppered with them, the same knives I had cleaned so many times - Syn's knives. I felt my stomach flip and then clench. My mouth began to water like I was going to throw up, but I swallowed it back. Chi's face hardened as her depthless eyes looked down the line from Ailech to James to Malachi, but when they landed on me, she hurled the knife from her white-knuckled hand.

She had clearly been practicing and it was a beautiful throw considering her distance and the slight weight of the weapon, but even so, I knew I could step out of the way. I had the time. But the anger on her face made me want to stay, to take the small injury, knowing I had dealt her and her family a much larger one. After all, the blade wasn't long enough to hit anything vital, and if it would give her a small measure of peace, of justice...