“Please,” he begged, eyes bulging as she reached for another scalpel, picking the largest one in the line-up. “Please, don’t do this. I’m your brother!”
Rae tested the blade against her finger, a bead of blood appearing with just a single prick. “You’ve proven to me that it means nothing.” A hopelessness weighed heavily on her bones, making every movement an effort.
She settled herself on his lap just as Titus yanked his head up, pinning him in place and exposing the column of his throat.
“Don’t do this,” Miles hissed, teeth bared in desperation. “I’m the only family you have left.”
“You’re wrong.” Her voice cracked, but she was beyond caring. “I’ve chosen a new family.” She made the cut quick, precise as she moved the blade from ear to ear. For everything he had done, she couldn’t see him suffer.
A light spray hit her face, but she didn’t wipe it away, instead watching as her brother choked, gargled before finally stilling beneath her.
And just like that, the last of her relatives were dead.
Her hand opened, the scalpel clattering audibly to the hard concrete.
Warmth against her cheek, Titus pulled her up to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her against his chest. She expected tears, even grief, but nothing came.
She wasn’t sure how long they stood there, long enough for the blood on her face to cool, for her legs to shake from exhaustion.
Titus said nothing, just held her, comforted her.
His eyes were calm when she looked at him, proud.
“I’m good,” she said, and meant it. There were many things she’d have forgiven her brother for, but trying to kill her wasn’t one of them. “Really, I’m fine.” She shouldn’t have been, she knew that. The fact she wasn’t confirmed she wasn’t normal. But then again, her life had been anything but normal.
Titus’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he nodded. Taking her hand, they walked out of the room, leaving her brother behind. Only when they were back up to the main floor did she adjust her dressing gown, hiding her pendant back beneath it. She was aware the white had been stained pink, and blood was still smeared across her face. Never mind the large half naked man with a single wing who walked beside her, and yet no one spared them a second glance.
“Excuse me, Mr Liu Wood. I have your guest’s personal items here.” The receptionist waved in the direction. He placed a small gun on the desk, and beside it a mobile phone. “Your champagne will arrive at your room shortly.”
Rae ignored the gun, instead grabbing the phone. It was basic, with buttons rather than a touch screen. “It’s a burner.” Clicking through the menu, she read the last text message.
‘Is it done?’
“Who else knew about your pendant?” Titus asked, taking the phone from her fingers. He scrolled through the recent call list, clicking on the last number called.
The phone rang once. Twice.
“Miles? Is it done?” the voice said from the speaker. “Did you get the necklace?”
Rae quickly pressed disconnect. “That fucking lying bitch,” she whispered. “I’m going to kill her.”
She knew there had been something amiss the last time she’d spoken to her, Rae’s instincts very rarely being wrong.
“You recognise her?” Titus asked.
Rae grabbed the gun, comforted by the cold weight. “That was my Guildmaster, Vivian.”
Chapter33
Rae
When Titus suggested he could get them back to his place far quicker than a car, she was sceptical. Was even more sceptical when he grabbed her around the waist, and her whole body felt like she’d been stuffed through a hole a quarter of her size.
Rae crashed to her knees, head spinning as she tried to regain her equilibrium.
“We’re not doing that again,” she said, groaning as she looked up through her hair, to find Titus on the floor, eyes closed. “Ti?” Rushing over, she tried to lift him up, but he didn’t budge. “Shit.”
The bedroom door crashed open, and she immediately jumped up, holding her hands out in defence. “Back the fuck off!” she warned.
