“Always direct, straight to the point.” Morbius grins. “A real straight shooter,” Morbius mocks, using his thumb and forefinger to impersonate a gun.
“Cut the bullshit act, Morbius, and just say what you want. It will save us all a lot of time and hassle,” Lucian sighs.
Morbius’s jaw ticks, irritation at Lucian’s disrespect. Glaring at Lucian, the tension rises; this is all going to go very badly if someone doesn’t calm the situation soon.
“May I remind you, where you are, Lucian. It would do you well to show me some respect,” Morbius grinds out through his teeth, his temper hanging by a thin thread poised to snap at any moment.
“I am well aware where we are, Morbius. Respect goes both ways, as you have entrapped my VP. And it appears to me that he is in significant pain,” Lucian states calmly, but the undertone of threat is there. One wrong look, word or move, and he will end him.
Morbius huffs a dismissive laugh. “I believe your VP is my brother, by blood. Not just by some vow and a little patch sewn on a jacket.”
“It’s called a cut,” Clutch interjects. “You remember, right? You did wear one for a while. You just never made it to a patched member. Is that what this is about? You upset that you didn’t become a member?”
“Clutch,” Lucian growls in a low and foreboding tone.
Morbius snaps to his feet, both palms slamming down on the table; the wood splinters from the force. “You really think I’d want to join? That I ever wanted to join?!” He throws his head back, an insane cackle tearing from him.
“Alright, Mr Burns.” Clutch snorts.
Morbius’s laughter ceases instantly, his violet eyes blazing with fury. “Fuck sake, Clutch. You had to provoke the crazy,” Cain mutters beside me.
“What are you doing?” I hiss.
“You are dead, there will be nothing left of you but ash and dust. You will all cease to exist. And your precious VP won’t be able to do anything apart from watch,” Morbius sneers, his eyes alight with amusement. Enjoying the thought of ending us all.
I chance a look at Silas, my eyes colliding with his, swallowed by his onyx pools. His eyes plead with me. He mouths the words, careful not to say them aloud or let Morbius hear. I squint, trying to read his lips.Kill me, and he will die.My lips part, and I shake my head no. He nods slowly.It’s the only way.No, it can’t be. Evelynn squeezes my hand. I turn my attention to her, her worried eyes searching my face. I’m not sure if she can read minds, or if it’s just the utter despair on mine. She blinks.
“Absolutely not,” she whispers, her eyes flicking to Silas. Knowing he will hear her, too. “There is always another way,” she says with a certainty I don’t feel.
“I’m growing tired of your dramatics, Morbius. Now, just let your brother go, and you can go about your life ruling Velmora. Alone with your vessels for company.” Lucian stands as if he’s done with this conversation.
“When I say, you run to Silas,” Cain whispers so quietly I question whether I heard him or imagined it. He gives me a pointed look. Right. Okay, didn’t imagine it. The room goes eerily silent, Lucian and Morbius staring each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. I watch like a hawk in anticipation. If my heart were alive, it would be pounding against my ribcage. Then I spot it. Lucian taps his index finger to his thumb in quick succession, the tiniest of movements, but a signal to those who know to look for it. “NOW!” Cain bellows. Evelynn and I leap from our chairs and sprint across the room,skidding to a halt in front of Silas. Evelynn wrestles with the chains.
“You won’t be able to remove them. You need a key,” I point out.
Silas groans, his body coated in a sheen of sweat, his muscles tight, his face now completely distorted in agony. My fingers reach out, delicately gliding his damp hair from his face. His Onyx eyes looked to mine, begging, pleading with me to end his life. To end his pain. his suffering
“You… must… kill me.” Each word drags out of him like it’s tearing him open from the inside. “It’s the only way you’ll be safe. The only way the club won’t have this at its door.”
He rushes the last part, breath hitching, his face twisting like even thinking is agony. My fingers hover, then barely brush his cheek, too afraid to touch him, too afraid that if I really hold him, I’ll shatter all over again. He grits his teeth and lifts his chained hand to my face. The metal clinks, echoing around us, but the sound fades, everything fades, until there’s only him. And his eyes. God… how did I miss it? The love. The quiet, unwavering devotion every time he looked at me. I was so lost in grief. In anger. In longing for his brother… I never saw the man right in front of me, the one who gave up everything. For me. Even now. Even like this.
Still choosing me.
His hand trembles against my skin, the effort nearly breaking him. Tears spill freely down my cheeks, and he gently wipes them away with his thumb, as if he isn’t the one dying. “I’m so… so sorry,” I choke out. The words feel worthless. Too small. They’ll never be enough. “All the lies, all these years. You could’ve had me. If you’d just told me the truth.”
I lean forward, pressing my forehead to his. For one fragile moment, the world disappears. No chaos. No monsters. Just us. People spend lifetimes trying to prove their love with words,promises, vows, and empty declarations. Silas never needed words. He proved it by giving up his life. A sharp clang shatters the moment. Clink. Clink. I pull back, turning to see Evelynn driving her blade into the chain. Sparks fly, and this time, I see it. It’s cutting through. My breath catches.
“Evelynn, it’s working!”
“Of course it is!” she yells over the chaos. “I’m a badass with a magical dagger!” she winks.
The world crashes back in. Screams. Steel and Death.
I turn, and my stomach drops. The brothers are being overrun. Dozens, no, hundreds of vessels pour through the doors, a writhing mass of claws and teeth and hollow eyes. A sea of death.
“Help them. Go. Now,” Silas forces out. Evelynn hesitates, looking between us, something breaking in her expression. “Sorry, I can’t -.”
“Go!” I snap, desperate. “They need you!”
