Instead, my shadows sliced his neck, absorbing his crimson-tinged soul-body fluids, and shoved into his mind. At first, he resisted me, his mind stronger than I had remembered. But with some effort, I blasted apart the block. Then I severed the connection to his motor neurons.
He collapsed onto the floorboards with a bang, sprawled out like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Humiliation was just as effective as punishment.
I glared down at him. “Next time, check on your fellow Dread.”
He blinked up at me. That was all he could do, his body and mouth unable to move with my shadows tampering.
“And the Nightmares?” I asked Xavier.
“All accounted for.”
I nodded. “Xavier and Ian, go check Cecilee’s home. See if your fellow Dread stayed with her daughter, then report back to me.”
“Yes, Sir,” they replied, then left.
“Layla, Shane, and Alessandro… continue to search.”
“Yes, Sir.”
I refrained from shaking my head. How was it possible that we’d searched all over the Redemption Circle countless times and still hadn’t found their hideaway? It didn’t make sense. What were we missing?
They left, and I turned to my second and third, ignoring the waste of space beside them. “Report.”
“Well, the womb-warm runts are as fresh and scared as the day they started. The promising ones moved up to the Trenchers, and it seems they haven’t killed each other, so that’s something,” Alexei began.
MJ scoffed. “That’ll change.”
Alexei grimaced. “Yeah, the Devils and Infernos had a couple casualties while we were gone. Tormentors…” Alexei fiddled with a dagger, his grimace deepening. “Lots of new blood and no direction makes for a Cambion Demon on the verge of explosion.”
I scanned the groups, laying eyes on the Tormentors. Dusty and Matt replaced Cyrus and Theon, and although the two had skills and ruthlessness to lead, it seemed that two months of leadership had gone to their heads. Currently, they were trying to lead the group in drills. I had a feeling they’d cause the hellion issues.
Leaders were required to make their squad suffer to expose their weaknesses and satisfy Hell’s need to punish. But Lucille didn’t have that merciless bone in her body. Power, yes. Skills, somewhat. The ability to push a squad past their limits? I refrained from sighing.
“MJ, I need you to stand in for Lucille today.”
“Just today?” Alexei lifted a brow.
I slowly turned, my lips pressing into a flat line.
“Just today. Got it,” he amended, unable to hide his frown. It mirrored the pet’s.
The pet’s doubt I understood. He wasn’t familiar with Hell. But Alexei? He knew better. This was our way. These were Lucifer’s orders.
“And Aspen?” MJ inquired, her arms crossed over her Dread uniform, one hand tapping her bone dagger. She’d never unsheathe it against me. She reserved that dagger for special occasions. But it was a silent challenge. One only Alexei and I could spot.
I let my cold expression speak for me. The pet could rot in Oliver’s room.
MJ moved close, lowering her voice. “Hell’s military is all about punishment, right? Wouldn’t you rather see him beaten around and suffering?”
“Preferably dead.”
“He has a higher potential of that here than in Oliver’s room.”
I narrowed my eyes. She wasn’t wrong. But I knew for a fact that she didn’t want Aspen dead, so she had her own ulterior motives for trying to persuade me. My only issue would be the guardian bond.
It mainly thrived on visual cues and emotions. If I could keep the pet and Lucille away from each other, I might just enjoy watching the pet in my military.
“He’ll join the Devils.” I finally flicked my attention to the deadweight. His lifeless expression shifted to surprise. “I want him to get a good taste of our ways.” I stepped up to him. “Make sure you block your emotions from Lucille.”
