Page 30 of Beggars, Sin, and Wine

Cas would always defend me and eventually online shopping became a thing. I had my own fucking ball pit now and sometimes, I could convince Cas and Pax to oil themselves up and wrestle with me in it. Which was just so much better than trying to avoid Sumo slamming some kid.

Maybe our mate would play in my ball pit with us. We just needed Pax to tell us how much of the witchy salt to use.

“Black salt is insanely powerful for protection. This incense smells terrible and cheap, but technically, they were doing the same ritual witches and warlocks do when we burn it, even if they’d never admit it. It should just take a little.”

At least these people were useful for something. Cas started giggling and he only ever got like that when he got down on my level.

“I figured out how to get into this thing and it doesn’t involve a drill. Sorry, Benji.”

“It’ll be worth it to get our mate out of here. Because I’ll bet she’ll get horny when she sees you with a drill, too.”

I loved it when a plan started coming together.

Inever knew when it was night because of the lack of windows and them never turning the lights out. I slept when the foot traffic got quiet and my body wanted to. I always knew when it was morning because they’d blare this obnoxious alarm throughout the basement.

It was even worse today because of how long I hadn’t eaten. Sister Mary Eugene usually just neglected to feed me for one day and she only ever brought me one meal. It was miserable, and I knew I was losing weight, but it wasn’t as bad as this.

It felt like my teeth were vibrating as it continued to clang through the basement. Even supernaturals prayed to certain gods for help. I didn’t anymore. I’d dedicated my life to one once. I had vowed to stay a virgin and serve her in her temple. When another god she was feuding with tried to force me to break my vows and violate me, I prayed to her for help. She didn’t come until it was over and then she turned me into a monster.

I was sure there were still people here who were praying, but I’d rather starve to death than beg Athena for help again. If I could hold on long enough, Di would find me. My mates had a lot of bravado about getting us out of here and a lot of things about them didn’t make sense, so they might be able to do that. Di needed to get here first, or I’d have a bunch of statues of my mates.

Something was different today. There were more people down here and they didn’t sound happy. I didn’t think I had the energy to get off this shitty mattress, but I did strain my ears to listen. I was technically a hybrid now with snake senses, but snakes didn’t really have super hearing like other shifters. Thankfully, they were bitching loud enough for me to hear them with normal hearing.

“This is ridiculous. He’s going to hire them a five-star chef next. They are eating better than us and they are sinners. That concoction he has us drinking is vile. None of us have to worry about getting possessed. We have god on our side. These people only have themselves to blame for their predicament.”

I didn’t know what any of that meant, but I highly suspected my mates were involved. They kept promising me food and retribution against the people keeping it from me. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of problems with their stomachs lately.

I didn’t even know what they looked like, but how perfect were they? I wished I could look at them without killing them.

“If this is going to put their demon to sleep, then let them have it, but if they are getting decent food, we should, too. And I don’t think the monster who murdered Sister Mary Eugene should get this.”

Yeah, I regret nothing. Except maybe playing my hand too early and not killing Hannibal instead. No one was going to fall for that again and I was pretty much too weak to try it.

“Just give it to them. This place gives me the creeps and my stomach is killing me.”

Someone forced a tray through the slot in my door. I could tell they were trying to make the contents end up on the floor, but they didn’t manage. I needed the food, but I didn’t think I could make it across this tiny cell.

I wasn’t proud. I crawled on my hands and knees over to the tray. I didn’t even care if it was bread butts again. There was pounding in my ears and black was threatening to overtake my vision, but I made it to the tray.

I just sat against the door panting for a minute. If I had my magic, I’d curse these people. I was so weak. There was a time I used to swim in the Aegean Sea. I tried to do that once a year. I’d drown now. I couldn’t even stand up.

When I looked down to see what monstrosity they served me this time, I was surprised. It was just one piece of bread and not nearly enough considering how much they had starved me, but it had been toasted and there was butter and parmesan on it.

Yeah, definitely not proud. I inhaled that shit. It was the best thing I’d ever eaten after nothing and stale bologna sandwiches for so long. I sighed and leaned my head against the wall. I knew this was my mates.

“Thank you,” I whispered through our very thin bond.

“That was all Benji. But we’re getting you out of here soon, beautiful,” Pax said.

“You don’t know what I look like.”

“Doesn’t matter, but I still know you’re beautiful. Our plans are falling into place. We’ll be getting out of here soon and taking you with us. We’re getting everyone out.”

“I don’t doubt you can do that. When you get to the basement, just open the doors and leave me behind.”

I doubted I’d even be able to make it out of here because I was too weak, but it was better than killing them.

“I need you to spread the word in the basement. You’re probably going to start feeling your magic soon. For this to work, I need all of you to not do anything until we give the signal. Benji is the signal for the basement. Trust me, you’ll know. We’ll talk about leaving you behind later.”

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