Page 50 of Blood and Thorns
“Well, technically I first spoke to Hendrix, because he wasn’t as terrifying.” Her upper lip twitched, her colour returning as she took in a deep breath. “But with his help I contacted Sebastian, and he dealt with the situation, and even set me up to start a new life.”
“Does Hendrix work for Sebastian?” I asked, smiling at the way she blushed.
“God no, that’s a somewhat complicated story,” she laughed, her cheeks becoming a deeper shade. She was acting like we were talking about a schoolgirl crush, and from her reaction, I’d guess it was Hendrix who was her husband. “Sometimes,” Elena said after a few beats, “you need a monster to take out other monsters.”
I wanted to ask her more, but I knew the conversation was closed.
“So, do you want to tell me why I’ve been dragged from my shop to come dress you?” The change of subject was a whiplash. “Caden wasn’t very forthcoming as to why you couldn’t come to me. I’ve known the guys for a few years now, and they always pop in to make sure I’m okay.” Elena rolled her eyes. “But I’ve never seen Sebastian with anyone.”
“It’s complicated,” I replied, distracted by Elena’s words.
You need a monster to take out other monsters.
Sebastian didn’t bend to society standards, twisting the rules to suit his needs regardless of expectations and consequences. That was why he wore his mask, so people could see just how uncivilised he truly was.
A monster that scared other monsters, almost crudely honest in his persona. And yet, he’d helped Elena escape. Iwonder what he’d asked in return?
“I’m only temporary,” I decided on.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Elena stepped back, pulling out various clothes from her suitcase. “Okay, so I’ve brought some stuff with me that I’ll need to alter, and Sebastian has also given me a list which I can get to you by next week. Is that okay?”
I reached for the pair of jeans, my smile strained. “They’re perfect, thank you.”
Chapter 24
Sebastian
Eight, real name John Carp, was a nondescript man with a face and build that would blend in with the crowd. It made him generic, boring, and the ideal drug dealer.
He was anything but generic right now, though. His eyes bulged, tears and snot smearing his reddened face as he tried to jostle the tarantulas that were crawling freely over his chest. His screams were muffled by the rag shoved through broken teeth, and bruises were already appearing along with fresh welts.
Clearly, he wasn’t a fan of spiders as Caden added another–this time to his face–considering Eight just pissed himself, much to the amusement of the twins, who were standing to the side. Micah laughed out loud, the sound a harsh bark while his brother, Malik, simply smirked. The twins have been with me for a few years, and like all my guards were ex special forces that were paid for their skills and discretion.
“Now, keep still, or I’ll break your fucking knee,” Caden ordered, forcing Eight to freeze as the spider explored his face before eventually crawling down his body.
It was always humorous to watch people fear thespiders rather than Caden or myself. Yes, the tarantula could deliver a nasty bite of venom, but that bite wasn’t what was going to kill them. I was.
Langdon appeared bored, theclick, snap, clickof his lighter the only sound other than the muffled screams in the cold, concrete room.
“You’re a hard man to track down,” I said, riffling through the black rucksack that had been on Eight’s person. I pulled out several packets of cocaine, all marked as my product. But it wasn’t, the colour was off, as well as the quality.
Walking over, Lang yanked out Eight’s gag, then affectionately patted him on the cheek with a wink.
“Where did you get this?” I asked, holding up a packet.
Langdon whistled at Eight’s silence, and when I nodded, he gripped Eight by his hair, wrenching his head back before holding the lighter beneath his jaw.
“I got it from the usual drop off!” he screamed, his skin splitting beneath the concentrated flame. Langdon pulled back but didn’t release his grip. “By the docks. Hook, man, I swear.”
I cocked my head. Hook, which wasn’t his real name, owned the docks, as well as the surrounding sea. Nothing was smuggled across the water without him knowing about it, and that was how I procured my raw materials without alarming the authorities. Not to mention providing me unrestricted access to the rest of the continent.
“Hook’s distributing now?” I moved closer, my sheer size shadowing him.
“One of his men, Smithy. I swear, that’s where I got it all.”
Tipping the rest of the contents of his bag out, I glanced at what remained. “What the fuck is this?” I kneeled, picking up another packet.
Eight squealed like a child, and the scent of burnt flesh infected the air. “That’s the new stuff on the market. It’s what we’re supposed to be pushing. The other… the Cursed Rose is rumoured to be corked.”
