Page 27 of Villains and Vengeance
I heave a sigh and get up. ‘Maybe you two can get your heads out of your asses for a minute and realize this is no game.’
I’ve sharpened all the knives I made multiple times and I’m getting antsy. I need to do something. We need to start making more progress in locating her instead of sitting here in these caves doing less than nothing.
‘I’m going back to Arania Alley,’ I grind out. ‘She’s around that area. I guarantee it.’
Jayce, looking a little more subdued now, shakes his head. ‘You keep going up there, but you haven’t found anything. I say we widen the search.’
‘Do whatever you want,’ I reply, ‘but I’m going up to the spiders’ territories.’
I just have this feeling in my gut. She’s up there. Somewhere.
‘Fuck it,’ Jayce mutters, following me.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him to stay here, but we try not to go anywhere alone. It’s either Jayce or Daemon and I choose Jayce. Maddox kicked Daemon out and as far as I’m concerned, once you’re out, you don’t get to come back. I’ve kept my opinions to myself so far, but I don’t need a snake in the grass tagging along. I wouldn’t be able to turn my back on him for a second. He’s not one of us anymore. Maybe he never really was considering where he comes from. I wouldn’t have turned by back on his father either and I sure as hell don’t trust his brother Alex.
Jayce and I make our way up into the higher tunnels, following staircases hewn out of the rock so long ago that the middles of them are worn away.
‘What do you think this place used to be?’ Jayce mutters, running his hand along the wall of the well-travelled corridor.
The remnants of colorful patterns can just be seen under his fingers.
I shrug. ‘Who cares?’
Jayce lets out a noise of annoyance but changes the subject instead of answering. ‘Dante wants you to fight. Did you hear?’
‘Yeah, he asked me face to face.’
‘Are you going to?’
‘Probably. It’s boring as fuck here. Why do you think I keep walking around the tunnels? Besides, if I win maybe Dante will let me have my choice of a decent weapon. That’d be worth some pain.’
‘I guess,’ Jayce mutters with a dubious look in my direction before doing another conversational one-eighty. ‘You been to one of the sex rooms to feed yet?’
‘Yep.’
He stops in his tracks and I smirk at him. I’ve surprised him.
‘When?’
‘Yesterday. You?’
He’s quiet for a little while. ‘Not yet,’ he whispers.
I let out a slow breath. ‘It’s not a scary place. Just some dudes passing some time.’
‘I know. It’s just … I haven’t fed since we left Krase—’
‘That’s ridiculous,’ I interrupt, looking back at him. ‘He wouldn’t want you to starve yourself.’
‘That’s not it.’
I resist the urge to tell him to get his shit together and stop overthinking. Patience is key with Jayce. ‘What then?’
‘What if … What if I feed and it doesn’t last. What if I start going nuts too?’
‘You’re already nuts,’ I retort.
‘You know what I mean, Iron.’
