Page 79 of Blood that Burns

“One of the counts, then?”

He shrugs. “Hard to tell who you can trust these days.” He crosses his legs at the ankle. “The auction will fall tonight, but everything will change.”

My eyes narrow and I take a threatening step toward Marc. “What does that mean?”

His head lifts, eyes meeting mine. “One of the girls will fall tonight.”

I stop breathing. My entire body goes rigid. “Who?”

“Maybe I should’ve kept Maggie with me. I could’ve kept her safe.”

A growl rips from between my teeth.

“Who?” My voice ricochets off the walls, ringing my ears in the process.

“Not Maggie.”

The rage eases just slightly and my relief prohibits me from realizing that Marina will fall, if he’s to be believed.

“You couldn’t just deal with Julian’s rule. You had to fight against it. Does power really mean that much to you?”

“I’m not doing this for power, Law. I’m doing this because our family was doomed to fall. Someone had to take charge.”

He takes a step, making to run, but I lunge forward, my fist connecting with his temple.

He answers with his own right hook. My head jolts back, but I don’t react. My need for blood is so acute it threatens to undo me. My arm thrusts out and my fist connects with his nose. That blood I so badly craved sprays from his nose.

“Stop running and this can all end. You’re surrounded. You can’t escape.”

He’s not. I have no idea where this hallway leads, but he likely does. I’m bluffing, hoping to stall until someone stumbles across us.

“You damn fool. You have no idea what you’ve done,” Marcellus grates. “You’ve always been Julian’s little lap dog. When are you going to live for yourself?”

“See, that’s where our opinions differ. I’m not a selfish bastard. I care about people, and so does Julian. You’ve only ever cared about yourself. You maintain places like this where innocent girls are abducted, sold, and tortured.”

Marcellus turns toward me, peering over my shoulder. I wonder what he’s looking at, but don’t dare turn around, in case it’s a ploy to distract me so that he can run off.

“Our father built this place, not me.” Marcellus spits before wiping his mouth. “I’m simply looking out for his interests. Oh, good. You’re here too.” He rolls his eyes, but I don’t take the bait.

“Fuck you,” I yell, getting back to the topic at hand. “You’re only looking out for your own.”

I jump forward, but Marcellus disappears.

What the hell? I scan the wall with my hand, looking for an exit. “I can’t find a doorknob. How the hell did he open it?”

“Let me see,” Julian says, pushing me to the side, running his hands along the wall.

After a few tense seconds he pushes, and the wall gives way to the open air. Marcellus is surrounded by Shante and her sisters, who have formed a circle and are chanting something in a language I’m unfamiliar with.

“What the hell are they doing?” Marcellus groans, clutching at his stomach and ears.

“What’s happening?” I bark. “Make them stop.”

I turn to Julian, who appears startled.

“Enough,” he shouts, but they don’t listen.

Their chanting gets louder, and Marcellus’s cries grow louder too. He’s on the ground curling into a fetal position. I’m about to break through the circle when Julian steps forward.

---