Now, shirtless, we wrangle him into the elevator and press the button for the top floor.
With his eyes on the floor, he speaks, almost in an angry whisper, “The things you people do. It’s wrong. You are all murderers and you act like it’s a game. Like it’s your right to do it.” His voice is getting louder. “You think there are no consequences, there are always consequences. You pretend you’re helping. How can this be helping? You killed those guards like they were nothing. Did you even think before you did it?” Shaking his head, he just stares off, disbelief in his features. “Do you know if they had families? No. You just kill and kill and kill…” Slumping back against the wall in defeat. “Murder is never the answer.”
The doors open, thankfully. I don’t know what to say to him. “I’m sorry.” His only reply is a snort; he won’t even look at me. “I really am sorry.”
Mason slips Silas’s arm over his shoulder and starts walking him to his room. “He’s had a rough night, don’t take too much of that to heart.”
I don’t answer him. Just turn my back and walk to my room. On auto pilot. I walk through my suite, into my bathroom, striping off clothes as I go. The scalding water washes away all traces of the night I’ve had, but it can’t wash away Silas’s words. What we did was a good thing, I know it was, I feel it in my bones. Yes, people died, and I will have to carry the weight of that with me but they were a part of something horrible. I replay every detail of the mission until the water goes cold. After drying off, I dig around in my suitcase for pajamas. Not bothering to unpack, it seems pointless when we will only be here for a week and the stylists bring me clothes to wear most days. I pull on a tank top and a pair of shorts. The moment I curl into the soft cocoon I feel my whole body relax.
Silas’s words echo through the dark room. Is that how he sees me? As a murderer, a monster. Thinking about how we must have appeared coming out of that building, covered in blood, Imari shot, carrying some guy’s severed hand, stepping over the dead guards like their death meant nothing. Did we give them a chance to surrender? Maybe we really are monsters.
The corner of my bed dips, I know that it’s Mason, checking on me. He can always sense when I need him. “Are we monsters, Jake?” I ask, turning to watch him.
His brow creases, lost in thought for a moment before answering, “You aren’t a monster, Phoenyx. You’re strong, brave and… beautiful woman. I wish you would see yourself the way I do. See how far you’ve come; how much you light up the world around you. Don’t listen to a drunken rant from someone who is just pissed to have lost you.”
“That is probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” I sit up, leaning back against the headboard. “We did a good thing. We made a difference in those people’s lives,” my voice breaks. I don’t believe Marcus’s save the world speech, I don’t think it’s that easy, but I do know we made the world a better place for those girls. “I’m proud of what we did tonight,” I confess in the darkness.
Mason climbs into bed, I curl myself into his side. “Goodnight, Nyx.” I sleep peacefully, there’s something about him that holds the world’s nightmares at bay. Nothing can hurt me while I’m here in his arms.
Theoretical Leverage
Marcus
A knock on my door interrupts the best blowjob I’ve had in weeks. “What!” I yell, not getting up, I’ve had a fuck of a day. Silas and his drunken bullshit not to mention the news declaring our heroic actions was nothing more than terrorism.
Imari walks in, her eyes locking on the head bobbing in my lap. “What the fuck do you want? I don’t need your services tonight as you can see.” The girl stops working my cock, she glances at Imari. I tap her cheek, getting her attention, her eyes locking on to mine. “Did I tell you to stop?” She shakes her head. I push her back down. Winding my hand through her hair, setting the rhythm, slow and deep. Scowling back at Imari I impatiently wave for her to continue with whatever nonsense she needs to tell me.
“I know,” is all she says, still watching the girl. She’s getting turned on by watching this. She licks her lips and shifts uncomfortably. Once a whore always a whore, or so it seems.
I snap my fingers to get her attention back to me. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
She clears her throat, letting her voice raise with false bravado, “I know everything. I know your father is alive, that Phoenyx isn’t your sister, that Mason is your brother, and about the extent of your compulsion powers.”
I jump up, the girl sucking my cock falls backwards on the floor. “Go powder your nose or something, I need to… deal with this matter,” I tell her, she scampers out of the room as fast as she can. After tucking myself back in my pants, I walk over to the bar, pouring myself a glass of scotch before settling back on the couch. She thinks she has something over me, thinks I will do as she asks, she’s delusional.
“Where might you have gotten this information and what, may I ask, do you plan on doing with it?”
“Let me go. I don’t want to stay on tour.”
“No,” I answer, simple and to the point. “I don’t take orders from anyone, especially not a used up whore with an agenda.”
“No? That’s it?” she says, half crazed, she has already killed almost a dozen people this week, perhaps pushing her into a corner isn’t the wisest decision.
“What more is there?” I say with a shrug. “You signed a contract. I let you carry out your revenge plot against Jakar because it coincided my agenda. And now, because the plan didn’t end as you wished you come in here trying to back out. No.”
“I never agreed to kill people! I’m leaving and there is nothing you can do.”
I launch at her, closing my hand around her throat. Trying to resist the urge to squeeze until it snaps. “You were a murderer long before you joined forces with me. Don’t kid yourself Imari, you killed those guards without thought or reasoning, you did that. You put the whole team at risk. I ordered you to go in quiet. You fucked up, not me. Do not put the blood of those men on my hands,” I seethe.
Her eyes tear up. “You can’t compel me to stay,” she says defiantly.
Slamming her head against the wall before loosening my grip on her throat. “I don’t need to compel you to stay,” I say, walking over to the table. Where the tablet containing the footage of their escape sits. “Technology is a beautiful thing. We managed to block their feeds but take a look at what I have here.” I shove the tablet into her hands and press play.
“I had Adam put together something. Knowing you would try to go back on your word.”
She watches the horror play over the screen in Technicolor, her severing Jakar’s hand, then executing several guards before fleeing into the night. “It’s magnificent isn’t it? Your brutality is impressive.” She sobs quietly as the last hope she thought she had left dissolves. As if on cue, my date for the night comes out of the bathroom. I point to the bedroom; she does as she’s told without a word.
“So, it seems we’re at a stalemate.”
“Why are you doing this?” She seems surprised that her plan didn’t work.
“Leverage, sweetheart,” I say simply. If she thinks she can threaten me and get away with it, she is fucking delusional.
She puts the tablet on the table and squares her shoulders. “What do you want me to do?” Her eyes lingering on the bulge in my pants.
I smile at her finally coming to terms with the fact that I’m in charge. Walking toward her. “You could take your clothes off and see if you can make it up to me. It may take all night.”
“I’m not going to fuck you, Marcus. I’ll stay on tour but I want you to stay away from me or I will tell everyone what you are doing with the Titans.” Her bravado is gone; her threats have no real weight anymore; she knows she’s lost.
“Let yourself out,” I say, turning my back on her. I will have to find another way to shut her up, once and for all.
Mind Games
Phoenyx
Mason’s side is empt
y when I wake. I check my night stand for my itinerary and smile when I see there is nothing planned for the whole freaking day, hallelujah! After everything we have been through in the short time since the tour began, this is exactly what I need. Deciding to get up and check in on Imari. I can’t imagine how she’s holding up, I should go talk to her, make sure she’s okay.
I knock lightly on her door, hoping if she’s still sleeping I won’t wake her. The door cracks open an inch and her grey blue eye peeks out at me in surprise.
“Phoenyx, what are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to see how you were handling everything. Can I come in?”
“I… guess so,” she says skeptically but lets me in regardless.
I start talking as soon as I walk in the door to cover any awkward silence. “I’m so sorry for what you went through. I wanted you to know that I’m on your side. If you ever need anyone to talk to.” I turn to face her and gasp, “What the hell happened to you?” I reach out to touch the deep purple bruise that wraps around her throat. “That didn’t happen on the mission, this happened last night after we got here, didn’t it? Who did this to you?”
Pushing my hands away, she insists, “It’s nothing, I picked a fight with the wrong person, lesson learned, no big deal.” She plays it off like it’s nothing but I can see it is hurting her. “I can ask Silas to come heal you.”
“No, really I’m fine.”
“We have a fight tomorrow night, please call him before you step in the ring. It’s dangerous enough out there without you bringing an injury to the game.”
“Okay, I got it!” she says, sounding annoyed. “I will, I’m just tired, I think I will spend our day off in bed.” It feels like a dismissal. I guess bridges can’t be mended so easily. As long as she knows I’m here for her, then I did my part.
“Okay, I will leave, take care of yourself. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Phoenyx.”
***
I’m sitting alone in my dressing room with the TV on mute. Adam’s fighting solo against one of the other Titans. Maybe that’s not the best team player attitude but I couldn’t care less if he gets his ass kicked or not.
The fights don’t seem to have the stigma they used to. It’s still dangerous and there is a real chance you can get seriously injured out there, but with the healers waiting in the wings, the danger factor goes down considerably. The missions are my main focus; the rest is just entertainment for the masses.
There is a knock at my door, Marcus peeks his head in, asking, “Can I have a word?”
“Of course,” I say motioning him in. “Have you come to give me a pep talk?” I ask with a laugh.
“I’m afraid not.” he stands behind me, I watch his face in the reflection of the mirror. His hands move to my shoulders. “You don’t need a pep talk, because you are going to win.” I smile at his words of encouragement.
“Have they announced whose ass Imari and I will be kicking tonight?”
“Imari’s.”
I spin around facing him. “What?” I say laughing. “Don’t be ridiculous. They wouldn’t put us against each other.”
He shrugs, reaching out to touch my arm, his fingers digging in hard. “You will defeat the other team in the arena with Imari by your side. When the bell rings you will be filled with blinding hatred and rage. You will remember every time she caused you pain. Attack her and do not stop until she is dead. She’s a blackmailing whore who ruined your life more than once. She’s no longer part of this team.”
I’m standing in my dressing room, when a chill runs through me. I shiver, running my hands up and down my arms to warm up. I shake my head, glancing at Marcus. “Sorry, must have zoned out there for a minute. Thanks for the pep talk. I’m going to swing by to see if Silas had a chance to healed Imari before the fight., She had these terrible bruises on her neck when I saw her yesterday.”
He kisses my forehead. “Sounds like she picked a fight with the wrong person. I heard Silas was a bit out of it the other night. Apparently his father got word and insisted Silas flies the next leg with him and not the team. Daddy sounded very upset at his golden child’s behavior.”
“His father is a controlling bastard. Silas was shaken up after the mission, he’s probably feeling terrible,” I say leaving the room.
Around the corner from his dressing room I find a guard stationed outside. When I try to step around him he stops me. “Mr. Gage isn’t accepting visitors at the moment.”
I give him a curious look, wanting so badly to ask him if he knows who I am but that sounds like such a shallow thing to say so I settle for stating, “He’ll want to see me.”
He gives me a sad smile, saying, “I don’t want to get in the middle of anything here. He asked me not to let you in. I’m just following orders.”
I shrug it off and walk away as his door opens. I spot Imari walking out, her neck fully healed. So he wants to see her but not me, I’m so sick of his shit, I want to scream at the top of my lungs that I did nothing wrong. I was just doing my job. A quiet voice in my head whispers, so were the guards. Good and evil is nothing but a massive confusing gray area.
Going through the motions of my fight in a fog. With Imari at my side, we’re taking on these water and earth chicks who are proving to be no match for us. I never would’ve thought Imari and I would be such a good team? The bell rings out signaling our victory. We high five, pointing to the fans as they cheer. Suddenly, my head feels fuzzy. Leaning over I put my hands on my knees, try to shake it off.
Imari comes to my side, concern laced in her voice, “You okay?”
I stare at her familiar face that somehow looks so different. In the pit of my stomach heated pressure builds at the sight of her. Remembering every time Asher cheated on me with her, something in me snaps. This bitch has ruined my life and needs to die. My elbow flies up, connecting with the side of her face. I launch at her, tackling her to the ground.
“Nyx, stop! What are you doing?” she cries, trying to block her face with her arms as I rain down blow after blow on her. I can hear people screaming at me from the sidelines, they won’t stop me. Throwing up a wall of fire around us to block anyone from saving her, she doesn’t deserve saving. She deserves to die.
“You have ruined my life! You blackmailing whore!” I scream as I wrap my hands around her throat, squeezing her in my heated grasp.
Her eyes widen. “This isn’t you, Nyx. Marcus did this, he’s compelled you, don’t let him win,” she begs me.
My grip loosens, the heat fading. “Marcus?” This doesn’t feel right. Why would I hurt Imari? You will kill Imari. I shake my head, stopping the thought; pain erupts in my temple. “Ah!” Pressing my hands against my temples, needing to stop the pressure and pain, before my head explodes. He promised me he wouldn’t compel me again. He tried to make me kill Imari. What the fuck? “What have I done?” I whisper as I drop to my knees. The blocker on my wrist activates with a beep. Simultaneously, the flames around us drop and an electric shock from my blocker, incapacitates my body. As soon as I hit the ground, a wave of people rushes in to help Imari.
Trying to shake off the fragments of anger for Imari as I’m pulled to my feet and dragged out of the arena. Giving up any attempt at fighting them, I fall limp in their arms. Every ounce of energy I had, I left in the arena. My unsanctioned attack won’t go unpunished, what has Marcus gotten me into?
On our way back to my dressing room, I pass Marcus. He leans in and tries to brush his hand over my cheek in a kind gesture. I cringe away from his touch and glare at him, he will not touch me again. He actually tried to force me to kill my friend, he has used me for the last time. What am I going to do, my life is still in his hands, all of our lives are in his hands. What is to stop him from doing this again?
I’m finally seeing my brother with clear eyes, his callousness, his endless need for power and control. If he would use me like this, with no care for the consequences I will suffer. He will stop at nothi
ng to get what he wants. Then, a sudden realization hits me, I broke his compulsion, Imari is okay, I stopped it. Maybe after all these years of his compulsion I have developed the power to overcome it. With my eyes wide open now, I vow to stop him from forcing his will on anyone else, ever again.
***
I’m under strict orders not to leave my suite at the hotel for the rest of the week as everyone scrambles to do damage control. Apparently it took too long to subdue me in the ring so I get a matching wrist blocker for my other arm just in case I fall out of line again. When I’m questioned by the police, without any other option I cover for Marcus, saying it was built up anger from Imari sleeping with my boyfriend. Played it off as stupid girl drama. Thankfully they believed me, I got off with a warning, my behavior will be under heavy scrutiny for the rest of the tour and I was advised me to keep in line. After apologies, they left me alone to ponder what went down today and get ready to go over the latest information for our mission tonight.
“What the hell was that shit!” Mason storms in livid.
I go on the defensive, “That wasn’t me! That was Marcus fucking with my head, again. He compelled me to kill her.”
He curses loudly and punches his fist through the wall beside him. “I’ll kill him.”
I rush to his side, trying to calm him. “No you won’t. Listen to me, I broke it… his compulsion. I’ve never been able to do that before. I stopped myself from killing her.” I wrap my arms around his waist, seeking comfort and pleading with him to calm down. “Don’t confront him, please. He knows I broke his compulsion and that I haven’t told anyone what really happened out there. I don’t know why he did it but we need to watch our backs.”
“He won’t hurt you. I won’t let him.” His grip tightens.
Titan Elite (Demigods Duet Book 2) Page 9
