"You should have let me take the kids to the car. If they get restless or ask questions, Seth can't answer them."
"I should have," he answers vaguely, "but you stick by my side. Always."
Grabbing Patrick by the nape, he drags him towards the autopsy room. "Now, let's evaluate your skill doc," he says, signaling me to follow him.
Vlad kicks the door open, throwing Patrick in the middle of the room as he assesses his surroundings.
"Talk!" He commands him, and I can tell he's no longer in the mood for jokes.
His lip curls up in distaste as he surveys the carcasses of the children, and his arm shoots out, choking Patrick and lifting him in the air.
"I said talk." Vlad enunciates again, slamming him on to one of the tables. His hand shifts to his nape as he pushes his head down in the open chest cavity of one child.
"See, this is your brilliant work. How does it look up close and personal?" He asks, and Patrick makes chocking sounds, his arms flaying around.
I'm so sickened by what they're doing to children, that I can only hope Vlad will give him his due. My eyes trail over the utensils, taking some and placing them next to Vlad.
"He should feel it on his own skin," I nod towards Patrick, a sick desire taking shape inside of me. I want to see him suffer for what he's done. Even more than Glen, I want so see him beg for his life while Vlad opens him up like a lab rat.
"A girl after my own taste," Vlad smiles at me, sending me an airy kiss before suddenly becoming serious again, yanking Patrick out of the cavity. He breathes hard, gasping for air, his eyes wide with horror as he looks between us.
"Talk or..."
"I just do what I'm paid to do!" He exclaims, close to tears.
"And that is?"
"They bring me people... kids... and I do physical exams on them, if they are alive. If they are dead... he trails off, looking at the corpses on the table, "I perform autopsies."
"Why? What is Miles looking for?"
"Failure," Patrick says in a low voice.
"Failure?" I repeat out loud, frowning at his choice of words.
"He wants to know why his experiments failed," Patrick explains.
"What experiments?"
"I can't..." he says, moving wildly in Vlad's arms. He's becoming even more anxious the more Vlad probes about Miles.
Out of nowhere, he pushes his feet on a bed, briefly escaping Vlad's hold. Instead of running, though, he reaches for the instruments, taking a scalpel and holding it to his neck.
"My family...." he shakes his head, taking a few step back until he hits a counter. One hand on the scalpel, the other searches under the table for something. "I'm sorry," he mouths right before plunging the scalpel into his own neck, blood gushing freely, his eyes blank and lifeless as he hits the floor.
At the same time, an alarm sounds in the building, accompanied by a robotic voice doing a countdown.
Vlad's eyes widen and he immediately reaches for me, taking me in his arms as he starts running.
"Hold tight," he whispers in my hair as he runs for the tunnel, barely reaching it before a huge explosion propels us both forward.
Cradling me to his chest, he tries to take the brunt of the fall, but somehow I feel a pain in my temple before everything fades away.
Chapter Sixteen
"Sisi," I groan as I roll over, taking her with me in my arms.
Fucking Patrick. I hadn't pegged him for a loyal one. In fact, I'd have thought he would be the weakest link between the two. I'd certainly not thought the lab would have a self-destruct mode. And now that makes me even more curious about what they're hiding.
I get into a seating position, annoyed at the destruction around us.
At least we got out in time.
"Sisi." I shake her but she's not reacting.
Frowning, I drag her to my lap, using my hands to check her body for wounds.
"Sisi, it's not funny," I add, just in case she thought to prank me.
Just then, my hand brushes across her forehead, and a small rivulet of blood starts flowing down her temple, coating my fingers in the process.
My eyes become fixated on the shade of red of her blood, my lids fluttering closed as I bring my fingers to my mouth, tasting it.
Fuck.
I already feel myself slipping, the allure of the blood almost too much.
More...
My hands ball into fists as I try to resist, focusing instead on the still breathing human in my arms.
Focus.
"Sisi?" my voice trembles as I shake her, trying to get her to react.
Because if I lose it, she's the only one who can bring me back... the only one.
I attempt to regulate my breath, all the while feeling her body for more injuries. A head wound could prove dangerous. Information filters into my brain, and I focus on that. Facts are safe, science is safe.
Another deep breath.
Quickly taking my phone from my pocket, I activate the flash. Then I lift one lid, placing the light into her eye and watching it constrict when it meets the light. For the first time, as if bothered by the insistent light, she starts moving in my arms, a low moan escaping her lips.
I sigh in relief.
She's fine.
"Sisi," I use a gentler tone as I bring my fingers to her face, stroking her cheek and avoiding staring at the enticing blood staining her pale features.
God but it's like a feast for a starving man.
"What..." she whispers, whimpering in pain as she brings her face to my shirt.
I don't waste any time in tugging her to my chest, holding the entire weight of her body as I stand up. I'm a little shaky, probably from the adrenaline overload, but right now the most important thing is to get Sisi back to my house and get her the care she needs.
I all but sprint to the car, where Seth is already outside, waiting. Seeing Sisi in my arms, he looks at me questioningly.
"She'll be fine," I tell him, refusing to believe she will be anything but fine.
The kids are quiet in the back as I load Sisi next to them, both looking at her with worry in their eyes. Considering they share the same condition as Vanya and I, they certainly look more empathetic than we'd ever been.
Seth buckled in the seat next to me, I'm ready to go.
I drive back to the compound in record time, ordering Maxim to get Seth settled in and handing the kids over to his wife, who is the only female living here and who might know how to behave with children.
When everyone has something to do, I call Sasha, our resident doctor, to look at Sisi's injury.
Getting to my room, I take off her clothes, dressing her in one of my shirts so that she's more comfortable. Laying her on the bed, I quickly get a wet towel from the bathroom and wash her wound.
"Can you hear me, hell girl?" I ask, gently wiping the blood off her face.
"Mmm," she releases a sound low in her throat, turning around in bed as if she can't find a comfortable position. "What happened?" she yawns, slowly opening her eyes to peer at me.
I've always marveled at the color of her eyes, a light amber that swirls with dark specks. They are simply fascinating, and sometimes I find myself lost in them, almost as if I were lost in the redness of blood. The world falls away as she turns her gaze to me, batting those pretty eyelashes and making me lose my mind.
Literally.
As someone who prides himself on his keen intellect, the fact that I can so easily become mindless in her presence is a little disturbing.
"There was an explosion," I explain what happened, and that we are currently in my room.
She's a little disoriented as she looks around, raising herself to her elbows to have a sip of water.
Luckily, Sasha is right on time as he comes in and performs a checkup, assuring me her wound is nothing serious and that I should just let her rest, but monitor her throughout the night. Thanking him, I turn back to Sisi, who is frowning in confusion.
"I need to get home," she
mumbles, scrambling out of bed and walking towards the door.
"No, you don't." I stop her, placing my hands on her shoulder to steady her.
"But..." she frowns, still looking out of it.
"I'll handle it." I tell her, already brainstorming ways to ensure no one will find out she's missing. "You know you can trust me, hell girl." I wink at her, attempting some light-heartedness.
"Ok," she nods, swaying a little on her feet.
"I got you." I swoop her up in my arms, returning her to bed and drawing the blanket up over her body.
"The kids?" she asks as she turns to her side, placing her hands under her head.
"They are fine. Seth too," I reply, brushing her hair off her face.
Sasha had applied a band aid over the gash above her temple.
"Does it hurt?" I ask as I graze my hand over the gauze. She shakes her head slightly, letting out a big yawn.
"I feel tired," she whispers, looking worn out.
"Rest," I say, caressing her forehead, "I'll watch over you."
"Can you..." she trails off, and I swear I detect a blush creep up her cheeks. "Can you," she clears her throat, "get in bed with me?"
"You want me to get in bed with you?" a smile spreads over my face, "it must be my magnetic charisma that charms even the convalescent," I barely finish the phrase as her hands swat me.
"Fine, then don't," she pouts at me, moving to turn with her back to me.
"No, no." I call out, quickly shedding my clothes and getting into bed with her. "You're not getting rid of me, hell girl." I say as I move closer to her.
Her lips pull up into a smile as she swings an arm over my midriff, placing her head on my shoulder and giving me a quick kiss.
"Did you find what you wanted today?" she asks.
Putting my arm around her back, I tug her into me, resting my chin on top of her head.
"I don't know." I admit truthfully.
Certainly, I'd found out something. But it had only confused me more. I'll need more time to put all the pieces together to get the full picture.
"One thing is for sure. These people are more powerful than I previously gave them credit for. At least now I know the truth about why Vanya and I were taken when we were little."
"Your condition," Sisi adds, and I nod.
"If only I could remember what happened in those years... I'd have more insight into how these people operate, because it's clear that they perform experiments on people."
"Do you..." she starts, grimacing, "do you think they did that to you too?"
"If they did, I don't remember. Maybe it was too horrific and that I just blocked it all out," I joke, but Sisi doesn't find it funny.
"Don't..." she raises her head to look me in the eye, "it's not funny that they might have..." she trails off as she traces the raised ridges on my stomach.
"God," she whispers, getting into a sitting position and spreading her hands over my chest. "This is why you have so many tattoos, isn't it?" She whips her head up, her gaze accusatory. "My God, there are so many..." she shakes her head as she keeps on bumping into scar after scar.
Long, jagged lines that feel like surgeon's sutures mar my entire torso. Before I covered them in ink, I'd looked like a frankensteinian monster, body parts sewn together to give the appearance of something human, when intrinsically it was anything but. I still remember the glances of pity that would nevertheless transform to horror as people turned away from me in disgust.
Freak.
Misha's appellation might have been appropriate, since I wasn't just wrong on the inside. I was wrong on the outside, too.
I bring my hand over hers, stopping her.
"You're too smart for your own good, hell girl." I say, staring intently at her.
I don't want her to know that part of my life, just like I don't want her to look at me differently. I've always known what I am, but the prospect of her truly knowing too is unusually distressing.
And how she's managed to connect what she saw in that factory to the scars on my body is beyond me.
"It's true, isn't it?" she continues, her features filled with worry.
"Might be," I shrug. "I don't remember."
It's technically true, but for the first time, I find myself uncomfortable in my own skin. No one's ever seen or touched my scars besides Vanya. But seeing that she's just a figment of my imagination, I don't think she counts.
"Vlad, that's awful," she whispers, tears accumulating at the corners of her eyes.
I freeze, stunned as I see one tear make its way down her cheek.
"You..." I blink twice, unsure of what's happening. "You're crying," I say numbly, "for me..."
"Of course, you fool," she brings her fist down on my chest in a light punch. "How can I not when I just have to close my eyes and see the child you were and the things they must have done to you," she sniffles, and more tears fall down her cheeks.
"Sisi," I say her name, speechless for the first time.
No one's ever cried for me. No one's cared enough to.
I slowly bring my hands up, swiping her tears with my thumbs, simply floored that someone would cry for me.
"Don't, Sisi," I gruff out, "I'm not worth your tears," I tell her, tenderly stroking her cheeks.
Sometimes I'm more animal than human, and animals certainly don't deserve her misplaced emotions. They don't deserve anything.
"You," her mouth opens in shock, her eyes wide with pain. "What are you talking about?" She shakes her head at me, covering my hand with hers and bringing it to her mouth.
"You are worth it," she lays a kiss to my open palm. "You're worth it to me," she continues, and I can only stare at her, unable to cope with the responses she's coaxing out of me.
I wish I came with an instruction manual. Then I'd know how to react when this exquisite being decides to waste her energy on someone like me.
"You're worth it," she repeats, leaning forward to touch her lips to mine, brushing them back and forth over my skin. I can taste the saltiness of her tears, and they are imbued with a strange aroma, causing a tingling in my body.
Uncomfortable. It's out of my comfort zone.
"Sisi," I groan, but she just continues her ministrations, kissing my neck before going lower, to my chest. "What are you doing?"
"Showing you that you are worthy," she speaks against my skin, licking it once before blowing hot air and making me shiver.
She takes her time as she traces each scar, her lips the cure I didn't know I needed. And as they slide lower and lower, covering every inch of my skin, I can't ignore the way my entire being is responding to her.
She's pushing me into an unfamiliar corner, and for a second I feel trapped and overwhelmed by thousands of things all at once.
I can't do this.
Instead of dwelling on the other things she's making me feel, I simply focus on my body's response to hers, and the way only she can make react.
"Hell girl," I rasp, bringing her up so I can taste her lips again. I'm already hard and just thinking that there's barely a scrap of material between us has me close to the edge. "You're almost naked, grinding on my cock, and I'm about to lose what little control I have left," I speak against her lips, bringing her down on my erection so she can see what she's doing to me.
That's it. This is more familiar.
"Then lose it," she says, cradling my head in her hands, "take me, Vlad. I'm yours," her tongue sneaks out to lick the seam of my lips. She's offering herself to me on a platter and I would be a fool not to take advantage.
I could finally claim her, the thought of her tight, wet pussy engulfing my cock making me groan out loud.
"Not like this." I don't know where I find the strength to say it. Not when all my instincts are telling me to take her. Turn her on her back and fuck her until she's screaming bloody murder. Pump my cum into her and mark her as mine forever.
But I can't. Not yet.
"You deserve better than a simple roll in the hay." I te
ll her honestly, amazed at myself and the control I'm displaying. "When I finally fuck you I want you to be at full capacity," I nibble at her lower lip, "so I can destroy you myself."
"Damn it, Vlad," she half-moans, wedging her wet pussy right on top of the head of my cock. I close my eyes, at war with myself. There's just some piece of fabric separating us, and the thought makes me groan out loud.
Who told me to be so fucking noble?
But the truth is that I know it would end me if I did something wrong and she'd never forgive me for it.
There's this urge inside of me to take her like an animal, mount her and fuck her like a beast. But if I give in... I'm scared she might turn away from me. Finally realize just how unnatural my desires and I are and leave me.
I can't risk that. I can't ever risk her shunning me. And if I have to deny myself then so be it.
"So you're just going to leave me like this?" she whines, her hands splayed on my chest as she's moving up and down my shaft.
"How could I?" I smirk, trailing my hands down her body until I reach her panties. They're so thin, so fragile, that they give way with one snap of the fabric. When I find myself with unfettered access to her pussy, I simply can't help myself.
I lower my boxer briefs, releasing my stiff cock into Sisi's waiting hands as she strokes me, her thumb playing with the head. I'm already leaking, as I always do when she's so close to me. She swipes some of the moisture from my cock and brings it to her mouth, licking her fingers clean.
She's certainly lively for someone who was moaning in pain just a short while ago.
"I love your taste," she says enticingly, flicking her tongue over my lips in a brazen move. I open my mouth, catching it and sucking on it.
"My dirty little nun likes cock," I bite on her tongue until I feel blood spurt into my mouth. Sisi doesn't pull away, her eyes glazed with arousal as she gives me a come hither look, daring me to consume her. She glides her tongue over my teeth, luring me into deepening the kiss. And when I do, she returns the favor, taking my tongue and biting it down until my own blood fills her mouth.
"Yes," she breathes out, moaning into my mouth. "I'm your dirty little nun." She leans back to watch me with hooded eyes, the corner of her mouth stained with our combined blood, and for the first time the red liquid makes me want to fuck, not kill.
Morally Ambiguous: A Dark Mafia Romance (Morally Questionable Book 4) Page 26
