CHAPTER SEVEN
On stiff legs, I pushed forward into the bedroom. The drunk woman’s weight was still heavy in my hold, but I only had eyes for the bed. I practically swallowed my tongue to keep from spewing obscenities. I had not wanted to see this. Never in a million years.
If they let me leave here alive, I would be praying to a God I didn’t believe in afterward because I would be the most blessed individual on earth. Someone high above would have to be looking out for me. If I were them, I wouldn’t let me live after witnessing this.
Mr. Godric King lay on the bed, dressed in a simple pair of black pajama bottoms, the rest of him bare to the world. His eyes closed, his chest moved in a regular breathing pattern, his arms placed down by his sides. Except he was inside a rectangular cage of sorts. There were black bars all around him, even underneath him. Directly over the bars, encasing it all—including Mr. King, was a glass box with tiny air holes punctured throughout the glass.
This was some twisted fairy tale shit.
Poppy pointed to the other side of the bed. “That’s where I sleep.”
I cleared my throat but kept my mouth shut. I moved on numb legs and focused on putting Poppy where she needed to be so I could get out of there as quickly as possible. My left fist grabbed at the blanket and pulled it down, helping Poppy slide into bed.
Right next to the most powerful man in the world…residing in a cage.
My eyes lingered on him while I pulled the blanket back up over Poppy’s small form. Mr. King wasn’t waking up from the jostling of the bed. If he weren’t breathing, he would have appeared dead to the world.
Poppy rolled over under the covers and placed her small palm against the glass surface. She spread her fingers and sighed, staring at the man inside. Her eyes welled up with tears, but none fell, her repeated fast blinking keeping them at bay. With her eyes on her lover, she whispered absently, “Thank you, Megan. You can go.”
I didn’t have to be told twice.
Though I did grab the tissue box on the bedside table and place it directly next to her.
My feet flew into action, and I was out the door and shutting it behind me in two seconds. The shirt I was wearing rose and fell in rapid succession with each labored breath I took, my lungs working hard to keep me from fainting. With enormous, freaked eyes, I stared at the three men gazing back at me—utterly no expression on their faces.
I hitched a thumb over my shoulder, toward the bedroom, mumbling quickly, “I swear, I won’t tell anyone what you’ve got going on in there.”
Whatever the hell that actually was.
Rune lifted his black brows, his tone patient. “I trust you. So they trust you.” He tipped his head to the entrance of the living area. “Do you remember your way back to the front door?”
I nodded, already moving. “I’m great with directions. I’ll find my own way home.”
He placed a stopping hand firmly on my shoulder as I started to pass him. “You don’t need to do that, Megan. I’ll take you back to your place.”
My lips pinched into a thin line. “I’m not sure if that’s best.”
Golden eyes softened, even though he didn’t smile. “There’s a lot you don’t understand right now, but believe me when I say we aren’t harming God. The same man who kidnapped you hurt him. Now we’re just trying to keep everyone safe.”
I eyed him and then glanced at the others. My attention snapped back to his mesmerizing gaze, and I leaned forward, hissing quietly, “He’s in a fucking cage, Rune.”
He explained patiently—sadly, “He isn’t really there. Not really.”
I shook my head and stepped out from under his hand. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Cassander sighed heavily from the couch and stopped staring to drop his forearm over his eyes as if the dim lighting was hurting him. “Until Rune decides to quit babying you and tell you everything going on, think of it as hypnosis, Megan. The bad guy took God from us and can use him however he wants now. And God can do a fuck ton of damage. Does that make more sense?”
I stared at the drunken man, my jaw dropping in shock. “Actually, it does. I’ve seen what hypnotized people can do.” That was one of my father’s favorite pastimes—fucking with peoples’ minds.
Rune sighed in relief and rubbed at his forehead, his golden eyes peeking at me under his dark eyelashes. “Will you wait for me by the front door? Theron wants to speak with us in private for a second.”
I peered at the other men once more, evaluating their exhausted slumped bodies, before turning my regard back to Rune. I nodded once, deciding to trust him. “I’ll wait for you.”
“Thank you, beautiful.” He dipped and placed a gentle kiss on my right cheek, his lips heated against my chilled flesh. “I’ll be out there soon.”
My lips pinched in hesitation to leave without him—who really knew what else lurked in this house of horrors—but I straightened my spine. I wouldn’t cower. Not for anyone anymore. I turned and proceeded with sure steps outside the room…then I purposely halted in place when I was out of their eyesight.
I wasn’t being told the whole truth. A little spying might enlighten me on the situation I had fallen into. At this point, I needed to know what the fuck was going on. I had seen too much.
On silent feet, I placed my back against the wall, standing outside the light shining from the living area. I held my breath and listened carefully, keeping a watchful eye on the entryway. I wanted to know if they caught me spying on them.
It was silent until Theron sighed from inside the room and then stated in a weary voice, “I tried something tonight while you were gone.”
No one immediately commented.
I wished I could see in there, but I wasn’t chancing getting any closer.
Finally, Rune grumbled, “What did you do?”
“What Poppy and Cassander can’t bring themselves to do.” He coughed, his tone choked. “I’d hoped to save them from that misery, but it didn’t work. He healed instantly. A king can’t kill a king.”
My brows furrowed in confusion, and I leaned forward further.
Leather creaked, and then Cassander hissed, “That is my job, not yours. I bear that burden. You shouldn’t have even tried.”
Theron growled, “You don’t get to decide my actions. None of us knew if it would work or not.” His sigh was exhausted, his tone easing. “But you will need to do it, son. And soon. His mate will never kill him, and he poses too big of a risk if he’s used as a puppet.”
Cassander immediately retorted, “Just as you decide your own actions, I decide mine too. It took me a year before I was able to give mercy to Mother, and she needed the sweet mercy of death. God…he doesn’t deserve this.”
“And yet it still needs to be done,” Theron stated quietly. “Soon, Cass. Soon.”
Rune sighed. “Cass, he’s right. Is there anything anyone of us can do to help?”
“No.” The couch creaked again, and he groaned. “It has to be of my own will.”
“Fuck,” Rune muttered. Then he growled quietly, his tone harboring vengeance. “We need to find Mr. Valentine or whoever the fuck he really is. I think it’s time we called in extra manpower. Wolfe almost has the code ready so no one will be able to hack his system ever again, but we’ve been lucky this past month. That killer hasn’t so much as sent one golem our way.”
Cassander hummed. “Dad, should we call in the other Ancients?”
Theron instantly snorted. “We only call them if the world is ending. They would cause even more trouble if they went on a rampage.”
Rune asked hesitantly, “Are they…like you?”
“No one is just like me, but yes, the old ones are different,” Theron grumbled. “I’ll call my assassins in. Jonathan can lead the team and start a quiet search for Mr. Valentine. You’re right. We need the extra help to dig this sick fuck out of whatever hole he’s hiding in.”
I nibbled on my bottom lip, unease churning in my stomach. I couldn’t keep up with half of what they were saying, except to know I was in over my head. The drunken man on the couch could perform unhuman acts, and they were acting as if Theron was Cassander and Mr. King’s father. Maybe Wolfe Corporation had finally come up with technology to enhance humans, defying age and shit.
The fact they were talking about killing family so easily didn’t bother me. If I had the chance to off my father, I would in a heartbeat. So I didn’t judge. Every person had their reasons.
Rune grunted. “Is there anything else? I need to get Megan home.”
Theron hummed quietly in his throat. “Yes, there’s one more thing.”
Cassander groaned, “For the love of fuck, I’m too drunk to talk anymore.”
“Then just listen.” Theron chuckled—the sound vicious. “I’m coming out of vacation tomorrow.”
“Oh, fuck,” Rune muttered under his breath. Then quickly amended—with respect apparent, “That’s wonderful. We’ll be glad to have you back as our leader.”
Theron laughed outright. “And the ass kissing begins.”
Cassander grumbled, “Are you taking over God’s business too?”
“I am. I’ll be his brother, Mr. Theron King. The business left to me in his will.”
Rune questioned, “He truly left you everything?”
“Not everything. Only his business. His active will stipulates Poppy gets everything else.”
After a beat of silence, Rune questioned with caution, “Then we’re declaring God dead?”
“We are.” There was no room for argument in his tone. “Have Wolfe work up the paperwork for a corpse, and Alaric, take care of the tomb. We’ll announce that he died a week ago while on vacation—an accidental drowning while scuba diving—and his family has already buried him in a private funeral. If any news of Poppy’s adventure tonight gets out, then the story will fit for a grieving lover.”
Cassander muttered in heated aggravation, “I’m going to bed. I can’t deal with this shit right now.” The couch creaked loudly, groaning under his moving weight.
That was the alarm to run.
I turned on my heels and raced down the hallway, pumping my arms as fast as I could, not about to be caught eavesdropping on that humdinger of a conversation.
The Corporate heads were just as fucked up as I had always believed.