Fourth a Lie

“Stop.” I held up my hand, putting more distance between us. “I’m going. I’ll be back soon.” Spinning around, I clenched my jaw against the need to limp and shoved aside my pain—both physical and emotional.

I grabbed the door handle and stepped over the threshold back into Jealousy’s space where she lay unmoving by the wall.

A noise sounded behind me as Eleanor gave chase.

I slammed the door closed.

I braced myself, wanting to lock it so she had no choice but to obey me, but the soft snick of a gun set my senses into high alert.

Mother. Fucker.

Turning slowly, I glowered as the three guards from Euphoria aimed guns at my chest.

I didn’t care about their threats.

I had a bulletproof vest thanks to Drake’s decree that he needed me alive.

They didn’t say a word as we squared off. The sound of heavy footfalls came just before Drake dragged his weary ass into the surgery and grinned.

Or at least, tried to grin.

His Botoxed face prevented any form of animation, but his exhaustion made him look like a discarded napkin. His cheeks slouched, his pupils dull, his shoulders rolled, and entire body looked like a sack half full.

He’d yanked on black combat gear a size too big for him. He trembled from the exertion of Euphoria and elixir. He looked weak enough to kill with a fucking feather.

I grinned, bending my knees, ready to pounce. Voices echoed behind the closed door where I’d left Eleanor with Cal and Campbell. Eleanor argued. The men kept her obedient. I tuned them out as I said, “I was just coming to find you, brother. How convenient that you came to me instead.”

It wasn’t convenient.

I wanted him far, far away from Eleanor.

But...beggars couldn’t be choosers, just like my brother couldn’t cry when I killed him for daring to come to me in pieces and think he could win.

Clearing his throat, Drake croaked, “Get away from the door. That bitch of yours isn’t escaping so easily.”

I balled my hands, stepping threateningly toward him. “You can choose to die in here or outside in the twilight. Your choice.”

The mercenaries shared a smug smile, their guns still trained on me. “You’re high on delusions, mate.”

Drake sighed. “Shoot the goddess.”

It happened too fast for me to choose.

A gun swung toward Jealousy, incapacitated and entirely vulnerable in bed.

Instinct kicked in.

I charged to stop it.

I left the closed door to Eleanor unprotected and failed to defend Jess as the crack of a bullet split the air, sulphur stunk the space, and a spill of blood stained the white sheet instantly.

She didn’t even wake as he shot her.

“Fuck!” My leg bellowed as I tried to change direction.

Too late.

Two mercenaries bowled through the door, whipping guns up to aim at Cal and Eleanor.

Eleanor froze. Cal jack-knifed up in bed even with tubes and agony. His gaze fell on Jess bleeding in the other room and his face contorted with horror. “Ah, fuck!”

“No!” Eleanor screamed, trying to get past the guns and run to Jealously. “Oh, God.”

For fucking shit, when would this fucking nightmare end?

Drake snickered. “Handcuffed ya, baby brother.” He came toward me, reaching out to pat my shoulder.

I punched him square in the motherfucking jaw.

He collapsed.

The man wedging his gun into Eleanor’s tangled coffee hair yelled, “Hurt him again and I’ll shoot this bitch.”

My fingernails dug into my palms as I fought every savage desire to kill three men. Three men holding my chosen family hostage.

Two humans, two parrots.

At least Campbell stood in front of the caiques, shielding them from my brother’s view.

Drake clambered to his feet, rubbing his jaw and shaking his head. “I’ll grant you that one, Sully. One punch. Do it again and I’ll kill Eleanor Grace without any hesitation.” His eyes flashed. “I’m not playing games anymore, baby brother. I’m as sick of this battle as you are. I’m tired and hungry and want to fucking rest. Be assured my temper is thin, and I will kill her, so be a good boy and listen up.”

I cursed the coldness in his tone. The simplicity of finality.

He’d reached the end of his rope too.

Previously, our interactions had been a taunt, a test. The usual rivalry between siblings that’d mutated into murderous. But now, there was no quips or quarrels just the cold-hearted assurance that he was trigger-happy and impatient.

Still fighting my need to kill him, I snarled, “I will dance on your grave when you’re dead.”

“That’s not very nice.” Wiping blood off his lip, he cleared his throat and muttered, “I came here with an olive branch, would you believe? I actually came to congratulate you, Sullivan, before your anger made me do something I regret.” His attention flickered to Jealousy. “She was such a good lay. Let me tie her in any position, stick any toy inside her. I didn’t want to hurt her. I’d grown rather fond of her.” He whistled under his breath. “But what you’ve created with Euphoria and elixir? Fuck. Me.”

Blood seeped in an ever-widening stain over Jealousy’s stomach. What the fuck had he hit? Her guts? Her womb? Was she dying and wouldn’t even wake before her last breath?

She needs Campbell, immediately.

“You’re a genius, baby brother, and I mean that sincerely. A goddamn prodigy.”

Seething, I searched for a way to stop Jess bleeding out and the much-needed miracle of ensuring Eleanor, Pika, Skittles, and Cal weren’t shot too.

“I don’t want your compliments, Drake. They make my every achievement vile.”

He ran a hand over his face. He looked like death had nibbled him, then spat him out—just as unwanted by the underworld as he was to the living. His fatigue almost promised an armistice but I knew better than to trust such a lie.

A thought wormed into my brain. A thought I wanted to kill straight away as it would delay this feud yet again. But at least it would buy me space for Eleanor and time for Jess. I’d already cancelled my business and removed myself from future dealings anyway. I no longer fought to protect my assets because they had become firm liabilities.

The only thing I wanted to protect was a human...

A complete switch from my previous apathy toward my own kind.

Keeping my voice as civil as I could, I snapped, “What do you want, Drake? You want this to end between us? Fine. Talk frankly and let’s finish this.”

Hurry.

Drake looked behind me, narrowing his gaze at the mercenaries keeping their guns trained on a sobbing Eleanor and a seething Cal.

I refused to look.

I didn’t trust my restraint if I looked. I’d lose it, and do something that might get all of us killed.

Drake puffed up his chest, standing a little taller. “Talk frankly? That will be novel for us.”

“It might usher this bullshit along.” I flicked a glance at Jealousy, her skin growing whiter by the second even though she already resembled a ghost.

“Fine.” He cleared his throat again. “You want to negotiate? Let’s negotiate. Elixir. If you don’t have any more vials on this island, I’m guessing you have more.”

“I do.”