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“Ohmygod, this is so good,” I moan around the first bite, and I see Dmitri’s teeth flash in the darkness. “Where did you get it, though?”
“Father had me run to the neighbour’s, and the woman there gave it to me. She started to ask me some questions about the family, but her husband gave her a funny look and shook his head, so she stopped, gave me some milk and the bread.”
I nod as I chew, wondering what the woman would have said. I’ve never seen anyone else outside the family up close before. Just Father and my brothers and my Father’s new wife, Anya. I wish I knew my mama, but she died right after I was born. Maxim says that was my fault, but if Krystof is around, he always tells him to be quiet.
No one but Dmirtri, and sometimes Krystof, ever gives me any bread or anything nice. Father says treats and nice things spoil children and turn them in to shits. I don’t know why some of my brothers get things and the others don’t, though. I never get anything.
“Thanks for saving me some,” I say as I lick the last remnants of crumbs from my fingertips.
“I’ve got to take care of my baby sister,” he replies, and I lean forward to hug him. I know our lives aren’t like other peoples’, but as long as I have my brothers around me, nothing else matters.
I wakewith a start to the sound of buzzing, my body coated in a sheen of sweat and my chest heaving.
Bzzzzzzzz
“Fuck right off,” I mutter, shaking my head as I lean over to click the intercom. “What?”
“It’s H wing, ma’am. We need you down here.”
I curse to myself as I swing my legs over the bed The under twenty-year-old acquisitions are in the H wing right now. Not what I want to be woken up to deal with, much less after a dream like that.
I move on autopilot as I dress quickly, ever prepared for situations just like this. Before I leave, I look in the mirror, but only for a moment. Dark bags are visible under my eyes. Exhaling deeply, I grab my phone and head down to the basement.
* * *
Sobs and screamsgreet me when I pass through the first set of iron doors. Unfortunately, they’re not drowned out by the frantic barking of the dogs. It doesn’t take me long to push the sounds to the back of my mind, but the first few minutes are always the hardest.
I know the value in keeping these trained beasts here, but that doesn’t mean they don’t remind me of Dmitri every time I hear these barks.
I keep my eyes forward, having no interest in looking into each small cell to see the poor fuckers inside them. It’s not because I care but rather because I care so little. Pleas for me to release them follow me, as none of them realize it was ultimately me who put them there.
At the end of the hall are Kris and a few men from E team. My teeth clench together, but I show no other sign of unease as I approach. The look on Kris’s face and the man at his side holding three of our best guard dogs, two of which have bloody muzzles, tells me a lot of what I need to know. I eye the dogs with distaste then quickly pull away to look at Kris.
He doesn’t say anything, so I slow slightly, stopping in front of him. His eyes meet mine with a short nod before he steps aside from the doorway. He knows how much I hate being around the dogs but can see I’m handling it. I adjust my body, and as soon as I turn to the door, the cloying smell of coppery blood fills my senses.
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter as I take a step into the room, mindful of the blood splatter covering much of the floor. “What happened?”
“The mother tried to escape, save the kid.” Kris explains.
My nostrils flare as I take in the scene, trying to make sense of the pieces in front of me. As used to blood as I am, the smell of people’s insides still brings bile to my throat. They didn’t get far before the dogs got them. My eyes fall to a piece of blond hair, almost pink with blood. A small hand remains unscathed in the wreckage, fingers reaching toward the door.
“Let me go!”I shriek, struggling against the tight arms holding me.
“Let him go,” Krystof curses in my ear as he holds me to him. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“Run, boy,” Father yells, laughing as he pulls the bottle to his mouth. “Run if you want to live!”
A sob tears from my throat, and I turn my head to Krystof’s chest, hiding my eyes. I wish I could block my ears, the dogs crying and barking, eager to be let out for the chase. Under the smell of hot rocks, I imagine I can already smell blood in the air.
I crack my eyes open a moment to see a flash of Dmitri’s blond hair in the distance followed by the swift moving beasts.
“Are you okay?”Kris asks, I think for the second time, in Russian. The dogs are still barking frantically, the cacophony shooting daggers into my skull. How long did I just stand there for?
“Shut those things up,” I snap. “And get this cleaned up. Fake the auction bids so we don’t have to have it show up as a cancellation. I’m going back to bed.”
I don’t wait to see if my instructions are followed before I turn on my heel and leave, the sounds of children screaming and dogs barking following long after.
I don’t remember the last time I broke down like this, the walk to my hidden office a complete blur. It isn’t until I walk in that I freeze, seeing Sin still chained up, hood over his head. The hood turns in my direction, but I’m not wearing my usual heels, so it's unlikely he knows it’s me.
