Dark Wolfe

25- Who needs enemies?

(Song of the chapter: 'Monster' - Imagine Dragons)

*Sensitive content ahead 🙈*

RHYS

"What?" I barked into the phone, slamming the screen door behind me. I breathed in the cool night air, hoping it will give me patience necessary for the upcoming conversation.

"Luigi's gone," replied the disembodied voice on the other end.

This was how Black always sounded – whatever software he used to mask his voice made him sound menacing and monotone, like Darth Vader. It gave me the creeps. The number he was calling from, I knew, was his regular one... but it was completely untraceable.

Even Jasper had repeatedly failed to find his location, further adding to my unease.

I gritted my teeth. "Yeah, I know. The psychopathic serial killer you so kindly informed us about killed him, because, quote, she 'didn't like competition'."

I shifted the phone to my other ear. "Is that why you sent us to this city?" I hissed.

"So she could pick off the di Marco's one by one? That was your brilliant solution?"

Silence lasted an eon. Then,

"You're saying... Luigi's dead?" Black... sounded surprised?

Now I was confused.

"Isn't that what you meant when you said he was gone?"

There was a creak from the other line, like he'd just leaned back in his chair.

"No. I meant that the di Marco's recently received a letter addressed to them by Luigi, who explained that he'd managed to break into your home, steal a fortune, and then use some of it to hightail it to Sicily. He's graciously offered to share his new riches with the family, of course, if they join him there. They're all banned from Italy, as you know."

I could only stare for a moment.

"But he couldn't have done any of that," I finally said. "He's dead."

"You're sure?"

I hadn't exactly seen the body, but that scream that suddenly cut off... what else could it have been? I highly doubted she'd knocked him out just to drag him over for tea.

"Yes."

"Interesting." Black's voice sounded odd. Was that... amusement?

I blinked.

"It seems someone is leading them into a trap."

My mind raced. Was it Vixen? Why would she be doing this?

I hadn't realized I'd spoken aloud till Black said, "It appears she's found you people interesting." It still seemed like he was trying not to laugh.

I jerked out of my thoughts. "Are you– going to warn the di Marco's?" I asked tentatively.

"Oh no," he purred. In that moment, he sounded so much like a demon from hell it was an effort not to shudder.

"I'm finding you all very interesting myself."

AVALON

My heart pounded irregularly, like the beat of a faulty boombox in my ears as I stared at Jacques. Chill creeped into my skin.

No. I can't... He can't... I can't believe this is happening again!

I thought I was past this, that my life was past this. I was in the process of moving on from all the shit he'd put me through, and was just starting to succeed...