Saint Vanity (mxm)

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Wow, you really are serious. I expected you to pussy out or bring your big brothers and sister with you."

"Out of curiosity, how many people want to kill you?" I sneer at Adam who stands in front of the bar Ashton showed me.

"Give or take a thousand or so," he answers, pretending to calculate the number in his head.

"Make it a thousand and one."

He flashes me a proud smirk like he has accomplished something great. It's like this asshole lives to piss me off. Even his jumper seems to mock me, describing how I feel with a logo of a tiny paper labelled 'patience' going through the head of a sewing needle.

Swiftly ignoring me, he turns to address Helgi who currently holds our bags.

"Haven't seen you in a while. To be honest, I didn't think I'd see you carrying his bags. Did you get married during this time?" he drawls, making Helgi's cheeks pinken and clearly think of the drama between us.

"Are we ready to go?" Helgi responds curtly, folding his arms with an unimpressed expression. I ignore a stab in my chest caused by his outright dismissal of the topic. He truly finds it uncomfortable, which I don't blame him. Still, it stings.

"First, I want to know the reason behind your cooperation," Adam asks me like he doesn't completely buy it, "I left the cure with Ascanius. You can go off to your old life now. Why are you here?"

"Marid wants me to get on my knees and beg for Dinero's forgiveness," I grumble, still utterly pissed off by the idea. The day I beg for forgiveness will be over my dead body.

Adam puts a hand to his mouth in fake shock.

"Oh no, I didn't expect that," he says, voice dripping with sarcasm, "So, they hurt your pride, is that it?"

"Obviously," I snap impatiently, "I'd rather kill Dinero than kneel before him and that's what you want too, right?"

"So, this is an enemy of your enemy is a friend of yours situation?"

"'Friend' is pushing it."

He scratches his chin, pretending to think about it for a moment, only to stop when I'm about to throw a bag at him.

"Fine, you can come along. Do the people who followed you want to come along also?"

"Who?" Helgi questions, turning to examine the area.

He discovers Romani and Virgil hiding behind the corner of the building. Embarrassed that they got caught, they sheepishly walk over. Well, Virgil appears sheepish, eyes glued to the ground. Romani seems peeved with arms crossed and an off-standish stance.

"Why the hell are you following us?" I question.

Helgi and I made sure no one was downstairs when we snuck out. They both must have seen us through their windows or something.

"Why leave me out? What gives? You're not the only one who wants to take Dinero down," Romani scoffs, trying to turn this on me, "You expect me to keep out of an epic demon boss fight, the one who fucked up my family? Hell nah."

I wipe a hand down my face. Romani puffs his chest out, pumped up by his failure to see the gravity of our situation. He then looks up at Adam. "Who are you? Your eyes are weird."

"I'm the one who created the knife you're carrying. You're welcome." Adam sounds more playful than mocking than he does with me.

Romani's eyes widen.