10. RADIUM

Chapter ten

RADIUM

" W hat in the damned were you thinking?" Malachi slammed his office door behind Suri and me. "Are you an absolute fool or too drunk to function, Lyvias?"

Oh shit. Okay, so not the right move bringing her here. But drunk… that I could work with. I added a sway to my step as I helped myself to brandy from the minibar, sloppily pouring us both a glass. "Come now, can you blame me? Look at her. She is sensational! You truly have exquisite taste, my friend."

Suri took stock of the scenario and leaned into my placation with ease. Donning a saunter and a pair of innocent doe-eyes beneath her mask, she laid a hand on Malachi's chest. "Daddy, please don't be mad. I missed you, that's all."

Malachi stepped from her reach. "Do not toy with me, girl. You know you are not permitted down here. You both have forced me to make a decision I never intended to make involving your fate."

He walked to his desk and downed the entirety of his whiskey in one go. The air grew thick. Tense. His shadows thrashed around him as he tapped a finger on his shiny wooden desk, deep in thought. Seconds ticked by, until I realized what would be required to ease his troubled mind. What would force him to remove his business hat and put on one of sin and debauchery, thus loosening him up to share a secret or two that could lend a hand in ending this nightmare. I ran my fingers through my hair. Just for show , I reminded myself. A role. A performance. For one night, I'd lean into it: become Lyvias, body and soul. For the restoration of the kingdom, I'd become a monster to ensnare another. One. Night.

Kim, forgive me.

"Let's have some fun, yes?" I called to Malachi playfully. "Everyone deserves a break now and then. Especially someone as devoted to his life's work as you."

Appealing to his massive ego, I wrapped a hand around Suri's shoulders, backing her up against me. My sights locked onto Malachi as I set my lips against her neck and trailed kisses up to her jawline, pausing near her ear to murmur words meant for only her to hear. "It's just a game, nothing more."

"Anything for you, my Lord," Suri said. The underlying sharpness in her tone let me know she understood.

The way she melted beneath my touch would send any other man over the edge—her arching back, the depth of her breath—but I knew my place and to whom my heart belonged. I had to hand it to her though: she knew what she was doing. Good. It'd make selling this easier.

"Come play with us," I begged Malachi.

He froze.

More. I had to push him more. Give him a show he couldn't say "no" to. Without warning, I sank my teeth into Suri, and her moan rattled through the room, her blood sending me into a frenzy. My fingers curled into tighter and tighter fists with each mouthful of her essence. Don't lose your shit. Hold it together. But to my surprise, she egged me on—much to Malachi's pleasure it appeared, based on the change in his churning shadows. They crept closer, curious.

"Does my taste please you?" Suri whispered.

To that, Malachi sat up straighter. At attention, he watched with sinister intent and made his way to the sound system adjacent the ominous depiction of Chaos. Flashes of the poor girl hidden behind it snaked across my memory. That broken smile. Her visible loneliness. My skin crawled, pleading to peel from my bones and escape the character I portrayed, but I had no choice but to continue our ruse. Malachi had to trust me. He had to believe I was, in fact, his sordid business partner if I had any hope of saving the mortal girl and all the others in the market. I pinched my eyes shut, curbed my racing thoughts, and feigned pleasure at Suri's touch. Rage wouldn't—couldn't—fuel this situation. It'd blow our cover. Focus, Cooper.

The music rose, filling the room with a lusty beat. Malachi perched himself on the desk's edge and crossed his legs at the ankles. "Go on then, Lyvias. Convince me that you breaking our sacred rule was for good reason."

Blood spilled across my tongue. I tried to let the thrill of Suri's soft skin direct me as I slipped a hand across her stomach, careful to avoid any intimate places, and she guided my touch lower. I fought her hold. Fuck, I was blowing our cover, but this all felt wrong. Like a betrayal. I removed my lips from Suri's throat and clutched it instead—gentle but with purpose—spinning her around to face me.

I buried my face in her neck and murmured, "I can't do this."

"Relax and let me take control. I know what you crave."

The gleam in her eyes held a promise as she danced to block off Malachi's line of sight. Her hand drifted down my chest but stopped before it strayed too far, although it surely appeared seductive from the demon Lord's view. I instinctually stepped back, but Suri's finger hooked my belt loop to keep me in place.

"I fear you are being selfish, my Lord," she projected with a wink. "I am to be shared."

She flipped to turn her attention to Malachi. A perfect segue. I downed my drink, eager to assuage the growing thirst onset by Suri's blood. Her scent floated away from me. The way Malachi melted under her touch soothed my fears. He was taking the bait, buying into the illusion. Maybe we really could get him to spill his secrets in a drunken stupor and gain insight—

"Stop," Malachi demanded abruptly.

My heart sank into my toes. Or not.

He removed Suri from his lap and made his way to me. Before I could react or prepare myself, he forced me against the wall, his tongue jutting into my mouth and swirling about with vicious, demanding motions. My lungs shrank. Malachi's frenzied touch brought back the searing memory of Lyvias's assault in vivid color. The way these men took what they wanted with zero remorse or consideration sickened me. My vision went red. The urge to rip his heart out right then and there clouded my senses, but I pushed my sights past him, catching a glimpse of empathy in Suri's gaze. She felt the same: despised his touch. While our mission and what was required to accomplish it remained clear, I'd be damned if I let Malachi take advantage of us. I was in control. I decided, and he'd sing whether he liked it or not.

I flipped him around, pinning him against the wall. Forcefully, I laid my weight against him. "Even now, you refuse to lift your shadows for me?"

He chuckled darkly. "You know only my mate is allotted such luxuries. Though you tempt me with this newfound dominance. It suits you."

His mouth busied itself at my neck, and I let my mind drift away from his touch, distancing my senses. Wait…he had a mate? Fated mates were rare, almost unheard of these days. A tie like that was unbreakable. It merged two hearts, two beings, two destinies into one. Whoever his counterpart was, they surely played a heavy hand in the club's dealings. The potential for leverage made my fingers tingle. I had to know who it was.

I forced a moan I didn't mean in the slightest and pulled back to behold his shadows. "Then bring your mate to me. Let us broaden our fun."

My gut twisted as Malachi raised a shrouded hand and waved it once, a sickening mist lifting in its wake: baneful magic. But also something else. An opalescent sheen shimmered beneath the vapor. Mated magic maybe? It had to be, considering the way two distinct affinities melded into one before my eyes. My intuition told me two things: one, he had summoned his mate; and two, he had done as he'd said and dabbled in black magic in the Shroud. My soul quivered. His aura matched Chaos's to a tee.

Stay sharp. One step at a time.

I wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Will she share? Your precious mate?"

"She?" Malachi backed away.

My mouth went dry. I'd just assumed, and… Idiot! The fact that I hadn't considered Lyvias knew the demon Lord's partner—most likely very well—was a serious mistake on my part.

"What do you mean ‘she'—"

"Of course I will," Suri stepped in.

Thank the Gods. Woman knew how to read a room. This seemed to explain away my fraudulent slip enough for Malachi to ease up.

"My love has made it clear that he fancies you, Lyvias," Malachi said. "And I make it a point to do whatever I can to ensure his pleasure. However, I must say, I never thought I'd see the day where you shared me ."

Oh. Ohhhhhh. Okay, now I was getting it. A love lost situation. Lyvias wanted Malachi, but his heart was already bound to another. The closest the two could get was business partners with benefits. Interesting.

Malachi busied himself in his desk, pens clicking together as he rummaged. He waved a hand for Suri and me to come closer and extended two of four bright red pills. "For stamina. The four of us shall need it, seeing as we'll be spending the night together, don't you think?"

"Radium…" Suri's brows lifted.

I wanted to ask what it was. What it did. But given my supposed line of work, I couldn't. Lyvias surely knew what it was. Anything lending stamina in the bedroom was bound to be a trick of the trade. I looked to Suri, pleading for a hint. What exactly was I in for? Shit, this night was not going as planned.

"Last time I dabbled in R, I swear I saw the Old Gods themselves," Suri offered, downing her pill dry. "The sensation is otherworldly."

"Indeed. There truly is no sweeter feeling," Malachi agreed.

Suri's conviction and ease in accepting Malachi's offering gave me hope that I would survive this. If she'd thought it unwise, her quick mind would have come up with some solution or exit strategy. I stared at the pill. For Kim. All of this was for her. To cast down her enemies and drain the filth from her kingdom, I'd burn these bastards alive—even if it meant I burned with them.

Suri rounded Malachi's chair, began massaging his shoulders, and met my gaze.

"Information," she mouthed.

Even the tightest vaults tended to unlock—spilling their secrets—when under the influence of euphoric substances. Lucky for me, I'd had many a dalliance with ecstasy back in the mortal world. Partying was no stranger to me. Forgiving myself after whatever debauchery the night might bring? That would be a different story. A bridge for future Coop to cross. I tossed the pill back, chasing it with a sip from the whiskey bottle to my left.

Malachi's shadows lightened a shade, revealing his wicked grin in greater detail. His defenses were lowering. Perfect.

"Odin and I frequently dabble in the thralls of the devil's drug. It keeps things fresh and exciting. Wouldn't you agree, Lyvias?"

My muscles tensed. Odin? As in…

"You called, my love?" a deep voice rang from behind me.

Oh, hell no! Shrimp dick? The man who'd put hands on Kim? Who'd planned to wickedly help himself to her innocence? I should have taken the prick out when I had the chance. Now—amped up on booze and looming drugs—who knew how long I could keep the murderous urges at bay? My hold on my whiskey glass tightened, a crack splitting across it. How the fuck was I going to survive this without ripping his heart out? Suri took notice, removed the glass from my hand, and laced hers through mine. The kind touch dulled my flames slightly. She rested her head on my shoulder while Odin and Malachi ravaged each other in greeting.

"It's one night. I am right here. My best recommendation? Let your body take over and keep your mind focused on the real mission. I'll make sure you don't have to engage in anything you do not wish."

I sighed into her hair. "This is going to be hard."

"As long as they believe you are hard, that's all that matters," she teased. "I'm good at sleight of hand. Don't worry."

And so the party began. Hands, tongues, bodies, and moans meshed together; but Suri and I kept close to each other, upholding our clever ruse. She truly was a master of distraction; her manipulation of angles and appearances sold it. Not once did I enter her. Not a single time did I have to betray my own body. In turn, neither did she. We were in this together, reminding each other in stolen moments why we were doing this in the first place. Although to the two monsters whose heads I couldn't stop picturing stabbed on the ends of spikes, it appeared we were having the time of our lives. Every time they'd approach me, Suri would redirect. Another drink or pill. For them—always for them—as we'd stash our radium in a pocket or leave our drinks to warm in a forgotten corner. Anything to skew their senses further, giving us the upper hand. Suri evaded their clutches with effortless poise. She offered them a meaningless touch here and there, sure, but the two men had wound themselves up in each other so deep that we truly weren't much of a factor aside from a sleight-of-hand show. Which fared well for us and our attempts in getting them to believe we'd bought into their dream. Lust. Sex. The business of pleasure. Excellent. We'd infiltrate their ranks. Convince them we were on their side. And then?

Then we'd slaughter them. Every. Last. One.

I steered clear of Odin until I couldn't any longer. Being close to the man who'd hurt the woman I loved was damn near impossible. It rotted me from the inside out, made my skin crawl like spiders skittering across my skin. Even meeting his gaze made my hands shake as everything in me hungered to destroy him in slow, calculated moves. That fantasy fortified me. First, I'd pry his fingernails off with a pair of rusty pliers. Then I'd peel his fingers like carrots. Maybe pluck out an eye. Or both. But as he stepped to me—ready to partake in whatever disgusting desires he'd wrapped up in his mind regarding Lyvias—I vied for an escape. I would kill him. Soon.

"I thirst," I boomed, Suri's head bobbing against my bare chest.

"I can help with that." She offered me her wrist.

But I had other plans: insight for the little demon resting against me. "I crave a different flavor. Malachi, would you be so kind as to offer me another sample of your top-shelf gem?"

Malachi pulled his tongue from Odin's mouth, considering my request. He looked Suri over. "I am not sure it's wise considering tonight's unexpected guest."

"If you aren't convinced of her loyalty by now," I said, "then I have half a mind to take her off your hands permanently. She'd warm my bed nicely. Don't you think, doll?"

"I could get used to that." She kissed my arm circled around her.

"You both know I only share when I'm involved." Malachi chuckled, hopping to his feet. "A quick drink, then we switch. Yes?"

Like hell we would! I tapped Suri's arm in hopes of conveying a need for escape, and she sighed, assuring me she was working on it. Despite the night's overall foulness, I smiled. We made a good team.

Malachi walked to the desk and removed the remote I'd seen previously.

"Watch him closely," I whispered into Suri's ear.

She hopped up, made her way over to Odin, and wrapped her arms around his waist. The display seemed to please Malachi, the drugged-up fog of his desires lowering his shadows a touch more. Enough that Suri had a direct sight line to his finger typing in the security code. Chaos's portrait rolled up to reveal the young woman tucked away in her glass prison, and I felt Suri's shock from across the room. Her magic plumed about her, pointing like arrows ready to strike through Malachi's chest. But to the naked eye? One could only imagine how she felt. Imagine, because she didn't so much as flinch. Quite the skilled actress. A deadly talent if applied during certain interactions, I'd dare say.

I ambled over to the weary young woman, now a step outside the makeshift cell. I hesitated long enough to lock eyes with her—hoping to convey my hidden remorse—before gently sinking my fangs into her neck. I drank. And drank. And drank. The monster within me took control faster than anticipated, pushing me well past my moral limit in an instant. Zero to sixty. My thirst overcame me. I didn't stop. Couldn't. Malachi drifted into my sight line—his words inaudible in the hazy bloodlust—but still I continued, addicted to the high pounding in my veins. Why wasn't I stopping ? Then it hit me: the radium didn't only heighten sexual pleasure; it intensified desires of all sorts. Demanded they be fulfilled.

"I said, ‘Enough!'" Malachi ripped my head back.

A plan began to form in the bliss-filled fog. I licked the blood off my teeth as a maniacal laugh tore through me. "She is the sweetest thing I've ever tasted. We must share her with the world!"

"Is she?" Malachi asked with genuine interest. "I feared her slight frame might affect her potency."

I clapped a hand on his shoulder. Time to go in for the kill. "She is sweeter than cherry wine, my friend. Tell me, do our investors know about her?"

"Not yet. I had hoped for a soft launch on the market's new product soon."

I didn't fight the blood frenzy rising up inside me, instead letting the high take hold and thrash through me like a crashing wave. He needed to see what the woman's blood could do. Needed to believe that this was something he simply couldn't keep hidden any longer. I grabbed Odin and spun him about while reminding myself not to squeeze too hard and break his spine…yet. Odin's laugh pleased his mate just as I'd hoped. "This is a gift far too precious to conceal! Would you not agree, Odin?"

He twirled from my hold to wrap his arms around Malachi.

"You have been sitting on this for some time," he agreed. "It would bring me such pleasure to see you finally revel in the fruits of your labor, my love."

That's it. Take the bait, assholes.

Odin sighed, and their mated magic laced itself around Malachi's shoulder.

Malachi buckled. "I suppose a quaint viewing might be acceptable."

"Quaint? We must celebrate this monumental feat!" I yelled like a drunken fool. "We shall throw a grand party in your honor where our brethren can sample a taste of heaven itself. Be it blood or flesh, we will have them eating out of the palms of our hands!"

Careful to not truly hurt myself, but to sell the fact that Lyvias was done for the night, I crashed into the liquor cart, sending glasses crashing and brandy splashing. Malachi merely chuckled, charmed in his drunken stupor.

He yanked me to my feet. "Alright, alright, you have convinced me. I shall see it done."

"Soon," I slurred, and licked my lips. "Or I fear there may be none of her left to share."

"You, my friend, are far too drunk for your own good." Malachi patted my shoulder. "Suri, see to his safe return to the castle."

Suri nodded. "Yes, my Lord."

"I shall send word when the final plan is in place. Go get some rest." Malachi placed a kiss on my cheek and promptly returned to his partner's embrace.

Suri and I walked arm in arm, silent in our approach towards the demon gate. Once in the clear, far from the club in the now quiet city streets, she turned to me.

"What the hell was that?" she asked.

"That," I said, standing up straighter, "was our ticket to success."

"Throwing that poor girl to the wolves is your idea of success?"

"Of course not. But every investor being summoned to the same place on the same night…"

"I don't see how—" It clicked into place. "Oh. Oh my!"

This was our chance to end things, once and for all.

I wrapped a hand around her shoulders, staring up at the stars. "When they arrive, blood hungry and unguarded, you and I will burn that motherfucker to the ground."