32

For days on end, they drugged him, ensuring he wouldn’t wake up. Alas, as strange as it was, Viktor’s hearing had not been impaired, which meant that along with the tantrums of the furious wolf inside of him, he was forced to listen to Alex’s constant blabbering.

“A member of the Council was killed. Kaliope Gazis. Decapitated.”

Viktor knew that already.

“Another murder.”

Ten minutes later.

“A vampire. Chambermaid.”

And then.

“Fifth floor. Killed by her boyfriend for money.”

Alex wasn’t satisfied with that story. She sensed something wasn’t making sense. And she kept on chattering. Loudly. Over and over. And over again.

Her sceptical voice reached him from his left. “Did I tell you why I don’t believe that the chambermaid was killed by her roommate and her boyfriend?”

Viktor wanted to scream. No, not again!

“At least about a dozen times,” her brother replied.

“How can you be so indifferent? Aren’t you the least bit curious? Don’t you want to solve the case?” Now Alex was the one who sounded frustrated.

“No. And since Korovin announced it to the Council, the case ,” he said, imitating her voice, “is solved.”

“Yeah, right. Don’t tell me you believe that.”

“Well, I do. Why would he lie?”

“I’m not saying he’s lying, only that he’s trusting the Tribunal too much. I don’t think they investigated thoroughly since it’s the murder of a nobody – a chambermaid – and not some high-end creature.”

“They’re also investigating the witch’s death. The one from the Council.”

“And, as you can see, they’re rushing to conclusions on that, too!”

Viktor wanted to roll over in his bed and hide. He knew what would come next – the monologue about the circumstances surrounding Kaliope’s death.

Sure enough, it didn’t take long.

“I wonder how someone could kill a witch, who—”

“Gotta go, sis! I have a date.”

The door creaked. A minute later, Alex said, “Vik, I wish you were awake. We have so much to discuss…”

Viktor wondered how much longer they intended to keep him pumped up with drugs. Wouldn’t it be better if he just woke the wolf up and listened to his constant insults?

The door opened again, and heavy footsteps approached. That couldn’t be Grigor.

“How is he?” a man asked.

Mikhail. He hadn’t come to visit him since they’d returned from Italy.

“Same old,” Alex replied with noticeable tension in her voice. “Why?”

“We need to wake him up.”

The girl held her breath. “Shouldn’t we wait another day?”

“It’s already been longer than I planned. He’s probably ready.”

“All… right…” Alex didn’t sound convinced.

“Would you leave us, please?” Mikhail asked.

“Well… Hang on a second… Why do you have a taser baton?!”

Viktor curled up in his sleep. This was not good.

“It’s not for him,” the manticore said. The sound of something being placed on a solid surface followed. “See? I’ll just leave it here.”

Oh, but Vik knew it was for him.

Alex’s hesitant footsteps, then the door closing, told him it was just him and Mikhail now.

The manticore moved around the room. Viktor could picture him discontinuing the infusion system – the machine that continuously pumped the drugs in him. If he was right, he’d soon wake up.

The wolf stirred.

A few minutes later, Viktor cracked his eyes open and looked around. He was in a bed inside a hospital room, one of the hundreds in the building. Mikhail was sitting on a chair beside him, the taser baton resting in his lap.

“Mikhail?” Viktor spoke first in a hoarse voice.

“Tell me what happened in the underground cave,” the manticore said.

The quietness of the wolf surprised Viktor, though he sensed his presence. Maybe he had finally learnt to control him.

An optimistic thought.

“I don’t know,” he replied, remembering the chaos with the witches. “I didn’t mean to fight, but when I realised we were losing, I did what I had to.”

Mikhail frowned. “You broke your oath.”

“And saved our asses.” For years, Viktor had been afraid of his other half, but now that the wolf had been awakened, that fear seemed baseless. They were doing great together.

“How come you were immune to the witch’s magic?” Suspicion crept into the manticore’s voice.

“I have no idea.” Viktor winced. “But that was the frostiest witch I’ve ever encountered. Witches are usually open for negotiations, and easily bribed… but this Mada? She didn’t even want to hear what we were offering.”

“Someone made sure to cast us in a bad light before we even got to her. Turns out the witch in Istanbul was killed right after she met with Constantine.”

“That explains a few things… I also heard that a chambermaid was killed.”

Mikhail narrowed his gaze. “How the hell do you know about that?”

“It seems my hearing cannot be impaired by drugs and sleep. The chambermaid’s murder has been one of Alex’s favourite topics lately.”

A quiet roar resonated in his head. Come on, you fool. Get off your ass and kill him.

The wolf was rising. So much for the idea of their peaceful co-existence inside himself.

“Any news from Constantine?” Viktor asked, muffling the wolf’s words.

Mikhail leaned back in his chair. “He called earlier today. They found Diana’s brother. He’s dead.”

You’re just a little weak pup, aren’t you?

“Don’t tell me he was killed, too?” Viktor tried to lift his head off the pillow.

“According to Constantine, he died as a result of his deal with Mada. Some creatures can’t survive the consequences of such a bond. Or something like that. I expect him to return to the Hospital soon.”

You fucker! Why are you lying around like some helpless damsel? Free us!

The wolf’s words forced Viktor to stiffen. Was he right?

He was resting in bed like a worthless fool while his friends struggled to control the situation at the Hospital.

Yes, you weakling! You are. Get up and show him you’ve got guts.

God, it was happening again – the wolf manipulating him into bloodthirst, forcing him to kill. He’d been there before and never won. The wolf always got the better of him. And when that happened, the consequences were devastating.

“Put me under again!” Viktor yelled over the wolf’s voice.

Mikhail stared at him, wrinkling his forehead. He couldn’t hear the animal but he surely suspected something. There was no way, just no way, that he wouldn’t suspect…

“Are you sure?”

Get up and kill him, you scumbag.

Canines pressed on the inside of Viktor’s gums. They were part of him, and he couldn’t even control that right now. The wolf knew him well enough. Viktor felt powerless, and the sooner he admitted it, the less innocents would suffer as a result. This time, he wouldn’t pretend to be stronger than he was. “Do it! I can’t control him.”

Mikhail switched the system back on. The wolf started scratching Viktor’s insides with his claws, but it was already too late.

Soon, they both fell asleep.