Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary Book 4)

My mind was torn in two like an unwanted envelope, the ripped edges causing me untold confusion as I tried to piece my halves back together. One side of me was laughing at Jerome’s little game, the prank that he was taking to levels beyond anything he’d done before, and the other side of me was a twisted hunk of betrayal.

I had no idea which side was the truth. For surely my dear, dear foster brother of all these years hadn’t actually betrayed me? He was the only thing in my past that had been a point of foundation, the rest of my memories just a sea of turmoil that never stopped churning. He was my brother, maybe not in blood, but through a bond forged by life itself. So why was I strapped to an operating table, shirtless and waiting for my skin to be sliced into?

My brother Max was on the table beside me, his muscles bulging against his restraints as he fought to break them. The room was cold, bland, lacking in colour like someone had stuck a sap tapper in it then bled it dry.

I’d been muttering to myself for a while, loud then quiet, laughing intermittently before spewing curses into the frigid air. Max kept telling me to remain calm, to find a way out, but there was none. I could see it plain and clear. With magical blocking cuffs on our wrists and Order suppressant in our veins, we were little more than mortals in this tower of murderous magic.

“Is this irony, Maximus?” I called to him. “One brother betraying another, only to capture his real brother in the process and tie us both onto cold metal tables. I never did understand the meaning all that well, but I think there’s some ironing going on here.”

“Just focus,” Max insisted. “See if you can get a hand free.”

“I think I want to believe in something different. That Jerome is going to jump out of a cupboard any second and start laughing and laughing, telling me I’m such a fool for doubting him, that of course he’d never drag me away to a tower in the middle of the Polar Capital where a dodgy scientist can extract my Order. Yeah, I’m gonna go with believing that.”

“Sin,” Max said heavily and I rolled my head to look at him beside me. “Jerome Novius has done unspeakable things to other Fae his whole life. He uses his allies and slides a knife in their backs the moment they’re no longer useful to him. Me and my father have been heading the FIB hunt to find him for years. I’ve seen the images of what he’s done to people, I’ve been sick to my stomach with it. Do you really think you’re an exception to his ruthlessness?”

I fell quiet, all too quiet, quiet enough to hear the buzzing of the bees inside my head. I wouldn’t care to listen to most Fae’s opinion on things, but Maximus was my little bro. I had to try and hear him out.

“If I let that truth slip in and rip its way through flesh and bone, I fear I won’t be the same Fae once it permeates my blood. My demons are already crowing in the back of my skull, they’re riled up Maximus, riled up real good.”

“So they should be,” he gritted out. “He’s used you, Sin. He’s made his money off your back and now you’re done dancing to his tune so he’s sending his piggy to market.”

“I’m Mrs Piggles,” I rasped.

“What?”

I thrashed and bucked, fighting my restraints as rage coursed through me. “I’m Mrs Piggles!”

The door flew open and Vard swept into the room with a jar under his arm that glowed with a strange golden light. A group of nurses in scrubs walked at his heels and my ticker ticked up at the sight of Jerome in their wake.

“There they are!” I hollered. “The farmer and his flock! Oh and the butcher is here too, well I’m ripe for the picking, sugars. Come on then, cut me and gut me. I only ask for one itty bitty final request first.”

“And what is that?” Vard drawled.

“Let me out of these chains and give me a fair fight. Scrap that! Make it unfair. UnFae too, if you like. But give me freedom and a chance to go down swinging, without magic or my Order if you really prefer.” I gnashed my teeth at Vard. “How’s that for an offer?”

“We have an operation to get started. Two in fact.” He glanced at Max who sneered at him. “And we are suddenly under a little time pressure.”

“Would that have something to do with the Dragon roars that keep carrying from outside?” Max asked and I glanced at him, finding a glint and a glimmer in his eyes.

“We have a minor inconvenience at our door, that’s all,” Vard said dismissively. “Now.” He directed his nurses towards us. “Get them prepped. We’ll do them at the same time.”

“Anything to add, Jeromeo?” I called to my foster brother and his features hardened. “Any tricks up your sleeve? Laughs in your laugh-hole?”

“No, Sin,” he said coldly then nodded to Vard who was glancing between us curiously. “Continue.”

My jaw gritted, teeth grinding and cogs whirring in my ears. “Jerome!” I bellowed as he turned to leave. “This is all I’m really worth to you then?” I breathed, my voice cracking, betraying my pain.

“You’ve been a meal ticket for me, Sin Wilder. But it had to expire eventually.”

“I dare you to watch then,” I hissed. “Or are you not Fae enough to face the consequences of your decisions?”

Jerome’s jaw ticked then he pressed his back to the wall and raised his chin, telling me he was going nowhere. The nurses placed their hands on me, starting their work and I let out a manic laugh that sounded like a witch’s cackle. “Take me then! Cut me open and see what’s inside but beware, little fiends, for once you open the cage of my flesh, you’ll find nothing inside but a curse waiting to deliver itself upon your sorry souls. For I am Sin Wilder, creature of candied chaos and all those who cross me end up in bloody pieces.”