Page 9 of Dark Goodbye

At the last moment, I bend down and take off my shoes, allowing my feet to rest against the cold tile to acclimate them. To make this work, I’ll have to be swift and silent. The medical shoes I typically wear will give me away instantly no matter how softly I try to tiptoe.

Easing my way down the hallway, I keep my back to the other rooms, knowing that they’re indeed empty. I continue to glance down, ensuring I can still see what Malus is doing. Luckily for me, he’s still standing over her, back to the door.

Hand on the knob, I whisper up to both the god of justice as well as the god of those that have been wronged. May they guide my hand as I rescue my intended mate. As I go to turn it, my brain clicks into gear. I can’t just waltz in there and fight him in front of her.

The moment he senses a threat, he’ll no doubt take it out on her. It doesn’t matter if I end up killing him, if she’s injured because of me, I’ll never be able to forgive myself. I need to incapacitate him, rendering him unconscious until I can exact my revenge.

Rushing back over to the panel, I slide open the door that contains emergency sedatives. I yank out three syringes, sliding two into my lab coat and placing the other in between my teeth. Once I have a firm grip, I pop off the safety cap and ease my fingers away from the sharp point.

Now all that’s left to do is make my way in without him noticing. Retracing my steps, I start the trek back to Ladria, my pulse thundering in my ears. Hand against the cool metal, I glance back over at the monitor, ensuring his back is still to me, and turn it in small, silent increments.

It feels like it takes forever to get the door open, time that could be better used helping Ladria. My body tenses, coiling as I get the first crack open. A soft squeak greets my ears, and I pause, eyes trained on the monitor. Malus doesn’t seem to hear it.

No doubt he’s too caught up in whatever fantasies he’s enacting to even notice, but I still can’t take that chance. Once I know he’s still not going to turn, I push the door open just a bit more. My breath catches in my throat as I play this fucking game of predator and prey.

CHAPTER 5

Davix

My eyes fly to the screen every time I push the door open, no matter how minute the movement is. And every time I look at it, I’m forced to watch as his disgusting hands touch her. Soft distressing whimpers slip out from the opening in the door, and yet, I’m still unable to assist.

Soon, however, I’m able to open it up just enough that I can slip inside. The stench of her fear, blood, and vomit assaults my nose, forcing me to restrain the growl that’s desperate to break free. I’m so close. So fucking close to taking this monster down. I have to restrain myself.

Slipping my hand into the opposite pocket of the syringes, I grab my respirators and ease them into my nose, taking care to not prick myself on the exposed needle between my lips. Once they’re in, my mind can slow down and think clearly. It’s no longer encumbered by mindless rage driven by the scent of her assault. With stealthy movements, I cross one foot over the other, keeping my steps light, silent.

With my left hand, I ease my fingers up to pluck the syringe out of my mouth, and with the other, I slide it into my coat, skimming the pads along the other needles. With deft movements, I pop the tops off but leave them in my pocket. Soft grunts pepper the air as he stands there, his hand moving up and down while he watches my poor, injured omega.

After a moment or two, his voice starts to rise, until loud moans fill the room. Ropes of cum shoot out onto the gurney, covering Ladria’s mound and lower lips until the delicate pink flesh is just barely able to peek through the seed dripping down.

Unable to help myself, an enraged growl stutters through my clenched lips, but Malus is so caught up in stroking himself to completion that he doesn’t even register it. Emboldened by his inattention, I continue to ease up behind him. I watch as his head goes back to tip his nose in the air. The unmistakable sound of him scenting the air fills the silence between us.

He knows I’m here. I can see it in the bunching of his shoulders, in the way he tries to shove his half-engorged cock back into his pants. Allowing the growl freedom to let loose from my chest, I brace as he turns around.

At first, I was going to plunge the needle into his neck and be done with it, but all that pent-up rage demands an outlet. Curling my fingers into fists, I pull back and throw my weight behind the punch, satisfaction blossoming through my chest at the sound of my hand meeting his face. A stunned look crosses over him for a moment, but he soon shrugs it off and storms toward me.

Again, I slam my fist into him, this time, hearing the unmistakable sound of bone crunching under the force. Dark red blossoms across his opposite cheek as his jaw dislocates and pushes out at an odd angle. Inhuman noises pour from his misaligned lips as he rushes toward me.

Darting to the side, I watch as his body barrels past me as if unable to stop himself, like a large, dangerous animal that needs to be put down. Once he turns and tries again, I’m ready for him. My gaze slides down the column of his neck as I calculate where I’m going to inject him.

By now, his whole upper body is a mottled red as his anger flushes his skin. His carotid, the area I plan to stab, throbs, pulsing hard beneath the skin, granting me a perfect bullseye. With experience borne from years of dealing with recalcitrant patients, I slide my free arm around his neck, pulling him into a headlock.

Before he can fight back, I plunge the needle into his neck, pushing the dose deep into his system. Within moments, his body tenses as the tranquilizer rushes into his brain without the aid of blood to dilute it. Malus falls to his knees, his body shaking as it tries to process what’s happening.

Refusing to let him go until I know he’s subdued, I sink to the floor with him, watching every breath, every twitch. It’s not until his body goes still that I finally release him and let his body flop the rest of the way down.

I turn him over, drawing out the second syringe in case I need it. Dropping my head to his chest, I listen to his breathing, hoping to the gods that I haven’t actually killed him. It would be far too merciful an end. It’s strong and even. Good. Standing back up, I nudge him with my foot, looking to see if there’s any response. None. Now that I know he’s incapacitated for the moment, I stride over to Ladria and rest my ear on her chest.

Her heartbeat is soft but steady. Since there are no needle marks or IVs in her, she more than likely passed out from the pain. Not wishing her to endure more than she has to, I take the second syringe and line it up with her shoulder, making sure to insert it into the deltoid.

The moment the needle breaks the skin, her eyes flutter open, staring up at me with those hypnotic eyes of hers, instead this time, they’re a dull gray and not the normal brown I remember. But more than that, they’re filled with terror and pain. For a moment, I want to rip Malus apart with my bare hands, but she needs me more in this moment than I need my revenge. She’ll never know the pain I inflict on him, but it will certainly be in her honor.

When her eyes finally seem to focus, those eyes are filled with confusion as they roll about, taking in my face. Her fingers flutter from above her head, as if she’s trying to reach out and touch me, but the moment they move, her jaw opens in a silent scream.

Unable to see her in any more pain, I press down on the plunger, shooting the drug into her system. I only give her half a dose, just enough to get her back to sleep. Since it’s through her muscle tissue and not directly to the brain, it takes longer to get into her body. Pulling the needle out, I toss it over onto the surgical tray and grip her good hand in mine.

Her fingers are so tiny, so cold. Though she clings to me as hard as she can, I can barely feel it. The pressure is so soft that I have to glance down to make sure she’s still holding on.

“Are-are you real?” Tears shimmer in her eyes as her gaze slides over my face.