Page 111 of Serpent & Saviors

Isabella leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Kinsley’s cheek. “You’re the best,” she murmured, just loud enough to carry.

Kinsley beamed. “Nik has several sets of pliers over there. One of them will be sufficient to heat it up.”

Cameron gulped and shook his head, the color draining from his face. He was catching on to where we were going with the wire. Kinsley blew a kiss to the mirror.

“Now it makes sense,” Marcus mused with a chuckle.

With controlled steps, Isabella moved toward the workbench where Nikolai had carefully laid out several instruments. It was fascinating watching her resolve solidify right before my eyes. She squared her shoulders, and her hand closed around the tool.

“I saved the needle-nose one for you, Tori,” she said calmly before walking toward the fire.

She clamped the pliers onto a piece of the metal and extended her hand. Her face took on a surreal glow.

“Cameron, you messed with the wrong crew. You never were very smart though, so I’m not surprised,” I said with conviction. “Kinsley, would you mind getting the pliers for me?”

“I’d love to. Any chance you’ll let me make a matching cut on the other side?” she asked casually, as if she were asking to borrow a dress.

The edge of her blade danced across his cheek, and her head titled to the side. A darkness entered her eyes as she seemed to fight the urge to plunge it into his neck. I blinked hard, startled almost by the ferocity burning within her.

“Damn, where the hell did our little Mouse go?” I murmured, and Isabella shook her head. “In a minute, you can have your cut. Pliers first,” I answered firmly, before walking over to Marcus. Kinsley shifted her blade back to the sheath beneath her dress and walked to the bench.

I gently pulled on Marcus’ shirt. “Thank you for your help. The girls and I can take it from here.”

A rich, deep chuckle rippled through the air. “As you wish.”

He strode back over to the door and stepped outside. Kinsley danced her way over and resumed her position behind Cameron. I took a deep breath and followed, pausing as I moved in front of him.

“You should have hung yourself in your cell. It would have been a much kinder way to go,” my voice rang out. He shifted uncomfortably away as best he could, his eyes moving between me and the pliers Kinsley was manically clicking.

“I dreamed about doing this so many times.” I used my knee to nudge his thighs open. My hand disappeared between his legs as I found what I was looking for. “This is just as worthless as your tongue, just so you know. I hated every single moment with you.” My laughter rang out, which caused Kinsley to immediately giggle. “I thought only cold weather or water made a man shrivel in size. Who knew?”

Isabella roared from her place by the fire.

“How are we looking, Artist?” Kinsley asked.

“I think we’re ready. I’ll hold it here until Tori gives me the signal.”

Cameron frantically struggled against the ropes. Kinsley placed her left hand on his forehead and nodded. I squeezed my hand around Cameron’s shrunken balls. The minute he opened his mouth to scream, Kinsley used the pliers to grab hold of his tongue.

Cameron’s eyes went wide as he seemingly now understood how much trouble he was in. I threw a glance at Isabella and nodded. She pulled the now flaming red piece of metal from the fire.

“That was my first choice too,” she said smoothly, another silent message sent between us.

Without so much as a hint of hesitation, Isabella sauntered over to Cameron and sneered, “Declan will be ten times the man you are. With our help, he won’t even remember you existed.”

His muffled protests echoed around us. My hands shook. But Isabella’s were at the moment as steady as a surgeon would need to be while operating. Without so much as a glance up, she pressed the wire emblem onto his tongue. The sickening stench of flesh greeted us, and Isabella shuddered. Everything that happened next was a blur.

The door to the basement flew open, and the Death Squad all rushed in. Andrew pulled me into his arms, and I sighed, nuzzling my face into his chest and breathing him in. Lavender and cinnamon flooded my senses, and I closed my eyes for a second, content that he was holding me.

Sebastian pushed his way forward and grabbed Isabella. She dropped the pliers, and loud sobs escaped her and filled the room. My eyes flew open as my concern shifted to her.

“Take her to the car now,” he barked, handing her off to Pasha.

She sagged into his arms. “I had to, he called Declan…I had to…”

“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you, Printsessa. Counselor, don’t begin without me,” Pasha declared. His voice suddenly had gotten heavy with emotion, and his Russian accent was clear.

Alek, Ivan, and Nik took up residence behind Kinsley, and she doubled down and, if she wasn’t careful, she was going to rip a portion of his tongue or the whole thing out. My eyes remained fixed on the scene unfolding as if I were merely watching a horror movie.