Page 11 of Dust to Dust

I rolled my eyes, "You're not going to kill me."

Anton shook his head, "Your cocky attitude will be your downfall." He lowered his voice so only I could hear, "Sometimes you need friends, Kukla."

Was he suggesting himself or the Kings? Then again, something else was at play here. Lucas knew who Anton was, and they almost seemed friendly, whereas Lucas merely put up with Igor but didn't relax in my uncle's presence. "I could kill you now. Killing your Pakhan signed your own death," Anton voiced.

I shrugged my shoulders, still locked in his hold. "I've been dead a long time. If someone can finally killallof me, then more power to them."

"You still talk to your little friend Kulka?" Anton knew from the moment he visited me in prison that day that something fractured within me. A few days following his visit, he sent a psychologist to profile me. What good did it do? I didn't know, nor did I care? The journey to becoming what they wanted me to be didn't matter. Only the end result did. I was stronger, didn't feel, and was willing to get my hands dirty to survive and, most importantly, get revenge.

"Lower your knife." I heard Titan order, but when I looked up, Titan and Damian each had a gun aimed at Anton. They used the time we had our private conversation to take some control back. Lucas, however, leaned back against the desk without a care in the world. One would have thought he had a crystal ball and knowledge of the future.

Why does he want me alive?The questions hammered away in my mind.

"Lucas," Anton said in a friendly greeting.

"Son," Lucas exhaled, "lower your weapon. And Anton enough with the dramatics."

What the hell was going on now? Lucas confirmed he didn't only know Anton, but they addressed each other casually as if they were friends.

"I said. Lower. Your. Weapon." Lucas hissed to Titan, who held his gun high and aimed on Anton. There was the man we all knew and hated. Lucas pushed off the desk and stood tall, like a king taking the lead. Lucas, like Titan, was overly confident. There was a difference between confidence and cockiness. Confident people knew what they had. Cocky people were still trying to convince themself of their ego. Anton was right, per usual. My cockiness was a flaw in my design. It was the reason Ghost still echoed in my mind. I still doubted, no matter how strong I told myself to be. If I were confident in my new life, Ghost would disappear.

But what fun would that be?Ghost grinned.

You're becoming more like me now, Ghost,I laughed. There was a fresh tone of darkness in her voice. Usually, Ghost played the role of the angel on my shoulder.

Two peas in a pod, Nova.Ghost laughed.

Anton shifted the knife as he pressed it harder into my skin. This time it caused my skin to break as a sting rippled over my neck. I felt a trickle of blood drip down my skin. Titan shifted his weight onto his right foot. His index finger applied more pressure to the trigger. Hopefully, Titan was a good enough shot to hit Anton and not nick my pretty face.

Anton chuckled, relishing in the fact that he was able to anger the great Titan King. I looked at Titan and shook my head. I don't know why I cared for Anton, but I wasn't ready to watch him die. Consider it payment for all the times Anton showed me mercy. It must have been the downfall from such a high adrenaline rush because I started to feel slightly dizzy. Anton wrapped his hand around my torso. After a few more seconds, my legs began to give. "This end is the beginning, and the beginning is the end, Kulka," Anton said as he released me. My eyes found Lucas, who shifted in his seat. His eyes looked off, lost in a faraway place. Lucas's once confident demeanor was now replaced with worry. What would make Lucas King worry, and how was Anton connected?

I didn't have time to ask as Anton pushed my failing body forward. My legs failed to support my weight as my body shifted, but like a faithful husband, Titan outreached his arms to catch me. Where was he years ago when I was falling?

Titan's touch was gentle yet as strong as bulletproof armor. Firm palms gripped my waist as he turned us, shielding me from Anton. Damian was faster than a ninja as he stepped in front of Titan and took on Anton.

"Don't kill him. I need him alive." Lucas snapped at Damian.

Titan moved my body behind the desk, where he laid me on the carpeted floor, keeping my uncle's body away from my view. "Hey, babygirl." His deep voice was emotional and filled with worry. Blue eyes narrowed on mine with concern. It all came back to our eyes. My colorless, grey eyes betrayed me and revealed my real face. Titan's were the door that led me into his fucked up soul. Swimming in his deep ocean blue eyes was still the boy from my treehouse. As dark and twisted as he was, Titan still cared for me in his own sick way.

And you still care for him,Ghost declared.

"So pretty." My mind felt fuzzy. His face, every inch of skin wrapped around his body, was perfection. He wasn't a man but a god who chose to live amongst us. We should be worshiping his every step. Maybe the fact that we didn't bow down to him was why Titan held such a grudge.

"Nova," Titan gently shook me, trying to rouse me awake and alert again. As my vision blurred, his head snapped up. He looked like a Greek god that landed on earth, ready to destroy it. His index finger glided over the small cut on my neck. "What did you give her!" Titan roared. Titan was the superhero trying to save the villain. Didn't he know once you sell your soul to the darkness, there is no coming back? I couldn't be saved.

But Titan could join us,Ghost suggested.

I like your thinking.

“My knife was coated in a sedative. She will be fine. I’d never harm her.” I heard Anton, but he sounded so very far away. The last thing I saw was Titan, but he wasn’t here. We were back in the treehouse. It was surrounded by fire licking up the walls as it started to burn everything. We both were lying on my favorite pink and orange plaid blanket. We seemed at peace as we held each other as the world burned around us.

Chapter 10

The beginning is the end?

It wasn't the first time I heard whispers of the exact words. What did that mean, and why did those words startle my father…or was it fear?

"It's about time you showed up," my father addressed Anton, then looked at Igor's dead body. "You could have chosen a better time." Dad exhaled, then focused on me, "Son, take your wife back to your home. I will call you later."

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