Page 7 of Rawest Venom

Shaking my head, I release her throat.

Her voice comes out in a croak. “Cal. I’m worried about you. We all are. Some of the things you’re saying aren’t making sense. You’re spending all your time on your new project. Maybe you should be with people. Like, away from the computers.”

My nose snorts a small laugh as I step into her, close enough to lick her cheeks if they weren’t covered in wool. Lowering my voice, I ask, “Like, be with you?” Plucking her braid up, I toy with the strands between two of my fingers, watching how the brown has faded to black in the darkness. “Hmm, Daisy? You want my cock in your mouth?”

Gloved palms lightly push against my chest. “Cal…” The steam rolling out of her mask hole comes out in hesitating puffs.

One side of my lips lifts. She’d do it, too. Whatever I asked.

“I’m visiting the Freidenbergs for dinner tomorrow evening. So, I’ll do what I’m told,Mom. Thanks for looking out for me.” Shoving off the wall, I skip part of the way to the fire escape. I haven’t done that since I was a kid, and a laugh bursts from my chest, the sound reverberating off the next building in haunting waves. “And look into Herodius. Strauss is not in charge here. The owls are the birds controlling his flock.”

With a slight wave and a bow at my waist, I send her off with, “If you don’t, you’ll be plunging headfirst into something…” My hand grabs my crotch for emphasis. “Not sure what exactly, yet.”

The following evening,the dark wooden door to Freidenberg manor opens with a loud creak. This time, I’m covered with a winter coat over my hoodie like one of the regulars. And despite that I didn’t dose today, little black butterflies dance in the corners of my eyes but disappear when I check their position.

I need sleep.

“Mister Von Dovish, welcome. They’re awaiting your arrival in the dining room.” Fritz, the butler, leads me inside like a stranger.

As I round the corner, Max is pushing in my sister’s chair, but they both look up with reserved smiles. Yes, brother and sister. Tensions are high, I know. Arianna holds her phone underneath the table, texting Wyatt about another of their trysts, but I won’t draw attention to it unless I need to.

Greeting Max with a large hug, I keep a hand on my twin’s shoulder, so she doesn’t get up for me. “Liv, how’s the baby?”

“Oh, it’s not how areyouanymore. It’s how’s thebaby…” Her golden eyes glimmer with a smile as she teases me. Rubbing a hand on her still flat lower belly, she responds, “Baby is good, and I’m wonderful, but tired and very nauseated.”

Max reaches across the head of the table to grab her hand resting on it. “She’s doing great. Our healers say she’s perfect. If only Strauss hadn’t paid that one to lie to my wife about her infertility… It’s just another reason to kill him.” The bear’s haunches rise to his ears as Livia’s thumb strokes the back of his hand to ease his ire. Arianna’s eyes briefly glance up at the exchange.

Taking a sip from my water goblet, the cook lays out our first dish. “What if Strauss didn’t do that?”

All four heads in the room snap to mine. The cook’s cheeks fire up as she walks backwards into the kitchen.

“What do you mean, Cal?” Max growls.

“I mean, what if that healer was working for someone else? What if they were threatened to tell Livia a lie by another entity?”

“Like Ace? He wouldn’t care if Max and I ended up together…” Livia’s eyebrows furrow as she speaks, causing the silver ring piercing one to wiggle, but her eyes won’t meet mine.

Should I even bother? None of them are ready to accept the truth. Math doesn’t lie, but they do. To themselves, mainly.

I get it. I, too, once lived in the darkness. But now that I’ve seen the light, it’s a lonely fucking place to be. Some days, all I wish is that I’d never discovered the truth. It would be easier to have one Bogeyman to blame for all my problems.

“You’re right, Ace wouldn’t do that. This butternut squash soup is delicious. Tell your chef my compliments, Max.” Picking up my hints, they all relax and take bites of their food in turn. All I can think about is returning to my observatory.

We make pleasantries as the second dish is served, and things are uneasily peaceful.

“Ari, what are youdoing?” Max’s head whips toward his sister’s as she lifts her head from her lap.

“Oh, sorry, I was just?—”

“You better not be texting that fucker Wyatt underthe table. You’re scheduled to marry Ace soon. Show some respect for your fiancé.”

My sister’s hand grips Max’s on the table. Glancing at her, his face softens. Arianna’s beautiful chocolate eyes meet mine for a flash of a second before staring at her dinner plate.

“Some fiancé. Hasn’t even given me a ring or a proposal.”

Livia turns to me and asks, “Where are we with that, Cal?”

The meal is delicious. I try to recollect when I last ate, but it’s difficult because I seem to gather all my calories in small bursts. “You mean with Ace?”

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