Page 101 of Land of Monsters

ChirpChirpChirp!Bitzy flipped him off, her chirps sounding a lot likefuck you, asshole.

“I wish everyone would stop promising me a good time and not delivering on it.” Opie folded his arms in a huff.

“Sorry to be rude, but can we get back to what’s important?” Raven’s voice raised. “Like getting my brother back.”

“Your brother?” Brexley’s eyes widened. “Hold on, the guy they put into the jeep was your brother? Prince Rook Dragen?”

“Yes” Raven nodded her head.

“Holy shit.” Brexley started to pace. “Let me get this straight. One of the scariest hired assassins has the prince of the UFN right now?”

“Yes. And all I’m doing is standing here uselessly, while he might be beaten or worse!” Raven moved, as if she was heading for the door.

“Dziubus.”I grabbed her arm. “You can’t run in blind. Sonya and Iain are bad, but you don’t know how ruthless Kalaraja is. We need a plan.”

“I can’t just sit here!”

“Then stand!” I countered back. “But you’re not going anywhere right now.”

“They won’t kill him,” Brexley interjected. “He’s worth too much alive.”

“You think it makes this better?” Raven tugged from my grip but didn’t move, tears filling her eyes. “Death is theluckyoption at that place. What they could be doing to him…”

“We will find him. I give you my word.” I looked deep into her eyes. “We need to come up with a plan, and we can’t do it alone.” I ran my knuckles over her cheek. I realized how much I needed my family. They were right, I couldn’t do this single-handedly. “Do you trust me?”

She inhaled, nodding.

“We will get him out.” I brushed my thumb over her bottom lip.

“The Russian mafia might be off our backs for a moment.” She swallowed. “But you know he will send more for me.”

“Basszameg.” Warwick scrubbed his face, leaning on the windowsill. “You have the Russian mafia after you too?”

“Technically, her.” I winked at Raven. “And to be more precise, it’s the president of Russia who wants her dead.”

Warwick’s jaw ground together. “Seriously?”

“He is not our concern right now. Kalaraja just killed Nikolay and his men this morning. It will take President Kozlov time to regroup. We really need to focus on the most pressing issue, and that iswherethey took Rook.” I asserted, licking my swollen lip.

“What are you talking about?” Brexley’s arms folded, like she was guarding herself from what was coming.

“Kalaraja, Joska, and Samu aren’t the only dangerous things she acquired. There are other things she has at the castle that are far scarier.” I ran my hand anxiously through my dirty hair. “What did Dzsinn tell you?”

“He only spoke to Scorpion,” Brexley answered. “He said he knew where you were. You had found Sonya and Iain and were going to get yourself killed. Scorpion said he gave him very little information. It was more a courtesy thing.”

I couldn’t even be mad that Dzsinn considered my life only a courtesy warning. He didn’t find anything outside of his deals worth his time. No doubt he was hoping I would get his family’s stone back from Sonya, so he needed me alive.

“You probably need to sit down.” I tipped my head at Brexley and Warwick. My stomach rolled, knowing the horrors they had been through, and I was about to tell them it was far worse than they ever imagined. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

Chirp! Chirp!

Opie nodded. “Bitzy says we’re gonna needa lot ofmushrooms for this.”

?

Brexley wandered the small space in front of where Warwick sat, her head in her hands, trying to process what I had toldthem. The sun was far below the horizon, firebulbs dimly lighting the room, the music from below becoming louder, along with the voices in the brothel.

I slumped on the edge of the bed, my adrenaline long worn off, the craziness of the day bearing weight on my bones. I craved food, a shower, and to fuck Raven until we passed out.

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