Page 76 of Sick Bargain

“Send me!” Kyd shoots to his feet with his arm raised. “Puh-lease! Send me in, coach. I candothis.” He does a high kick like a cheerleader for who fucking knows what reason.

Hecando it, but because of his fondness for Axel Graves, Director won’t send him. He’s too warped, and even though I’m also warped, I got my name for a reason, and Director is going to exploit it.

Glitch tugs on the back of Kyd’s bright purple hoodie and yanks him to his seat. “Down, boy. You’ll get your shot.”

“Tomorrow is the plan. We just need Graves to take the bait. You know where to be to appear secluded and approachable, Krypt.”

I nod, already knowing the plan.

While Director explains the rest of it and assigns roles to the others, I let my thoughts drift to Remiel’s bargain. Matterson and his cult are dealt with. Gregory Malone will be dealt with tonight. I just have to figure out if Remiel has changed his mind about his brother, the third name on his list. Does he still wanthim captured and consumed by someone so he can’t get enough wiggle room to turn suicidal?

Ghost hasn’t made any attempts on his life, but I’ve noticed things about him over the past few months. He’s irrational and ballsy, which isn’t new, but he used to do it for the thrill. Now he does it because he likes tempting death, and sometimes, the glaze in his eyes makes me thinkheis the one tempted by death. He’s got a job to do with The Misfits, but he’s even getting brazen about that.

My brother must track my thoughts because he looks over at me and nods. If Remiel still wants Soren contained, I’ve already made an agreement with Riot to do it. It’ll be dangerous, but I don’t trust anyone as much as I trust my brother when it comes to this. And who knows how long I’ll be under Axel Graves’ control. If I even make it out alive…

“There have been at least twelve more reports of strange behaviour in residents,” Director goes on. “Monster and Ransom are tracking them, but we still need our man on the inside so we can track your whereabouts and find his lab.” His eyes come back to me. “You ready?”

Not until I say my goodbyes to Remiel and finish his bargain. This is the worst possible time for me to go on a job that could end my life, and as much as I don’t want to do it, I have to. Because I belong to Vile House. They’re my family, my life, and my motivation, and I’ve let them down before. I won’t let them down again. I have to trust that my new marks on Remiel’s body are going to be enough to make him hesitate if things get dire.

“Tomorrow.”

“Go.” Director nods at the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

The rest stay to work out the details, and I light a joint on my way out back. I need to be calm when I face Remiel. He can’t know that anything other than Gregory Malone’s end is coming.

I step outside, the patio wet and misty. I don’t usually get nervous about jobs, but I’m nervous now. Because I have something to lose. A person to give up. If I don’t free him from our bargain, and it turns out I don’t survive this, he’ll never be free of his curse. I’ve never known possession and obsession like I do with Remiel, so the thought of freeing him doesn’t sit well, but what else am I supposed to do? Ghost will take over his bargain if I don’t make it back. He’ll watch out for him… so long as he doesn’t fall prey to the family curse.

The weed tells my mind to calm, and when I’m blanketed in something that feels settled, I head to my room to find Selena Sauder still standing there. She nods and walks away, but I call her back.

“If I don’t make it back from this job…”

“What job?”

I can’t tell her. She’s not at that security level yet. “I need you to watch out for them.”

“Who?”

“Your brothers. Both of them.”

Confusion lines her face, but relief sags her shoulders. “I am. I do.” She steps closer to me, eyeing my door. “Which is how I know you’ve ruined him.”

My fists clench, and the blanket of calm evaporates.

“Remi isn’t meant for all this.”

“Then you don’t know him.”

Selena nods to agree with that. “No one knows him. Not Cain, not even himself. I think…” she pauses, gritting her teeth, “I think you forced him to get to know himself, and as much as it ruined who he was, it strengthened him.”

“I don’t need the speech. Just watch over him when I’m gone.” I grab the doorknob.

“He won’t survive without you,” she tells me, making me stop. “You made him dependent on you.” When I look back ather, she doesn’t look angry. “So fucking come back,” she finishes and walks away.

So fucking come back.

I know she’s unhappy about her brother’s best friend suddenly owning her other brother, but fuck her. She sees that Remiel is gaining strength, and I don’t need her blessing. But she’s right. I did make him dependent on me, and he’s going to have to survive me being gone. If anything happens to him while I’m away…

I squeeze the doorknob harder. No point in dwelling on the guilt I’ll wither under. I enter my room, but Remiel isn’t tied to my bed anymore. Did she free him, or did he get out on his own? If she so much as touched him… sister or not, she’s losing a finger. He’s sitting at the little desk in the corner of my room, fixing Seven’s guitar. Restringing it and tuning it as he goes. I’ll never understand how he can recognize notes from each instrument. The piano is the only one I know and understand, and that’s because it sat alone in the corner of my bedroom growing up, becoming my only companion.

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