Page 102 of Soulless Deeds

Camilla managed not to crumble to her knees, instead falling back against the barrier, cradling her middle. I wanted so badly to aim for her head, but knew that would likely result in knocking her out clean—which I couldn’t let happen.

On my little trip over, I had resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to get information out of her. Which meant I couldn’t kill her on sight.

That’s the least I could give to Spencer when I returned to her indefinitely. And hopefully, that was enough of a peace offering that she didn’t cut off my balls.

Instead, my gaze clocked Camilla’s nose ring, and without hesitation, I advanced. “Hate the new addition,” I said, before ripping the piercing clean from her flesh.

A witchy wale screeched from her mouth as a red fountain poured down her chin. Her stance and expression turned from hurt to aggression as she tried to grab me. No doubt to drain me of my Variant.

Skirting out of reach, my top lip pulled in disgust. “You look like a monster,” I said, the thought frank and unfiltered.

Her crazed eyes bugged out of their sockets as she palmed the gun at her waist.

Oops. I was too wound up in my own fun. I’d failed to realise she had a lethal weapon on hand.

Before she could find purchase and withdraw, I jump-tackled her, the careless motion tipping us over the rail to drop to the battlefield below.

I landed on top of Camilla, my heavy weight knocking the breath out of her. My fingers grasped for the gun that was missing from her hip—most likely lost from the fall.

With the weapon gone, my body immediately rejected the feel of her beneath me. Shuddering with revulsion, I rolled and jumped to my feet.

“What the fuckkkkkk?” Camilla managed to gurgle-shriek. She stumbled upright, a visible limp in one teetering leg.

Ignoring the madness and war rampaging around us, I cocked my head and took the time to assess the blast from the past. Camilla had changed, and not for the better.

Her face card game still remained strong, I gave her that (blanking out the gaping hole that her nose piercing used to rest). However, she was always lost when it came to anything else—style, fashion, elegance. She never had a fucking clue. Tacky and crass till the end.

Camilla must have mistook my perusal for approval as she gave me a considering look.Delusional bitch.“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we, Noah? Power, security, money. We have it all.”

Angry heat bit at my flesh at the calling of my old name. “Unfortunately, money can’t buy you class, Camilla,” I said, turning up my nose like the snob I was. “Something you didn’t learn, obviously. Seems like you never outgrew the ghetto.”

Camilla had the audacity to appear embarrassed underneath her bruised dishevelled state. If only I cared.

Slipping Spencer's long, thin knife from the inside of my jacket, I twirled it between my fingers as I began to circle her like a vulture. “You know, you’re not fooling anyone.”

“I fooled you,” she gloated.

“When I was a teenager? Yeah, be super proud.”

“And you’re still obsessed with me. Just like you were back then,” she snarked with all the confidence in the world.

All I could think about was her death, so in a way, she was correct. Lightning-fast, I attacked her from behind, cutting a lengthy slice down her spine. “Mm, a different type of obsession now, I’d say. One much more appealing.”

Camilla sank down to one knee from the impact, her wound angry, red and saturating her dress with blood.

Still, she didn’t learn her lesson. “Either way you look at it, you still want me,” she boasted. “And now, I’m willing to try again, Noah. I must admit, I regret choosing Gordon over you. He always was a moron, but I thought he would be easy to control. Instead, that glimpse of power over you made his big fat head even fatter.”

Coming around to her front, I placed the tip of my blade beneath her chin, lifting her head until her gaze hit mine. I was careful not to touch her in any way, knowing she would siphon my Variant and leave me empty.

Camilla’s mask softened, then she sighed as if she had overcome a hard-won battle. “I had him killed not long after we left you, you know. He was extra baggage I had to cut loose before he ruined my prospects. And lucky I did, cause look where I am now. A part of one of the most monumental takeovers of this century. Come with me, Noah. Join me on this quest for greatness. Join Khaos, and we can rule together.”

I almost laughed at her audacity. The request was entirely bizarre and delusional. What got me was she actually sounded sincere. As if she believed in that bullshit, in the premise of an untouchable organisation.

Camilla had a certain gleam in her eye, slightly unhinged. All Khaos members had it—the way they talked about Khaos with such blind reverence. It was as if they had joined a cult. Sure, Vice wasn’t a democracy. We answered to one. But that was on a whole other level. Khaos acted like they were worshipping a god.

Who the fuck is their leader? They must be a formidable individual to harbour such devotion from their followers. Including Maximus.

“Funny, how you describe Gordon. You sound just like him,” I said. “Foolhardy, ignorant, impressionable.”