Page 35 of Taste of Forever
“Of course you did,” Thorne said. “You weren’t there. Weren’t involved.”
“It was me that killed him,” Cyan said, eyes burning. “Kal took the fall for me, because I was young and he didn’t want me to throw my life away.”
Novak’s brows lifted in surprise. “Oh. I see.”
“Bea worked in the Carpe Noctem household,” Cyan continued. “You know how they are. They treat humans like shit. Kal felt bad for her, and I think he was sweet on her too, a little bit. When she came into our meeting to serve us drinks, she dropped a glass. Charos snapped and slashed her throat with no hesitation.”
“Fucking Temkra,” Novak muttered. “The poor thing.”
“She was bleeding out and Kal went to help her. This infuriated Charos even more and he rushed toward them. I didn’t think, I just reacted. I grabbed the same letter opener he used on her and stabbed him with it.” Cyan closed his eyes and shook his head, as if to dislodge the scene from his mind. “I didn’t even realize Kal had given Bea his blood until later. He shoved her body into my arms and said, ‘if she wakes up, look after her for me.’ And she did. But he was already gone by then.”
“Shit.” Novak stared at him with an intense expression, one of awe and respect. “That’s a lot to carry, Cy.”
“Yeah.” A sigh deflated Cyan’s chest. “Tavia has made it a little easier though.”
“I’ll say.” Thorne looked over at him with a similar expression as Novak. “I haven’t heard you say so many words about that day since it happened.”
“And did Bea return Kalix’s affection?” Novak asked.
“I think so. She doesn’t talk about it much, either. But the signs are there. She looks at his photos in the hallway. She hasn’t hooked up with anyone for blood or sex in over twenty years.She’s just kind of been quietly existing, almost like she’s waiting for him to come back.”
“Aren’t we all,” I muttered.
I wasn’t as close to Kal as Cyan or Thorne was, but he had been like an older brother figure to many of us in Blood ‘til Dawn. Especially those of us who had been orphaned and taken in as juveniles.
“Bea does seem happier since Tavia came along,” I pointed out. “I think she needed a friend.” I wondered if she and Heather would get along.
“Well, there is hope yet.” Novak picked up his cell phone and hesitated, meeting our eyes apprehensively with the device in his hand. “Inessa of Carpe Noctem sent me a video taken by someone on her staff. She claims it’s Kalix, but I need you to confirm.”
“You should have led with that,” Thorne grumbled as all three of us leaned forward.
“It’s short but I have to warn you, it’s pretty upsetting.”
“Play the fucking video,” Cyan growled.
Novak turned his phone around to face us, then hit the play button. The video was grainy and low-resolution, clearly shot on an older phone. Whoever had taken the video seemed to be pushing their way through a dense crowd of people, as the camera constantly panned with jerky, hand-held movements. I could make out a low ceiling with long florescent lights, something like a garage or a warehouse.
The camera stilled when the person made it to the front of the crowd, and focused on an elevated platform encased by silver, interlinked chain fencing. A large, muscular figure kneeled in the center of the platform, upper body heaving with ragged, panting breaths. Blood dripped from his mouth, coating his chin, neck and chest.
And there the video ended.
“Can you zoom in?” Cyan asked.
“I can, but it doesn’t help the image quality.” Novak placed two fingers on the screen and slid them apart until the figure’s face took up the screen.
The features looked even more distorted up close, all pixels and light and shadow.
“Fuck.” Thorne sucked his teeth and shook his head. “It looks like him but it’s hard to tell.”
“Where was that taken?” I asked. “It looks like…an arena, maybe? Some kind of fighting ring?”
“Inessa is working on finding that out,” Novak said. “She has to tread carefully around her father, as you know, but she’ll pass that information directly to you, Thorne, as soon as she has it.”
Thorne slumped back in his chair. “How nice of her to come to me directly instead of going through you.”
“This concerns your clan, so of course she’ll go directly to you.” Novak couldn’t resist a smirk. “But I am nicer than you and I pick up my phone when she calls with news.”
“You’re notnicerthan me,” Thorne sneered. “Just richer.”
