Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“Wait! I—” the goon started, but Haru ignored him as he hoisted him high enough that his toes no longer scraped the floor and walked across the room to the one window. Gritting his teeth, Haru shoved the man back through the window. The sounds of shattering glass and breaking wood were deafening. Shrieks poured from the man as he tried to grab for the window frame, but Haru kept going until he was balanced precariously on the windowsill, holding his prey five stories up over open air. The poor man kicked and clung to Haru, his fingers digging into his arms to the point of drawing blood.
“Don’t let me go. Oh gods, please don’t let me go!” Baldy begged.
“My friend asked his question politely, but your answer was vulgar and rude. This is your one chance to make amends,” Haru stated.
Below, on the sidewalk, the man’s screams had drawn the attention of people walking by. A few slowed enough to take pictures, but they resumed walking, their heads lowering. There was no feeling that anyone was surprised or even that they were summoning the police. Such a strange city.
“I’ll be nice. I promise. Please bring me in. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” his prey sobbed.
“All right. We’ll try again,” Adrian called from the apartment.
Haru pushed off the windowsill and drew his new toy into the building. Once inside, Haru threw him into the nearest wall, where the man curled into the fetal position, still crying.
Adrian crouched near him, his forearms resting on his knees. “The guy in the picture. Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Dammit. This was a waste of time. Why the hell did you bring us here if you don’t know?”
“Y-You and him. You’re from out of town. Splashing money in the homeless camps for info. We thought we’d rob you. E-easy target.”
Haru snorted. “Yes, that thinking worked out well for you and your friends.”
Adrian grinned at Haru over his shoulder. Haru had decimated a dozen men in no time. They were going to wake up with many broken bones and contusions. What a mess for a robbery.
As Adrian looked at their songbird, his expression was grim. “I don’t care for people who waste my time. Toss him out the window,” Adrian grumbled as he rose.
Before Haru could take a step toward him, the man lunged for Adrian’s feet, grabbing one of his ankles with both hands. “No! Please! Wait! That-that man! I’ve seen him. Around Little Stip.”
“When?” Adrian snapped.
“Been at least a week. But he was being stalked. Thought I heard the government snatched up another herd of people. He’s not in Bellcairn anymore if they got him.”
Haru’s eyes widened, and he drew back his hands from where he was preparing to seize the man by the collar of his shirt. “Where would they take him?”
“The Pit. In Voxmore.”
Haru’s brow furrowed. None of those words made sense to him, but Adrian didn’t blink.
“A government black site?” Adrian demanded.
The bastard nodded vigorously, releasing Adrian’s ankle. “Yeah. Don’t know the exact location. Just that it’s in Voxmore. People taken to The Pit are never seen again. If your friend is there, I doubt he’s still alive.”
Adrian grunted and turned away from their informant. “Let’s go,” he mumbled as he turned off his flashlight and stuffed it into his pocket.
Haru fell into step behind him, following him across the room that was now lit by the waning sunlight coming in through the broken window. He could see more clearly the people he’d beaten to a bloody pulp. Light glinting off something silver caught Haru’s attention, and he stopped to pull one of Adrian’s silver knives from the bloody throat of a dead man.
He made a small noise and held up the knife.
Adrian growled and snatched the knife from him. “Shut up.” He marched out of the room, his back painfully straight.
Haru swallowed a giggle as he chased him. “I believe you said no killing. Is my memory faulty? Did I misunderstand you?”
“Whatever. That guy was aiming a gun at your head,” Adrian snapped as he stopped on the stairs. “You weren’t paying proper attention to your surroundings. I had to do something.”
“You protected me,” Haru purred.
“I had to, Mr. Cousin to the King.” His voice was a harsh whisper, but it still seemed to echo through the stairwell. “Not to mention, you’re the grandson or nephew of the head of the Omari Clan; like that doesn’t make you some kind of royal. Oh, and let’s not forget Shey. I’m up to my goddamn eyeballs in troublemaking royals.”
Haru had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Adrian was grumpy. He’d taken a life to keep Haru safe. That was an excellent sign that his affections were progressing in the right direction. It was just a matter of time—Adrian would be his.