Chapter 132
Candido squeezed me and pulled me forward into the building through the unlocked back door. She turned around and shrieked at us.
“Go away!” She yelled. “I’m so tired—Who are you? What do you want?”
“She’s more than drunk,” Candido said. “Something’s wrong with her.”
She sneered. “And what is it to you? Shouldn’t you be happy getting a free show?”
I sneered at her. “Candido didn’t want you for a reason. No one else does either.”
Her eyes flashed and she screeched. “That bitch Hedy is to blame! If she hadn’t gotten involved, everything would have been perfect.”
She stumbled. “Candido loved me.”
I growled at her. “Candido, never loved you—”
“Pandora, stand down,” Candido said, pulling me back.
“What would you know, stupid bitch!” Sibyl hissed. “You look so dumb in that stupid mask! I bet you’re hiding your ugly face.”
I couldn’t help it. I lunged forward, tearing away from Candido before he could react.
“Pandora, no!”
Sibyl turned sharply, smashing the bottle of wine in her hand across my face. I felt the glass slash me across the face. I felt the wine burning my eyes as it splashed. Then, she was on top of me, slamming her fist into my face. I turned her over, aiming a punch to her face, but I missed. It was as if she had gotten faster. Her nails turned razor sharp as she dragged them across my face. I screamed.
Sibyl was yanked off me and thrown across the room. Candido turned to me, his eyes glowing with fury.
“I said stand down, Pandora.”
“She—”
“Act like a goddamn operative!” He growled. “This is not the time to—”
He turned, dodging Sibyl who launched herself at him. She collapsed nearby and turned to look at me. Her eyes widened then she snarled.
“Hedy!” She shrieked, leaping at me. I rolled away from her, taking refuge behind a couch.
Candido grabbed her by her ankle and dragged her back and away from me. He darted towards me and pulled me onto my feet.
“Retreat, now!”
“But, I—”
“Now!”
I stomped my foot. “I can help!”
He glared at me. “Right now, you are making this more difficult than it needs to be. Retreat, Pandora. Stand guard.”
I tore away from her. “I’m not leaving you in here naked with her.”
Candido’s eye twitched, then Sibyl shrieked and got to her feet, rushing across the room. Candido caught her by the arm and twisted it, shoving her over the couch and pining her there. My jaw clenched and fury rushed through me. I felt my entire body grow tense.
“What the hell are you doing? Get off of her like that!”
Candido ignored me. “Where is Damian, Sibyl?”
“I’m not telling you anything!” She yelled, kicking, and pushing back. Then, she laughed. “What, you want a piece of me too?”
I turned and looked at Candido who tightened his grip on her arm.
“Are you… Are you enjoying this?”
Candido looked at me, eyes wide. “Is this really the time?”
“Yes, when she’s rubbing her ass against you!”
“You are being childish,” Candido hissed. “It’s called a fucking cup, Pandora. Retreat like I ordered.”
I didn’t move, glaring at him.
He growled, grumbling as he pressed Sibyl down until she went still.
“Answer the question, Sibyl.”
“Damian’s going to be a better king than Candido.”
“No, he’s not!” I hissed. “Candido’s the best—”
“Shut up!” Candido growled. “Retreat!”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I crossed my arms. “Why don’t you make me?”
Candido glared at me. He went still, then he pulled Sibyl up and threw her across the room as the front door burst open. Glass crashed as people came through the window.
Their eyes flashed as they darted across the room toward us. Sibyl was pushed and shoved up against the wall. Candido shoved me behind him as he caught one of them in the face with a solid punch and sent him through the coffee table. Another lunged at him. I ducked and spun around the couch, trying to get to Sibyl as she was trying to get to me.
She darted forward, faster than I expected and knocked me back.
Candido grunted and threw one of the attackers against the wall. I shoved Sibyl off as I pulled out my dagger. I cut her across the face.
“My face!” She shrieked. “You’re going to pay for that, you little bitch!”
She struck me. I felt my wrist crack and I shrieked as the pain shot through my arm. She wrapped her hands around my neck and squeezed. I kicked and struggled, but I couldn’t get her off of me. I pulled at her hands, but I started to lose consciousness.
She laughed, her teeth bared and a little bloody as blood dripped down her face.
“I should have strangled you the first time I saw you,” Sibyl growled. “I should have gotten rid of you when you were too young to cause problems!”
My vision swam. For a moment, I saw Lilian above me, her hands around my throat. Or maybe it was Bella, but the words were familiar.
I should have gotten rid of you…
Just as I started to lose consciousness. She jolted, went slack, and slumped aside. I turned and pushed her off, choking and coughing as I tried to catch my breath. I looked up to see Candido, pressing a hand to his side that was bleeding slowly.
The scent of his blood was familiar and scary. He stumbled a few steps, pressing his hand to his side and moved his hand. The blood started to gush.
Something hissed nearby. I turned, seeing one of the attackers coming towards us. The others seemed to be dead. I got up, jumping between Candido and the assailant.
Candido growled, and I smelled burning flesh as I readied myself for the man’s attack. I just had to protect Candido for as long as I could, so he could recover. Golden wolves recovered faster than regular wolves, didn’t they? The man leaped into the air, I reared back, aiming to punch him in the face. Then, something grabbed me and pulled me aside. I collapsed to the ground and looked back as the man shrieked and went up in flames, burning to ash in Candido’s hand. He slumped and staggered.
The floor creaked and tilted before he seemed to vanish through the floor.
“Candido!” I cried.
“Bitch!” Sibyl hissed from behind me. I turned and tried to scramble away from her towards the trap door that Candido had fallen through.
But I was knocked back, something slammed into my face. I fell back and looked up at Norton who glared down at me. He looked gleeful.
“I never imagined I’d get this chance,” he said. He aimed another kick and I rolled away. Sibyl lunged at me and I rolled out of the way. I pushed myself onto my feet.
They came closer. I grabbed the first thing I could and threw it at them, trying to buy some time.
“We can’t kill her,” Norton said. “Damian will want her alive for not.”
I glared at him. “How does it feel to betray everyone you know?”
He smiled. “Delightful.”
“You’re insane,” I said.
“Maybe, but it’s rare to achieve anything without getting your hands dirty,” he laughed. “You wouldn’t know that.”
Something howled below us and I smelled smoke coming up from the entrance of the trap door.
“As soon as Candido is dead,” Norton said. “And I assure you that will happen soon, Damian will marry Sibyl and I will be alpha king as I was always meant to be.”
There was a different scent growing in the air. I couldn’t place it, but I felt my body growing weak.
I heard Candido howl in pain as Sibyl turned.
“Put some clothing on, Sibyl and get the fire extinguisher,” Norton said, pulling something out of his jacket pocket. He put it on his face and laughed. “The little princess won’t be going anywhere until Damian gets a hold of her.”
“I don’t see why she’s so important,” Sibyl grumbled, glaring back at me. “I’m way prettier than her!”
“Do as I said, Sibyl,” Norton growled. She huffed and drunkenly stomped off. Norton looked around before turning to look down into the hole.
I slipped to the ground, feeling my body start to give out as he pulled out a gun.
“Best to make this quick.”
I heard the click of the gun and I lunged towards him, determined to knock the gun out of his hand. He was going to shoot Candido.
I heard another howl of pain from Candido from below. The ground seemed to shake beneath me and things started to go hazy.
The last thing I saw was Norton starting to turn toward me, aiming his gun at me with wide eyes.
Something exploded. Someone screamed, and then I heard nothing.
