Ravage

“Everything,” Zaal pushed. “Names, ages, maps, locations, number of men our enemies have, weapons they use, schedules—everything. It’s all so strange to me, but he remembers details about everything he has experienced, has happened, in his life.”

Kirill smiled and said, “An eidetic memory.” Kirill faced my father. “A trained killer and assassin, an expert in torture, and he remembers everything he sees and hears. Including the Arziani Blood Pit.”

“But more than that,” I added. All eyes fell on me. I sat back in my seat and said, “They have his sister. The Master, Arziani, has an obsession with Valentin’s sister. She’s on the drug they use for their sex slaves and trafficked females.” I stared at the door of the office, like I was looking straight at Valentin. “Valentin will do anything to get her back.”

“A vicious assassin who will do anything to get his sister back?” Kirill’s skin flushed with the prospect of having someone as lethal as Valentin as a member of our inner circle. Kirill faced Zaal. “How loyal is he to your sister? We need this man. If we bring him in without a trial period, he could betray us.”

Zaal shook his head. “She is for him. He’s not leaving her. They are forever.”

“And he’s Russian,” my father added. “He knows of us. He respected us when he found out who we were.”

“And he needs a purpose. If he is to survive in this new life, he needs to do what he does best—kill. It’s what he’s been made into and there’s no going back.” I met Zaal’s eyes and said, “For any of us who have known that life.”

Kirill’s hands steepled. After several seconds of thought, he ordered, “Bring him in!”

Rising from my chair, I walked outside to find Valentin standing at the window of the dining room, staring outside. When I walked in, his scarred face turned toward me. I nudged my head. Valentin’s eyes narrowed.

“Come,” I said.

I saw Zoya stand up from the table and ask, “Where are you taking him?”

“The Pakhan wants to see him.”

Zoya’s eyes were suspicious. I glanced to Kisa, and when she saw me I nodded my head. Kisa rose from her seat. Placing her hand on Zoya’s arm she said, “He’ll be fine, Zoya. Let him go in; you sit with us.” Zoya stared at me in suspicion. I knew she didn’t entirely trust our family yet, but she would in time.

Valentin leaned in to speak into Zoya’s ear. Her shoulders sagged at whatever he said; then Valentin lifted her chin and kissed her on her lips. It still looked strange, a man so raw and ravaged with scars acting so soft with his pretty female.

He broke away and without looking back followed me. We entered the office. As we did, I watched his assessing eyes drinking in the room—committing everything to memory.

Kirill stood. As he did, Valentin tensed. “Valentin,” Kirill greeted, and pointed at a spare seat next to Zaal. “Take a seat.”

Valentin’s arms were crossed over his chest, but under the Pakhan’s stare he walked to the seat. He sat down and Zaal nodded his head. I sat down, too. Kirill poured Valentin a drink.

Kirill pushed the vodka to Valentin and said, “The Arzianis are planning to set up a gulag here in New York.” The air in the room thickened as soon as Kirill mentioned the Arzianis to Valentin. Kirill’s face hardened. “We can’t allow that to happen.”

“What do you need to know?” Valentin said, the hatred that he felt for the Georgian organization clear in his deep voice.

“Everything,” Kirill replied. “Everything you know.”

“I know a lot,” Valentin informed.

Kirill’s face spread into a wide smile. “Even better.”

Valentin shifted on his seat and said, “I’ll tell you anything you need to know, but on one condition.”

Kirill cocked his head to the side, and I knew he was taken aback by Valentin’s disrespectful response. You didn’t negotiate with the Pakhan; you did what he said without conditions.

Kirill laughed and said, “You have balls, Valentin. But”—Kirill leaned back—“I’m listening.”

Valentin’s jaw tensed and he said, “I want my sister back. I want your word that we’ll get my sister back. Whatever the cost.”

Kirill nodded and asked, “What else?”

Fury spread across Valentin’s hard face and he growled, “That I get to kill as many of the Wraiths that I can lay my hands on. However it needs to be done. Torture, stealth, or out-and-out war, just let me tear them all apart for everything they’ve done. I’ll be the most effective killer you’ll ever have. Trust me on that.”

Blood rushed through me at the excitement in Valentin’s voice. His tone and message were contagious. I saw Zaal nodding his head; he too wanted a share of the kills. Kirill stared at the three of us all sitting beside one another and his face lit with pride. He slowly nodded his head. Moving around his desk, he held his hand out to Valentin. Valentin took his hand, kissed the back, and brought it to his head.

Now he was pledged to the Volkov Red King.

Kirill stepped back, folded his arms, and said, “We will gather what we know from Valentin, then wait.”

My skin pricked with shivers. With a wave of his hand the meeting was over. My father stood and said, “Come. Let’s go and drink. I need one.”

One by one we filed from the office into the living room. Kisa stood up as I came in. Wrapping my hands around her waist, I pulled her close.

“Everything okay?” she asked as she melted into my body.

Pulling her back, I placed my hand on her rounded stomach and said, “Perfect.”

Kisa smiled and hugged me again. Over my wife’s head, I met the gazes of Zaal and then Valentin. They were looking at me as they held their females tightly in their arms.

I could see the hunger for revenge burning in their eyes, the thirst for the kill. I could feel the heat rushing through my body, as I anticipated the fight that lay ahead, knowing they would be feeling this way, too.

The Arzianis were the head of the snake that controlled everything we three had been through.

A head that I planned to rip off.

These men were my brothers in arms.

And we were fucking going to war, for the prisoners yet to be freed.