~Content Warning: This chapter contains:
+ Explicit sexual content
+ Graphic violence
+ Dehumanization
+ Themes of human trafficking and exploitation.
River
—Chamber of Wise Scholars: Capital Branch (Third Level Basement)—
The Chamber of Wise Scholars, our philosophy and research order, was majestic in architecture. The brilliant minds we gathered from around the world were housed here—50% dependent on the drugs we provided while the other 50% were the cover that kept nosey do-gooders out of our business operations.
Even though we were descending to the third basement, the scent of the place remained clean and sharp. Someone apparently believed that if they made an effort to keep things smelling nice down here, it would matter. Whether they were wrong or right, I hated the scent immediately. Too sterile. It reminded me of my days under Mommy Mèiyàn's loving care. The scent also brought up the helpless memories of the months after Skye and Raine were born. I had been made to watch them struggle to survive the modifications from experiments that had been done to them before their birth. I ruthlessly pushed all the bad memories back into their dedicated chest with a broken lock on it, then punted that bitch to the far corners of my fractured mind.
When the elevator doors opened, Skye peeled off to the left without a word, his own little parade of minions trailed after him. I drifted right since I couldn't go down the middle without running into something. My tablet was already in hand. My eyes skimmed the exhaustive list more out of habit than any real interest in the task.
Lots of crates. Check. Barely legible labels on said crates. Check. Enough quantities of narcotics and psychological drugs to give the whole region the best high of their lives. No, but that would be one hell of a sight to see. Every time I suggest we start drugging the whole region into submission, Daddy Dearest and Mommy Mèiyàn are all for it, but Raine and the few kin-branch crowns actually on our side make a compromise to something else Daddy Dearest and Mommy Mèiyàn want so we can easily monitor their debauchery.
It's all part of the plan. Keep them distracted with silly matters well within our grasp while we try to wrestle the clan out of their disgusting clutches. I so look forward to the day I can say 'off with their heads'. I will personally cut off their heads and the Kin-Branch crowns who have sold their souls to the spirits of greed and corruption.
When one of my minions coughs, I am reminded that I'm in the middle of this boring ass task. I lasted thirty minutes before the numbers started to blur—not because this task was difficult, but because I could feel my brain actively saying, 'Fuck this. I want a burger, fries, and a shake'.
Why am I doing this? When I flicked a glance around the space, I saw my subordinates being good little minions. They looked positively efficient, productive, and obedient. When I looked over to where Skye and his minions should be working, I noticed Skye's absence. I narrowed my eyes.
Where the bloody fuck did he go? I am not staying down here in this windowless basement with the perpetual scent of unwashed ass like some story-time vampire if he is off having fun where the air is fresh. No, this drop-dead gorgeous vampire will not stand for this slight.
I threw the tablet without warning into the chest of the nearest unfortunate soul. "Congratulations," I said lightly, already turning away. "You've been promoted to a relevant minion." He froze like I'd handed him a bomb instead of taking over this very important task. This was actually something that needed to be done. It just didn't have to be done by me.
"If my darling younger brother has me doing inventory," I continued, voice drifting lazily behind me, "while he is somewhere else having fun, someone is about to suffer." All my minions got out of my way as I crossed the space in a few long strides.
Skye's minions didn't meet my eyes. They never did. He never kept anyone around him who wasn't smart. I found his third in command, Mínghǎi, who was leaning against the wall supervising their side of this clusterfuck. I always felt there was more to him than met the eye, so I was disrespectful to him. Hell, he scared me more than my own dad does, and that is saying a lot.
"Where is he?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer was going to irritate me. "Top floor, sir. Said he had a last-minute meeting to attend." Of course, he was. I didn't for a minute believe he was attending a midnight meeting. Skye was the definition of not doing more work than he is required to do. Especially since his mutism has kicked him out of the running for the seat of Xi Patriarch. He would have sent his second or third in command to any meetings that occurred this late.
Following that train of thought, I should have realized sooner that it was very strange for Skye to invite me to do inventory tonight. I was too blood-drunk before to process how unusual this whole setup was. Well, worry no more, little brother. Big brother River is coming to keep you company during your 'meeting.'
I didn't bother with the elevator this time. I summoned a shadow portal beneath me, and then I was in a hallway on the top floor. It was suspiciously quiet up here. Too quiet. I sensed no movement and no voices that would indicate any meeting was happening. I spread out my senses, and just at the end of the next hallway, I heard a sound.
Soft and familiar, I stilled with my head tilted, listening. His breath was low and broken in a way that definitely didn't belong to pain. My expression flattened. "Oh, absolutely not." I ran to where I could hear his moans coming from. Irritation was blooming fast and bright now. The door to where Skye and whoever he was with sat slightly ajar, like an invitation. He wasn't even rational enough to close the door completely. Well, here I come to save the day once again.
I didn't knock; I pushed the door open. Righteous fury locked and loaded, ready to rain on Skye's little rendezvous. "Skye, if you are going to have a quickie while I'm—" The rest of my words died on my tongue. Skye didn't even bother to acknowledge my arrival. Of course, he didn't. He was getting his dick sucked by a beautiful man.
But the man on his knees in front of Skye did however, look over at me as he continued taking care of Skye. I blinked once. Trying to make sense of what I was seeing. I blinked again as recognition hit. Ah, now this was very interesting. Slowly—very slowly—my grin returned. Warmer this time. Sharper. I was about to get my back blown out or about to blow the kneeling man's back out. I'm vers like that.
"Well, well, my dear thunder," I murmured, my head tilting slightly as I took him in properly. "When did you get back?"