Welcome to the Damned by Astraea Long

Author:Astraea Long [Long, Astraea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-03-24T00:00:00+00:00

10

The Scavenger

When another ceramic plate shatters against the wall of the private dining room, Zero has to dig her nails into her palm to stop herself from throwing the woman out the window.

“I must request you to calm yourself,” Rovis says, impassive.

He hasn’t said much of anything since arriving for dinner with the Avyrian mother, and he hasn’t even looked at anyone else. Zero is mildly irritated that she’s seeing the version of Rovis that everyone else sees: down to business and nothing else. Approach him, and he’ll murder you with his eyes. Tread carefully, or he might feed on your corpse.

She can’t even read his micro-expressions at the moment.

“You’re pathetic,” the mother spits out. “I seriously can’t believe someone like you is running this city. You are a parasite feeding on the rest of us.”

“I’ve already told you that you have my condolences, and my organization will be taking care of the Purity Syndicate. Unless you tell me what you want me to do, specifically, this is a very unproductive conversation. And I do not react kindly to people wasting my time.”

“Listen to this!” the woman yells, with only the inner circle of Aconites as the audience. “How is he so arrogant?”

Without any change in expression, Rovis raises a hand and flicks his fingers.

A pair of Reapers grab the woman by the arms and pull her out. The woman’s cursing fades out as the door shuts behind them.

No one else, not even Zero, dares to react, while Rovis picks up his glass and takes his time drinking the last of his cocktail. Maybe Tal would crack a joke, if he were here, but he’s at the mansion dealing with something else.

Rovis pushes back his chair, standing.

“Well.” He sweeps an arm out, gesturing at the table of food. “No point wasting it. Take what you want. I’m retiring for the night.”

Still, no one moves until he leaves the room. Zero breaks the tension by grabbing the bowl of ghost peppers, and the others follow, movements slow with uncertainty. She hurries out to catch up to Rovis, hopping into the car next to him in the backseat before Levi could shut the door. Levi shoots her a questioning glance, and Zero flicks her eyes toward the driver’s seat, signaling him to just go with it. He frowns but leaves her be.

Zero doesn't speak to Rovis, only munches on the peppers as the car drives off. The burning of her tongue keeps her mind off of the brooding man beside her, though she does catch him furrowing his brows at her. His mouth twitches like he’s put out by her snack choice.

When they reach the mansion, Rovis makes a beeline for his art studio, and Zero follows him like an obnoxious, unwanted shadow. But not before Levi catches her by the elbow.

“What are you doing?” he asks, voice low.

“I need to talk to him.”

“He hasn’t even talked to Tal for a week. I’d leave him alone, Zero.”

Not sharing his concern at all, Zero pats him on the shoulder.

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