“You look lovely.Have you done something with your hair?” Rupert said, letting his pet stalk towards me with a low growl spilling from its jaws.
And I’m usually so good with animals.
“Yep. Trying out a new shampoo and conditioner called Fuck and You!” I raised the gun, thanking the heavens that I'd loaded it earlier, and aimed it at Rupert. He snapped his fingers and a shield of black fur covered Rupert, blocking my sight. The damn wolf got in the way!
“Move it mutt!” It wouldn't hurt the wolf beyond the tranq shot but I didn't have infinite ammo to waste like in the movies.
“That's a cute gun you have there. Did hubby make it for you?” My tail lashed at the ground at the mention of Wyatt. His wolf whined and covered his nose like he'd been hurt.
What kind of control did Rupert have over him?
“Don't talk about him. You tore down my legacy and his, all to boost yourself and your cronies up.”
“What legacy? The one where you play savior? That was never you, sweetheart. I remember.”
My heart sank as his grin widened, stretching his cracked lips behind his yellow teeth.
“I was there.”
There's no fucking way. How is he from my time?
“No…no, you're lying. I don't fucking believe you and even if I did—”
“Blah blah blah, I'm a hero bullshit. Yeah yeah, I've heard it all before hun. You might not remember but I remember you! We're family, that's what family's for. To make sure none of your sins stay buried! Haha!”
He's off his fucking rocker. Send him to a padded room in a straight jacket and throw away the key.
“I don't know what you've been smoking but there's no way we're family. My family isn't full of dictators!”
Supervillains yes…but not dictators.
Midnight—I’m now calling the wolf midnight because the fur fits—stares at me, still covering his nose. It’s like he can’t bear to look at me but he has to. What the fuck did I do to him?
“You sure about that? Wyatt's secrets aren’t buried that deep…but anyway. You should be thanking me! I let you relive your glory days just a little.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” He couldn’t be talking about the tapper incident…that would add to his case of being from my time.
His smile dropped, lips as flat as a sideways sheet of paper. His eyes were as dead as I felt after 10 shots of Busticci—Ernie’s signature beer.
“The statue. I knew if I left it alone, you’d eventually get your ass in gear and come take it down. You’d feel like the big hero and you’d also oust any of my naysayers in the process—two birds one stone.”
I lowered my gun, curling my mouth back in disgust.
“Are you trying to tell me you played me? As if.”
“But I did. And when you brought it down it rallied the people who wanted change. They formed little groups in secret—oh you would have loved to see it. Rebellion, sparked by the great Dragon Queen herself—”
I shouldn’t have let it get to me but it did. That name…I hated that name with a passion. I thought I’d left it behind in 2026 but I guess not.
I fired the gun. The vial exploded against Midnight's fur but not a drop hit Rupert. Shit, that's 1 out of 3 vials down. Wyatt would be so pissed at me right now.
“Woowee! Whatever that was, it’s ripe as hell.” He fanned his nose, giving me hope that he might pass out by being too close. This isn’t good, Guys not around and I can’t go toe to toe with this guy, not after last time.
“Maybe you should wear it as your new cologne. Here, want another spritz? I got plenty of free samples!” Bluff, bluff like your life depends on it until you can think of a way out.
I raised the gun again and tried circling around him. No matter where I moved, Midnight covered him.
“Not my type—oh, did I introduce you to my new pet?” Rupert ran his hands down Midnight’s fur, the wolf did not like that. His deep growl shook the walls, sending paintings crashing to the ground.
“Seems like your security dog doesn’t like you.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised at what he likes.” I didn’t like the way his teeth showed with that grin, like he was a gremlin holding all the treasure.
“Why are you here? I’m done playing games Rupert. Talk, or the next one I do is a trick shot.” I’ll keep rolling the dice but please don’t let me get a pair of snake eyes.
He squints, processing me. With a flick of his wrist he makes Midnight move out of the way.
“I’m here to tell you that I’m going to help you get your life back.”
“What?” This had to be a trick.
“Its not a trick. Your family, your husband, hell I’ll even throw in the little samoan boy you like. You can have it all. The icing on the cake is that it’ll all sit at the end of a hero’s journey. Cus’ thats what you want right? To be a superhero again?”
My pause gave him the answer he needed.
“There it is!” He claps his hands, the sound makes me jump a little. “I knew my girl wanted her role back! I’ll keep playing the villain and let the people see you as their savior.”
“No. I don’t like it.” Who would be dumb enough to take that deal?
“I figured you wouldn’t but go on, list your complaints.” God, what I wouldn’t give to wipe that smirk off his face with a bottle of acid.
“For one, you’re killing humans and dumping them for people to find. For two, you’re fucking insane and you’re a liar!”
He clicks his tongue and hums to himself.
“Hm-hm, you’re right on both accounts. That doesn’t mean I’m lying about this though.”
“I’m not buying it. Why are you killing humans? Why blame it on the capps? What the hell is up with your wolf?”
Midnight flinched like I’d struck him, his head hung low after that. Seriously, what’s wrong with that wolf?
His grin unsettles me. Haunted laughter drifts from his lips, sending shivers down my spine.
“If you want answers so bad, play the cards you’ve been dealt, goddess. I’ll make it easy on you. By now, you’ve probably guessed that I won’t be sending basic grunts after you anymore. It’ll be council members coming, each one more difficult and fucked up than the last. You beat em, kill em, hell I really don’t care either way. Do that and you’ll have all the answers you need. Including the most important one.”
“Most important one?” More tricks no doubt.
“Where’s your husband’s body, Sapphyra?”
Pulse pounding, blood pressure rising, it was all I could do to hold back my scream of primal rage. How the fuck did he know? I wanted to throw up and claw his eyes out all at once.
His black wings, beautiful and dull, extended out in the morning sun. My back ached with remembrance. Fuck me, I miss my wings so bad. Rupert grabbed Midnight by the collar and flew off with him.
My knees buckled and I hit the ground, palms flat against the floor. All my strength, my bravado—it went out the fucking window. Rupert held all the cards but what was his real goal? I reached into my pocket, feeling the warmth of Wyatt's charging station.
Wyatt…
That fucker…Rupert knew. He might be a filthy fucking liar but if anyone knew where Wyatt’s body was, it would be him. Which means if I want to put my husband back in his body…I have to play his goddamn game.
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