Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 100563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Healthy is debatable, and they’re definitely not happy.”
“Depends who you ask.”
He scowled, a flicker of loathing on his face. “I have asked, and I don’t like their responses. That’s why I called your company. I told Peter Beck that elixir is far too potent. Long-term use is showing massive adverse reactions on the nervous system. I suppose Drake overheard somehow or got a hold of phone records. Who knows? But he contacted me and sounded legitimately concerned. I wasn’t aware of the, eh...feud between you. My judgment of the matter was compromised because of my building worry over the girls. They’re all suffering the same symptoms.”
“What fucking symptoms? They’re fine—”
“Heart palpitations, increased resting BPM, chemical stress, insomnia, anxiety.”
“And you’re blaming that on elixir? Symptoms that could be caused from anything.”
“I’m telling you my hypothesis on a drug that hasn’t been strictly monitored or tested that is now revealing severe side effects. Someone is going to die from it, Sinclair. Mark my words.”
Metal bars bit into my back, driving my pain to a distracting level. I needed to sit up. I needed drugs to numb the agony so I could think straight.
Forcing my voice not to crack with discomfort, I hissed, “Let’s ignore the fact that you went behind my back, enlisted the help of a psychopath instead of coming to me with your issues, and dumped us all in a clusterfuck that will only end with me dead and the goddesses that you’re so concerned about being molested and left in far worse condition than I currently keep them in, and focus on a key couple of things.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Okay...”
“Where is Drake right now?”
“He’s completing the final sweep of the villas, looking for the goddesses you evacuated.”
“Did you tell him where they are?”
“Of course not.” He wrinkled his nose. “My duty is to them. I did this for them. I enlisted the help of a bastard all because Blossom, Sailor, and Jealousy won’t last much longer if you continue—”
“What about Jealousy?” My heart rate increased, making the cage swim again.
If Jealousy betrayed me too, I honestly didn’t know how I’d react. She’d been the closest thing I had to a female friend before Eleanor arrived. If she’d turned around and stabbed me in the back, then trust would be severely scrutinised for being the worst possible thing in the human psyche.
“Jealousy has been suffering the most.” Dr. Campbell’s face tightened. “She stayed quiet about the side effects. I only found out because she fainted in Divinity a few weeks ago, and I was called to attend. Her pulse, Sinclair, was two-hundred and thirty. That’s excessively high. Two forty is usually the max before serious complications occur. Her heart palpitations took three hours to subside, despite the use of beta blockers and blood thinners. I fear she’ll have a stroke. Elixir has scrambled her usual chemical pathways. Her nervous system is haywire—”
“If this is so serious, why didn’t you come to me sooner?” My breathing turned shallow. “You know enough about me to know that I would’ve done something to help.”
“I have tried to make you see sense, Sinclair. I warned you elixir was too strong.”
“Strong is different from suicidal.”
“Elixir will end up killing a girl one day because of your negligence. You can’t keep playing god. I won’t let you.” He sighed, smoothing a hand over his thinning white hair. “Look, I made a mistake enlisting the help of your brother. When he offered to persuade your mind about ceasing the use of elixir, I shouldn’t have agreed. I should’ve known anyone related to you wouldn’t be of rational mind.”
I snorted, squirming in my cuffs, trying to find a position that didn’t end with my bones throbbing against metal. “I’m the sane one, Jim. You’ve just unleashed the devil.”
He sniffed with a slight smile, a strained truce forming between us. “I’m beginning to see that.”
I winced as my leg burned with pulsing fire. “If you’re having second thoughts, you can try to remedy the situation by calling Peter Beck. Tell him I need reinforcements. Call the goddamn police.”
“If I do...will you cease your enterprise? Will you release your goddesses? Will you destroy every single vial of elixir and swear never to make another drop?”
My hands curled as hate sprang fresh. “I don’t bow to ultimatums, Jim.”
“Then I can’t agree to serve you any—”
The door smashed open, bringing starlight in from outside and the shadow of my cursed brother. “I hear you’re alive and talking, Sullivan.” Drake strode closer, stepping into the gloomy light of the lamp above me, his face a colourful patchwork of bruises.
Satisfaction battled back some of my pain. I’d done that to him. I’d almost killed him with knuckles and rage.
He looked me up and down, smirking. “You don’t look so good, baby brother.”
“Funny, I was just thinking the same about you.”