Sunken Eyes (Cruel and Beautiful World Book 2)

by L. Stoddard Hancock

"He's a waiter at the restaurant he works at," Luka answered impassively. "He was being a bit flirty."

  "Oh," said Deryn, biting her lip. "Well, maybe we should get to the -"

  Before she could finish her sentence, Luka sank down and sat on the step, his eyes still fixed on Bronson's front door.

  "Alright then." She took a seat beside him. "I suppose we can sit for a while."

  So much for keeping herself distracted.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Xander followed Chace into the crowded bar, his hood up as he avoided eye contact with everyone he passed.

  When Chace got to a back hall where there were several doors, he paused for a moment and looked around blankly, eventually settling on the one guarded by a large man. The man opened the door for Chace without question and shut it behind him.

  Once he was safely through, Xander slipped into the bathroom and locked the door. He pressed a button on his wristband and a holograph appeared in front of him, giving him a nice view from the small camera Chace had pinned to his chest.

  Unlike the last time he came here Veli was alone, sitting at a large table and drinking whiskey out of a glass with ice. "Where have you been?" he asked while motioning for Chace to take a seat.

  "What do you mean?" asked Chace, choosing a chair at the opposite end of the table. "I'm here right on time."

  "Yes, but you haven't been back to the apartment I set up for you since our last meeting. Why?"

  "You've been spying on me," said Chace in the same cool tone he'd used with Sable. Xander smirked. He really was masking his fear well.

  "Of course I have. You are an important investment of mine and I'm not about to let you run loose in a city you're not welcome in. Now tell me, where have you been?" Veli repeated, his voice growing impatient.

  The view slightly altered, indicating that Chace had leaned back in his chair. "I met a girl the other night and I've been staying with her. As I recall, these terms of yours don't require that I sleep alone every night."

  "Hmm, and here I always believed that you were a good, rule abiding man," said Veli with a sneer. "Very well. If you insist on making this difficult then I must demand that you never see this girl or any other again. Is that clear?"

  "Crystal."

  "Now tell me what information you got on the Resistance."

  "Nothing. When they wouldn't give my source information, she used my name. It didn't go over well. I paid her off but I doubt the Resistance will be willing to share information with her so freely again."

  "So your worth to me has dwindled?" said Veli.

  "Perhaps. There are other people I could try, but she was the biggest idiot."

  Suddenly Chace's gaze, along with the camera's, drifted to something in the corner. Xander looked closely to see it was a plant with familiar ruffled green leaves. Oh, this was too perfect. There was no way Veli could ever be that -

  "Why do you have that here?" asked Chace, nodding towards it. "The toxins will sometimes let loose in an enclosed environment, and this room just might be small enough to -"

  "It's fine," said Veli. "I'm transporting it somewhere and thought it would feel less threatened outside of the bag."

  "Transporting it?" repeated Chace. "You should have removed the toxins and used them already. It looks like it's been ready to strike for days now."

  Veli raised his eyebrows. "I thought you injected its leaves with that solution to freeze it in this stage? If that changed or you were unable to do so then you should have -"

  "N-no," stuttered Chace as he realized his mistake. "N-nothing changed."

  Xander winced. Shit.

  Veli continued to stare at him curiously for a moment before his eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something from me. Tell me what it is."

  Chace said nothing.

  "Tell me!"

  Well, this charade was over. Knowing that, Chace pulled out his Element, aimed it at the plant and blasted it to oblivion.

  "FUCK!" shouted Veli, jumping out of his chair with such force that it fell backwards. He lifted his own Element and shot a blast at Chace.

  Xander turned off the hologram, marched out of the bathroom and straight to the large man guarding the door. He held up a stack of bills and said, "Entry for one."

  The man took the money and smiled, gladly stepping out of Xander's way.

  When he got inside, Veli didn't have a moment to react before Xander was aiming his Element at Chace's heart, hitting him with an electroshock that made him fall back, appearing dead to the untrained eye.

  "Must you always make things so difficult, Veli?" asked Xander, kicking Chace's lifeless body.

  Veli's eyes narrowed. "Xander. What are you doing here?"

  "Trying to find out more about your plot against me." Xander looked at the pile of ashes that used to be the plant and smirked. "But that doesn't seem to be a problem now. Unless the plant's toxins are currently leaking in the air and we're both dead." Looking back at Veli, he noticed the unfamiliar, older model of Element he held. "Is that from Sewick's collection?" He lifted his and smiled. "Mine too. Now put it on the table so I can destroy it."

  Veli laughed. "Why would I -"

  "Because if you don't I'll tell the president about this." He kicked Chace's lifeless body. "If you keep this up, Veli belly, I won't hesitate to let him know how you had a key member of the Resistance under your thumb for all this time. I'm sure he would just love to hear all about it. Stop messing with me, Veli. You should know by now that you'll never win."

  Xander smirked before throwing Chace over his shoulder.

  "I'll clean up your dirty work."

  He created his own exit into the alley by blasting a hole in the wall with his Element, winking at Veli as he stepped through. His hover-bike was already waiting around the corner for him with the passenger car popped out. He dropped Chace into the seat, mounted his bike and took off for home.

  When he got back to his building, he parked his bike in the garage and waited for Chace to regain consciousness. Not even a minute later, Chace was popping up, eyes wide as he gasped for air.

  "What the hell, Ruby? I thought you'd killed me!"

  "Yes, that was the point. You thought you were dying and Veli thinks you're dead."

  Chace stared down at his hands, which were tingling as the feeling slowly returned to them. "I've seen something like that before. Several times. After some of our battles with Guardians we would get ready to bury our dead and, by some miracle, every now and then someone would just wake up. Like it was nothing. That ..." He gulped. "That was you?"

  Xander shrugged. "Probably. A few other Guardians know of it, but I doubt they use it like I do."

  "So you really have been helping us. For all these years. Since the beginning?"

  "No."

  "Then when?"

  Xander shrugged again. "There wasn't exactly a defining moment. I saw an opportunity to save someone once and I took it. Then I kept taking it whenever I could." He paused and took a deep breath. "What was the plant, Moffett?" he asked, holding out his hand to Chace, who looked at it reluctantly. It took a moment, but he eventually let Xander help him out of the sidecar.

  "It's one of mine. I don't really have a name for it. I made it by accident. I used to jokingly call it the priest plant, because when someone inhales its toxins it causes them to confess all of their secrets. Or sins, I guess. But then ... then my test subjects started getting sick," he admitted, stifling a sob. "It was a fluke and I burned every last one of them. It's the only way these plants can be destroyed, and I don't know how the hell I got one in here." He rubbed his hands down his face. "I must've grown it somewhere."

  Xander shuddered. "I suppose that's something we should figure out."

  He led Chace out of the garage and into his building. When they got to the third floor, they suddenly came face-to-face with Luka and Deryn, who were still sitting on the stairs. Luka was staring intently at Bronson's door while Deryn rubbed his back. Xander's fists clenched on instinct.
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  But then Deryn's eyes lit up. She stumbled down the stairs and into his arms, instantly causing him to forget any jealousy he had just felt. Then she was out of his arms and hugging Chace. The jealousy immediately returned.

  "Thank god you're both alright! So did everything go according to plan?" she asked, looking at Xander hopefully.

  "Actually, nothing did," he answered. "Chace has been exposed to his source by the Resistance ,who believe he's missing, and then when things went sour with Veli I had to pretend to kill him."

  "So we have no new information?"

  "No," said Xander. "But the plant's destroyed, so I suppose we can call this a win." He looked at Chace and winked.

  Chace actually smiled.

  "So why are you sitting out here?"

  "Oh." Deryn blushed. She looked at Luka out of the corner of her eye. "Um ..."

  The door three floors below suddenly opened and a cheerful hummer entered the building. They all turned towards the stairs, waiting until Quigley appeared moments later. He jumped a little when he saw all of them. "Uh ... hi, guys. What's going on?"

  "Nothing!" Deryn squealed.

  "Alright then." He went over to his front door, scanned his wristband and slipped in the key. Then he turned back to see them all watching him. "Did you want to come in or something?"

  They all started to say, "No," but then Luka pushed forward and said, "I will."

  Deryn grabbed his arm but he pulled away and went over to Quigley, who was just opening the door.

  "Go with him, Xander," Deryn whispered harshly.

  "What? Why -"

  "Just go!" she snapped, pushing him forward.

  Xander ran to the door. He was just in time to enter with Quigley and Luka, and to see Bronson pulling away from some man on the couch, his lips still pink from the obvious kissing he'd just been engaged in.

  "Quigs, you're home early," he said while staring at his roommate. Then his eyes moved to Luka and Xander. Luka stared at him straight on, but Xander opted to stare elsewhere. "And you brought guests. Fan-fucking-tastic."

  "Sorry. I didn't know you had company," said Quigley, going over to the table and putting down his keys. He glanced sideways at Bronson and smirked.

  "Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Bronson?" asked Luka, the scorn in his voice blatantly obvious.

  "Fucking hell," Xander muttered to himself.

  "Okay," said Bronson. "Warren, you already know Quigs. And this here is Luka and Xander. The Guardians who live upstairs."

  "Hello," said Warren quietly, who seemed to recognize that something was amiss. "Nice to meet you."

  "Likewise," said Luka, walking over and taking a seat on the couch right between them.

  "Oh, this is beautiful," Quigley whispered to Xander as they watched from the sidelines.

  "So how long have you worked at the restaurant, Warren?"

  "Umm ... just over six months," he said, his voice cracking.

  "And did you know you liked Bronson here right away?" asked Luka, putting a hand on Bronson's shoulder.

  Bronson flinched and muttered, "Un-fucking-believable," under his breath.

  "Uh ... well, yes. I suppose I did. But I only found out he was gay maybe two months ago."

  "Really?" said Luka, raising his eyebrows. "I knew the moment I met him, mainly because he couldn't stop eye-fucking me. Is that how you found out, Warren? Because you could feel him staring at you? Imagining what it would be like to fuck you?"

  Warren blushed. "Why do you keep saying my name like that?"

  Luka cocked his head. "Like what, Warren?"

  Xander and Quigley chuckled, but when Bronson gave them both a sharp look they shut their mouths quickly.

  "Why do you look so nervous, Warren? Do you not like being this close to a Guardian?"

  Warren shuddered. "N-no. It's ... it's fine."

  "Is that right? Would you like to see my wristband then?" said Luka, already pulling up his sleeve. "You can touch it if you want." He grabbed Warren's hand and put it on the area between skin and metal. "Fascinating how it just burrows in there, isn't it?"

  "Luka, that's enough!" shouted Bronson.

  Luka looked at him, feigning innocence. "What?"

  "You know what?"

  "Well, forgive me for being curious about what pussy piece of shit you brought home. One look at my wristband and I'm pretty sure I just scared him out of his granny panty's."

  Warren looked away and blushed.

  "Well, at least he knows what he wants!" shouted Bronson, jumping to his feet.

  "And who says I don't?" shouted Luka, doing the same.

  "Oh, I'm sorry, is the jealous asshole in front of me now not the same person who fucked some girl in his bed three days ago? The same bed he didn't want me to sleep in when I got stuck up there after curfew!"

  Luka turned bright red. "I didn't mean to do that, alright? I was drunk and -"

  Bronson laughed. "You're always drunk, Luka! You were drunk the first time you let me suck your cock! And slightly drunk the second!"

  Xander quickly turned away. Oh god, he didn't want to be here right now.

  "That excuse only holds valid for so long!"

  Luka stared at the floor, taking several deep breaths as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He looked up, stared Bronson straight in the eye and said, "I'm not drunk now."

  And then he walked confidently to Bronson's bedroom. Bronson stared after him, mouth agape and his body quivering.

  "Are you coming?" shouted Luka, who was presently out of view.

  Bronson glanced sideways at Warren, and then at his bedroom, and then at Warren again.

  "Come on, Bronson, we all know what you want to do," said Quigley, leaning against the wall. "I'm tired. Can you please just go into your damn bedroom already and do what you've been whining about for a month now?"

  Bronson glanced at Quigley, and then at Warren again, and then at the door ...

  Luka reappeared in the doorway. "I'm not going to wait in here forever." He disappeared again.

  Bronson looked at Warren one last time, cleared his throat, and muttered, "Sorry." Then he was off to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

  "Don't be too loud! You know I gotta be up early tomorrow!" Quigley called before going into the kitchen to grab a snack.

  And then it was just Xander and Warren.

  "Well, this is awkward," said Xander, unsure of what else they were supposed to talk about. The clock chimed and they both looked at it. "Only a half hour till curfew. You might want to ..."

  Xander motioned towards the door. Warren stared at it for a long moment before jumping up, putting on his coat and darting out of the apartment. Less than thirty seconds later, the door opened again and Deryn walked in.

  "What happened?" she asked, looking at Xander. "Where's Luka?"

  Quigley laughed from the kitchen.

  Deryn followed Xander's eyes towards the closed bedroom door. Her jaw dropped. "No!"

  "Yes," said Quigley, emerging from the kitchen with a sandwich and taking a big bite. "I'm a little shocked, myself. I really thought Luka was never gonna cave." He laughed again.

  "Let's just go," said Xander, taking Deryn's hand and pulling her out of the apartment.

  Chace was still waiting for them on the staircase. "Everything alright?" he asked.

  Xander smiled. "It's your lucky night, Moffett. You get a bed to sleep in."

  "Where's Voclain?"

  Xander shuddered and Deryn giggled. "We'll tell you when you're older," he said before leading them upstairs.

  It had been a long fucking night.

  Chapter Nineteen

  "Why do you keep smiling like that?"

  "Hmm?" Xander looked up to see Wyatt staring at him as they stood in President Saevus's parlor. He sucked his smile back. "No reason."

  The truth was he couldn't stop thinking about the night before. It had been New Year's Eve and they'd all gone to Del's hideout, mainly to drop Chace off s
ince Xander's apartment was getting a bit crowded, especially now that Bronson was staying over. Luka swore that they weren't having sex. They were going to that one night, but Bronson stopped them before it got too far. He knew that Luka wasn't ready to take that step, and he wasn't going to push him. Xander didn't bother to ask what it was they were doing every night then, because he really had no interest in the answer.

  But the night before ... He couldn't help but smile again. The curfew had been raised an hour for the evening, so they all drank quite a few bottles of champagne until midnight. Deryn got a bit drunk, and it turned out champagne made her frisky. The moment they got home, she pulled Xander into their bedroom and they proceeded to have some of their greatest sex to date. Granted, she was hung-over and miserable that morning, but, dammit, it was worth it!

  "You're smiling again."

  Xander's eyes focused and he looked at Wyatt.

  "Could you stop it? It's creeping me out."

  His smile immediately fell. There it was again. Creepy ...

  "If you fucked as loudly as he did last night then you'd smiling too," said Luka, who was looking a bit hung-over himself. "Seriously, Xan, you've never made the walls rattle before. While I don't normally care, a soundproof shield was necessary."

  "Sorry," said Xander, smiling once more. "Forgot you were there again."

  Luka rolled his eyes. "Sure you did."

  "Who you fucking, Xander?" asked Wyatt.

  "Just some girl I met last night," he lied. "Who I will definitely be fucking again tonight." And he was pretty sure he still had some champagne somewhere ...

  "Hi, Luka," said Lona, walking up to them.

  Luka blushed. "Hi."

  "How was your New Year's?"

  "Fine," he said, glancing elsewhere. He spotted Finley standing by herself and hurried over to her.

  Wyatt looked confused, but Xander had to fight off another smile.

  "Did I do something wrong?" she asked, looking sadly at Xander.

  And the smile formed. Poor girl. If only she knew. "He just doesn't want you to get the wrong impression."

  Lona rolled her eyes. "Please. I was fully aware of what he was like before I followed him home that night."