Belladonna stood casually in the corridor. He had fixed his gaze on Helios; his eyes burned with a feral intensity that was almost beyond words. This was the first time Helios had seen him—until now, he had only heard Belladonna's voice. He could not help but stare at this damned bastard, memorizing every single detail of him.
His hair was a dark red, shoulder-length and tied back in a braid. His eyes, flecked with warm gold, swept over Helios like a predator's gaze. His physique was lean and muscular, exactly what you'd expect from an assassin. His skin was nearly as pale as Helios's own, revealing every scar he'd earned in his years as a killer. His expression was utterly insane, radiating a wildness Helios had never witnessed before.
Belladonna's scars were countless. One ugly slash ran from the corner of his lip, across his cheek, and ended where half his ear had been cut away.
Helios could only guess what lay hidden beneath Belladonna's black combat uniform.
Belladonna was unpredictable. Spider had warned him about Belladonna. His entire stance betrayed nothing of the man before him. The only thing Helios knew for certain was that appearances in this guy were dangerously deceptive. He seemed calm and relaxed—but that could change in an instant.
He had to be careful.
This was the man who had ripped Davis from him. The man who had murdered him, even though Helios hadn't even ordered the killing. The man whose mere existence triggered unforeseeable events.
Helios's hands shook.
He felt as if he couldn't catch his breath. His anger made breathing a struggle; he heard blood pounding in his ears. Every other sound seemed distant. Helios felt as though he were standing inside a tunnel—and at the end of that tunnel stood only Belladonna. It felt as if his chest were being constricted. Was he even breathing? Breathe… in… out…
Control…
He had to keep control.
But it was impossibly hard to stay in control when the man who had taken the most important person in his life was standing right in front of him. Helios's hand tightened around the scalpel. In that moment, nothing else mattered. He wanted to hurt Belladonna—here and now. He wanted to inflict unimaginable pain and watch him bleed out like a pig on a slaughter block.
He wanted revenge.
Helios took a step forward and was immediately held back by Dante.
"Helios, don't," Dante warned without looking at him.
Helios pressed his lips together; his eyes glowed with hatred. "Get out of my way," he spat.
"Think of your promise," Dante said. Then he sighed softly. "I'll handle him, and then you can have your fun."
Helios blinked several times. Had the moralizer just promised that he could hurt Belladonna to his heart's content?
But before he could think another thought, Belladonna sprang at them. His knife was buried deep in Dante's arm, his eyes locked onto Helios's. Pure madness shone in Belladonna's gaze. He was incredibly fast—and completely silent. Helios hadn't even noticed him moving.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Belladonna's voice was menacing. Then he twisted his face into a wide, almost manic grin. "But let's have a little fun before you answer, shall we?"
He struck again, driving the knife into Dante's side. Dante groaned in pain, grabbed Belladonna's wrist, and slammed him against the wall. Helios stumbled back a few steps.
"Go hide somewhere!" Dante yelled without taking his eyes off Belladonna.
Helios's gaze remained fixed on Belladonna. Reluctantly, he clenched his teeth and stepped back again. In a straight fight, he stood no chance against Belladonna—and Dante couldn't fight properly while he was protecting him.
"You have to catch him. No matter what. He must not get away, do you hear me?!" Helios called.
Dante merely nodded and parried Belladonna's next attack.
"What?! You're leaving already?" Belladonna called out, almost disappointed. He slashed wildly at Dante, who blocked the blade with his palm. The knife sliced through his hand as if it were butter.
"Just go!" Dante shouted. With his broad shoulders, he looked indestructible. Helios trusted Dante's skills—and besides, the musclebound brute was still immortal. He would only start to worry if Dante stayed down long enough for Belladonna to roam free.
"Stay alive!" Helios called as he finally turned and ran down the corridor.
"Don't just run away! I still have so many questions for you!" Belladonna shouted after him, then laughed and lunged at Dante again.
Suddenly, Helios felt a sharp pain in his thigh. He halted and stared at the knife stuck in the wall a few meters ahead of him. Blood dripped from its blade. Had that bastard really thrown a knife at him?!
Helios pressed his hand against the wound, seeing his jeans already soaked red. The cut was deep, but the blade had only grazed him. He could consider himself lucky it hadn't lodged in his thigh.
He needed to get away quickly and tend to the wound. Helios dashed into the next corridor to get out of the line of fire. After putting some distance between himself and the two fighters, he stopped, pulled a bandage from his bag and the hemostatic agent he'd developed months ago. He dressed the wound hastily and ran on. There was no time for proper care. He could stitch it up once they were safely out. The cut slowed his pace a little, but not nearly as much as he had feared.
While the loud rumble of battle echoed behind him, Helios's thoughts raced on without pause. Adrenaline surged through his veins. The two of them were far too loud—by now half the neighborhood had probably heard what was going on, and in the worst case, the police might already be on their way.
The guards…
…he should have put the guards to sleep. They'd decided against it, not only because it would have taken too long to cover their tracks, but also because they knew practically nothing about this company. How many guards patrolled on the night shift? How did they communicate? At what intervals did they check on everyone who was on duty?
It had been too risky, so they'd opted instead to sneak past the accountant—hoping to get everything done as quietly as possible, catch Belladonna off guard, and take him prisoner.
Helios had his theories about Belladonna—but he was more vile than anything Helios had expected.
It annoyed him. The meeting had been too spontaneous. He hadn't been able to prepare for any of this, and their spur-of-the-moment decisions were going to come back to haunt them. First the accountant; then he'd deal with the problem of the guards. And he still had to secure an escape route. There was a lot to do.
At least he'd brought enough sedatives for everyone. A small consolation.
He couldn't help otherwise—after all, he had to cover Dante's back somehow.
Helios clenched his fist. Spider was definitely going to hear about this once it was all over. He slowed his pace as he reached the hallway where the more important offices were located. The accountant had to be in one of these rooms.
The little sprint had left him a bit winded. He'd promised himself he'd train more after that gunshot wound—but he'd quickly given up. There had simply been too much going on.
He made an effort to move quietly and looked for the nameplate on the door bearing the accountant's name. At least that information was reliable. Spider had told him almost everything about the assignment—just not the client. Which was perfectly fine. Helios only cared about Belladonna and his target.
It didn't take long before he found the office. But the door was ajar. Damn. That could only mean the accountant already knew they were here. If he was alert, it would be difficult for Helios to surprise him and knock him out.
Something crashed loudly behind him. Helios rolled his eyes. With that racket, he might as well have forgotten about sneaking up.
He peered into the room—but the desk was empty. What would he do if he heard something loud and completely out of the ordinary? He'd hide and wait for a good opportunity to strike. Fine. So what would someone do who wasn't ready to kill? Probably wait for a chance to bolt.
The only question was whether the accountant was still in his office or not. There was only one way to find out: he had to go in. Helios's thoughts raced. If he snuck in, the element of surprise would be on the accountant's side—and Helios could attack.
It would be better if the surprise were on his side.
Helios took a deep breath and pressed his ear against the door. No sound. All he heard was the din of Dante and Belladonna still fighting in the corridor behind him.
He closed his eyes briefly, checked his syringes, and then kicked the door open. The cut in his thigh protested with a sharp stab of pain that immediately subsided into that unpleasant throbbing. He dropped his case quickly as he stepped inside and looked around. He hadn't heard any startled outcry. Nothing suggested anyone else was in the room. He scanned it and confirmed it was indeed empty.
Helios let out a quiet curse.
If the accountant had already fled, he needed to find him fast. Then again, if he'd escaped… that was fine too. He wouldn't be in their way, and half the neighborhood probably already knew what was happening.
They couldn't dally with Belladonna much longer. The longer this took, the sooner the police would arrive. There'd be plenty of time to play later.
Instead, he should secure an escape route and hold off the guards so Dante could capture Belladonna in peace. It wouldn't hurt to check the office and the restrooms, at least.
Spider had told them about only one stairwell, which they'd used to get up here. So there could be at most one emergency exit the accountant might have taken.
Helios looked around the office. Papers were strewn across the desk; the chair had barely been shoved aside, and no one was hiding under the desk. He glanced at the cabinets—there wasn't enough room in any to conceal a person.
So the accountant definitely wasn't in this room.
Helios considered his next move and decided to check the restrooms quickly. If he returned to Dante, he'd distract him too much. He could handle the guards—after all, he was big, strong, and immortal.
Helios turned toward the door and reached for his case when a brutal kick landed in his gut. Suddenly he flew backward, his back slamming against the floor, and he curled up, coughing. Both arms wrapped around his aching torso. The pain was unbearable, and it felt impossible to draw a proper breath. Whoever had kicked him: he wouldn't be showing his body to Thomas for days.
Damn, why was he thinking about what Thomas would think right now?! He had to get up and make sure he got away. Staying on the floor was absolutely not an option. He had to do something, and fast. Helios struggled to sit up—but before he could, someone grabbed his hair, and moments later he was looking straight into Belladonna's golden eyes. Helios let out a painful cry.
"I'm here. I hope you haven't gotten too bored in the meantime!" Belladonna said, self-satisfied. He was smeared with blood and wore a grin Helios could only call utterly insane. "Your buddy didn't make it, I'm afraid—but he asked me to send you his final regards."
A wave of nausea hit Helios and a chill ran down his spine. If Belladonna was standing here with him, Dante was dead. He let his hand slip into his coat pocket, hoping Belladonna wouldn't notice.
The assassin let his gaze drift around the room. He looked annoyed, then clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"You idiots really screwed everything up—even though I had a date set up with the accountant here," he sighed.
As if on cue, the accountant crept out from behind the door, trying to slip past Belladonna. With one swift motion, Belladonna flung a knife at him. It struck the man's throat, and with a gurgle he collapsed to the floor.
What a show-off. In that regard, Belladonna reminded Helios of another assassin he knew.
Belladonna hadn't even looked at the accountant; his gaze had stayed fixed on Helios the entire time. That quick, effortless kill drove home exactly how precarious his situation was.
He had to buy time.
The longer he could keep Belladonna occupied, the more likely Dante could turn up to save him. Helios curled his fingers around one of the syringes hidden in his coat pocket. He needed to remove the cap without making a sound—and, ideally, without Belladonna noticing he was planning something. The assassin was just too fast.
"Oh really? I hope he at least gave you a good final fight," Helios said casually, even though his side ached and it felt like his scalp was being ripped off with his hair.
Belladonna smiled. "He wasn't bad, but a bit slow for my taste," the assassin replied. His expression turned curious. "It doesn't seem like your friend's death bothers you much."
Helios snorted. "I pay my people to die."
Belladonna laughed out loud and pulled Helios even closer. "I haven't met someone like you in a long time. Let's see if you're still that cool once we've chatted a bit."
Suddenly, he stomped down with full force on Helios's hand in his pocket. Helios had just managed to remove the syringe cap unnoticed. His hand was crushed between Belladonna's boot and the syringe. The pain was excruciating—but he would never give this assassin the satisfaction of hearing him scream.
He would never bow to this bastard. Not after Davis had been killed, not after everything Belladonna had done to him.
"Go ahead and try," Helios growled, giving Belladonna a look full of hatred.
"Wow, that's a look you don't see every day. Almost scary," Belladonna grinned.
His expression was utterly insane. Helios knew the assassin had nothing good in mind.
Before he knew it, Belladonna dragged him over, threw him into the accountant's chair, and calmly tied him up. His arms were bound to the chair's armrests, his legs to its legs, and his torso to the back. Helios didn't struggle—he hadn't a chance against the assassin in a contest of strength. The bastard even hummed some stupid tune as he restrained Helios.
Helios tested moving his limbs—but nothing. He couldn't budge an inch.
These restraints are damn tight. No way to wiggle even a bit…
"Well?" Belladonna asked as he stood upright and looked down at Helios. "Why did you two come here? I'm dying to know what brings you."
The clock on the office wall ticked. Helios could only imagine what awaited him. Though Belladonna was unpredictable, he would almost certainly inflict pain. He didn't strike Helios as someone who enjoyed torturing victims with words.
Time. He had to play for time.
Dante was his only trump card against Belladonna. He'd have to endure everything until his immortal savior arrived.
"Now that's a very good question, isn't it?" Helios answered, unfazed.
Belladonna smiled at him—and slapped him across the face. Helios tasted blood from the blow. The assassin straightened up and paced thoughtfully before him, as if nothing had happened.
"You know…" Belladonna continued with a flourish of his hand, "…it's strange you'd show up here today. No one was supposed to know I had a job tonight. Only a very few were in the loop. Who sent you?"
"Also an interesting question," Helios replied with a smile. "Unfortunately, I can't answer that. I'm not about to give up my business partner. He's still useful, you know?"
Belladonna's grin only grew wider. In a heartbeat, he snatched up his knife and dragged the blade across Helios's chest—not deeply enough to kill, but deep enough to hurt. Helios clenched his teeth, trying to keep from crying out, but a painful groan slipped out.
"You do realize you won't survive this, right?" Belladonna asked slyly.
Helios smirked as sweat ran down his forehead. "Oh really? Then there's even less reason for me to tell you everything. Didn't anyone ever teach you how to negotiate?"
"Nope, that was too boring for me as a young assassin," Belladonna replied, rolling his eyes. He then looked at Helios expectantly. "Besides, there's more than one way to get information."
"And what might those be?"
"I could inflict so much pain on you that you'd talk just to make it stop," Belladonna suggested.
Helios rolled his eyes. "Sounds like that's your only option."
Belladonna grinned widely; the thick scar running from his lip across his cheek twisted grotesquely. "We've even got a bit of time before morning breaks."
"Aren't you worried the guards will interrupt us?" Helios asked.
The cuts in his thigh and chest burned unpleasantly. The hand the assassin had just crushed with his boot throbbed painfully. He really wasn't keen on feeling torture firsthand—after all, he was meant to wield the scalpel, not be on the receiving end. This was wrong in so many ways.
The ticking of the clock on the wall was mercilessly steady. Time seemed to stretch on forever. Belladonna had been in the room with him for maybe two minutes. What real damage could he do before Dante showed up?
The assassin's smile turned ominous. "No. You see, I killed every single person in this building. You and I are the only ones left breathing."
At least the guards wouldn't bother them. Helios just had to wait for Dante. It wouldn't be long before he woke up. If he could keep Belladonna distracted by talking, all the better.
"Though I'm not exactly known for my patience," Belladonna said—and without warning plunged his knife into Helios's right hand.
Helios screamed, even though he'd vowed not to give this bastard the satisfaction of hearing him in pain. He couldn't help it. Damn, he'd rarely had to endure such agony!
Helios focused on his breathing and forced himself to ignore the pain.
"Has anyone ever told you how boring conversations with you are when you keep asking the same questions?" Helios asked with a cold smile. He tried to mask the tremor in his voice but suspected he wasn't succeeding.
Dante would be here soon to stop Belladonna at last.
The assassin snorted and yanked the knife from Helios's hand with a wrenching pull. Helios gasped sharply.
"This is getting old," Belladonna observed.
Helios made a face and seized on the provocation. "We haven't even been 'having fun' for five minutes, and you're already impatient? Who knew you'd lose your cool so fast," he retorted with a sneer.
But if Belladonna was this restless already, how long until he snapped completely? He'd been "torturing" him for less than five minutes, and his mood was already souring. Unlike Helios—who'd quite enjoyed torturing that researcher back then—Helios had the distinct sense that it wouldn't be long before Belladonna actually killed him.
And that… would be really bad.
Helios never broke eye contact with Belladonna. Even though he couldn't do much, he wanted at least to anticipate the moment when Belladonna would lose control completely. He remembered Spider once telling him that Belladonna had been the one to give him the gunshot wound.
As if on cue, he felt an unpleasant tug in the scar that had nearly cost him his life back then. The fresh cuts pulsed with dull pain.
He couldn't block out the pain—everything just hurt. But it was okay… just a little longer…
Helios fought the urge to stare at the clock on the wall, its ticking relentless. He couldn't reveal that he was waiting for something—or someone.
"Hmm… you're a tough one. It's been a while since I interrogated someone who didn't soil themselves out of fear," Belladonna said, sounding more annoyed than amused.
His mood swung almost by the second. It was hard for Helios to see past his façade—and even harder to find words that might stop him before he inflicted more damage. He'd have to hold back and avoid provoking Belladonna further. Maybe it would be better to adapt his strategy to Belladonna's mood.
The assassin studied him thoughtfully. With a quick flick of his hand, pain exploded in Helios's left hand.
Helios screamed until he couldn't breathe. His vision blurred with agony; a tear ran down his cheek. It took him a moment to regain composure. Something felt terribly wrong—something deep inside recoiled at looking at what Belladonna had done to him.
But he had to. When Dante arrived, he'd have to face his wounds anyway.
Yet Helios barely heard him—his words seemed distant, lost in the haze of pain. He stared at his hand—or rather, what remained of it. The clock ticked on as blood pulsed from where his ring finger and little finger had been connected just seconds before.
So Belladonna intended to cut him apart piece by piece?
Dante, hurry…, Helios thought in despair.
He really didn't want to lose any more body parts before his savior arrived.
Helios clenched his teeth and lifted his gaze to Belladonna's self-satisfied face, now splattered with Helios's blood. He looked triumphant, as if he'd finally found the key to breaking Helios.
That damned assassin looked so proud that Helios relished the thought of breaking him in return. He would make him pay for everything he'd done—slowly, savoring every moment, again and again. Belladonna thought he had Helios in his grasp. But he had no idea what awaited him.
Helios couldn't suppress the laughter bubbling up in his throat. He didn't want to. So he laughed. He let go of the pain in anticipation of the foolish expression Belladonna would soon wear—when he realized it was Belladonna who was trapped, and there was no escape.
Pain exploded as Belladonna drove his blade into Helios's gut. The laughter died on his lips. Belladonna withdrew the blade and thrust it in again. Helios made no sound. Disbelieving, he stared down at the wound from which his blood poured.
Far too quickly it left his body.
No. No. No. No. No….
This was bad… though he hadn't expected anything else from this mad clown.
"I'm losing my patience," Belladonna hissed, then smiled coldly at Helios. "Actually, it doesn't matter. I'll find out who sent you—dead or alive. Maybe I'll just take your heads with me and see where they lead. How's that sound?"
Helios spat blood. "Stupid idea. Everyone knows my face…" he coughed. The pain was unbearable. Helios forced himself to lift his gaze and look Belladonna in the eye. "…it's surprising you don't know who I am…"
Helios's chin dropped as he felt strength drain from his body.
So this was how he was to die? Defenseless, hoping Dante would come to save him? Killed by the man who had already taken so much?
He heard his blood drip onto the floor.
That was it… Dante would remain immortal forever, and Helios would never again do what he loved most. And he'd be reunited with Davis sooner than he'd hoped.
Would I ever see you again…? Grief settled in Helios's fading consciousness. He really should stop hoping. He would never see Davis again—when would he finally accept that?
Someone grabbed his hair and forced his head up. Helios gave a quiet moan. Golden, insane eyes stared into his. His breathing came in ragged gasps.
"Well, it depends on the effort, doesn't it? Don't worry—I'll dispose of your pretty head when it starts to smell."
Helios snorted weakly. He felt Belladonna press the blade against his throat. His gaze drifted to a dark shape looming behind Belladonna. A large, muscular figure that reminded Helios painfully of Davis.
"I love you…" he murmured. His eyes grew heavy; he could no longer keep them open.
"What?" Belladonna asked, confused.
"Helios! You have to stay with me!" Dante called out desperately.
He really was here? Helios hadn't imagined it? He tried to open his eyes but found it nearly impossible. Helios heard a gurgling sound, and moments later felt warm hands on his face.
A familiar scent drifted into his nose.
He sighed softly. Dante was really here with him.
"Helios. Hey, please wake up," Dante said as he brushed his hand against Helios's cheek.
"You… are too late…" Helios whispered.
"I know… damn it, I know!" Dante cursed desperately. "Wait, I'll get you free!"
The bindings began to loosen one by one. The tangled ropes and leather straps clacked as they fell away.
"Dante…" Helios whispered weakly.
"Don't talk! I'm helping you right now, you're getting out of here!" Dante promised.
Knot by knot, Dante worked the tight bindings free, until at last Helios's hand was released.
Helios blinked. The pain was suddenly so distant—everything felt numb.
"Look… at me…" Helios demanded.
Dante…
He was dying. Why had he been so stubborn all this time? He had felt so lonely after Davis and Penelope had left him, and he'd had nothing better to do than fight with the only person who still seemed to truly care about him.
Dante had once confessed his love to him, and in recent weeks he'd caught himself looking at Dante so many times. How empty the bed beside him had felt, and how much he'd yearned for the warmth of that damned musclebound man.
He had never allowed himself to truly let Dante into his life, and he deeply regretted that he never had. It wasn't the same love he'd felt for Davis. Even now, as he was dying, he had no real idea what he felt for Dante.
But he cared for him more than words could express.
Dante lifted Helios's face.
He would never again be able to help Dante become mortal.
"Helios…" Dante whispered.
Was he crying? No, that couldn't be, but Helios could no longer see.
He forced his eyes open with difficulty and, with trembling hand, reached for Dante's arm. With the last bit of strength he had left, he pulled himself toward Dante until their foreheads touched.
"Sorry…" he whispered, before pressing his lips to Dante's for far too brief a moment and slipping into unconsciousness.
Darkness enveloped him.
At least he had managed to apologize.