another bomb in what was already a blitz zone of blowups. First there had been Tohr, Wellsie, and that young female. Now this.
"Jesus, Z..." Wrath rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "You didn't think to mention this before now?"
"We've had other shit to deal with. Besides, I'm meeting with the slayer by myself no matter what you say. It's really not up for discussion."
"Z, man... I can't let you do that."
Phury braced for his twin's reaction. As did the others in the room. They were all exhausted, but knowing Z, he'd have enough juice left over to hit the fan.
The brother just shrugged. "The lesser wants me, and I want to take care of him. For Bella. For Tohr. Besides, what about the female hostage? I can't not go, and backup's not an option."
"My brother, you'd be walking into your coffin."
"So I'll do a hell of a lot of damage before they take me out."
Wrath crossed his arms over his chest. "No, Z, I can't let you go."
"They'll kill that female."
"There's another way to handle this. We just need to figure out what it is."
There was a heartbeat of a pause. Then Z said, "I want everyone out of this room so I can talk to Wrath. Except you, Phury. You stay."
Butch, Vishous, and Rhage looked around at one another, then focused on the king. When he nodded once, they left.
Z shut the door behind them and stayed with his back to the thing. "You can't stop me. I am ahvenging my shellan. I am ahvenging the shellan of my brother. You have no standing to prevent me. This is my right as a warrior."
Wrath cursed. "You never mated her."
"I don't need a ceremony to know she's my shellan."
"Z?quot;
"And what about Tohr? Are you saying he's not my brother? Because you were there the night I was brought into the Black Dagger Brotherhood. You know Tohrment is flesh of my flesh now. I own the right to ahvenge him as well."
Wrath leaned back in his chair, his weight making the thing creak in protest. "Christ, Zsadist, I'm not saying you can't go. I just don't want you to go alone."
Phury looked back and forth between the two of them. He'd never seen Zsadist so calm. The brother was focused to the point of stone, nothing but clearsighted eyes and deadly purpose. If it weren't so eerie, it would have been remarkable.
"I didn't make up the rules of this scenario," Z said.
"You'll die if you go by yourself."
"Well... I'm kind of ready to get off the ride."
Phury felt his skin get tight all over.
"Excuse me?" Wrath hissed.
Z stepped away from the door and walked through the dainty French room. He stopped in front of the fire, and the flames ricocheted off his ruined face. "I'm ready to end things."
"What the hell are you - "
"I want to go out like this, and I want to take that lesser with me when I do. Real blaze-of-glory shit. Up in flames with mine enemy."
Wrath's mouth went lax. "Are you asking me to sanction your suicide?"
Z's head went back and forth. "No, because short of chaining me, you aren't going to keep me from showing up at that movie theater tonight. What I'm asking you to do is make sure no one else gets hurt. I want you to command the others, especially him" - Z looked pointedly at Phury - "to stay away."
Wrath took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes again. When he looked up, his pale green irises glowed, the disks like floodlights in his face. "There's been too much death in the Brotherhood. Don't do this."
"Have to. Going to. So order the others to stay away."
There was a long, tense silence. Then Wrath gave the only answer he had. "So be it."
With the wheels set in motion for Z's death, Phury leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. He thought of the taste of Bella's blood, and that very special spice his tongue had detected.
"I'm sorry."
As he felt Wrath and Z look over at him, he realized he'd spoken out loud. He got to his feet. "I'm sorry, will you both excuse me?"
Zsadist frowned. "Wait. I need something from you."
Phury stared at his twin's face, tracing the scar that intersected it, absorbing the nuances in a way he never had before. "Name it."
"Promise me you will not leave the Brotherhood after I'm gone." Z pointed to Wrath. "And do it over his ring."