"Not directly," Helios said as he turned his gaze toward Spider. "It would be enough for me if you catch him in a place where he can't hide it."
Spider looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, a slight smile playing on his lips. His gaze became interested. "How come you suddenly don't want to see anyone die anymore? Normally, you have a thing for it when I kill someone for you."
He was right. Normally, Helios couldn't tear his eyes away until the person who was dying was finally dead. He had always accepted death as a part of his life—almost as a fascination. Especially when he saw the flicker of life fading in the eyes of the dying. He loved the moment when their eyes lost focus, as if the soul was departing from the body. He loved watching them bleed out; he could never get enough of seeing the life drain from them. It was a masterpiece of impermanence.
A pleasant shiver ran through his body as he thought about how Dante's blood had dripped onto him. The painful expression on his face. The terror in his eyes as he looked down at Helios. Rarely had an approaching death been as beautiful as his.
Even though he had seemingly imagined it. It was an image that had dug deeply into his memory—one that refused to leave his mind.
Whenever he looked at Dante, that image would pop up before his inner eye. How beautiful it would have been if it had actually happened. But apparently, Helios himself had barely escaped death. His mind had distracted itself with something beautiful.
From a young age, Helios had been the target of kidnappings and assassination attempts. The guards who had been assigned to protect him had died in the process. Loss had been a constant part of his life. As a child, he had been terrified of leaving the estate, of stepping out into the streets beyond the safety of the house. But time and time again, he had been forced to go outside. The attacks, the threats, the constant dangers—they followed him relentlessly. More guards had died, and eventually...
...he couldn't get enough of seeing them die.
He had escaped death so many times, so often returning home unharmed. The gunshot wound he had suffered a few weeks ago was the first real injury he had ever endured. Eventually, the attacks had become fewer, and peace had settled in. But by that time, it had become too quiet for Helios. He had enough money from the jobs he did for his father to live comfortably.
It was this unrelenting urge to experience death that eventually led him, at the age of fourteen, to give his first killing orders. Through the Assassins' Guild, he had protected himself and, at the same time, eliminated those closest to him—his guards. No one had ever caught on, as he had always been the target of assassination attempts.
Everything had always been perfect.
There had been so many dead that he couldn't count them anymore. Helios sat atop a towering mound made of the bones of his fallen guards.
It didn't matter how many there had been. Just as irrelevant was how many more there would be.
And Spider had often complied with his wishes. Even if the guy annoyed him with his attitude, Spider knew how to do his job. Mostly, at least. Helios could count on Spider knowing what to do. That certainty had often reassured him.
The tingling still coursed through his veins. Whenever he was with the others, he had to always hold himself back and keep his thoughts locked away.
But with Spider, it was different. Spider not only knew his darkest secret, but he made sure Helios got his own way. He knew his deepest desires, knew more about Helios than anyone else. He wasn't just a tool, but a silent observer of his innermost cravings.
Helios wanted to see Dante bleed. He wanted to know what was wrong with him, or if there was something he was hiding. Dante was his test subject, and Helios would stop at nothing to uncover even the smallest secret about him.
"Haaaah..." Helios sighed, a diabolical grin twisting his face. "It's an experiment."
A creeping, dark pleasure filled him when he thought of Dante. Dante was more than just a target. He was the experiment, the test, the question to which he needed an answer. He wanted to uncover his secrets, drive him to the edge of madness, and then squeeze the truth from the smallest cracks in his facade.
He held back, though; he didn't want to reveal too much to Spider. He knew that the interest of the Assassins' Guild in him could be dangerous. Dante belonged to him—and nothing should stop him from finding out everything about this man. Helios no longer wanted to just quietly sit back and watch as events unfolded. He wanted to act, wanted the moment when everything was exposed.
He could no longer wait. Helios was growing impatient.
Spider approached him. He was taller than Helios by a good head, which made him almost imposing in direct comparison. Spider was the kind of man one didn't easily remember. His features were ordinary, not striking, his brown eyes set in a face that didn't linger in one's memory. His black, medium-length hair was neatly styled, complementing his nondescript appearance. An appearance that allowed him to blend into the shadows and yet be everywhere.
His skin was lightly tanned, like the coffee Helios preferred: black with a splash of milk. Spider was lean, with an athletic build. Beneath his colorful cloak, he wore his black combat suit and carried his weapons. There were no visible scars. Helios wasn't even sure if Spider had ever sustained any wounds.
Spider grabbed Helios by the chin and looked into his eyes with concern. "Did you hit your head, or what happened to the bloodthirsty pharmacist?"
Helios pulled himself free from Spider's grip and snorted in annoyance. "Cut the crap. Don't get me wrong, he's supposed to bleed. But he's not supposed to die. How you manage that is up to you."
"Now that sounds more like you. I was starting to fear that your macabre little show was coming to an end," Spider said, dramatically exhaling.
"This show will never end," Helios said with an intensity that gave his words more weight. "I love it too much, watching the constantly changing cast find their individual endings."
Spider looked at him thoughtfully. "Well, I don't care what I have to do to get my money," he said, crossing his arms. "So, who is it?" Spider asked in a businesslike tone.
"Dante," Helios answered simply. "My new guard."
"The muscle-bound guy?" Spider raised an eyebrow.
Helios nodded. "Exactly him."
"You don't care how I do it?"
"As long as the result is what I want."
Spider nodded. "Good, I'll of course take the job. When should I do it?"
"Wednesday. I'll be back at the clinic. Do it when we leave the clinic. Remember: Make sure he can't hide the wound."
"Leave that to me."
Helios was about to turn away when it suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't seen any of the Assassins when he had been shot. There was also another question burning on his tongue.
The thought of Davis' injury came to his mind so vividly as if it had just happened. Anger surged within him.
"One thing's been really bothering me," Helios said, taking a step toward Spider, tapping his finger against Spider's chest, and driving his index finger deep into his flesh. He hoped it hurt. "How come Davis was injured a few weeks ago?"
"Was he?" Spider seemed completely unimpressed, as though the question didn't concern him.
"He was," Helios replied sharply. "If that happens again, you can forget about your money. You've been given clear instructions, and I won't tolerate them being ignored a second time."
"Calm down, Helios, I wasn't even there," Spider said with an apologetic tone, though it sounded unconvincing.
The bastard was seriously trying to talk his way out of it. "Then tell me, which idiot couldn't follow the rules?" Helios said, the anger in his voice unmistakable. "They went at him in threes. What the hell happened?!"
Spider hesitated for a moment, then looked uncertain before finally saying, "I'll talk to the others."
"Who. Was. It?" Helios pressed, his anger unabated.
"I love it when you get angry. Really refreshing compared to your usual calm," Spider said sarcastically, then sighed. "Belladonna."
"Who's Belladonna? I've never heard that name before."
"New. I'll talk to him, okay? Actually, everyone knows your lover's not on the hit list. Even though I still don't get what you see in him." Spider now sounded calm, almost conciliatory, but a challenging grin played on his lips. "Although... maybe I do. After all, I've watched you two a lot when you…"
"That's none of your business," Helios snapped. A hot rush of color flooded his cheeks, and he felt his skin burn uncomfortably. He knew the Assassins were watching him around the clock. It was just that when he was with Davis, he often didn't think about his own actions. About the touches, the warmth, the intense moments he shared with him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
How many times had the Assassins watched them while they had sex? He couldn't change that now. Helios hoped they'd gotten their fill. Even though the thought of someone observing the intimate moments between him and Davis disturbed him.
He needed a distraction. So, he threw Spider a cool look.
"Where have you been all this time? I haven't heard from you in forever, and I thought you'd kicked the bucket."
"Aww, did you miss me?" Spider grinned mockingly.
"Does a cook miss his knifes while they are not needed? A tool is not a friend and highly exchangeable. Just ask my guards." Helios shot back sharply.
Spider raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did I hit a nerve or are you just in a bad mood?," he said with an smug smile. The arrogant grin returned, and Helios couldn't help but feel irritated with the guy.
Helios rolled his eyes in annoyance. Conversations with Spider often drove him up the wall. "Just remember," he threatened, his voice as sharp as a razor, "if you hurt Davis again, we're done."
Spider and the Guild loved the money he gave them for his assignments. They made more per job than an employee at the company earned in three months.
"As you know, I was shot a few weeks ago," Helios continued, his expression cold. "I had spoken with Griffin beforehand, and he was supposed to guarantee my protection for the party. So, what's the reason for my near-death experience?"
"It was an accident," Spider replied with a shrug, as if the matter didn't mean much.
Helios scoffed disdainfully. "Lately, too many mistakes are happening on your end."
"We were busy taking out the other assassins. There were just too many of them," Spider shrugged again, as if the explanation should be enough.
"So, you were there?" Helios asked, surprised.
Spider nodded calmly. "Yeah, I came back from my assignment that evening and then joined the mission."
Helios exhaled slowly. "If you were there, how could things escalate like that?"
"Because unforeseen things happened. Apart from the fact that they were there in quite large numbers," Spider explained bluntly, as if that was an adequate excuse.
"Things? What kind of things?" Helios raised an eyebrow, pressing for more details.
Spider threw him a cold, unyielding look. "I really like you, Helios, but those are internal matters. They don't concern you as the client."
Helios stared at him for a moment, a small but persistent fire of curiosity burning within him. But he knew that he, too, wasn't always forthcoming with every detail, so he eventually nodded. "Fine, we'll leave it at that."
He took his finger off Spider's chest and calmly pulled his mask over his face. At that moment, his decision was made: if anything happened to Davis again, he would personally make Spider and the Guild feel the consequences. He would personally snuff out Spider's lights.
"Then see you Wednesday," Helios said, turning to leave. "Better not screw up again."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure everything goes according to plan," Spider said, sounding almost too calm.
Helios gave him a cold smile, one that hung in the air like ice. "You should do it in your own interest. If something goes wrong, you'll be the one to answer for it."
Spider grinned and asked, amused, "Are you really threatening an assassin?"
Helios said nothing, continuing to smile at him until he finally turned and left the dark alley. Behind him, he heard Spider laughing until the festival swallowed all the sounds of the alley with its loud clamor.
He looked at his watch and sighed.
Davis and Dante must have noticed his disappearance by now.
He needed a damn good excuse.