Helios took a sip of cold coffee and leaned back on the uncomfortable wooden chair with a weary sigh. Absentmindedly, he let his gaze wander over the glass on the table, in which D still lay dead – motionless, as if even death refused to offer any answers. They had spent another three days combing through the city, searching every corner for clues. But every evening they returned empty-handed.
He had spoken again with the librarian – a strange man with too much interest in him and too little in actually helping. When it came to past events, he was a walking archive, but beyond that, he was utterly useless. On top of that, he seemed firmly convinced that Helios was into him. All because Helios had flirted with him to get the necessary information. The man had started seeking physical contact, repeatedly trying to grab his hand. So it had become necessary to give the library a wide berth.
Fortunately, they had now made their way through every report that could be even remotely useful. Dante had proven surprisingly helpful. He read more slowly than Helios, but his ability to recognize relevant details was impressive. He had also befriended the innkeeper – a stroke of luck, since the man was a walking rumor mill. What he knew, no outsider would ever find out without living in Soley and talking to half the town every day.
The innkeeper didn't know anything about a group of researchers either, but he had picked up a few things. It was only because of him that they'd eaten at the same tavern every evening for the past four days.
Helios rubbed the spot between his brows – they had to approach this differently. They had to change their strategy. They only had a few days left in Soley before they had to return to Penelope and their usual routine. Helios wanted to avoid putting Spider on the case. The whole situation was just plain frustrating.
Helios was used to things bending to his will. In his lab, he had control. When developing a new formula, he worked through every failure until the result was right. No matter how long it took. But he had never faced such a long and frustrating dry spell.
He longed for his lab. For the sterile order of Aeternum Pharmaceuticals. For the secret basement of his estate. For his poisons, his instruments – for his old life. He even missed his bed. And his suitcase. The old suitcase that had accompanied him for years had simply… vanished. Dissolved into nothing. The shoulder bag was a poor consolation, no real replacement.
Physically, the past weeks had also taken their toll. The gunshot wound was healing poorly. No infection, but constant pain – despite all the painkillers. His neck still bore the marks of the assassin's fingers, their prints still visible. Without a scarf, he could hardly leave the hotel. At least his voice was usable again – unlike back when Dante had choked him. Small mercies.
And as for the rats – he was making no progress there either.
He had already tested several versions of the serum. He had fed the rats Dante's blood and varied the timeframes in which the serum was supposed to take effect. But the rats remained dead. He only had two more attempts left—at least as far as their time in Soley was concerned. Two living rats left, and only three more days to stay here. Each rat that died meant another day had passed.
It annoyed Helios. He needed the damn formula. He had to know how immortality had come into existence. He needed everything. The original formula and how it had been altered. He needed Dante's file, if it still existed. He had to know what medications they had fed the soldiers back then, and he had to find out whether there were more immortals like Dante.
Or if he really was the only one.
In his head, Helios went over what he had already modified in the serum and what he had yet to try. He walked over to his suitcase to mix a new version of it. He was starting to run out of ideas—especially with the limited resources available to him here in Soley. He only had the basic compounds. No poisons. Nothing that could even remotely be called a helpful substance.
He exhaled in frustration. If he didn't come up with a useful approach soon, his impatience would probably drive him to do something he shouldn't. Though, at least he could always take his frustration out on Dante. It had been a while, after all, since the last time he killed him.
"Another failure?" Dante asked.
Helios nodded. "I'm running out of options."
He grabbed E to inject him with the new serum.
"You don't usually look this frustrated," Dante remarked.
Helios sighed. "Is it that obvious?" he asked, annoyed. Then he looked at Dante, whose reddish-brown eyes were watching him with a gentle gaze. "I am frustrated. My options are limited, and I can't get the materials I actually need."
He could feel Dante's eyes on him. Ever since the night of the nightmare—when he had been more than a little emotionally shaken—it felt like Dante's gaze had been constantly fixed on him.
Helios had given in to that moment of weakness, had allowed the kiss to happen, and surrendered to Dante's warmth. He had enjoyed how Dante's large hands felt on him, and for the first time since Davis' death, he had felt safe.
But he couldn't. His mind refused to accept what his body seemed to want. His body longed to give in to Dante, but his mind kept going back to Davis. Damn it, it had only been a few weeks since Davis had died, and already the mere thought of Dante felt like a betrayal.
The kiss had shaken him. The fact that he had enjoyed it haunted him. Helios condemned himself for having relished Dante's touch. He hated himself for touching him in return—and for wanting nothing more than to explore that strong, muscular body with his hands.
Only his usual mask of indifference and cold self-control helped him keep some distance from it all.
But even that did nothing to erase how the kiss had felt.
He tried to file it away as a momentary lapse. Something that time would smooth over, given enough of it. But time alone wasn't a cure—not when Dante was constantly nearby. Not when every glance, every gesture, every touch silently recalled that night. And the worst part: Helios couldn't avoid him. He was his bodyguard. And he was the key to a mystery that robbed Helios of sleep—immortality.
His thirst for knowledge was stronger than any emotional defense. He couldn't simply send Dante away—neither professionally nor personally. And if he was being honest with himself, part of him didn't even want to. No matter how much he resisted, that quiet, defiant voice inside him wouldn't go silent.
That night stood between them. No matter how hard Helios tried to act normal around Dante, he could see that Dante was still thinking about it. He saw it in his eyes, in the way he spoke to him. He'd caught him more than once reaching out—only to pull his hand back at the last second.
It would've been so much easier if Dante would just make the decision for him. If he simply took what he wanted. If he overwhelmed Helios, forced him to surrender. Took the responsibility from him. Stole the choice away. Just held him in those strong arms until it was over, until all Helios could do was fall asleep next to him, exhausted.
But Dante wasn't like that.
Dante wouldn't do that. He was principled and respectful. Even after his confession, he seemed afraid to bring it up again. Maybe he wanted to give Helios time to think about it—or maybe he was just respecting what Helios had told him: to forget it. Either way, Dante didn't push.
And for that, Helios both cursed and respected him.
He would have to talk to Dante about it. Helios knew it was something he had to do. But he wouldn't—couldn't—until he had sorted through his own thoughts. Once he knew what he wanted, once he figured out how he wanted to handle Dante, he would speak to him. But first, he needed control—at least over his emotional world.
It was already midday, and unusually, he was feeling hungry. Maybe it was the frustration. He was especially craving something sweet, even though sweets normally weren't his thing. He turned back to Dante, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I'm hungry. How about we go grab a bite to eat?" Helios suggested.
Dante raised a skeptical brow. "You want to eat now? Are you sick?"
"No. Just frustrated," Helios replied, annoyed. "Seriously, Dante—if I don't eat something soon, I'm going to be in an even worse mood."
"Then let's make sure you get something in your stomach," Dante said with a smile.
___
Helios had chosen a larger restaurant in the heart of the city—not just because his hunger was becoming unbearable, but also because it was a perfect spot to observe the people around them. Maybe, he hoped, a conversation or a face would lead him to a new clue. An idea, a hint—something. Unfortunately, their wanted researchers didn't wear bright lab coats or glowing warning signs. They blended in as seamlessly as anyone else in the crowd. And that was exactly what made them so hard to find.
After devouring a generous portion of pasta, Helios treated himself to a massive ice cream sundae—chocolate with hazelnut brittle, vanilla, and a generous helping of whipped cream. Thomas would've been proud of the amount he was putting away. He missed the old man—and the coffee he used to make.
Dante watched him polish off the giant sundae.
"Feeling at least a little better now?" he asked, an amused smile flickering across his face.
Helios grimaced. "Not even close," he growled, staring at the now half-empty bowl of ice cream. "We've combed through the entire city. Every damn corner. We've checked practically every building and all the obvious spots. And still, we've come up with nothing. What are we missing?"
"I really couldn't say. Do you think we should check the mass graves outside the city?" Dante suggested thoughtfully.
"If we don't find anything today, then yes. But it's too late to head out now," Helios said, stuffing another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He sighed. "If only we had some kind of lead!"
Frustrated, he stabbed his spoon into the ice cream again and shoved the overfilled scoop into his mouth. As he considered what they should do next, a nearby conversation caught his attention. He kept eating, silently shifting his focus to the voices behind him.
"…I really wonder why we're still even trying…"
"You heard him: 'We're close to a breakthrough!'"
"Hah. Keep dreaming. At least the pay's decent."
"If it weren't, I'd be long gone. Working in that bunker wears you down."
"You think Jackson's right? That we'll actually find something soon?"
"If it were up to Jackson, we'd have a hundred results by now."
Helios rubbed the spot between his eyes. This couldn't actually be happening. How cliché could it get? He was eating ice cream out of sheer frustration, and now potential researchers just happened to walk into the exact same place they were sitting in?
"Did you eat your ice cream too fast?" Dante asked.
Helios shook his head and brought a finger to his lips to silence Dante. He subtly pointed in the direction where he had heard the conversation. Dante followed his gesture, disbelief flickering across his face.
"I could go for a coffee," Helios said, his voice cool and calculated. "How about you?"
"Coffee sounds pretty great," Dante replied, his smile mirroring Helios' intent.
Helios didn't care how they'd gotten this stroke of luck. All that mattered was the outcome—and if fate had decided to drop a few people in their lap worth following, then he would gladly take it.
Suddenly, the ice cream tasted even better, and his frustration vanished in an instant. Soon, he'd finally have all the answers in his hands. He would take Dante's immortality from him, just as he'd promised, kill Belladonna, and then do whatever the hell he wanted.
A diabolical smile spread across his face.
These were exactly the kind of developments he liked—and with a bit of luck, he might even be holding the formula to Dante's immortality before the night was over.
___
After they had ordered their coffee, Helios paid right away so they could leave at any moment to follow the people behind them. It didn't take long before the group got up and headed off to return to their work. Helios would've been surprised if they had stayed longer than an hour.
Helios and Dante followed them discreetly—or at least as discreetly as one could while accompanied by a nearly two-meter-tall warrior.
"You're way too tall for this kind of thing," Helios sighed quietly.
"I'm a fighter, not a damn spy," Dante replied just as softly.
"Maybe I should follow them alone and you keep your distance, or they really will notice us."
"There's no way you're following them alone," Dante said firmly. "Things have been quiet the past few days, but what if you get attacked and I'm not close enough?"
"Then I'll run," Helios said, a bit defiant—though they both knew his stamina wasn't great, even without his battered throat. Dante gave him a doubtful look.
"Right. Sure. No. I'm staying with you."
Helios rolled his eyes. "Then at least try not to look so obvious when you walk."
"Should I hide behind a lamppost, or what exactly do you have in mind?" Dante asked dryly.
"No, but you could stop walking like a killer on the hunt for his next victim. If one of them turns around and catches your look, they'll think you're about to rip their heads off," Helios said lightly.
He honestly wouldn't have minded capturing the guys, interrogating them, and making them disappear afterward. Dante looked at him in surprise—the angry expression on his face fading.
"What do you mean?"
"You look like you want to kill them. Way too obvious," Helios said. The researchers weren't heading toward the mass graves but instead in the complete opposite direction. "Damn it, where are they going?"
"Isn't the library in that direction?" Dante pointed out.
"Well, wouldn't that be a funny coincidence," Helios said sarcastically.
They hadn't really looked closely at the library. On the one hand, because they'd mainly wanted to review reports and maps—and because Helios had spent most of the time flirting with the librarian.
But Dante was right. They were heading straight for the library.
Helios quickly wondered if he had asked the librarian anything too obvious. But he couldn't remember anything like that. Most of their conversation had been about the war era, and he'd asked about what had happened in the city since its reconstruction.
Nothing too specific.
Just before the two men reached the entrance, Helios clenched his teeth.
"If we run into the librarian, you follow the guys alone. Don't do anything reckless. Just see where they go and try to figure out how far we can follow them," Helios hissed.
"Don't worry, I'm not going in there without you. I wouldn't even know what I'm supposed to be looking for," Dante assured him.
Helios gave him a nod. "Then let's hurry before we lose them."
They rushed after the men, but as soon as they entered the building, the two had vanished. There were simply too many bookshelves. Helios cursed under his breath. He looked around quickly, but couldn't spot them anymore. He was breathing hard—even the short sprint had drained him. He still wasn't back in shape.
"Where did they—" Dante began, but Helios clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Quiet," he hissed.
He focused on the sounds within the library. There were a few people around; he heard the familiar sound of pages turning and quiet conversations. But he wasn't a damn bloodhound—how was he supposed to track them down?
Then he heard soft laughter—similar to the one he'd heard at the restaurant. Helios grabbed Dante's hand and pulled him with him.
The laughter had come from the right, so that was the direction they would go until they found them. They reached the next bookshelf—and sure enough, there they were. The men were standing in front of a door, and one of them was unlocking it. The other was just starting to turn around. Helios cursed inwardly. Before the guy could spot them, he turned his back to the bookshelf and tried to pull Dante in close. But that mountain of muscle was simply too strong.
"Dante, hug me. Now!" Helios hissed.
Without hesitation, Dante wrapped his arms around him and pressed him up against the shelf. His face was just inches away, his breath warm against Helios' ear.
"You really think this'll distract them?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerously quiet. Helios could hear his heartbeat.
A shiver ran down Helios' spine. The vibration of Dante's voice so close made his skin prickle with goosebumps. He heard a disgusted snort from the direction of the two researchers. Helios slipped an arm around Dante's neck.
"Apparently," he whispered. He glanced over just in time to see the two disappearing through the door. "Quick, before it closes!"
Dante released him and darted toward the door. Helios was just about to follow when a now familiar voice behind him said his name.
"Helios?"
He froze. Of course. The librarian had found him again.
Helios gave Dante a quick nod, signaling him to keep going, while he himself turned with a dazzling smile to face the librarian approaching him. The door behind him clicked shut quietly. At least Dante was inside. That was what mattered most.
"Hello, beautiful. I was hoping to see you," Helios said in a velvet-soft voice.
The librarian blushed immediately—the man was an open book.
"I saw you and your colleague come in earlier and wanted to check on you," he said, glancing around. "Where'd he go?"
"Children's section. He wants to bring his niece a book but can't decide which one," Helios lied with a smile. "Do you have a little time? I'm not interested in kids' books in the slightest and I'd much rather have another cup of your delicious tea," he purred. He stepped toward the librarian, linked arms with him, and walked off with him.
"Won't your colleague come looking for you?"
Helios shrugged. "Maybe, but he's a big boy. He'll find me eventually. Why don't you tell me how you've been and what you've been up to?"
The librarian placed his hand on Helios' arm.
"But only if you tell me how you're enjoying the city," he said with a smile.
Helios gave him a sweet smile in return. "Then I hope you've got enough tea. I've explored just about everything by now."
___
Exhausted, Helios let himself fall onto the bed. His whole body felt drained, as if someone had used a pipette to suck out his life force. Dante had taken much longer than expected, and the librarian… the librarian had enjoyed their time together far too much.
Helios looked down at his arms, which he had scrubbed almost raw. He could still feel those damp, bony fingers on his skin. The thought that that man had touched him made him shudder. He would have torn off his own skin if he could.
Hopefully, he wouldn't have to cozy up to the librarian too often again.
"Aren't you at least going to dry your hair before getting into bed?" Dante asked, settling onto his side of the bed.
Helios closed his eyes briefly. "In a second," he said tiredly, then looked at Dante. "I want to know what you found out."
They hadn't had a chance to talk about it on the way back to the hotel. Helios sat up and began rubbing his hair dry.
Dante took a breath. "Not much. Behind the door is a hallway that leads to a few locked rooms and then to a staircase. The door has to be unlocked from the library side—once you're in the hallway, you can just open it. The two of them went down the stairs, but I couldn't follow any further. There are guards stationed down there. I was lucky they didn't recognize me."
"Were they armed?"
"Yes."
"Shit."
"Exactly. There's no way we're getting down there easily. Not without a fight. I checked everything I could without being seen, but that seems to be the only way in."
Helios left the towel draped over his shoulders. Sitting cross-legged, he rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. That was the first and only lead they'd found in the past several days. They had to follow it. If there were guards posted down there, something important was definitely being kept hidden.
Why else would there be armed guards in a library? Which meant he'd have to spend more time with the librarian. Helios exhaled in frustration. There was no way around it, and it was a task only he could do. If Dante were caught, at least he could fight back.
"He's eating out of my hand. I can distract him any time."
"Yeah, I noticed," Dante said. He rubbed the back of his neck and avoided eye contact.
"Believe me, Dante, if I had the choice, I wouldn't spend another second with that guy. He's… clingy," Helios snorted, clearly irritated.
Dante looked guilty.
"I'll try to find a way in tomorrow," he promised.
"Don't rush it. We still have three days. If it turns out there's truly no other way in besides the one guarded route, we'll have to fall back and come up with a proper plan. Right now, we don't have the resources or the means to just barge in," Helios cautioned.
"And what's the point if we don't break in within the next few days? Do you have an idea?" Dante asked, a little dejected.
Helios sighed. "I do—but it's one I don't particularly like."
"What is it?" Dante asked carefully.
Irritated, Helios ran a hand through his hair. "I'll tell you when it becomes necessary. For now, let's focus on getting in the normal way."
"Understood."
Helios looked over at the rat cage where E and F were currently eating. He would kill E in the morning. There was still one more thing he could test before they had to pack up and leave Soley. He didn't believe the serum would work on them.
But the frustration was now taking hold in a very different way.
Assuming the guards in the library basement really were protecting a research facility, they were closer to the answer than ever. Helios felt as though he only had to reach out his hand to finally grasp what he so desperately wanted. And yet, there were still so many obstacles. The ones they knew—and the ones likely still waiting for them. How the hell were they supposed to break in without being noticed? And if his father was involved in this, he would definitely find out quickly.
No matter what they did, the whole operation had a time limit.
They absolutely had to assess the situation and craft a foolproof plan.
"I'm afraid we have a lot of work ahead of us, Dante," Helios said.
"I think it might be best if I handle the scouting," Dante suggested. "Could you keep an eye on the entrance?"
"You mean distract the librarian," Helios said with a raised brow.
Dante gave him another guilty look. "Yeah."
"It's fine. Luckily, there are enough books to keep me busy," Helios said. "Besides, you're better suited for recon missions anyway."
Dante gave a crooked grin. "I was a soldier, after all."
Helios took the towel to the bathroom and finally lay down. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was already asleep.
___
Helios spent the next two days observing the entrance to the hidden door in the library. By now, he had seen what felt like every single bookshelf, tried out every uncomfortable chair, and familiarized himself with every corner of this cursed place. His daily routine consisted of waiting, watching, waiting, smiling—and trying to avoid the librarian as much as possible. A task that met with only moderate success.
No matter how hard Helios tried, the man kept showing up. And once he'd spotted Helios, he wouldn't let him go.
In these two days, Helios had smiled more than in the entire past year in front of his father. His facial muscles already ached at the mere thought of the wiry man with the crooked grin and overly curious eyes.
At first, Helios hadn't minded flirting with him—it had been harmless, effective, and served a purpose. But now the librarian seemed to be imagining things that went far beyond innocent conversation. Coffee dates, leisurely walks, a romantic dinner...
And in his eyes, Helios saw even more. Things that made him flinch internally.
Just the thought of it made him nauseous.
Meanwhile, Dante hadn't made much progress either. He had shadowed researchers, followed their routes, and scouted the area around the library. But there was no second entrance. No door, no maintenance shaft, no alternate path. The staircase behind the locked door was the only way down—and it was guarded.
Any attempt to sneak in unnoticed was doomed to fail—at least without violence. The contingency plan had become unavoidable. They would have to disappear for now.
"There you are," Dante said quietly as he appeared behind Helios.
Helios snapped the book shut with a dull thud and stood up at once. "Good. Let's get out of here."
Without looking back, he left the library and took a deep breath once outside. The crisp midday air felt like a release.
"Where are you going?" Dante asked, surprised.
"I need to pick up a little something for Penny. I already know where—won't take long."
Then Helios shot him a quick glance. "By the way: we're heading back today. There's no point in staying any longer."
Dante stopped in his tracks. "What?!"
"Relax, big guy," Helios said with a mocking undertone. "We're coming back. I'll explain what I've got in mind in the car."
"You really want to disappear already?" he asked, his voice a little quieter.
Helios nodded. "You said it yourself—it's the only entrance. We won't get in without a fight. If we fight, we'll draw attention fast. I can't pull any strings here because of who I am. You're a close-combat fighter, and I'd have to get close to the guards for my methods to work too," Helios added, casting a sideways glance at him. "And as you know, I'm no sniper."
Dante snorted. "You mean you can't hit anything from even five meters away."
"Thanks for the reminder," Helios muttered dryly.
Then he spotted the little shop he had noticed a few days earlier—the one with the elegant, hand-painted fan in the display window.
"Ah. There's the shop I was looking for. Give me a minute."
He stepped inside, selected the fan without hesitation, and had it wrapped—with an absurdly large bow. A satisfied grin spread across his face as he accepted the package.
Penelope would hate the bow.
She'd be absolutely appalled by the ridiculous, over-the-top ribbon. Just the thought of her expression made Helios smile.
Penelope was a woman of style.
A girlish bow like that would disgust her.
Perfect.
"A fan?" Dante asked, curious.
"Fits Penny, don't you think?" Helios grinned. "Remember the evening you met her?"
Dante fell silent for a moment. "I'll probably never forget that night."
"Good. If you remember, she had a fan with her that night too."
"I vaguely remember, but yeah."
"She lost it when you two were fleeing. I gave her that fan for her eighteenth birthday. I was sixteen at the time and thought it would suit her," Helios said with a smile. "She's carried it with her almost constantly ever since."
"That's a much sweeter story than I expected," Dante admitted.
Helios elbowed him in the side. "Did you think I just sit around in my lab all day ignoring the people I care about most?"
"Mostly," Dante said honestly, smiling warmly at him. "But I also know you and Penelope share a bond any siblings would envy."
"You're absolutely right about that. I love her more than anyone else."
They returned to the hotel, packed their things, and checked out. Since they hadn't brought much luggage, it didn't take long. They left the now-empty rat cage next to a trash bin in a side alley, and finally started their journey back.
"So?" Dante asked as they left Soley behind. "What's your plan?"
"An annoying one."
"Meaning?"
"We're bringing in Spider."
"Spider?"
"My assassin. Or, you know, my go-to guy for the dirty work. Spider's handled all kinds of jobs for me over the years."
"That guy you were talking to in the alley back then?" Dante asked slowly.
"The very one."
"I thought he was an informant."
"He is. But he's also a pretty damn good assassin."
"An assassin...?" Dante was silent for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "Was he… there that night?"
Helios swallowed at the memory of that evening. "He was there, and even he couldn't stop Belladonna. Like I said, I really don't like this plan," Helios muttered. He stared out the window. "Asking Spider to arrange a meeting with Belladonna is one thing—but breaking into the facility with him is a whole other matter."
Dante gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Still… it's not the worst idea to have someone with us who's skilled in both close and long-range combat—and who can move without making a sound."
"Spider's definitely got all that covered."
"I really don't like that we left so soon," Dante said quietly.
"I don't like it either," Helios replied calmly. "Once we have Spider on board, we'll come back here. I'll think of some excuse to get away from home. Aside from a few wounds, I'm doing fine. Father won't object," he said. He sighed. "It's a shame we didn't make it to the sea. Now that I finally have some time off, that would've been worth a detour."
"We could still go. A few hours won't make much difference now," Dante suggested. But Helios could hear in his voice that he'd rather get back to Soley as soon as possible.
Helios shook his head. "Once we have the formula, I want to go. First, we deal with everything on our to-do list. First Penny, then home. I'll contact Spider, and once we've got everything in place, we'll return to Soley. Just give me a few days to catch up on work."
Dante nodded slowly. "Thank you," he said quietly.
"I did promise you," Helios said with a smile. "Once we've settled this, Belladonna's next."
"You can count on me."
"Of course. I can't do this without you," Helios said—and he meant it. Without Dante, he wouldn't be able to kill Belladonna.
He still hadn't managed to talk to Dante about that kiss, but the last few days had been busy with assessing the situation. Helios knew he couldn't avoid the conversation forever.
But he could delay it a little longer.
Dante still seemed like he wanted to clear the air, but that too would have to wait.
After Soley, Helios swore to himself. Once this is over. Once I can think straight again. Then…