BANE

CHAPTER ELEVEN - BODE (Part 1)

"Have you ever signed a contract? With Lorelei, I mean."

Stella laughed. "Not a chance. I know better that that!"

Holden frowned. "Well, lucky you. I guess she's never had anything that you've wanted."

"Oh, there is plenty I've wanted when it comes to that woman, believe me," She grinned and pushed her long blonde hair away from her face. "But she wasn't willing to give it to me."

"You think she's willing to give me what I wanted when I signed that contract? It doesn't feel like it," He sighed and looked at the clock on the wall. Lorelei told him to meet her and Stella at eight o'clock, and they still had five minutes to go. Still, it was unusual for her not to arrive fifteen minutes early.

"Of course she will. Why else do you think we're here tonight?"

"It seems like every time I ask her for more information, she tells me that it's not the right time yet. I'm so frustrated. I know that she knows what I am, you both do. Why won't anyone tell me?"

Stella ran her hand up his thigh. "Are you frustrated?"

He abruptly knocked her hand away and pushed his chair back to increase the distance between them. "Not that kind of frustrated."

She snickered. "I suppose I already knew that," Stella watched him from the side of her eye and grinned. "Why so impatient, lately? Asking for all these meetings like this..."

"Someone I thought was my friend tried to kill me and now I've sprouted venomous spines underneath two of my nails. Is it so odd that I would want some answers right now? You two seem to know a lot of things about me, how about sharing why I absorb abilities from others or enlightening me as to why Gordan found it necessary to envenomate me?"

"I can't speak for Gordan or Birgitta, they have had their own agenda since long before you came around. As for why you are able to absorb others' abilities... You might as well ask me why you are blond or male. That's simply a part of who you are."

"Ugh, you're no help. Big surprise there..." Holden shuffled his feet impatiently and checked the clock once more. "I heard you used to be really violent. Is that true?"

"Well, that depends on what you would quantify as really violent. Did I use physical violence against those who disagreed with me? Of course. It's usually the most effective way."

"Usually?"

"I would be lying if I said that Lorelei's way was not convenient. Still, I miss it. Things haven't been the same since you came around. It will be nice when things return to normal, finally."

"What does that mean? Are you planning to kill me?"

"No, darling. You are too useful for that," Stella reached over and toyed with a lock of Holden's hair.

He batted her hand away again. "Are you planning to kill my friends?"

"It would be better if they would come to their senses."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"It wasn't meant to."

Holden groaned with frustration. "Will you ever give me a straight answer to a question?"

"Maybe," Stella teased.

He clasped his head in his hands and stared down at his knees. "I hate you so much right now."

"Let me ask you something: do your friends know what you're really thinking?"

"What does that mean?"