11

11

"What do you mean he belongs to a cult?"

Of all things Erin could find against the thief, the was the most unexpected one of them all, even if i know it was the thief they were talking about . Nothing about him has been normal.

"It is exactly as you heard it. He belongs to a cult."

I almost slam my head against the wall, did he not care about his life? I have heard countless stories involving humans and cult, it sounded like a really dumb move on his part.

"So, a cult. How do we use this information to get him talking?"

A haunting scream came from the thief. It was physically painful to keep myself rooted to t be stone floor, I never felt such compulsion to help someone before. The scream ate at my conscience and threatened to overthrow my sanity.

"Actually it won't." Erin sounded almost apologetic.

"What do you mean it won't? You said you found something big.. huge."

"Exactly, something huge. I never said it was going to help. It does worsen our... well your case though."

My brows jump into my hairline.

"What do you mean? Give me everything straight."

"Cult members are known for their tight lips. They don't give away information that they don't have to give away."

I blink. I was right when I said he had been tortured before. I never asked by who and for what.

"So torturing him won't yield the results we are hoping for I presume."

I could almost see the subtle shake of head Erin was giving me.

"Unfortunately not."

I sigh a long, tired sigh. It's been a really long day and there was no end in sight.

"Basically, you called to say I'm wasting my time."

"And to offer a solution. One you will not like."

"Then don't offer it."

It was getting a little too hard to listen to his screams. My eyes watered every time I heard the sound of it.

"It might be the best solution you heard in a while. I won't say it if I didn't think it was necessary."

I sigh. Erin and i went way back, he would never sabotage me for anything. If he had an idea, I know he had thought about all the pros and cons.

"Keep him here. Keep the human here."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"not really. But that is the only solution you have right now. He is a thief and therefore loves to steal. If you confine him for too long he would have to break only so you let him go back to stealing. Even his cult did not teach him how to handle something like that." Erin responded confidently.

I admit it is a good plan. Only that there was a time factor to be considered.

"I will still be looking for other things we can use to hold him down. In the mean time, hold him till he is out of his wits end, keep every fortune out of his reach. Keep him locked up. He can't even escape the pack lands, unless we let him he won't be stealing for a while and it will mess with him."

Another blood curdling scream came from the thief this time I couldn't stop the low growl from coming out of me. My feet starts in the direction of the cell before I know it. Calli was bent over the kneeling form of the thief. His forehead was glistening with sweat and blood looked on the floor of the cell.

In a blur I fling Calli off him. His back meeting the stone wall with a loud thud.

The human looked at me with wide eyes, his chest heaved up and down, his shirt was stained with blood that I had no idea where it flowed from. My heart hurt physically to see him in so much pain. I felt my eyes get wet with tears but I don't let them fall.

"M? Are you still there?" Erin's voice flittered to me from the phone clutched tightly in my hand. In my haste to reach the human I forgot I was on a call.

"Yes.. Yes I am." Until I talked I had no idea how hard I clamped my jaw shut.

"Okay. End the torturing session. It's time to lock him up."

I nod even when I know he can't see me and disconnect the call.

"Where is the blood coming from?" I mutter to myself.

The human chuckled then wince.

"Why? You want to take over from where he stopped?" he pants heavily as he asked.

I don't say anything to him. Calli's metal contraption was by his hand, and sure enough it was still connected to his hand. When I take a step towards him he flinches but I was not going to back down simply because he flinched.

"Is your buddy dead?" he nodded in the direction where Calli still laid in a heap. I must have used an impressive amour of strength for that to happen. He would not have stayed down as long as he did if we were of equal footing.

I keep mute as my fingers work. Unclamping his fingers from the metal contraption, trying my best not to hurt to him even more. Suddenly I was angry. I was angry at Calli for doing it, angry at myself for giving out such an order, angry at the human for not speaking.

"All this would not have happened if you spoke." I tell him as i fiddle with the middle finger. Somehow this one took most of the hit, it was bruised and broken in a way that made it look grotesque.

"All this would not have happened if you gave me my money." He retorted amidst the pain.

"it's not yours to sell, why would I buy it at such a ridiculous amount?"

In a fit of rage I pressed the contraption, making him wince. I swiftly collected my hand back as he cradled his hand to his chest.

"It's not mine, it's not yours either. But I got it first. The best thief won fair and square. Why do I have to just give it up like I didn't work for it?"

My eyes widen in anger. There was no talking to this man. Why on earth did I even think I could talk to him anyway. He was a thief and nothing more.

"work? You call stealing work? Please. You're one of the people that make honest workers regret their choices."

He had the nerve to smirk at me. A dazzling heart stopping smirk. I had to force my eyes away from his face.

"I seem to recall someone jumping into the museum like a thief."

"What the hell? Who do you think you're calling a thief?"

I had been called numerous names before, but never thief. How dare he?

His smirk grew.

"You."

I was going to end his life.