[Vander had truly believed that monster to be long buried. Spent years without the warmth of its anger, no longer at the whims of its destructive impulsiveness. Even on that night when he and Silco had faced each other in their final confrontation back home, he thought it remained dormant. Not so much as stirring as he pleaded for Silco to leave the Lanes out of whatever revenge-borne scheme he had concocted. But in reality, all it took was the right trigger. With his kids in harms way, the beast within him suddenly snapped to attention so abruptly it was like he had been doused in cold water.
And it had been lying in wait beneath the surface ever since.
The dismissive response set the beginnings of a snarl on Vander’s lips, and the fury in his gaze only seemed to concentrate. He knew in the rational part of his mind—smothered now by this storm of emotions—that this was neither the time nor especially the place for this confrontation. But he also knew that there was no turning back from this now. They were in entrenched too deep, mere inches from each other’s throats, metaphorically if not (yet) physically.]
From what I’ve heard, what you’ve learned is how to exploit people even further.
[He spat the words, venomous, taking a step off to the side to place himself in the line of sight between Silco and the cowering shopkeeper. Gave a little tilt to his head as if to say, “Ah-ah, eyes on me.”]
As far as I’m concerned, we’re simply picking up where we left off. [As easy as that was to say, there was an infuriating truth in Silco’s words. He’d missed out on so much, powerless to stop the toxic march of his old friend’s ambitions. The dread he had felt when he first met Vi here in this world and realized what exactly had come to pass back home reawakens, blending now with the fury scratching beneath every inch of his skin.]
But you’re right. You’ve been busy while I’ve been gone. I think it’s time we’ve caught up.
[Vander’s gaze remained steady on him, on every movement, on the slick curve of the blade he so casually brandished. Every muscle was coiled like a spring, the hound ready to pounce, howling incessantly in the back of his thoughts.]
no subject
And it had been lying in wait beneath the surface ever since.
The dismissive response set the beginnings of a snarl on Vander’s lips, and the fury in his gaze only seemed to concentrate. He knew in the rational part of his mind—smothered now by this storm of emotions—that this was neither the time nor especially the place for this confrontation. But he also knew that there was no turning back from this now. They were in entrenched too deep, mere inches from each other’s throats, metaphorically if not (yet) physically.]
From what I’ve heard, what you’ve learned is how to exploit people even further.
[He spat the words, venomous, taking a step off to the side to place himself in the line of sight between Silco and the cowering shopkeeper. Gave a little tilt to his head as if to say, “Ah-ah, eyes on me.”]
As far as I’m concerned, we’re simply picking up where we left off. [As easy as that was to say, there was an infuriating truth in Silco’s words. He’d missed out on so much, powerless to stop the toxic march of his old friend’s ambitions. The dread he had felt when he first met Vi here in this world and realized what exactly had come to pass back home reawakens, blending now with the fury scratching beneath every inch of his skin.]
But you’re right. You’ve been busy while I’ve been gone. I think it’s time we’ve caught up.
[Vander’s gaze remained steady on him, on every movement, on the slick curve of the blade he so casually brandished. Every muscle was coiled like a spring, the hound ready to pounce, howling incessantly in the back of his thoughts.]