Chapter 11: I Am the God of Hellfire, Part 11

"I don't know what you're trying to insinuate, Ivor," Violet practically spat the name, "but if you don't leave right now, I'll break every bone in your body."

Sam smiled, seeing her so furious, protective. She was another tool he could use at his pleasure. One he was in no hurry to get rid of. There was the same risk as with Evelyn, of course. The one he had used to justify not keeping her alive. That once she realized he wasn't who he claimed to be, she would be the first to stab him in the back.

"Well, how quickly you stand up for him," said Ivor. "However, you'd throw the rest of the family to the lions just as fast."

"He is my family," Violet replied. "You, I don't know what the hell you are."

"I'm as much your brother as he is."

"You couldn't be more wrong. Sharing the same blood isn't enough, it takes something more. Get out, Ivor. Last warning. Put aside the nonsense that's gotten into your head, I won't tolerate you bothering my brother at a time like this."

Sam, still in Violet's arms, grinning from ear to ear, amused by the situation. The lovesick puppy had come to the correct conclusion, even if it was only out of blind rage, looking for someone to blame.

"Your brother is a murderer," Ivor spat.

At that very moment, an invisible force ripped his feet from the ground and sent him flying against one of the bookshelves. The impact was enough to knock it down. Ivor fell on top of it, instead of being buried underneath. A pity. He could have broken a few ribs that way, could have seen him writhing on the ground like a worm, spitting blood.

Well. Still, the blow hadn't been light by any means. It was enough for him.

"I warned you. Not once but twice. There won't be a third time," said Violet. "As soon as you catch your breath, no, right now, get out of my fucking sight or I'll bury you."

The other boy was terrified.

As for Ivor, he supposed he was too stupid for fear. He only saw rage and pain on his face. He got up slowly, that is, as fast as he could.

"What did you think was going to happen?" Violet stood up too, indicating for him to stay back. He didn't need her protection, he wasn't the child she thought he was (although even with the other Sam there weren't many years between them, she had changed his diapers, okay, but when she herself was five years old at most). Anyway, he would gladly take advantage of it. "That you were going to come here with demands, saying stupid things, and everything was going to go your way for no reason? As if the world revolved around you?"

The other guy stepped between them, raising his hands, suddenly a peacemaker.

"Violet, there's no need to do this."

"Jaiden, you chose sides. Now don't pretend it's not so."

"I'm just trying to do what I can for a friend."

"Then talk to him, not me. It's clear he has no intention of backing down."

Ivor took a step forward. A wobbling step.

"Think with your damn head, Violet. He was the last person who was with her. Do you really believe it can be that simple? She just fell? During the family conference, it was nothing more than an unfortunate accident?"

"Well, yes," said Violet. "Sometimes things happen, idiot, it's not all a plot or a deep conspiracy. And even if someone had killed her, it wouldn't be Sam. Think with your head and explain to me why he would do it, come on, let's hear it. Why the hell? Evelyn would have gladly helped him become the heir. She loved him and that's the problem, isn't it?"

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"Violet," said Jaiden. A plea.

Sam had to hold back his laughter.

"Now that she's gone, you want to play the hero and paint Sam as a monster, as if that way you could win her over. But she's already dead. And she never loved you. Not even a little. Not the way you wanted her to."

With each word she said, naturally, Ivor became angrier and angrier. He was puffing, gritting his teeth, but he didn't look like a caged animal. Rather, he was pathetically trying to intimidate, even though his emotions were undoubtedly real. Yes, it was really difficult to hold back the laughter.

He wouldn't mess it all up, again, but he didn't want to give Violet something else to think about so soon after screwing up something related to her own birth date. Too soon for that.

Violet tossed her hair back with one hand. She was completely relaxed, in control. Sam knew what she was going to say before she opened her mouth. There was no supernatural reason, of course, just instinct.

"If you're going to make ridiculous accusations, maybe you killed her, huh? Because you couldn't have her."

Violet had hit the nail on the head. Okay, Ivor had reached the right conclusion, but the reason was his rage and jealousy, nothing more. That's why he couldn't stand it. He tried something, but all he managed to do was flutter the pages of the open book and knock some books off the shelf, as if a strong wind had blown. Violet didn't even flinch.

"See the difference between us? You can't do shit to me. Now that you've attacked me, I have the right to do something worse to you. So if you know what's good for you, get lost. You're not going to get away with just a couple of broken ribs. I might break your fucking legs."

Jaiden pushed Ivor away and he, strangely, listened to the voice of reason and let himself be led away. His expression only changed for the worse, however. Sam had no doubt that he would try again. But when he was alone.

It was a shame he had given up so soon. He would have liked to see his legs broken.

Assuming Violet hadn't just been bluffing.

But he didn't think so, that woman had balls.

"I'm sorry you had to see something so unpleasant," she said, turning around. Unpleasant? It had rather turned him on. "Come on, I'll walk you to your room. You can take those books. Anyway, as you can see, nobody's going to miss them. They only come here for stupid reasons."

Sam grabbed a few books and thought he would have to ask Violet to carry the rest, but then he felt inspired and lifted the rest of the books with his telekinesis, making them float around him like a rather poor barrier.

Violet didn't seem surprised.

Good. He had been almost one hundred percent sure that it wouldn't be unusual after what they had both done in the brief fight. But almost was still just almost. He couldn't get anywhere by acting timidly, he would never know everything he should know, but it was still a risk.

Violet accompanied him to the door of the room as he had asked. She had been relaxing along the way. He supposed she hadn't gone further only because he had been present.

Too bad, maybe she would have fulfilled Satan's commission without having to lift a finger.

He didn't think she would have killed him on purpose, but she could have gone too far in the middle of the fight. It would have been nice... Well, in any case, it wouldn't have been enough to just hear about it. He would have wanted to see it with his own eyes. So better this way.

Sam put the key in the lock, turned it.

Violet's prediction turned out to be correct.

"Hello, sister," she said.

Christina was sitting on his bed, waiting for him.

"I'll leave you alone." Violet gave him a kiss on the cheek and left, closing the door.

He dropped the books. He tried to arrange them with telekinesis, but what counted wasn't the intention, but the final result. Sam clicked his tongue.

"I'm glad to see you," he said.

Christina looked away and curled up on his bed. She had good legs, she was barefoot. He hadn't noticed that until now. Where were her heels? Well, it doesn't matter.

"Now I really don't know what to say, knowing that Violet has already talked to you. She's better at these things. And almost everything."

The little sister being jealous of the big sister, even though it was mainly because she herself, alone and without help, put her on an unreachable pedestal. Typical.

Sam sat down next to her on the bed.

"Seeing you is enough to make me feel better. Besides, it's the thought that counts, isn't it?"

"No. I... I want to do something for you for real. But I'm not a goddess, I can't resurrect her. I can't fix anything, and nothing I say can help you. Not really. Words are carried away by the wind." Christina lowered her head. "And if I keep going like this, you're going to end up comforting me instead of the other way around."

The girl was realistic. Not cynical, that didn't exist.

Which would be useful to him. Sam smiled as he put a hand on her chin, lifting it, forcing her to look into his eyes. Christina fit into the plan he had been building since Ivor had come for him. He wasn't good at direct fights. Even if he had been, this new body clearly wasn't toned. He wasn't good at acting either.

"Actually, there is something you could do for me."

Christina, with tears in her eyes, nodded.

"What? You tell me whatever. Anything."

Sam's smile widened even more if possible.

I Am the God of Hellfire, Part 11: END