Page 97 of Darkness

“Hello, brother.”

Brother? Like Loki and Thor? But who was Loki and who was Thor? Morrisey didn’t have the looks to pull off either.

Certainly not the hair and muscles of Thor. Nor the desire to have this asshole for a brother. “I’d rather stick with being an only child, if it’s all the same to you.”

The room had gradually brightened, more light streaming through the drapes. The sun must be rising.

A woman slunk into the room dressed in a long, red dress with matching red heels and fingernails. Her hair hung in ebony waves around her face—a face with a superimposed aura. She flung the curtains wide, letting in the sun and giving Morrisey a better view of the room and its occupants.

He shrank back from the daylight, shielding his eyes with his arm like some movie vampire.

Asher came into clearer focus. Dark hair and eyes, like Morrisey, but with paler skin, thin lips, and a body that likely didn’t see a gym much unless passing one on the way to Burger King. He'd dressed flawlessly in a navy suit, shoes polished to a high shine. The lord of the manor.

The woman stalked across the floor like some apex predator toward Asher’s chair. Jessa!

Hallelujah.

Until she wrapped herself around Asher from behind. “I see you’ve finally brought him to heel,” she purred, stroking her hand over Asher’s head like a faithful pet.

Morrisey opened his mouth to yell. Jessa winked.

What the fuck?

“She told you not to trust her, didn’t she?” Asher smiled, tilting his head backward to kiss the succubus. “You did good, my darling. Finding him for me.”

Jessa didn’t even shudder when her lips touched Asher’s. Either she made an outstanding actress, or she'd developed a taste for shit.

Morrisey sensed no one else in the body. So, Jessa had truly claimed this one for her own. So much for her speeches about helping the owners.

“You found me, lured me in.” Morrisey turned a venomous glare on Jessa.

“Guilty as charged.” Jessa giggled. Actually, fucking giggled! “Thank you for making the game fun.”

“Ah, you can’t trust a succuba.” Asher’s eyes took on a maniacal gleam. “Unless you summon them and hold their leash.”

Morrisey glanced from Jessa to Asher and back. “Leash?” Didn't Farren mention a traveler summoning others to do their bidding?

Jessa’s eyes flashed when Asshole couldn’t see. He probably wouldn’t care, either.

Morrisey expelled a derisive snort, or the best he could manage. “If that’s the only way you can get a woman, I’d rethink my methods if I were you. Hell, I do better at attracting women, and I’m gay.”

Asher made a big production of scanning the room. “I don’t see you with a woman or anyone else.”

“I play for a different team. Jack and I are real close.” Morrisey leered. “I also go for men in uniform. Just ask Captain Morgan and Sailor Jerry.”

Confusion crossed Asher’s face.

Jessa stage whispered, “I think he’s saying he’d rather drink than fuck.”

Not the whole truth, but the truth seemed to be lacking here. However, Jessa knew about Morrisey and Farren yet said nothing. Keeping the information as an ace up her nonexistent sleeve?

Morrisey needed to stall for time, for reasons unknown to him, but it always worked in the movies. “If we’re brothers, I think I made out better in the genes department than you did.”

Once again, Asher didn’t take the bait. “Back home, I had a huge following.”

“Then why don’t you go back there, where you’re wanted? Was there Instagram there? Because Instagram followers don’t count. Though I can’t imagine why.” Was this waste of skin able to travel between the realms?

Asher's grin wasn't a good sign for... somebody. “You honestly don’t know, do you?”

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