Page 273 of Evil Hearts

“Incredible.” It slips through my lips and right onto his skin and I can’t take it back.

His steps halt, not that I have any idea where he was taking me. I don’t care, he’s taking me. Maybe Ebon will be there, maybe not. Surely Resheph will be, right? They’ve always seemed the closest, he and Ismael.

“You’re not as brave as you were earlier.” I can hear humor in his voice, like he’s provoking me to argue. “Why are you cowering now?”

“I’m not.” I tuck my hand under my face and lift my head to touch beneath his chin. Almost like we’re a normal man and woman off to bed or some other normal place to do normal things. “I’m just waiting for the endless void to swallow me up and enjoying the benefits in the meantime.” I shrug.

“Then why isn’t he here?” He grunts and continues down the hallway towards my kitchen.

“He?” I lift my head as we enter my kitchen and he sets me onto my island, disentangling from me carelessly and moving to my fridge.

“Ebon.” I tuck my legs under me and spin so I can keep my eyes on him as he talks, sputtering my hair he’s left tossed in my face out of the way and over my shoulder. “He’s a literal void,theVoid. He’s where you go when you’re not exactly dead, ya know? Coma, deep sleep, REM sleep, dementia, anytime Resheph drones on about his latest lace project.” I hear bottles and containers clank and clatter as he moves them around and collects what he wants from the shelves. It’s totally bizarre.

But I’m into it.

“So that’s really space that he brings around with him?” I try to peek around his large frame to see the items he’s gathering on the counter but it’s impossible so I settle for watching his powerful muscles shift along his back and sides.

The snowy fur at his nape falls into a point between his shoulders that’s been fashioned into a small braid. I smile because it seems slightly out of character with what little I know about him. For the first time I notice he’s wearing pants and he’s not just nude entirely. They’re snug against him and blend in very well with his skin tone so if you weren’t looking, you’d miss them. There’s a notch at the top of the waist where his tail hangs down and a glint catches my eye as it swishes slightly.

He’s got some kind of charm hanging from his back pocket. Braids and charms. I’m at a loss, but still totally into it.

“Space huh? That’s what you see?”

“You don’t?” I look up when he glances over his shoulder.

“No. He’s ugly as hell when I see him.” He shakes his head and returns to what he’s doing. “There’s no real rules to the Void. It’s different for a lot of people. Some see bright light, some see fractals, some have seen Elvis I guess. He has no control over it, it’s just luck or unluck of the draw.” His hands go up in a ‘what are you gonna do’ gesture and I giggle a little.

I don’t miss how his tail wags a little bit.

“You’re not as formal as he is.” I note, swinging myself around to hang my hair over the end of the counter with my feet in the sink.

I do a happy cat stretch knowing my pearl clutching mother would shit herself about it and rest my hands with my fingers interlocked on my abdomen. I keep waiting for the absurdity of all of this to hit me properly and melt into a blubbering mess no one can communicate with. But I just feel comfortable.

“He’s never been human.” He answers simply and my head slaps to the side, smooshing my cheek on the cool marble.

“You’re human?” I don’t mean for it to sound so harshly skeptical but,come on.

“Was.” He corrects with a tilt of his head. “Sort of.Mostly.” He finally turns around with a massive sandwich in his claw tipped hands, but it’s just a head of lettuce sliced in half and stuffed with meat and veggies and cheese and all the best stuff I keep stocked for my epic salad and sub nights.

“Most of my present mind was part of a very human person at some point. And then there are parts of my subconscious that come from someone else, some of it from somewhereelse. You really just learn not to ask questions. There are answers floating around out there that no one needs or wants to know.”

It’s halfway through his third bite that I realize he’s been speaking the entire time he’s been eating his leafwich monstrosity and I hadn’t even noticed. It makes sense though, doesn’t it? I mean, he has a wolf head. He’s not rocking a fat pair of DSLs over there or anything. What did I honestly think was happening? HIs voice carries as if he were speaking out loud and all is perfectly normal. It’s just a Tuesday.

“Wait. Did you put jelly on that?” I curl my lip and try not to sneer too much and insult him. Maybe he’s an artisan chef where he’s from.

“Jalapeno. I like it with the gouda and turkey. Could’ve passed on the cranberries but I wanted to try something new.” He shrugs with one last massive bite. “You planned to confront us.” He leans back against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest, the powdery fur of his hands starking in contrast to his dark chest.

His dichotomy is ever enchanting.

“I’m sorry?” I lean up on one elbow at his sudden change in demeanor. Less playful, more demanding.

“That’s what all of this was tonight. The ridiculous amounts of food, the open windows, low lights and fancy fabrics all over. All of it to placate us so we were malleable when you confessed that you were privy to our visits this whole time. You set lures for each of us and got us all here, for what? What was your plan after that?” He looks at me expectantly.

I sit up fully and hang my legs over the edge of the island, folding my hands into my lap. Ankles crossed and all the seriousness I can muster, I forge ahead.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“All of this?” He begins stalking through my kitchen opening my fridge again, followed by several cabinets and my pantry. “You’re stocked for ten winters but you’re just one small female. You had all of your windows open for Ebon tonight despite locking them tight religiously and checking them frequently. And you had lace garments all over the dark corners of your room where Resheph could inspect and imagine recreating them without worrying about being seen. You want to tell me you didn’t set this all up?”

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