Page 93 of Court of Evil

“Friends . . . Best friends?” I ask as I stop, hope blooming in my chest.

“Sure, best friends.” She grins. “I’ll help you make Tate love you and vice versa. We will have each other’s backs.”

“What else is required?” I murmur as I scan the ground. “I want to make sure I am a good best friend.”

“Erm, you comfort me when I’m sad, help me if I’m in trouble, watch movies with me, eat with me, support my delusions, and help me hide bodies.”

“Very good, I can do all of that,” I respond, and she laughs. We become quiet for a moment. “What is a movie?”

“I’ll show you.” She smirks. “They have some great ones you will really like with men and women embracing.”

“I like the sound of that. What are they called?” I’m learning so much about this world through my mistress’s people. I like it.

“Porn. Ask your mistress about it,” she says.

“I will.” We circle back around, and when we come upon Tate, I shake my head. “There are no signs of life anywhere.”

“Good, we’ll wait for the others then go in,” she murmurs, and I glance at Fang, and she raises her eyebrows at me.

“Mistress, do you like to watch porn as well? We could watch it together.”

Her head slowly turns towards me, and she stares at me incredulously as I tilt my head at her.

Fang bursts into laughter, and we both glance at her. “Another thing besties do, Tem, is tease each other.”

“Tease? Mistress doesn’t like porn?” I frown.

Fang grins. “Maybe she does. I bet she’s into the kinky stuff.”

“Kinky porn?” I repeat.

“Oh my god, stop saying porn!” Tate gapes. “It’s like kicking a puppy, Fang.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Fang giggles and moves to my side. “Ask her again later.”

“I will.” I nod, still confused.

The others come back with the same news, and Jarek simply breaks the lock on the gate. Once we walk through the fence, he and the fae stand side by side, working their magic and laying barriers of protection before we head inside through the open front door. It’s dark in here before Tate and Fang set out some lights in the engineering room.

The ghoul is tied to a pole in the back while the others spread out, resting and relaxing as we wait for our next orders. I munch on some fruit from Tate’s bag, sharing with Fang as Tate watches the ghoul and he watches her right back.

Fang gives me a confused look, and we all wait quietly until Tate sits forward in the rolling chair, her hands hanging between her parted thighs, a knife in one.

“What will you do with me?” he asks.

“I’m still deciding that,” she replies.

He nods, looking around. “How long will we stay here for?”

“However long I want,” she snaps then turns to us. “I want one of you out front and one out back at all times. Decide between yourselves who is first.”

Addeus climbs to his feet along with Jarek, and they head out without a word, leaving us with Tate and the ghoul.

Time passes slowly as we wait for Ronan. “So you woke up like this?” Tate asks, filling the silence.

Eric nods carefully. “In the parking lot I died in. I don’t know how much time passed, but I was so hungry, and the next thing I remember was devouring a rabbit, covered in blood, when Black and the others found me. I stuck with them because I didn’t have much choice.”

“Even though he wants to attack Stalkers’ Rest and our people?” she snaps.

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