Page 183 of A Soul to Guide

“Temper, temper,” he chuckled, turning his sight back to him. “I’m only playing with you. Trying to break the tension, if you will.”

“What do you want?”

“Sit with me.” Jabez waved his hand towards the ground. “There is much we should speak about.”

Then, like he expected Merikh to do as he was told, Jabez plonked himself onto the ground in a cross-legged position. With his hands on his knees, his bare feet poking out from under them, he stared up at Merikh expectantly.

“Sit, Merikh. I will stay here until you do, whether that is a day, weeks, or months.”

“Why should I listen to you?” Merikh scoffed.

His eyes darkened, his lids lowering as Jabez let out a rumble in warning.

“You know defying me will get you nowhere. You know I will stay here until I get what I want.” He looked around Merikh’s legs before his malicious gaze cut up to him. “Then, perhaps, I can see this apparent female you have here.”

Other than a battle of wits, which Merikh didn’t know he had the intelligence to win, there was no harm in speaking with him. It was also true he would remain, and Merikh didn’t want him seeing Raewyn.

It wasthatthreat that had him obeying.

He sat as well and folded his hands between his legs. He said nothing, knowing Jabez would start prattling when he was ready.

Seemed it was a trait shared between siblings, and it was something he apparently appreciated in both.

However, Jabez lifted a claw, pointed it at him, and covered his mouth with the other hand as he laughed.

“When the fuck did you get so fat?”

Struck by the suddenness of it, Merikh’s orbs turned a reddish pink in embarrassment. “When did you get so skinny? Look at you! You look as though I could snap you in two by blowing at you.”

“Skinny?” Jabez chuckled, flexing an arm. “I’ve grown much since the last time we met. You just got so big that everything looks small to you now.”

His tail flicked as red once more filled his sight. “Get to the point, Jabez.”

“Know what your cock is yet?” the man laughed. “Smells like you do. That female’s scent lingers on you, but I’m surprised it’s so familiar. Have I perhaps met her? Is she another Demon?”

Merikh tilted his head. He would have been embarrassed if something didn’t become apparent. It’d been so long since he’d been near his sister that he couldn’t remember her scent properly.

Although he’d technically bathed in the lake, her scent lingered everywhere within his home. He’d picked up remnants of it before he came outside, but not enough to specify what species she was.

Instead of answering, Merikh just waited for Jabez to get over himself and finally tell him why he was here. He tapped a claw on his knee, catching Jabez’s attention.

His humour eventually died, seeing Merikh wasn’t the same foolish Duskwalker he once had been. He’d changed vastly in the last two hundred years.

Jabez sighed as he tossed his head side to side to push his long hair back. He used to have it tied up, but it seemed he no longer desired to keep it contained.

“As you mentioned, Katerina was killed by Orpheus’ new bride.” Mimicking him, although it was originally his own trait Merikh had picked up, Jabez tapped a claw on his knee as well. “In retaliation, I have ordered for your kind to be eradicated.”

“That much was made obvious by the Demons who have come after me, even above the surface.”

Jabez narrowed his eyes, hating being interrupted – which is exactly why Merikh would make it his mission during this conversation.

“Honestly, I was angry and wanted revenge for her.”

“Revenge? You and I both know it was her own fault. There was no reason for her to be so hateful of my kind, and yet you let her, fuelled her. Her death is on your hands more than it is on Orpheus’.”

His cheek twitched, along with his jaw, and the way his pointed ears shot back revealed he was growing agitated. He wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for him observing Raewyn’s own ears in fascination.

“You know I cared for her, which is the only reason you wish to blame me.”

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