Page 5 of Harbinger

“Let me guess.” Morgan’s breath tickled his ear as he lowered his head. “You’re wondering about all the naughty things we’re gonna do after they leave?”

Cassius’s belly clenched on a wave of desire at the demigod’s seductive words.

Loki shifted into his imp form in the middle of the living room and glared at them, hands on his waist. “Hey! What happened to the doghouse?!”

“He’s still in it,” Cassius protested.

He pulled away from Morgan.

Morgan tsk-tsked. Loki gloated. Lilaia and Julia rolled their eyes.

It wasn’t until everyone had left later that night and he and Morgan had finished tidying the apartment that Cassius finally got to the bottom of what was worrying Loki.

“Want a coffee?” Morgan said.

Cassius nodded. His gaze found Loki.

The imp was sitting on a lounger on the terrace, his arms wrapped around his legs and his knees tucked under his chin. His ears and tail drooped limply, as if he carried the weight of the world upon his shoulders.

“Why don’t you go talk to him?” Morgan dropped a kiss on Cassius’s forehead. “Maybe he’s finally ready to tell us why he’s been such a grumpy little asshole lately.”

Cassius smiled faintly. It was clear Morgan was equally worried about Loki’s mood despite their clashes.

The imp didn’t stir when Cassius came outside and took the seat next to him. They gazed at the starlit sky above San Francisco, a companionable silence settling between them.

Morgan emerged from the apartment and handed him a steaming cup of coffee.

Loki frowned when the demigod passed him a glass of hot chocolate. “I’m not a child.”

“Just shut up and drink it,” Morgan ordered gruffly.

Loki hesitated before clasping the glass and doing as he was told. The hot chocolate painted a mustache on his upper lip that would have been funny were it not for his downcast expression. He put the empty glass on a side table a moment later.

“What’s wrong, Loki?” Cassius said.

The imp flinched. It was some time before he spoke.

“I’m scared.”

Cassius startled. His pulse quickened in the next instant. A faint, golden light had started to throb in Loki’s belly, the Eternity Key resonating with his turbulent emotions. Morgan pressed a hand on his shoulder as he made to rise and go to the imp.

“I had a dream before you returned from London.” Loki’s eyes gleamed when he turned his head and finally met their gazes. “A premonition.”

Cassius’s heart slammed against his ribs, the fear reflected on the imp’s face tightening his chest with a growing dread. “What kind of premonition?”

“Darkness.” Loki’s head swiveled. He stared at the sky once more, his face haggard. “I saw a darkness that will soon swallow this city and this world.” His chin wobbled. His voice broke. “And I—I fear it’s one neither of you will be able to defeat!”

Cassius finally moved. He picked up the trembling imp and cradled him in his arms. Loki clung to him, his tears soaking silently into his shirt. Cassius looked over anxiously at Morgan.

The dark foreboding filling him was reflected in his lover’s eyes.

3

Morgan steppedout of the bathroom. “Is he asleep?”

Cassius nodded as he closed the bedroom door, his face still reflecting unease. Loki had insisted on sleeping in the living room tonight. The imp seemingly needed some alone time.

Cassius glanced at Morgan’s wet hair. “You showered already?”

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