Page 46 of Incubus
“That’s what we’re counting on,” Sasha said.
The kitchen was small, the house being an older model but cleaned well and emptied to be sold. There were three entrances into the room—the one leading outside, one leading to a hallway that eventually led to the stairs, and one leading out into the living room and the front door. The kitchen had no dishwasher, only a small sink, a stove, and the empty space where a table and chairs might have stood.
Walter flickered into view before Nathan, able to stay visible only long enough to speak. “They are here."
The remaining Muses appeared at the same time, one in each of the other doorways. They saw the plight of their sister and halted before stepping into the runic traps that had been placed inside the other entrances.
Nathan pulled out his gun, mirroring Jim as they raised their weapons to aim at the Muse who had been caught. Sasha did the same with his shotgun.
“We’ll make this easy for you,” Sasha said. “We want information, and for the three of you to leave this town and return to the Veil. You give us what we want and we’ll let your sister go.”
“If you don’t give us what we want...” Nathan said, “...we'll shoot her. Withironbullets. Even a sidhe can't survive that. Unless you want to call our bluff on that, ladies.”
Weird Sisters were like a twisted Trinity. All three needed to be alive for any one of them to survive. If they lost a sister it would be like losing a major organ and the other two would slowly wither.
The violet eyes of all three Muses glowed brightly in their fury.
“What question could we possibly answer?” said the one from the doorway into the living room.
There was darkness in her, enough that Nathan recognized her as the one who had touched him the night before—Violence. He only allowed himself to be shaken for a moment.
"First," Sasha said, "we want to know how you got here. You weren't summoned. So how? No dark sidhe has managed to escape the Veil in thousands of years."
The Muses laughed.
"Silly seal," said the one from the doorway to the stairs. "Why would we tell you anything when we are free? So you can force us to go back? We like it here." She bit her bottom lip with a coy smile, the embodiment ofDesire.
“Then at least tell us this," Jim said. "Who owns the mark on my brother? Even if you don’t know the answer, there has to be a way to find out.”
The one caught in the runic trap, who had to beWant, seemed the least concerned, despite being the one threatened at gunpoint. “Of course we know,” she said.
“Everyone knows about this bounty,” said Desire.
“Nathan Grier is a great prize to accompany his brother," said Violence. "And how glorious it will be when you return to us...James.”
Jim's eyes widened, making him falter in his aim.
Nathan spun around, quick to focus his gun on Violence. “Shut up. Jim isn’t returning anywhere,” he said. “The bounty's on me.”
“Ah, but James is still so important," said Violence. "We won’t even have to come for him, you know.”
“He’ll come to us,” said Desire.
“And then he will beours,” said Want. "Just like you."
“Enough!” Nathan shouted, cocking his gun in warning as he turned around to once again aim at Want. “How did you get here? Who did the Messenger I killed work for!?”
The Muses laughed again, like morbid surround sound.
“There is that anger from last night," said Violence with fond remembrance. "So pure. I barely had to coax it out at all. Perhaps another touch will linger properly.” She reached for Nathan, too far away to pose any real threat but mocking in her attempt.
“Mmm, but what about this one?” said Desire, reaching for Sasha in similar fashion. “Passion is radiating from him. He cannot possibly be human. He’s…” She took in a breath, almost labored, and her eyes flashed brightly. “He's anincubus.”
Sasha looked uneasy being near that particular Muse, but he did not move away. He steadied his shotgun on Want. “Enough games,” he said. “We’re going to count to three and then open fire. One…”
“Two,” Nathan said.
“How marvelous it will be indeed when James helps lead us into a new age,” Want spoke over them. “You will be but a pet at his feet, Nathan Grier, and the feet of the one who owns you."
