Page 37 of Dark Stars
"Whatthe fuck am I would probably bea more accurate question, but regardless, the answer remains thesame: none of your business. Now, will you tell me your name,little witch far from home, or shall I ask the dark to tellme?"
"The dark? What the fuck does that mean?" Hebacked up another step, so he must have some sense, even if thatwas only instinctive self-preservation. Licking his lips, he saidhaltingly, "Michael."
Bobby blinked, then gave a small chuckle. "Ihonestly thought it would be Worthington or Chadmoore or some otherrich brat type of name. Hmm. If you have come in search of answersregarding Leviathan, you'd do better to take your questions andleave."
Anger overrode fear again, and Michaelsurged forward, stopping just short of touching distance. "What didyou do! I felt everything fall apart. You have no idea what you'remucking with!"
Okay, that was genuinely irritating. Howstupid and arrogant was this child? "Just because you don't knowwhat you're doing when it comes to demons doesn't mean I share thatignorance. Leviathan and I brokered a deal."
"A deal? What kind of deal?"
"None of your business. You know, despiteeverything, I was willing to be kind about this, or at leasttolerant. I would have let you go. But all you've mentioned so faris Leviathan. You have been angry and afraid in turns, but all yourconcern is for yourself. Not once have you asked about the man youbetrayed, the man you hurt. If you had displayed any sort of worryfor him, I would have let you leave here relatively unscathed. Now,though, when you leave—if you are permitted to live—you will bearthe scars, inside and out, of having made the mistake to draw myanger. Time to go, little witch."
"What—"
He broke off as he was smothered indarkness, then was screaming in terror a moment later as Bobby drewhim, drew him down, down into the dark and cold.
When the reemerged back at his house momentslater, Michael's hair was no longer pale blond, but true white, andhe shivered as though moments away from hypothermia.
"What— what—"
"Shush now," Bobby said, not unkindly, andled him into the house.
"Bobby!" Alejo surged forward, then stoppedand reeled back. "Michael? What the hell happened to you? Why didyou come all the way across the country? How did you find me?"
"Give him a minute. He didn't take well tomy little shortcut." Bobby half-led, half-dragged Michael into thekitchen and sat him at the table before going to make a fresh potof coffee. "Thought you'd still be asleep."
"Woke up to pee, saw your note on the wayback. Was about to call when I heard you come inside. Whathappened?"
"Not much, really," Bobby replied, andexplained the short encounter by the lake. When the coffee hadfinished brewing, he poured a cup with plenty of cream and sugarfor Michael and slid it across the table to him. "Drink up. If youcan keep that down, I'll give you food."
"I don't think you're supposed to givecoffee to someone you think might throw up."
Bobby shrugged. "It's more about comfortthan anything else, and humans do like their coffee. At least herein the States. Drink up, child."
"St-st-stay away from me, you fr-freak."
Snorting softly, Bobby poured himself a cupof coffee and dug out his phone to text Harold.How goes thecultist hunting? I've secured package #1
SSDD. Be back in thirty or so.
"Looks like Jones and Harold will be back inthe next half hour-ish with the cultists who managed to find theirway here." He set the phone aside and took a sip of coffee, lookingover the rim at Alejo. He hovered in the doorway, gaze flittingbetween warily watching Michael and glancing almost shyly atBobby.
He held out his left arm, beckoning Alejoin. "Come here."
Smiling happily, Alejo immediately obeyed,resting his hands on Bobby's chest as he was looped in. "Hope youdidn't have too much fun without me."
"Not much at all, really. Afraid this one isall work, no pleasure. Not unless I can break his mind into piecesand eat him, but that's probably excessive."
"Jury's still out," Alejo murmured beforemeeting the kiss Bobby bent to give him, sighing happily intoit.
"What in thefuck," Michael bit out,voice still shaky with terror but underscored with genuineanger.
Bobby ignored him, focused entirely onkissing his lover, the warmth and softness of his mouth, the wayAlejo's fingers curled into his chest, loosely gripping at hisshirt, the pleased noises he made as Bobby marked him from theinside out.
When they finally drew apart, he'd nearlyforgotten about the annoying little brat in his kitchen.
"What the fuck, Alejandro?" Michael asked."You left town like a couple of weeks ago. Now you're here swappingspit with some non-human weirdo? Your mom—"
