Page 60 of Dark Stars
"He would not offer the solution lightly, sohe must have faith in Michael's ability to grow and improve."
Jones scoffed. "Still would have made a nicesnack."
"Go enjoy your new permanent snack bar.Leave this to me," Bobby said, grinning when Harold scowled. "We'llsee the two of you in a couple of weeks. I'm apparently going on acruise."
"I wasn't serious about that," Alejo said."Traveling would be fun, now I'm not running for my life, but Idon't know I actually want to be trapped on a boat with a bunch ofnoisy drunk people."
"You're never trapped with me, and if it'stravel you want, travel we can do. Let me get rid of the problem,and then we'll plan."
Alejo gave him a look. "That better meanstay in bed and rest for a bit because you almost died like tentimes in the past week."
"I'm not opposed to staying in bed, but I'dlike to negotiate the activity."
Alejo rolled his eyes.
"I'm leaving," Harold said. "See you nextproblem, Bobby."
"See you later!"
Jones echoed Alejo's eyeroll beforefollowing Harold out.
Taking the box, he went to the bedroom whereMichael was being kept. He was lying on the bed, propped againstpillows, reading one of Bobby's many, many books, but he tossed itaside and stood immediately. "You can't keep me here forever! Myparents will come looking for me."
"Given that you summoned a demon and soldyour friend off like a mail-order bride, I think they are probablymore out of sight, out of mind with you right now," Bobby said."Remember why your hair is white, little Wiccan, and sit backdown."
Looking suddenly ill, Michael sat. He lookedat the box, then looked away, clearly trying not to run away orscream or throw up.
Bobby set the box on the nightstand,silently recited the unlocking spell, and flipped open the topportion to reveal the collar sitting secured around a raised,padded stand. It was black with an oil-slick shine, set with astone similar to the one Alejo and the others wore, but black andred in color.
"Get that away from me!" Michael hissed, butwhen he tried to bolt, it took no effort to call up tentacles towrap around his limbs and hold him in place. "Stop it! Don't! Ipromise I won't—"
"I know you won't. I don't need yourworthless promises," Bobby replied, and secured the collar aroundhis neck, whispering the enchantment that would lock it in placeuntil a day came, in a hundred days or a thousand years, whenMichael himself determined he no longer needed it. "Now it's timefor you to meet my father."
Before Michael could speak, Bobby draggedthem into the primordial dark, through to his father's temple, tothe very same garden where they'd been having tea just an hour orso ago. "Father, your apprentice." He dropped Michael at hisfeet.
"Thank you. Human, be grateful it was theLord of the Flickering Lights that you angered, for no other of hiskind would have shown the mercy he has today. Rise, and walk withme, and let us converse for a time." He gave Bobby a soft smile anda wave of his head to saysee you later.
Slipping through back to his house, Bobbywent in search of his lover, who had left the house to wanderaround outside, standing by a little pond just barely big enough tohold some medium-sized goldfish. Fireflies flickered all aroundhim, and other insects had gathered at the shore as well to saytheir hellos. It was a good thing insects didn't bother him,because clearly there would be a lot of them in his life. The poortown was going to see an uptick they would not enjoy. Ah, well.He'd mitigate the dangerous stuff and the rest would be fine.Wasn't like the town was unused to strange happenings.
He stepped up behind Alejo and wrapped hisarms around his waist, dropping a kiss to the base of his throat."Thought we were going to bed."
Alejo twisted around in his arms and wrappedhis loosely around Bobby's neck. "Yeah, tosleep, whateveryou scheme otherwise. We can do the fun things later. Then ifyou're willing I need to go home to get my things. I can fly ordrive or whatever."
Bobby scoffed. "I can take you, and eitherwait for you somewhere or help you. Don't want to cause too muchchaos with your family."
"It'll happen at some point, may as well getit over with. Though I'm sure I'll get the lecture from hell aboutjumping from a demonic engagement to a primordial lover. Will Ibecome like your dad, someday? With the eyes and powers andeverything?"
"Surprised you never talked about it withhim."
"Seemed kind of presumptuous and rude."
"You're stuck with me, little human, so it'sneither of those things."
"You nearly died. I wasn't going to be all'do I get superpowers eventually?' while you were healing. I couldpracticallyfeelmy mother removingla chanclafromher foot to lob at my head. I'd rather deal with those weird assDark Young again."
"I'm sure we'll see them again someday. Myfamily is always causing trouble, by accident or design, andsometimes it's impossible to say which. Come on, let's go get thatrest you think I need so badly, and then we can sort out what to donext."
Surprising no one but Alejo himself, hedropped off immediately, sighing softly in his sleep as though hissubconscious was relieved to finally get a break. Bobby lingeredfor a couple of hours, until he felt one hundred percent himselfagain. He'd still felt a bit worn thin climbing out of theregeneration fluid, but his father's tea, rest, and time had takencare of that.
