Earlier, when his father had arrived without warning, threatening to force one of them off planet, Sila’s immediate reaction had been cool detachment. He’d observed the situation from all angles and easily come to the conclusion that he, his brother, and his kitten could get off Vitality together. He had more than enough coin saved up for their tickets and, after the message Bay had sent him last night, he’d been certain Bay would be willing to leave with them.
He'd been so sure of it, so certain that Bay was right where he wanted him and would do anything he said.
Fortunately, fleeing wasn’t necessary and their father was already on a one-way flight back home. They wouldn’t have to worry about him ever again, and he and his brother no longer had to consider their original plan to run themselves. Vitality was going to be their home for good.
Sila had gone to the shuttleport to see for himself. He’d waited in the shadows and watched as Crate Varun was forced to board by the authorities and hadn’t dared to leave until the ship was high in the sky on its way off planet.
When he’d received Bay’s message last night, he’d assumed it was in reference to his grandmother’s case. Sila had waited, wanting to discuss it with him in person, but then this whole mess had taken up his entire day and by the time it’d been truly over, night had already fallen.
The tracker he’d placed on Bay’s car had led him to the bridge and it wasn’t until Sila realized where Bay was that it hit him maybe the message had meant something else.
Had Bay been trying to end things with him? Trying to call it quits between them?
In a godsdamn text message?
A low growl rumbled past his lips before he could contain it and he heard his brother’s sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.
“I,” Sila licked his lips, forcing the words out, “may be losing control. Just a little.”
More like a lot, but his brother didn’t need to know that.
“Tell me what to do.” Sila had never listened to anyone other than his brother and, even though it annoyed him to have to ask, there was no shame in doing so. His brother suffered from emotional deregulation, something Sila had no personal experience of. He didn’t think that’s what was happening to him here either, but it couldn’t hurt to learn what helped his brother whenever he felt like the world was slipping through his grasp.
“Are you alone?” his brother asked, then swore before Sila could reply. “No, you already said someone was there with you. A he. Is he safe?”
“He’s tied up.” Sila had secured Bay to the chair on the other side of the bedroom. The chair itself was bolted to the floor. When he’d done it, it’d been with locking Bay up in mind. But not like this.
Bay’s body was slumped forward, his wrists and ankles tied to the arms and legs of the metal chair. He was pale, his hair a mess, but he was breathing.
For now.
“Are you a danger to him?”
“I’m a danger to everyone,” Sila growled. “Just tell me what you do.”
His brother clearly didn’t want to, but after a moment sighed and gave in. “Sex helps.”
“What?” Sila frowned.
“Yeah. Giving up control—”
“No.”
He sighed again. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you. We’re—”
“Different?” Sila finished for him. Something in his stomach sank and he closed his eyes a second time. “Yes. We are.” But not entirely. “Sex you say?”
“Brother…”
“Sex and control.” That was it. That’s what had gotten away from him. Sila just needed a way to regain control, then everything would be fine. He’d tuck his true nature back within the Tiberan skin he wore and everything would return to the way that it’d been.
Because this? Sila didn’t like this.
And he only ever did the things that he liked.
“Thank you, brother,” he said, and then he ended the call before he could say anything else. He turned the multi-slate off and tossed it onto the long desk at his back next. There was no reason to keep it active since he didn’t want to be traced or disturbed. His brother wasn’t yet aware of this place, so there was no way he could show up out of the blue either.
“It’s just you and me,” he whispered into the darkness, easing his way across the room toward Bay’s unconscious form. “Just you and the Devil you called out to play.”
