“No.” That had never been in the cards for him. He could never be the one to go to his student like that.
“Is there a reason?” he asked. “I didn’t take you for a coward.”
“It’s not about that,” Bay replied.
“What’s it about then?”
Any other night, with any other person, Bay would have demanded to be released and might have even risked taking a swing at the man behind him, rescuer or not. Maybe it was combination of the drinks swirling in his system, paired with his recent lack of sleep, but he found himself actually wanting to share.
What was the worst that could happen?
“I don’t want to hurt him,” Bay admitted softly, bracing for more questions that never ended up coming. Instead, the man shocked him further by laughing, the sound genuine and raw, the sound a lot lighter and airier than his speaking voice was. He bristled indignantly. “What’s so funny? You think because of my size I couldn’t do it? I’m capable of—”
“Relax, Kitten,” the man cut him off. “I know how ferocious you can be. There’s no need to convince me. The thing is,” he finally dropped his hands and took a single step away, “there are bigger monsters than you out on the streets of Vitality. You should take more care over who you attract.”
Even though he was technically no longer being held there, Bay kept his eyes firmly locked on the blank spot of wall less than two inches before him. That dark vibe he’d gotten when the man had first entered the room and spoken to Castle was still fresh in his memory, spurring him toward caution.
He wasn’t wrong. There were plenty of monsters that made this planet their home, a range of demons and devils. But the person with him now wasn’t either of the Devil princes—that much Bay was positive.
“Are you one of the Satellite?” he found himself asking.
“Interesting guess,” the man replied. “Why not Retinue?”
“The Imperial Prince tends to surround himself with explosive personalities.”
“You don’t think I fit that description?” He was amused, it was obvious in the lilt of his tone.
“I’m friends with Flix,” Bay said, thinking perhaps he could get the man to admit to more by doing so.
“I’m aware. He helps you at the races.”
“You saw that too?”
“I’ve seen more than you’d be comfortable knowing.”
Bay swallowed. “If you aren’t Satellite—”
“I follow no one, Kitten.”
“You followed me,” he reminded, biting down on his tongue as soon as it was out. “I didn’t mean that.”
“You did,” he chuckled. “But it’s all right. I like you unfiltered. And you aren’t wrong, though I wouldn’t call it following, per se.”
“What would you call it?”
There was another pregnant pause and then that warmth breath was back at the curve of his ear. “Hunting. Castle didn’t understand you enough to know what types of depravity you’re into. But I do. Want to play, Kitten?”
He shivered and his eyes went wide. Before he could help it, instinct finally took control and he spun, mouth already open to reply. The words got caught in his throat when he was met with an empty room.
Either the man moved at impossible speeds or he was a ghost.
Bay slumped back against the wall and pressed a palm to his racing heart. A second later, his multi-slate dinged and he inhaled sharply at the green letters that appeared on his screen.
Unknown:Next time, I won’t warn you I’m coming, Kitten. Be ready for me.
Chapter 7:
The Brick was a small abandoned shack the two of them had discovered randomly while exploring the woods near their apartment sometime last year. They called it that because that’s pretty much all there was to it, a small building that had most likely been used as storage once upon a time, now home to a couple of wooden boxes and a rickety bench.
