The fairy snorted. “You can’t stop me if you don’t play.” He wiggled his fingers at the apple.
“Watch me.” Bruce reached behind his seat and grabbed the brick he kept in his car in case he had to break a window… or a fairy face. It would hurt him to smash up his car, but his brother was worth it. Assuming he could talk sense into the guy. Which was pretty funny considering he was the one talking to a salad fairy.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go for the fruit? It’s not a bad deal.”
“No,” Bruce said firmly. “Now let me out of my car.”
“Fine, fine,” the fairy said with a smile. “But it’s pretty late. Don’t you think it’s time for a nap?”
Bruce knew he was in trouble the moment the words left the fairy’s mouth. Because the words had power. Bruce’s eyelids started drooping, and the brick fell from his lax fingers. He fought the suggestion. Hell, he fought it with everything he had, but it wasn’t enough.
The world went dark.
HE WOKE when the sun burned into his retinas.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fucking hell!”
It was morning, and the cherry and the apple still sat on his dash, looking as perfect as they had the night before. More perfect, even, because they were now in sunlight. His mouth watered just looking at them. But rather than take a bite, he grabbed them both and dropped them into his jacket pocket. No way was he touching them any more than he had to. The temptation was too strong.
He started the car and headed as fast as he could to White River State Park. He hadn’t missed it when Bitter-ass had dropped the location of whatever was supposed to go down. Plus, his brother was never on time for anything, so Bruce still had hope that he’d be able to stop any enslavement from happening.
He found Nero’s car after seven long frustrating minutes of searching. And then it was quick work to follow the trail up to a wood-enclosed glen. He saw clothing and a backpack stacked neatly beneath a tree, but before he could get there, Mr. Salad Fairy appeared, only this time he was tall, dark, and sneering. But the attitude was the same, as was the way he plucked the fruit out of Bruce’s pocket.
“Looking for these?” he taunted.
“No. Looking for my brother.”
“Well, you’re in luck. He’ll show up here in a moment.”
“As your slave?”
“Not this time.” The asshole waggled his very dark, very sculpted brows. “But I’ll get him eventually.” He waved the apple in front of Bruce’s eyes. “Unless you want to play?”
“No, thanks.”
“Suit yourself. But you can give them a message for me, can’t you?” He plucked a green piece of parchment seemingly from the air and handed it to Bruce. With it came the cherry, which seemed to hum in the palm of his hand. “That’s the freebie,” he said. “It’s so you can have what he has, Even Steven.” Then he held the apple in the sunlight, where it shimmered and glowed as if it had come from the Garden of Eden. “This gives you more.” He stressed the last word like he was offering up Eve’s temptation. “Call out my name three times. Do you remember it?”
He did. Jonas Bitterroot. But that’s not what he said. “I’m not calling you. I just want to talk to my brother.”
The asshole shrugged. “Suit yourself. I got a more interesting slave this time. But your brother is still on my radar, and I do like the way he thinks.”
“Buzz off,” Bruce growled. “Or blink out. Or do whatever the hell you….” His words trailed away. He was alone in the clearing. “Asshole,” he muttered.
Then he read the note.
When you’re ready, call me. I will have five shields, hoodies, and a magic bullet available for your use. No charge except for the dragons.
The words didn’t make any sense, but he supposed that was the point. If he wanted to understand, he needed to play. Pop the magic cherry, swallow the red pill, or walk the yellow brick road. It was all an invitation to danger where fairies could change appearances and mess with his head at will. It didn’t sound remotely safe, and his little brother was smack-dab in the middle of it.
He held out the cherry and felt it pulse right there in his palm. It would be so easy to pop it down, but then what would happen?
He didn’t get the chance to answer as sounds came from the clearing. His brother’s voice. And Nero’s response.
“So it’s done? We’re… free?”
“I think so.”
There was more talk that Bruce didn’t follow. He got closer and saw that Nero was naked and Josh was wrapped in his arms. He wanted to sneer at that. He wanted to make some sort of sound to at least make them jolt apart, but he couldn’t. He was too busy seeing how completely devoted they were to each other. Happy, sad, laughing, and crying, all at once. They were in love, damn it. And that made him shrink back into the shadows, feeling like he was spying on a honeymooning couple. Whatever Josh had found, it was making him happy.
But was it real?
He didn’t know. He did believe that Bitterroot was still watching Josh, which meant he was still in danger. And if Bruce wanted to protect Josh, then he had to stick around. Even more important, he had to understand what was going on.
There was only one way to do that, and it was pulsing in the palm of his hand.
“Congratulations, little brother. Looks like you found love,” he said.
Josh and Nero jerked apart, but it was Josh who spoke. “Bruce, what are you doing here?”
“Following you. Watching you.”
He saw his brother’s eyes widen in horror. “Look, I know
