Brush of Darkness Read Online Free PDF Page B

remnant of an older time, with cobblestones and horse-drawn carriages, candled lanterns and muddy gutters. On impulse, I traced a path from the gallery to the Pit, pausing over the OtherFolk landmarks that I knew. They weren’t on the map, of course, but I’d found the hidden alley that led to the Hallows, the sunken garden of the Judgment Hall, and the Door at the base ofthe church that stood on its little hill. I’d never been through it, but I knew Moira had used it regularly. I turned away abruptly, heading back to the main exhibit, humor gone in a wave of impotent despair. Had she used it when she left this last time?
    I found myself drawn to the scarlet woman again. I stood there for a long while, trying to guess what she had been thinking when it was painted. Her face was a grim reminder that I was just as bound to this place as she appeared to be, even if my chains weren’t as solid.
    “I knew she was kinky, but I never thought she’d willingly submit to chains,” Brystion muttered behind me. I hadn’t heard him arrive, but the smooth timbre of his voice was more than enough to give him away.
    Another flare of jealousy stung me as I looked at the woman’s pale curves. “Ex-girlfriend?” I guessed, the words clipped and taut.
    He let out a deep chuff. “I’m not quite that kinky either.” He paused. “She’s my sister.”

I looked at Brystion and then back at the painting, the unease growing in my belly. “Your sister? Would that make her a succubus?”
    “Of course.” His lip curled in derision. “Figured that out all by yourself, did you?”
    I shrugged. “Not really. Melanie told me what you were—the rest was my own clever deduction. That’s what friendly people do, by the way—tell each other things. You know, as opposed to leering around dark corners all mysterious.”
    “Your first mistake was assuming I was friendly,” he growled, pushing the dark fall of his hair from his forehead with a sharp tug.
    I snorted, the alcohol making me careless. “If invading my mind and trying to fuck me senseless isn’t friendly, I’d hate to see what happens when you actually
like
someone.”
    The light in his eyes emptied, leaving them dark and lifeless. I suddenly wished that I’d kept my mouth shut. The earlier masque of flirtation and faux self-deprecation melted away, leaving him cold. Untouchable. Other . . .
    I shook myself. No matter how damned beautiful he was,I had to remember that what I was dealing with was
not
human.
    There was a hint of his sister about him, a pride I hadn’t seen before. His jaw tensed under my scrutiny. I reached out to touch his arm and then thought better of it. Which is really just a nice way of saying I wimped out, but there it is. “What is it?”
    His mouth flattened, snaking into a tight line. “You. You’re so damned ignorant.”
    I blinked. “Maybe so, but at least I’m not an arrogant prick. Or maybe I’m not quite as stupid as you think. Either way, you have a nice evening now.”
    He caught my wrist as I turned to go and I took a swig of my champagne. He stroked the silver bracelet overhanging my palm. “And just what do you mean by that?” His face was as expressionless as the backside of a boulder.
    I stepped back, rubbing my wrist against my skirt where his fingers had left a hot tingle.
    He glared down at me, but I refused to look away, ignoring the sudden tremble in my knees. “Why, for the love of all that is holy, would Moira choose
you
as her representative here?”
    “You’d have to ask her,” I said, the sting of shame burning my cheeks. “After all, I’m just a mere mortal.”
    His nostrils flared. “I’m through playing games, Abby. Where is she?”
    “You tell me. According to you I shouldn’t worry about it because ‘she already knows.’ Unless,” I said, slowly trying to piece it together, “she really
doesn’t
. Your funky little magic seduction thing didn’t work, did it?”
    “Oh, it worked,” he muttered.