Chapter Thirty-three

Farren hung around until positive forensics found nothing helpful, then shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and trudged out of the apartment. The woman from earlier peeked out before quickly slamming the door.

She seemed the type to know information if she constantly watched the goings on at her neighbors. If she’s seen anything off, she’d tell all—to someone else. Farren rode the elevator to the lobby and strode out the front door. Cool air bathed his face. He’d not even realized how sweltering the apartment had become with a six-person team there.

He returned to relatively cool June morning temperatures. By noon, heat and humidity might make the city nearly unbearable. He stood on the sidewalk, rocking on the balls of his feet. What should he do now? Whatever, it had to be something. Inactivity didn’t sit well with him. He checked the time. Ten a.m.

If only he could see more than Morrisey’s eyes in his mind, get an idea of where he might be.

Feeling someone’s gaze upon him, Farren turned to the left. A block down, a woman wearing a hoodie and sunglasses stood frozen, staring in his direction. The moment Farren focused on her, she turned and fled. Although Farren hadn’t gotten a good look, he’d put money on her being a traveler.

He quickened his steps, giving chase. By the time he got to where she’d stood, she’d gone two more blocks and again waited. She didn’t run, enticing Farren to follow.

And do what? Walk into a trap? He tracked her again. This time, she disappeared inside a bar. A bit early for happy hour. Sensing only one traveler, Farren followed her inside.

Nothing. Damn it! And damned if Farren even knew why the woman piqued his interest.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked. “It’s a bit early for lunch. The kitchen doesn’t open until eleven.”

“Did you see a woman come in here just a moment ago wearing a gray hoodie?”

The man shook his head. “I just started my shift.”

Damn the luck. Technically, Farren wasn’t on the clock since he’d pulled an all-nighter. “Give me whatever you got on tap.” He tried not to expect too much when the bartender handed him a frosty mug.

Farren took a sip. Not bad. Not bad at all. He’d have to bring Morrisey here sometime.

What? His churning mind screeched to a halt. Bring Morrisey here? Like a date? Farren didn’t hate the idea. Once Morrisey finished training, Farren could assign him to another partner. Eliminate conflict of interest.

Maybe. Then again, probably wiser not to encourage his drinking.

But he’d have to find Morrisey first.

Farren took a seat at the bar, letting out some of the day’s tension. The barstool next to him creaked. Floral perfume filled his nose, along with a faint hint of herbs. He turned his head slightly and caught sight of the woman in the hoodie, dark hair cascading from the fabric. She wore no makeup, appearing far younger than her body probably was.

“I was hoping you’d get the message,” she said, settling onto the next stool.

So, she’d intended Farren to follow. “Why bring me here?”

“Where else would a succuba be?” She smiled. “Don’t answer. Plenty of lust to go around in bars, especially if I show cleavage.”

Was this the traveler Morrissey spoke to? “Why the cloak and dagger act? Is someone watching you?”

The woman lowered her voice. “Someone is watching us all.”

Farren studied her human face and her true self that peeked through every so often. “I saw you speaking to Morrisey.” No trace of the living host, though. This traveler had claimed the body as her own.

“Yes. I asked if he would help me find out why my friends were dying or disappearing. I didn’t know he was one of us at the time.”

One of us.“Morrisey never told me about you.” Farren had waited, hoping he wouldn’t have to ask, but Morrisey never volunteered information.

“I asked him not to.”

Farren’s suspicions went on high alert. Although he didn”t have the authority or cause to banish her, he could subdue this woman if needed. “Why?”

The woman regarded Farren, eyes slightly narrowed, then stuck out her hand. “Jessalain. You can call me Jessa.”

Farren shook the offered hand. “You kept your old name?”

Jessa took back her hand, slumping on her stool. “Everything else was taken from me. I kept what I could.”

He’d ask later how she came to be in Terra. “Where is Morrisey?”

Jessa curled her upper lip in a snarl. “With the man who thinks he’s my master.”

Master? “Who?”

“He calls himself Asher. He summoned me to be his servant.” Jessa growled low in her throat.

“Did you steal this body?”

Jessa looked away. “Asher made promises he’d no intention of keeping. My host left this body before Asher yanked me from my home and family. But I’ve found a way to leave for brief excursions to others without Asher’s knowledge.”

“You feed on lust and sexual energy.” Farren would get to the body-hopping later. Such a thing shouldn’t be possible without life support. Then again, sharing a body rather than a full takeover might allow Jessa to leave enough essence behind to maintain minimal bodily function. Interesting, and something Farren would need to investigate later.

Jessa threw the challenge back at Farren. “You feed on hate, anger, and murder.”

“Touché. Only, I don’t anymore. Feeding causes more violence. I sustain myself like a human.”

“Which is why you’re not more powerful. You know Morrisey is from Domus, right?”

“Yes.” That much had become clear.

“Asher plans to make him feed on humans.”

“What emotions?” The initial feeding could shape Morrisey for years to come.

“Adoration. Or fear. Morrisey is Princeps.”

Big difference in suspecting and knowing. A Magestra and a Princeps would never have been accepted as a couple back home under normal circumstances. “Are you sure Morrisey is Princeps?”

“Yes. Very prominent parentage, too. Apparently, he’s also Asher’s half-brother through one parent.”

How had a Princeps come to this realm and survived forty-plus years without knowing their true nature? And in Farren”s old world, people frowned upon having young with multiple partners. “Asher’s other parent?”

“A servant who took the blame and suffered banishment.”

Yeah, blame whoever held a lower position in society. But, fuck. Princeps. Had this Asher made off with a Princeps spawn? And for what purpose? Oh. Farren’s former world hadn’t been perfect. Victim blaming had been one of their major faults, though this world wasn’t much better. “This Asher guy. He plans to kill Morrisey for revenge?”

“No. Asher knows, as a bastard, no one from our realm will ever follow him, but they would follow Morrisey.”

“He’s Tenebris. They weren’t allowed to live. No one would follow him.” At least, Farren didn’t think so if travelers brought their old prejudices with them.

“Tenebris were killed because of the power they wielded. The skill to banish with a thought rather than a ritual. Legend says they can compel others to do their will.”

Some rumors said a Tenebris would destroy the world. Looked like the world met its doom without help. “It’s been so long since one lived, it’s impossible to determine fact from myth.”

“We’re about to find out.” Jessa frowned. “First, though, Asher has to awaken whatever powers Morrisey has.”

“Is Morrisey okay?” At least he still lived.

“For now. But his upbringing molded him into a human. He doesn’t understand how to be what he is, and he doesn’t want to. But know this. Asher is promising humans their wildest dreams and taking their money, then selling their bodies to the highest bidder from our world, payable within a few years of arriving. Our realm’s failure has sped rapidly since you were there. Demons are desperate. They’re promising everything, then getting here and discovering they can’t pay.” She gave a humorless laugh. “Asher’s the one who’s been killing my friends. Or rather, allowing his minions to. And that’s not all.”

“There’s more?” Just wait until Farren got his hands on this Asher. He’d never banished a Princeps before, or rather a half Princeps. First time for everything. And he didn’t correct Jessa for calling their kind demons.

“Asher can travel between realms.”

Shivers ran down Farren’s spine. “Fuck.”

Jessa replied, “My thoughts exactly. Asher transports some demons into wealthy, powerful people who can either afford money or influence.”

“Why doesn’t Asher take such a form himself?”

“He prefers to be the puppet master, as the woman who once lived in this body might say. He uses me and others to lure men to him. When he’s not using me, I assist otherwise helpless women.” Jessa gave a bittersweet smile. “My way of making up for all the bad I’m made to do.” She shrugged. “Everyone needs a hobby, right?” She turned a startingly sincere gaze on Farren. “Because of my bond with Asher, I can’t act against him directly. So, I approached Morrisey, asking him to help me find out what happened to my friends.” The scarred bar top suddenly held great interest for her. “I didn’t know any other way to help except through a cop who knew of us, after years of waiting. I had no idea I’d endanger him and never even suspected he was one of us. I couldn’t tell.”

”If Asher kills those who can”t pay, what does he gain from the deal? Seems like a waste.” At least now Farren knew how Morrisey came to know a succuba. Jessa also seemed forthcoming with information on her summoner—and she didn’t like the summoner if she spoke the truth. Maybe the adage of an enemy of my enemy is my friend might hold true. Worth trying if it got Morrisey back.

“He resells the bodies.”

“Wait. You’re telling me all this. Isn’t talking to me and Morrisey going against Asher?”

“You”re not as powerful. He doesn’t see you as a threat. Besides…” Jessa paused, staring off into space, the way Farren did when getting input from the old Farren. “Sorry. I’m trying to put this so I don’t directly compromise my restrictions. Asher knew Morrisey was Tenebris. To maximize his power, Morrisey cannot bond with a Lux. Occisors aren’t the most reliable of spies. Asher got an idea about you but only knew vaguely what you looked like and you were Magestra, and as such were undetectable as a de—traveler. Sorry. Morrisey said you preferred to be called a traveler.”

Farren swallowed hard, recalling what Morrisey said about a murderer targeting cops. “He started killing blond cops.”

“Yes. I wish there was something I could have done…” Jessa let her words trail off.

“But he needs Morrisey.”

“Think about it. Asher is half Princeps, half working class. He’s thriving on his victims’ energy. He sends his occisors out to kill and destroy, then feeds from them.”

Farren winced. “Kind of like the old human practice of cannibalism.”

“Even the higher life forms aren’t immune. If they don’t line his pockets or serve him, they become fodder for his appetites. And he’s done this for so long there’s no coming back. You know how it was in our world. The more crimes one commits, the more their aura degrades. He’s become pure evil, one step above an animal. But a cunning one.”

Farren spoke quietly. “How about you? Are you okay?”

Jessa took a drink of whatever the bartender gave her. “I can take care of myself. It’s my friends I worried about. Now, I include Morrisey in the group.”

They were wasting time. “Do you know where he is?”

“Yes.”

Farren’s heart pounded hard. Finally. “Can you take me there?” About damned time he caught a break.

“No. You can’t help him.” Jessa rested her hand on Farren”s arm. “In this, he must help himself. But he’d want you to know he’s okay. He might not be aware of it yet, but he cares deeply for you. He’ll want to know you are well.”

Really? “What can I do?” Sitting around doing nothing wasn’t Farren’s style.

“Be ready. He’ll need you soon.” Jessa leaned in. “Tenebris were once said to bring balance to life. Look what happened to Domus when we decided they weren’t worth the risk of keeping alive. Be ready for when he needs you.”

“The lack of Tenebris is why Domus is collapsing?”

“Asher thinks so.”

A bit of hope surged in Farren’s heart. “Does Asher plan to use Morrisey to right the balance?”

“In our world, Asher was nothing. Here, he fancies himself a god. Especially if he can harbor the power of the Tenebris.”

“He plans to take Morrisey’s body?”

Jessa shook her head. “Morrisey is the Tenebris, not the body. But neither Asher nor anyone else can contain the power of darkness, which is why others grew to fear them. Eliminating them wasn’t the answer. What balances darkness?”

Chills swept along Farren’s spine. “Light.”

Jessa sipped her drink. “Though Asher doesn’t believe in old legends, Morrisey needs you, or he’ll self-destruct. You don’t have to be nearby to help him. Reach toward the darkness. You’ll find him.” Jessa rose abruptly and brushed her lips along Farren’s jawline. “You like him. I really believe you’re what he needs. Hurry, though, or you’ll be too late.” She cocked her head to the side, eyes growing distant. After a moment, she shook herself. “My master calls. I must go. It may be too late for our world, but you can save this one if you hurry.”

“What must I do?”

“Do you love him?”

“What?”

“Only your bond can save him.” Jessa pulled the hood over her hair and slapped a twenty on the bar. The bartender watched with interest as she swayed across the floor.

Farren felt Jessa absorbing the man’s moment of lust—a snack to tide her over. In order to save Morrisey, Farren needed to love him.

He already did.