Chapter 9

Chapter 13

> Parker touches his cheek. “Few more days. I’ll make them good.” > “Good?” says Arthur, very tiny. “I just want to hurt John.” > “You will.” Parker’s tone is vicious. “But you don’t have to hurt, too. Come on. I’ll treat you like a king until it’s time—and when it is time, it won’t fucking hurt. You have my word.” > It’s a lie. Arthur knows it’s a lie. He sniffles. “Okay.” ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Chapter 12

> You are taking the biggest fucking risk. > “The biggest fucking risk, Hastur, was choosing to trust you after I learned what you did.” > Hastur is silent. > “I still hate you for it,” Arthur says. “But… I trust you. I’m making that choice. And now, I need you to make that choice, too.” ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Chapter 11

> He feels Hastur on his lips and under his tongue, behind his eyes and so very careful not to knock Arthur out of his own body because if he is too much himself, he would. > And then it’s gone, and Arthur is gasping, and somehow on his knees, and the bugdog is licking his face with concern and making weird little whimpering buzzing sounds. “Got a kiss after all,” he blurts, laughs weakly, and hangs his head to keep from passing out. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Chapter 10

> Parker, thinks Arthur, because it is Parker, because Parker’s never been nice, and after today’s little episode they were over, but he was a detective, he’d solved murders, he was one of the good guys, and now— ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Chapter 9

> “You fuck,” Arthur says quietly, again not recognizing his own voice. “How could you do this to me?” > Hastur sighs. You can be so smart, sometimes. And others… it’s like you’ve pulled the plug on your own intelligence. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.