When she shouted at them, and Virtue had done the same, Vile had laughed in triumph and said something about a “deal accepted” before strolling away, grinning like an idiot.
Sasha looked like she wanted to melt into the floor in embarrassment. She climbed off the table quickly headed down one of the aisles of books, her face red and obviously close to tears.
No. No way inhellwas Sidney going to let her sister escape like that. She stormed after her. “What thefuckSasha?”
“It’s—it’s not what it looks like—” Sasha went to the far back corner of the row of books, leaning against the wall, her head in her hands.
“Explain!”
“We were arguing. He threatened to hurt you. To do things to you. I—I just—he—it just happened suddenly, it doesn’t make any sense, I didn’t really—I was trying to make a deal with him, and he just—” She was rambling, her hands shaking.
Sidney moved to stand across from her twin, crossing her arms across her chest. “Were you trading yourself for my safety? Was that the deal? A ‘take me instead’ kind of thing?”
“N—no. It wasn’t like that.”
“Thenwhywere you kissing him?”
“He—he just kind of kissed me, it just kind of happened. I didn’t ask for it.”
“Didn’t seem like you didn’t like it.” Sidney made a face.“Seriously,Sasha? He’s trying to kill us both! He kidnapped us. How fucking pent up and hornyareyou that you’d let him dothat?”
“I didn’tlet him,Sid, it just happened!” Sasha pulled her glasses off and ran her hand down her face. “Does he look like the kind of person who—it’s like trying to argue with a moving train!”
“Uh-huh.” Sidney rolled her eyes. “It’s called ‘no means no,’ sweetheart! Have you ever heard of it?”
“You’re the one to talk. Getting felt up by mermaids and almostdrowned?” Sasha glared at her. “You’re going to try to fuck your way through whatever story we get stuck in, don’t deny it!”
“Look—”Sidney pointed at her. “Just because I have a healthy sex life doesn’t make me a?—”
“See, brother? I told you this would be fun.”
Sidney broke off. Standing there at the end of the aisle were Vile and Virtue, watching her argue with her twin. Vile was grinning like the cat who ate the canary. He might as well have been eating from a bucket of popcorn for how pleased he looked.
Virtue was frowning, his brow knitted in concern. “Please don’t fight, you two. This is what he does. He tries to split people up. He’s a manipulator, and he’s the best at it.”
“I am not—” Vile paused. “Well, I am the best at it, yes, but I—” He sighed. “Damn it.”
Virtue walked up to them, and placed a hand on Sasha’s shoulder. “It’s all right. He’ll make you feel vulnerable, alone, and use any attraction you have to him to his advantage. He’ll make you feel like he’s the only one in the world on your side. Who understands you.That’s what he does. That’s his game. And it starts like this. By isolating you from the ones you love.”
Shit. Sidney’s shoulders slumped. She walked up to Sasha and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry,” she muttered to her sister. “I get it. It’s the tall, dark, and handsome vibe.” She paused. “And you’re super horny and repressed.”
“I am not.” Sasha couldn’t help but laugh through the last half of her protest.
Vile groaned. “You’re making me out to be some abusivehuman, brother. I’m not such a pedant. My schemes are far more grandiose than that.” He walked away from the end of the aisle. “Come along, Sasha. We have a story to choose.”
“No, we won the last story, so we chose the next one,” Virtue argued.
“Hardly! Sasha most decidedly won the last story.” Vile turned to face them again.
Sidney went to join the forming argument between the demigods, with Sasha following close beside her. This involved them both. And if this was choosing the next story, it was a matter of life or death.
“But she did so doing a heroicact.” Virtue smiled. “Therefore, the heroes won, and the heroes get to choose.”
“No. Sasha won by performing a cowardly act of mutiny. Mr. Smee overthrew Captain Hook to take control of the pirates. The story ended before we even know whether or not he chose to surrender to Peter Pan or slaughter the remaining Lost Boys.” Vile adjusted one of his cufflinks, looking quite bored with the situation. “The ending was ambiguous, but the winner is clear.”
Virtue went to argue again, then let out a heavy sigh. “Darn it.”
“It’s all right.” Sidney smiled, nervously. “We’ll get to pick the next one.” What was certain death at the hands of whatever horrifying story Sasha chose? Right?
