“Honestly, that’s the best you can come up with.” Q pushed up his glasses and sat on the edge of the tub. Charlotte cuddled by his side.
“Man, I think it would totally rock if a girl drooled every time she heard my name.”
“You would, you ass.”
“Okay, smart stuff. What would you do to her?”
Q puffed out his chest with an evil grin. “Personally, I would love to see her jump off a cliff.”
“Whoa!” Seth raised his hands, something in his heart screamed in panic at the thought. “I’m not going to kill her! That would be a total waste!”
“Totally, man!” Ky nodded in agreement.
“Okay, then how about making her a drug addict?” Q asked. “Would make her mind easier for you to control, and I can make a little profit.”
“Shit, dude. You’re really hard-core evil.”
“Runs in the family,” Q said proudly. “What do you say, Seth?”
“I say I’ll decide when the time comes.” Seth snorted and sipped his beer. “And it will be something unique. Something not even my father would think of.”
“Hey, you’re the snake charmer.” Q shrugged. “We’re just offering some ideas.”
“Well, if that’s settled then,” Ky called, rubbing two cheerleaders’ backs and making them groan with pleasure. “Can we get back to more pressing issues? Like, getting this party really rocking, if you know what I mean.”
Seth chuckled at his friend, about to pull his magic strings when a shadow fell across the deck before him. He looked up to see a businessman standing as solid as stone in the frame of the French doors beside them. His white-blond hair slicked back away from his face, and his turquoise eyes pierced through the surrounding shadows.
“Father!” Seth’s jaw dropped. “I-I didn’t e-expect you to be h-home until tomorrow—”
His heart leapt into his throat, cutting off the last of his words. Sweat began to gather over his brow and temple. He glanced nervously at the girls, and then back at his father. Sean O’Keefe also scanned the crowd on his deck, his eyes finally locking on Mandy and Ashley. Seth noticed the hunger in his father’s gaze and quickly turned to his guests.
“Guys, why don’t you take the girls to Q’s place for the night?”
Ky’s eyes darted between Sean and Seth. “Ten-four, bro. Come on, girls.”
Ky helped his two girls out of the tub, tickling them and making them shriek in delight. They ran into the house, nearly toppling over the billiard table in their haste. Ky started to give chase, but instantly froze when he met Sean’s gaze.
“Hem-netjer.” He bowed. “Welcome back.”
Sean gave him a crooked smile while he examined the half-naked girls waiting inside. He gave a nod of approval. The girls giggled and ran into the hallway. Ky sprinted after them.
Q took Charlotte’s hand, creeping slowly for the door. Mandy and Ashley trailed behind them. Q stopped and bowed to Sean.
“Hem-netjer.”
“Mr. Chang.” Sean looked over Charlotte. “Enjoy.”
Sean let Q pull Charlotte with him into the house, then held up his hand to stop Mandy and Ashley in their tracks. “There’s no need for you two to leave just yet,” he chimed. An intense, influential charm sent visible thrills through the two girls’ bodies. They turned to their new master, drawn to his power. “Stay here for a while and relax.”
Both girls’ muscles slumped, and their chests heaved while their dreamy eyes stayed focused only on Sean. A creepy feeling slithered down Seth’s spine. He knew what was coming from past experience; which was why he didn’t want these girls at his home in the first place. But it was too late. There was no going back to fix this mistake.
Sean flashed them a smile before turning to Seth; his eyes colder than steel. “Seth-Seth-Seth. Still using your powers to hold orgies, I see. Honestly, when are you going to grow up? By the time I was your age, I had expanded my powers to much greater heights. I charmed the smartest girl of my class into thinking she was a dog because she got a better grade than I in Algebra. I could make people dance for me at will and altered personalities to entertain myself. I even charmed the high school quarterback to take his life and took his girl from him.”
Seth took a gulp of beer before responding. “So you’ve told me, Father, over and over and over . . .”
Sean’s eyes narrowed. “You hold one of the world’s greatest powers our god could bless a man with, yet you waste it. Why?” Seth shrugged, frustrating his father further. “Son, with our power, we are the maker of rules. We can make anyone do as we please or think the way we want them to. So why waste it on these childish antics?”
Seth took another sip, ignoring the question. Sean shook his head and turned his attention to the two cheerleaders, his focus falling on Ashley first.
“And what is your name, my dear?” he asked in a soft enchanting tone.
“Ashley. Ashley Dunwater.”
Sean picked up her hand and kissed it, nearly causing Ashley to faint. “A lovely name.” His eyes shot to Mandy. “And this beauty is?”